METALUCIFER Heavy Metal Hunter (Metal Proof Records / R.I.P. Records) cd 13.98
As you might guess after seeing 'em posing for pictures in front of a wall of vintage metal vinyl, these Japanese nutjobs are bigger metal maniacs than almost anyone else on the planet. And, they manage to do justice to their obssession with the music they make. This here disc is metal proof: the "ultimate US edition" of their debut album Heavy Metal Hunter, augmented by English language-tracks taken from their hard to find Heavy Metal Drill disc. Thus this includes 2 versions of title track "Heavy Metal Hunter pt.1" (one with extra solos) and a take of "Heavy Metal Hunter pt. 2" along with such songs as "Wolf Man" (both Japanese and English versions), "Bloody Countess" (likewise), "Headbanging" (ditto), and more. Totally old school, NWOBHM worship goin' on, delivered in a delightful tongue-in-cheek fashion -- we think. If you've ever seen local San Francisco metallers The Lord Weird Slough Feg end a live set with their raging cover of "Heavy Metal Hunter" you'll probably want this disc (and as it happens we have just enough copies to provide for the needs of all three of you).
MPEG Stream: "Heavy Metal Hunter pt. 1"

METALUX Fluorescent Towers (Hanson) lp 11.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
From the latest handful of releases on Ann Arbor's Hanson Records comes this Chicago trio of art twaddlers and tape manipulators, Metalux. Having been around for a few years without a record, and hearing much about their live shows, my hopes of a band over their self indulgent "experimental" beginnings - formulating a more refined and original creature- were cut short on my first listen. Unfortunately on "Fluorescent Towers", Metalux still sound like a new band. That's not to say you won't like this if you're into (the now defunct, yet legendary Chicago trio) Dot Dot Dot, Woof Pies or the (more appropriately cryptic sounding) Rubber O Cement). A complete mess, this record sounds like small children with electronic toys and open reels trying to recreate an homage to Royal Trux's even more fucked and disarrayed "Twin Infinitives". Unfortunately for Metalux, this sort of stuff practically clogs the record racks these days. Oh yeah, Metalux also features members of Bride Of No No and Nautical Almanac in their personnel. Great.

METALYCEE Another White Album (Mosz) cd 15.98
Glitchy Viennese electronica (from the scene featuring the likes of Martin Siewert, who mastered this) that, as the name actually is meant to imply, incorporated some METAL elements. Chunky guitar riffs, chopped up. Pretty cool.

METAMATICS Dayglo Tinsel (District Six) 12" 10.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
A few years back, Clear Records made a big stink about some upcoming electronica greats called Metamatics, and released some limited edition singles and an album. The key to their proclamations must have been 'upcoming', as those releases were downright dull. Three years later, District Six has released the best work from Metamatics... 4 tracks of moody, downbeat electro-jazz falling in between Boards of Canada, Spacetime Continuum, and Carl Craig. A solid release.

METAMATICS Neo-Ouija (Hydrogen Dukebox) cd 16.98
Unlike the majority of electronica artists who change their moniker like they change pants, Metamatics has retained their name after a number of stylistic changes. "Neo Ouija" finds the outfit embracing an essentialized drum & bass that takes the jazz infused elements of LTJ Bukem to a brittle skitterish shuffle, full of precious breakbeats and melodies.

METAPHROG / HEY / MUM Louis : Dreams Never Die (Fat Cat) cd + book 14.98
It's a great week for Mum fans! We just got in their Nightly Cares 3"cd/7" single and this 'all ages' graphic novel which stars Louis, the dumpling-ish looking main character (he kinda looks like a crudely drawn baby turtle creature that could be from Andee's fave Homestar Runner website), as well as a supporting cast of frollicking carrots, mechanical dogs, polka-dot mushrooms, a wizard and a frumpy Hitler-looking villain. There's some great lines of dialogue (a sampling: "My eyebrows are crawling all over my face" and "Suffocating in a custard world"), but you might be wondering how is Mum involved? Well, they along with the band Hey have each contributed a wistful version of the theme song "Dreams Never Die To FC" for the accompanying cd which also contains some animated Louis flicks with Mum/Hey soundtrack music to boot.
MPEG Stream: "Dreams Never Die To FC"

METERS, THE Look-Ka Py Py (Josie / Rhino) lp 14.98

METERS, THE Rejuvenation (Sundazed) cd 13.98

METERS, THE s/t (Josie / Rhino) lp 14.98

METGUMBNERBONE Ligeliahorn (Redux) (Sedayne) cd-r 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
What a mouthful! Metgumbnerbone was an obscure post-industrial / drone-improv project that centered around the collaboration between Richard & Philip Rupenus (better known as The New Blockaders, and often Organum partners), John Mylotte, and Sean Breadin (who with Richard Rupenus formed the oblique ritual project Masstishaddhu). From what little information is available about the group, Metgumbnerbone only had a couple releases back in the mid '80s with "Ligeliahorn" being the only recording to get beyond the short run productions of cassette culture with a vinyl release on the now defunct A Mission records. As with all of the Metgumbnerbone recordings, "Ligeliahorn" was recorded entirely in the subterranean (and potentially hazardous) confines of an abandoned factory in Newcastle, England. The collective used the ductwork of the factory and whatever else was laying around as readymade percussive and wind instruments, creating sustained rythmic clatter and acoustic dronescrapes which fluctated into recognizable cyclical patterns and out towards sparse pipe fights. Metgumbnerbone's junkyard sound was always much colder, more sedate, and more funereal than the massive apocalyptic pummel of Einsturzende Neubauten or San Francisco's Scot Jenerik, despite their similarity in instrumentation.
This cd-r redux of "Ligeliahorn" was remastered from an original demo cassette of the album, as Breadin and Myotte had lost the masters for the vinyl. In reconstructing the album, Breadin and Myotte had done away with the post-production tape speed tricks which were occasionally employed on the original LP. Somewhere down the line, Breadin will be publishing a retrospective of all of the Metgumbnerbone recordings. For me (Jim), Metgumbnerbone has been a ensemble whose recordings have become fetish objects from the most obtuse regions of Industrial Culture (like those really stupid Vagina Dentata Organ records, which I've obsessively collected). While I am pleased as punch that these recordings are available, my critical objectivity about them is admittedly lacking... I obviously recommened it, but would encourage you to check out the sound samples first.
RealAudio clip: "Track 1"
RealAudio clip: "Track 3"

METHOD MAN 4:21... The Day After (Def Jam) cd 14.98

MPEG Stream: "It Is Me"
MPEG Stream: "Somebody Done Fucked Up"
MPEG Stream: "Fall Out"

METHODMAN & REDMAN Blackout 2 (Def Jam) cd 14.98

METIC Debut (Schematic) 12" 6.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
This is the reissue of the first Schematic single. I actually got to hear this when I was working for the defunct Pulse Soniq distribution (about time) two years ago, but was burnt on electronica (being forced to buy crappy house singles because the salespeople were too lazy to sell a Sahko title can get you a little jaded). It is a good thing that Schematic reissued this as I would have missed an exceptional piece of dark arpeggiating Skam-ish IDM. Recommended.

METRIC Live It Out (Last Gang) cd 14.98
You might've heard of this Canadian band 'cuz of their ties to Broken Social Scene (Haines is a member), but as we've mentioned before they're nothing like that Northern indie rock dynamo (although from the sounds of the 'Scene's latest self-titled album they might be moving more in the direction of Metric - some kind of metric conversion? hahaha!). However, if you're not yet familiar with Metric, imagine a 'modern day' incarnation of punchy crunchy girl fronted pop bands such as Veruca Salt, Elastica and maybe even Transvision Vamp. Frontwoman/keyboardist Emily Haines' saucy, cooed vocals alternate between coy'n'girlish and world-weary'n'womanly. Apart from the very last year electro-clash-y coverart, this is a great follow-up to last year's Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?
MPEG Stream: "Empty"
MPEG Stream: "Patriarch On A Vespa"

METRIC Old World Underground, Where Are You Now? (Everloving) cd 16.98
Metric's frontwoman Ms Emily Haines may be a member of that fine Canadian group Broken Social Scene, but you should by no means assume that her other endeavours are going to sound anything like the Broken Social Scensters. Metric crafts sleek, revved up new wavey pop that brings to mind the mid-90s driving sounds of Elastica, Breeders and Veruca Salt. James Shaw's chunky electric guitars and Joules Scott-Key's snappy drumming propel each song while Haines' woozy keyboards and sassy, cooing vocals charm and swoon -- quite reminiscent of Cardigans' Nina Persson and Throwing Muses' Tanya Donnelly. Energetic and fun.
MPEG Stream: "IOU"
MPEG Stream: "Combat"

METROPOLITAN Side Effects (Crank Automotive) cd 7.98

METROSCHIFTER / SHIPPING NEWS (Initial) split cd 10.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Post rock team up...the Shipping News half is live. Unusual packaging note: it's in a jewel case, but the "booklet" is actually a piece of metal, very nice.

METZGER, PAUL Deliverance (Locust) cd 14.98
Could be that it's a bit of an embarrassed, ironic tongue-in-cheek joke to name your solo banjo album Deliverance, but this disc by Minnesota string picker Paul Metzger seems serious enough. And is definitely far, far away from anything resembling "Dueling Banjos"! Inbred backwoods hicks won't relate to the stately and intricate raga-like sounds regally flowing from the nexus of Metzger's deft fingers and 21 banjo strings. This sounds much more East Indian than Appalachian. Stark, gentle, precise, compelling. At times you'll swear there's two players, or multitracking, but it's all Metzger, live and unaccompanied. These three long pieces (one of 'em, the title track, over a half hour) are relaxed, delicate, and entrancing... Avant garde acoustics for late night listenin', which nestles nicely next to discs in the "Wooden Guitar" series also released by the Locust label.
MPEG Stream: "Orans"
MPEG Stream: "Bright Red Stone"

MEV Pieces cd 12.98

MEV & AMM Apogee (Matchless) 2cd 39.00
Apogee marks the first collaboration betweeen the veteran avant-garde improvisers Musica Elettronica Viva (Alvin Curran, Frederic Rzewski, and Richard Teitelbaum) and AMM (Keith Rowe, Eddie Prevost, and John Tilbury). Their collavorative set was recorded during one live session in April, 2004; and as one might imagine from their previous outings, these six men locate the immediacy of sound with various degrees of drama, inactivity, noise, and silence. There's squiggles from Keith Rowe's radio interferring with his guitar pick-ups, wooden thumps from the piano strings being tapped by hand, monopulse bleeps from digital clocks, the glistening drones from bowed cymbals, indeterminant metallic scrapings, and synthesized electronic bursts of scrambled noise. The studied clusters of notes from piano, horns, and strings that dot the Apogee sessions provide the trappings that these six are performing in a particular academic tradition of improvisation, and are the only the things that hamstring their monumentally post-modernist expressionism. Along with the three lengthy improvisations between all six improvisers, AMM and MEV both offer extended 30 minute recordings from live performances to round out this double disc set.
MPEG Stream: MEV & AMM "Apogee Part 1"
MPEG Stream: AMM "AMM - 01.05.04"
MPEG Stream: MEV "MEV - 01.05.04"

MEW And The Glass Handed Kites (Columbia) cd 13.98
I put this on, and it immediately felt like I'd just tunred on the radio. But as radio-fare, pretty good!
MPEG Stream: "Circuitry Of The Wolf"
MPEG Stream: "Chinaberry Tree"
MPEG Stream: "Why Are You Looking Grave"

MEYER, RUS Lorna / Vixen / Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (Normal) cd 23.00

MèKURYA, GéTATCHèW Ethiopiques Vol. 14 : (The Negus of Ethiopian Sax) (Buda Musique) cd 15.98
I'm sure that, by now, we're way passed that point that divides the completists with those that are content with two or three volumes of this series. And yet, though speaking partially from a completist's viewpoint, volume 14 might be one that anyone who's enjoyed previous Ethiopiques releases to take note of. Volume 14 is a re-release of a 1970 Philips Ethiopia recording of Gétatchèw Mèkurya. Mèkurya, a saxophonist, is apparently considered the Albert Ayler of Ethiopia. But before y'all non-free jazz aficionados get scared off by thoughts of atonal scree, you can rest assured that there's not a lick of that here. Probably what was most likely intended by such a comparison was either Ayler's propensity for using folk melodies in his works, or maybe even... marches. The cornerstone of Mèkurya's style is derived from a strictly vocal style associated with war known as "shellela". Apparently Mèkurya got the idea of transcribing this singing style to saxophone. Brash and insistent as it is, it's really nothing like even the tamest "sheets of sound" from Coltrane's pre-free jazz days. Entirely instrumental, the music of Gétatchèw Mèkurya is, while familiar in the scope of Ethiopian music we've come to know and love, also much different than all that's preceded it. It probably most resembles Ethiopiques Volume Four in respect to their both lacking in vocals, but there the similarities stop. The band is stripped down to organ, guitar, bass and drums and accompaniment usually consists of a steady, uptempo ostinato over which Mèkurya then plays his rapid and rococo melodic improvisations (often alternating with the squealing farfisa-like organ). Also included as a bonus track for this CD issue is a late fifties rarity from Mèkurya. Yet again, we highly recommend this newest Ethiopiques release for both sometimes fans and -- it goes without saying I suppose -- completists as well.
MPEG Stream: "Yegenet Muziqa"
MPEG Stream: "Shellela"

MF DOOM Live From Planet X (Nature Sounds) cd 14.98
We sure do love MF Doom. That laconic, tongue twisting, marble mouthed drawl, and the dense cartoonish hip hop-scapes he flows over. So so good. Here's a live forty minute set (frustratingly tracked as a single song) to hold you over until the next full length. All the hits are here, lots of between song banter, some crooning. Sounds as good as the record, if a little sloppy and fucked up. In fact Doom sounds a bit out of it, a little wasted maybe? But somehow it only seems to make everything sound better, Doom's flow is even more slippery and confusional, tripping gleefully over all the unlikely samples and the chopped up loops. Doooooooom!!!!!!!!!!!
MPEG Stream: "Change The Beat / Name Dropping"

MF DOOM MM..Food? (Rhymesayers) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
The return of the masked mad villain AKA Viktor Vaughn, Xev Love X, and the first proper MF Doom record since Operation Doomsday. The recent Madvillain record, which paired Doom with Madlib, was one of the hip hop records of 2004 and hipped the public at large to what the hip hop world already knew, MF Doom was the ultimate hip hop arch villain. Lethal with the mic and always armed with a mouthful of weird wisdom. And Doom, like all great super villains, has a new obsession or plan for world domination. This time, it's food. Yep, FOOD! Not many folks could pull that off with out it turning into an unfunny joke, but Doom is obviously not your typical hip hop villain.
If you liked the Madvillain record you NEED this. The sound is not quite as dense and comic book-y, but it's still weird and wonderful, snippets of movie themes looped into hiccuppy groovescapes, lots and lots of dialogue from cartoons (even the Herculoids!!!) and movies, most about superheroes vs. supervillains or of course, food, simple bumping beats, and funky jazzy riffs, all very playful and humorous (occasionally even laugh out loud funny). But as always it's all about Doom's flow, a lazy, mumbly drawl, sort of stoned, sort of sleepy, but always sharp tongued and rife with alliteration, ridiculous metaphor, and dazzling wordplay.
Some of the best tracks though are the crazy sonic collages, with no rapping, entirely built from triumphant superhero soundtrack loops underscoring ridiculous sort-of-coversations about food and foes, cobbled together from various film clips and sonic snippets.
The cover is amazing as well, rendered comic book / grafitti style by artist Jason Jagel featuring Doom eating cereal with little marshmallow Doom masks, petting a murderous kitty while smoking a cigar, and of course eating food!
This could very well have been the hip hop record of 2004 if that Madvillain record hadn't also come out this year!
MPEG Stream: "Beef Rapp"
MPEG Stream: "Hoe Cakes"
MPEG Stream: "Potholderz"

MF DOOM MM..Food? (Rhymesayers) lp 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
The return of the masked mad villain AKA Viktor Vaughn, Xev Love X, and the first proper MF Doom record since Operation Doomsday. The recent Madvillain record, which paired Doom with Madlib, was one of the hip hop records of 2004 and hipped the public at large to what the hip hop world already knew, MF Doom was the ultimate hip hop arch villain. Lethal with the mic and always armed with a mouthful of weird wisdom. And Doom, like all great super villains, has a new obsession or plan for world domination. This time, it's food. Yep, FOOD!
Not many folks could pull that off with out it turning into an unfunny joke, but Doom is obviously not your typical hip hop villain.
If you liked the Madvillain record you NEED this. The sound is not quite as dense and comic book-y, but it's still weird and wonderful, snippets of movie themes looped into hiccuppy groovescapes, lots and lots of dialogue from cartoons (even the Herculoids!!!) and movies, most about superheroes vs. supervillains or of course, food, simple bumping beats, and funky jazzy riffs, all very playful and humorous (occasionally even laugh out loud). But as always it's all about Doom's flow, a lazy, mumbly drawl, sort of stoned, sort of sleepy, but always sharp tongued and rife with alliteration, ridiculous metaphor, and dazzling wordplay.
Some of the best tracks though are the crazy sonic collages, with no rapping, entirely built from triumphant superhero soundtrack loops underscoring ridiculous sort-of-coversations about food and foes, cobbled together from various film clips and sonic snippets.
The cover is amazing as well, with Doom rendered comic book / grafitti style by artist Jason Jagel featuring Doom eating cereal with little marshmallow Doom masks, petting a murderous kitty while smoking a cigar, and of course eating food!
This could very well have been the hip hop record of the year if that Madvillain record hadn't also come out this year!
MPEG Stream: "Beef Rapp"
MPEG Stream: "Hoe Cakes"
MPEG Stream: "Potholderz"

MF DOOM Operation: Doomsday (Fondle 'Em) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

MF DOOM / MF GRIMM MF Doom / MF Grimm ep (Landspeed) cd 10.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Seven new tracks and seven new instrumentals from ex-members of the now legendary KMD. Some of the freshest hip hop we've heard in a little while.

MF GRIMM American Hunger (Day By Day Entertainment) 3cd 19.98

MPEG Stream: "American Hunger (Breakfast)"
MPEG Stream: "Wonderland"
MPEG Stream: "The Trees"
MPEG Stream: "M.I.C."

MGLA Groza (Northern Heritage) cd 15.98
The long awaited and first proper full length from this Polish black metal horde with the unpronounceable moniker (Mgla means 'fog' in Polish btw). We first heard Mgla on the incredible Crushing The Holy Trinity compilation, sharing sonic space with such black metal luminaries as Deathspell Omega, Clandestine Blaze, Exordium, Musta Surma, and Stabat Mater. At the time we had never heard Mgla, let alone heard OF them, but they definitely held their own, and then some. Soon after came their Presence ep, which continued to demonstrate Mgla's mastery of loping minor key buzz, layering the Burzumic murk with woozy melodies, and adding flurries of double kick blast beats, managing to invoke the old masters while somehow creating a black sound all their own.
So now comes Groza, a 4 part, 36 minute full length, and holy shit is it good. Everything we loved about Mgla before is present, but the songwriting has improved greatly (songwriting is not always a priority in black metal, not as much as stringing together kick ass riffs) and the sound is better to. An excellent production that manages to keep plenty of buzz, but makes the guitars burn bright, the drums don't get lost at all, especially the double kick which adds awesome percussive accents to long stretches of buzz. The opener alone is worth the price of admission. A ridiculously catchy main riff that manages to still sound grim and black. The drums a simple groove (some Khold-ish moments for sure), with brief flurries of double kick, but it's the second part/riff that truly transcends, after a gorgeous midtempo bridge/breakdown, the band launch into an incredible arpeggiated mid tempo groove, a minor key melody as melancholic as it is catchy, wrapped around the main riff, those double kick drums leaping to the fore, it's hard to explain, but it's just awesome, it has the same power as a timeless pop song, that riff is just so emotional and intense. Every time the song loops back around to THAT part, it's just perfect. Even when the est of the instruments explode into a blast, that main melody keeps swirling endlessly, and makes even the blast haunting and moving. There's also a awesome drum breakdown in the middle, before the band lurches back into dreary woozy minor key miserblist action. So awesome. It took about 10 listens before we could even review this record cuz we just kept listing to the first track over and over and over.
So imagine our surprise when the second track hit the very same spot, offering up a gorgeously mournful minor key melody, a killer groove, all wrapped around some incredible drumming, verging on mathrock, but never going quite that far, instead just pounding away, letting the riff transform the blackness into something special. And the last two movements follow suit. The more we listen to this, the more the Khold comparison seems apt. Only insomuch as there is a distinct pop element, and a groove, falling in that no man's land between blast and dirge, and the guitar parts don't just buzz, they swirl and whirl and shimmer, there are vocals too, of the growly demonic sort, but they bow before the riffs, and the beats, and unlike a lot of black metal, there is definitely some bass happening, adding to the thickness of the sound and that element of groove.
It's funny, we get so much to listen to every week, so not everything gets the amount of listening time it deserves, and when we set out to review this, actually, it was definitely going to be positive, but nothing too effusive and fawning, but on repeated listens, and on closer headphone listens, we're realizing this could very well be a contender for one of our favorite black metal records of the year....
MPEG Stream: "Groza I"
MPEG Stream: "Groza II"

MGLA Presence (Northern Heritage) cd ep 9.98
We reviewed the massive triple cd black metal collection, Crushing The Holy Trinity a while back, a compilation of some of the most fucked up and amazing black metal we'd heard in ages, due in no small part to the contributions of long time AQ faves Deathspell Omega and Clandestine Blaze. The rest of the collection was made up of lesser known bands, all of whom managed to kick our asses as well. One of the bands we had never heard of, but whose contribution etched itself in our memory like an upside down crucifix held in the fire and then pressed into our foreheads was the bizarrely monickered MGLA. This Polish (as far as we can tell) horde traffic in the same sort of loping midtempo black metal as their countrymen Graveland. Nods to Nargaroth and Woodtemple as well. That gloriously droney, midtempo, murky and fuzzed out blackened buzz we can never get enough of, interrupted by occasional bursts of stumbling blast beats, lightning fast mosquito buzz riffs, glass gargling demonic howls, all with a subtle Viking vibe. The whole thing is swathed in Burzumic ambient fuzz, and laced with mournful Xasthur-ish arpeggiated minor key melodies. Awesome. Can't wait for the forthcoming full length!
MPEG Stream: "Presence I"
MPEG Stream: "Presence II"

MGMT Oracular Spectacular (Columbia) cd 13.98

MGR Nova Lux (Neurot) cd 14.98
Okay, we blew it. We did. We let this MGR record slip right under our radar. And we regret it. We do. As we've said before, the only thing better than discovering some new record that totally kicks your ass, is discovering some record you ignored or missed for some reason, only to have your ass kicked retroactively. Such is the case with MGR. And to prove just how sorry we are, not only are we listing this disc (a few months late) but we also got a super limited cd-r direct from the band reviewed elsewhere on this list.
Not sure why we didn't give this a listen when it first came out, our defense, as flimsy as it may seem, is that we thought MGR was the abbreviation for manager, so we just sort of figured, that was kind of a dumb name so why bother. MGR actually stands for Mustard Gas And Roses and is the work of one M. Gallagher from postrock metal heavyweights Isis, and is actually quite amazing.
Imagine Isis with all the bombast stripped away, all traces of metal removed, leaving only sinewy minor key guitars to drift over vast expanses of droning shimmer, skeletal but incredibly lush. Dark, moody, melancholy soundscapes, the background a warm swirl of sound, guitars drifting in the fuzzy haze above, unfurling gorgeously melancholic melodies, while all around huge swaths of sound shimmer and shift. There's some lap steel, but it's just another gauzy layer of sound, there are beats here and there, but those already minimal rhythms are processed into indistinct throbs and minimal shuffles and buried way down in the murk, making those tracks sound like some sort of post rock Gas. So good.
MPEG Stream: "I"
MPEG Stream: "II"

MGR Nova Lux (Viva Hate) lp 17.98
Finally available on vinyl. Full color jackets and full color printed inner sleeves. Pressed on nice thick vinyl. And a handful of the copies we got are on clear/blue/grey splatter vinyl, so you just might get lucky. Here's our review of the cd from a few months back:
Okay, we blew it. We did. We let this MGR record slip right under our radar. And we regret it. We do. As we've said before, the only thing better than discovering some new record that totally kicks your ass, is discovering some record you ignored or missed for some reason, only to have your ass kicked retroactively. Such is the case with MGR. And to prove just how sorry we are, not only are we listing this disc (a few months late) but we also got a super limited cd-r direct from the band reviewed elsewhere on this list.
Not sure why we didn't give this a listen when it first came out, our defense, as flimsy as it may seem, is that we thought MGR was the abbreviation for manager, so we just sort of figured, that was kind of a dumb name so why bother. MGR actually stands for Mustard Gas And Roses and is the work of one M. Gallagher from postrock metal heavyweights Isis, and is actually quite amazing.
Imagine Isis with all the bombast stripped away, all traces of metal removed, leaving only sinewy minor key guitars to drift over vast expanses of droning shimmer, skeletal but incredibly lush. Dark, moody, melancholy soundscapes, the background a warm swirl of sound, guitars drifting in the fuzzy haze above, unfurling gorgeously melancholic melodies, while all around huge swaths of sound shimmer and shift. There's some lap steel, but it's just another gauzy layer of sound, there are beats here and there, but those already minimal rhythms are processed into indistinct throbs and minimal shuffles and buried way down in the murk, making those tracks sound like some sort of post rock Gas. So good.
MPEG Stream: "I"
MPEG Stream: "II"

MGR Wavering On The Cresting Heft (Conspiracy) cd 15.98
First proper full length in almost two years from Isis' Mike Gallagher, and his project MGR, aka Mustard Gas and Roses. Much like his debut Nova Lux, and the two more recent releases, a split and a collaboration, Gallagher continues to explore a darkened universe of slowly sprawling, slow building post rock ambience, blending skeletal guitars, deep string like swells, distant drones, and all manner of whirs and shimmers into gorgeous expanses of minor key melancholia. It 's probably not surprising to discover that MGR actually sounds a bit like Isis with all the metal removed, which is in no way a bad thing.
As a band Isis are as deft at weaving gorgeous loping postrockscapes as they are kicking out the metallic jams, so it's nice to hear similar sounding parts allowed to blossom in a wide open expanse, the distortion and heaviness are kept to a minimum, used sparingly as opposed to an integral part of the sound.
There is a definite dark vibe, haunting and ominous, which might be the only thing keeping this from being pure instrumental cinematic postrock that would be right at home on Temporary Residence instead of on Neurot or Conspiracy.
But that darkness is also what makes the sound of MGR so vibrant. Like it COULD explode at any moment. And it almost does here and there, a thick wash of distorted chordal buzz, a sheet of keening high end feedback, some dense swaths of reverb and rumbly distortion, a killer chunk of stuttering clipped metallic chords, but again, these are just elements of a much bigger sonic picture, an expansive, epic, sprawling soundscape, minimal and minor key, mellow, but not without menace, a huge powerful music that manages to sound personal and intimate at the same time. See the review of the new Jimmy Cake elsewhere on this list, MGR's Wavering is like its evil twin, lurking in the shadows, brooding, droning, drifting, and shimmering ominously.
MPEG Stream: "Allusions"
MPEG Stream: "It Darkens His Door"

MGR / XELA split (Barge Recordings) 12" 12.98
Got a few more of these back in stock...
This long in the works split finally sees the light of day. Two aQ faves together on one super limited lp. MGR, the solo project of Mike Gallagher from the mighty Isis, and Xela, the project of John Twells, who also runs the kick ass Type label.
We've yet to get around to reviewing the new MGR full length, but this track is definitely whetting our appetite. Simple finger picked guitar over, shimmering streaks of sound, layers of glimmering gossamer whir, loping and laid back, eventually some BIG guitar comes in, huge crashing chords, allowed to ring out and slowly fade away, the notes pulsing and beating against each other, building to an epic coda, all majestic and intense, like a stripped down Isis, the original guitar slipping into the ether, the huge chords crashing further and further apart, eventually stopping all together, leaving murky blurs of guitar cacophony, smoothed into dense swells, still intense and almost heavy, but more blurred and washed out, the notes and chords and harmonics swirling in a roiling sonic sea.
The Xela track begins with a squall of feedback and squiggly distorted electronics, harsh and jagged, eventually drums surface, the electronics are reigned in a bit, angelic voices drift in, everything bathed in some ethereal shimmer, the drums stumble and skitter, cymbals crash and sizzle, the electronics flit and flutter like clouds of lightning bugs, the sound gradually grows heavier and more dense, a low end gathering beneath the surface, the sound is almost like some free noise Arvo Part, haunting and choral, but those electronics continue to squelch and glitch, the drums skittering chaotically, the vocals wreathed in effects that turn them into shadowy blurs, the track becoming blurrier by the minute, more tranquil, the vocals smeared into glistening chords, the whole track like the soundtrack to staring into a dying sun. Really amazing, and unlike anything we've heard from Xela before.
SUPER LIMITED! ONLY 350 COPIES!!! All hand screened with some seriously creepy cover art. We only got 30 copies, and will not be able to get more!

MGR VS SIRDSS Impromptu (Neurot) cd 14.98
Originally released as a super limited cd-r, Impromptu is finally getting a proper release thanks to the folks and Neurot...
For some it took us forever to get around to reviewing the MGR full length on Neurot. Not sure why exactly. This may sound a little bit stupid, but I think it was because we thought MGR was the abbreviation for 'manager' and thus not a very cool name for a band. But when we finally did listen to that record we were totally knocked for a loop. And we felt bad, and dumb, and thus we have been doing our very best to make things right by not championing both the Neurot full length but also this amazing disc, previously a super limited cd-r tour only collaboration, now an actual cd and everything.
What we finally did discover was that MGR stands for Mustard Gas And Roses, a much cooler name for sure, or maybe it stands for Mike-Gallagher-something-beginning-with-R, since MGR is in fact the work of Mike Gallagher from metallic post rockers Isis, either way, MGR is some gloriously beautiful and droney stuff.
We're not exactly sure who SirDSS (aka David Scott Stone) is, but with his arsenal of effects, synths and bowed metals, adds a definite metallic (as in metallic, not as in heavy metal) sheen to MGR's more organic dronescapes.
Long slowly unfurling whorls of abstract steel string tangle, huge slow burning electric guitar shimmers, drifting amidst glistening sonic cobwebs, silver streaks of minimal feedback, while in the distance some sort of industrial apparition grinds and clangs, creaks and keens, beneath an outerspace world of dreamlike ambient guitarscapes, radiant sine waves and thick luminous layers of crumbling melody.
So nice.
MPEG Stream: "At Odds"
MPEG Stream: "Following Electro Acoustic Theory"

MGR VS SIRDSS Impromptu (Mgrsounds) cd-r 7.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
For some reason we never got around to reviewing the MGR full length on Neurot. Not sure why exactly. This may sound a little bit stupid, but I think it was because we thought MGR was the abbreviation for 'manager' and thus not a very cool name for a band. But when we finally did listen to that record a few weeks back we were totally knocked for a loop. And we felt bad, and dumb, and thus we are doing our very best to make things right by not only reviewing that very full length (elsewhere on this list) but also this super limited cd-r tour only collaboration.
What we did discover is that MGR stands for Mustard Gas And Roses, a much cooler name for sure, or maybe it stands for Mike Gallagher something-beginning-with-R, since MGR is in fact the work of Mike Gallagher from metallic post rockers Isis, either way, MGR is some gloriously beautiful and droney stuff.
We're not exactly sure who SirDSS (aka David Scott Stone) is, but with his arsenal of effects, synths and bowed metals, adds a definite metallic (as in metallic, not as in heavy metal) sheen to MGR's more organic dronescapes.
Long slowly unfurling whorls of abstract steel string tangle, huge slow burning electric guitar shimmers, drifting amidst glistening sonic cobwebs, silver streaks of minimal feedback, while in the distance some sort of industrial apparition grinds and clangs, creaks and keens, beneath an outerspace world of dreamlike ambient guitarscapes, radiant sine waves and thick luminous layers of crumbling melody.
So nice.
MPEG Stream: "At Odds"
MPEG Stream: "Following Electro Acoustic Theory"

MGR Y DESTRUCTO SWARMBOTS! Amigos De La Guitarra (Neurot) cd 14.98
Amigos De La Guitarra. Friends of the guitar. Funny. Both of these guys are most definitely friends of the guitar, although neither really plays the guitar the way nature intended. Well, maybe once in a while they do. Two Mikes. One called Mare, one called Gallagher. One also known to us as Destructo Swarmbots. The other, known around these parts as MGR, or sometimes, the guy from Isis. Both MGR and Destructo Swarmbots are long time faves around these parts, both creating epic expansive sprawling guitarscapes, occasionally heavy and intense, other times shimmery and ethereal, and while we never expected to find the two playing together, now that we're listening to it, it sort of seems like a pretty fantastic idea.
One 42 minute track, that begins all moody and melodic, finger picked guitars, melodies, harmonies, lilting and almost folky, a little post rocky, moody and minor key, gradually growing more and more intense, some of the guitars billowing out into clouds of rumble and blur, while the rest keep the main melodies going. Before it gets to noisy, the drones recede, once again leaving the guitars to drift delicately, weaving subtle sonic shapes, until once again, some of the guitars begin to growl and buzz, the chords and melodies growing more jagged and abrasive, the sound a roiling soft swirl, which is when things get really interesting and suddenly some of the guitars are chopped up and sent stuttering, creating a droned out rhythmic skitter, while the other guitar soars and wails in the background. All around, sheets of feedback fold in on themselves, shot though with jagged shards of corrosive high end crunch, before finally the chaos begins to dissipate, leaving just a tangle of guitar melodies, slowly unfurling, winding down through gauzy fields of crackle and muted buzz, until just shadowy echoes of the guitars remain, and then nothing at all.
In short: A gorgeous disc of trancey blissed out ambient heaviness, from two friends of the guitar...
MPEG Stream: "Amigos De La Guitarra (Excerpt)"

MHFS Driving To Rawene (Pseudo Arcana) 3"cd-r 12.98
Now that PseudoArcana is ceasing production on most of their back catalog, this is your last chance to pick this up. Last few copies in stock, never to be repressed.
We haven't heard from MHFS for ages, not since their now long out of print cd-r on Celebrate Psi Phenomenon. That release found these NZ noise makers kicking up a serious freerock fuss, with wild spacey synthesizer, crashing chaotic freakout and a bunch of whirring and bleeping and screeching. That very same record though finished up with a stretch of strummy soft shimmer, and that's pretty much where this 3" finds them again. Taking up right where they left off. They incidentally is in fact a he, one Mark Sadgrove, who is quite a fixture in the NZ music underground. In MHFS, Sadgrove utilizes homemade electronics, found sounds, field recordings, his own software, as well as the more traditional voice and guitar to create, subtle soundscapes, from very very minimal happenings a la Francisco Lopez, where we found ourselves reaching for the volume knob just to get a fleeting glimpse of the fuzzy details and barely these smears of soft sound, to rough crackly drones, waves of crumbling guitar distortion and buried in the haze mumbly vocals, all very sleepily sun drenched and beautifully blown out.
MPEG Stream: "Driving To Rawene 1"
MPEG Stream: "Driving To Rawene 2"

MHFS West Auckland Driving Songs (Celebrate Psi Pheomenon) cd-r 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Another batch of super limited and beautifully packaged cd-r's from Campbell Kneale's (Birchville Cat Motel) Celebrate Psi Phenomenon label. The finest in underground free noise / drone, culled mostly from New Zealand but all around the world as well. For those of you new to the CpsiP label, imagine classic Siltbreeze (Dead C, etc.) mixed with Jewelled Antler (Thuja, Blithe Sons etc.), dark and deep listening that sometimes verges on all out noise, but more often than not remains subtle experiments in avant drone and abstract sound. And when we say limited we mean LIMITED. Thes babies come in pressings of 30-80, out of which we get a whopping 10 copies!!
MHFS are a new group of Kiwi noisemakers, and make a lot of noise they do. Outer space bleeping and blooping, stuttery rhythmic clatter, bursts of splattery gunfire like clangs and crashes, super distorted synth fuzz dirges, melodies packed in dense swaths of murky grit. About halfway through the record, it's as if everybody got tired of twisting knobs and banging on things, and decide to lay back, lay down, and let the sounds unfurl on their own. The clouds of chaotic skree dissipate, and reveal gentle, simply strummed guitars, shimmery otherworldy ambience, sweet melodic chimes, and delicate wisps of dreamy drone.
MPEG Stream: "2"
MPEG Stream: "3"

MI AMI Ark Of The Covenant (Lovers Rock) 12" 11.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Over the last couple years Mi Ami have become a serious and sweaty inspiration for the music scene here in San Francisco. Whether it's playing and hosting all night dance parties in living rooms, or DJ'ing African jams and cosmic disco in dark rooms with reckless abandon, the three guys in Mi Ami have shown that they have a deep and vast appreciation for music of all styles and variations. This is a band whose record collections are as likely to have vinyl from DNA and JFA as they would M.I.A. and MDC. But thankfully, they are one of the few bands who makes music as cool and exciting as the records in their collections. It's been so hard to actually get a hold of any of their recordings until now, unless you were lucky enough to snag one of their previous slabs of vinyl at one of their high energy body moving live shows. Chances are that this will likely be most folks' first chance to get a hold of Mi Ami on record, and this 12" is a really great introduction to what they're all about. And what they're all about is all over the map, from dub to disco, no wave to post-punk. Yet somehow they find a way to meld all those sounds into something distinctly their own. While members of the band were previously in Black Eyes and even did some time in The Rapture, Mi Ami is truly a beast of its own vision. "Ark Of The Covenant" finds them firing at full throttle with no-wave aspirations and heavy grooves to keep the blasts hitting so right. The B-side which is "The Ark (Version)" finds them dubbing out with such spacious delight, the energy and vibrancy reminds us a lot of how we felt when Tussle first hit the scene. We can't wait to see what the future holds for Mi Ami as they continue to pull from such rich and varied influences from the past while feeling so committed to the present.

MI AMI Echonoecho (Quarterstick Records) 12" 5.98
Yeay! We are so excited that SF's own Mi Ami were recently snapped up by Quarterstick and as we type this are on the road touring the States! It's just a matter of time before these guys start becoming loved all across the map for their high energy approach to genre bending, percussive, heavy and sweat inducing colorful rhythms. Echonoecho is the first song on what will be their new full length Watersports and once again they get to let shine their love of the 12" format. Side A finds the song in its full almost nine minutes of glory. High pitched vocals come blasting right out of the gate along with frenzied instrumentation for a totally epic and catchy track that sounds like some kind of joyous meeting of Nation Of Ulysses, The Rapture and Liquid Liquid. And we have to say that Mi Ami shine so brightly with the 'Version' sides of their singles. Dubbed out for maximum slow burn perfection. We can't wait for the full length, but we hope they keep cranking out 12"s as well cause they are one of the few groups around today who really know how to make the most of this special format.
MPEG Stream: "Echononecho"

MI AMI Watersports (Quarterstick) cd 14.98
It's been a pretty great several months for San Francisco's Mi Ami. They went from being a living room party band secret to getting signed to Quarterstick and touring the nation, with Europe coming up on their horizon this spring. With a few now-hard-to-get 12"s under their belt we were anxious to hear what shape their debut full length would take. Watersports (such a dirty album name, and we love the cover photo!) definitely brings the full voltage, power and energy of their live shows. While much is made about their incorporation of dub, disco and cosmic influences, listening to an entire Mi Ami full length we're very much reminded of their punk and post-hardcore roots, with ex-members of Dischord's Black Eyes making up 2/3 of the band and a spazzy and high pitched squealed vocal delivery that reminds us a lot of some of those great '90s post-hardcore bands like Native Nod, Nation Of Ulysses, Rye Coalition, Antioch Arrow, etc.
Sonically however there is much more at play in Mi Ami's bag of tricks and while the vocals may be a make it or break it scenario for some folks, you can't deny the energy, enthusiasm and visceral fury bursting out of their creative and lively songs.
MPEG Stream: "The Man In Your House"
MPEG Stream: "New Guitar"
MPEG Stream: "Freed From Sin"

MI AMI Watersports (Quarterstick) lp 14.98
It's been a pretty great several months for San Francisco's Mi Ami. They went from being a living room party band secret to getting signed to Quarterstick and touring the nation, with Europe coming up on their horizon this spring. With a few now-hard-to-get 12"s under their belt we were anxious to hear what shape their debut full length would take. Watersports (such a dirty album name, and we love the cover photo!) definitely brings the full voltage, power and energy of their live shows. While much is made about their incorporation of dub, disco and cosmic influences, listening to an entire Mi Ami full length we're very much reminded of their punk and post-hardcore roots, with ex-members of Dischord's Black Eyes making up 2/3 of the band and a spazzy and high pitched squealed vocal delivery that reminds us a lot of some of those great '90s post-hardcore bands like Native Nod, Nation Of Ulysses, Rye Coalition, Antioch Arrow, etc.
Sonically however there is much more at play in Mi Ami's bag of tricks and while the vocals may be a make it or break it scenario for some folks, you can't deny the energy, enthusiasm and visceral fury bursting out of their creative and lively songs.
MPEG Stream: "The Man In Your House"
MPEG Stream: "New Guitar"
MPEG Stream: "Freed From Sin"

MI AMORE The Lamb cd 14.98

MI AND L'AU s/t (Young God) cd 14.98
Mi was a model from Finland working in France when he met L'au. The two fell in love and started making music together. L'au has the kind of sweet delicate voice that hits you immediately when you hear it. Together they make delicate and gentle sounds perfect for those cold nights when all you want to do is lay inside and cuddle with someone you care about. Kind of like the more gentle side of Nico. Devendra Banhart wrote his song "Gentle Soul" for Mi, and after listening to this record you can tell this is the work of two very gentle and in love souls.
MPEG Stream: "Philosopher"
MPEG Stream: "Boxer"

MIA & JONAH Shine I (self-released) cd 9.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

MIAMI INTERNAL AFFAIRS Declassified (Beta Bodega) 7" 5.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Pay no attention to the Beta Bodega agenda of "covert intelligence operations," as this little 7" of electro-revivalism doesn't fall far from the Adult. sound. Possibly a collaboration between Le Syndicat Electronique, Patcha Kutek, and V8 -- but who can tell from Beta Bodega.

MIASMA & THE CAROUSEL OF HEADLESS HORSES Manfauna (Latitudes 0:14) (Latitudes / Southern) cd 13.98
We haven't heard from these guys in a while, not since their Perils disc on Mimicry from a few years back. And now they're back, as part of the ever expanding Latitudes series. Featuring members of long time AQ faves Guapo, Miasma are equally as progtastic as Guapo, but where Guapo channel the hard and heavy side of classic prog, Miasma, are more dramatic, with a gipsy folk flair, an Eastern European vibe, jaunty, and playful, cinematic and a bit over the top. Like the soundtrack to some Edward Gorey cartoon come to life. Dark and dangerous, but wild and weirdly wonderful at the same time.
The opening track here begins with a moody gipsy folk hoedown, stings and horns, woven in an intricate dance, before the drums kick in and the song is transformed into epic and intense krautrocky prog. Warm wheezing keyboards, angular riffing, wild octopoidal drumming, intricate arrangements, super dramatic keyboards and strings
A bit of a Goblin vibe, the song builds and builds and builds, a frenzied musical pagan ritual, it's hard not to imagine the band in all black, flowing robes and witches hats, performing in front of some huge stone circle on the top of a massive hill. The second track is a creeping dark ambient sprawl, lurching "Boris The Spider" bassline over whispering winds, clouds of cymbal sizzle, deep cavernous rumbles, haunting organs, mysterious effects that drift from speaker to speakerŠ
The final track begins like a simple piano and violin chamber music piece, with a definite Eastern European flair, before about halfway through, when the drums and bass kick in, and we're back in the prog, the drums complex and intricate, the bass, lumbering and minor key, the piano more and more frenzied as if trying to keep up with the drums, finally all the parts coalescing into a massive moody riff, bordering on classic doom territory, before everything drops out once again leaving just the piano and strings, until the drums come back in, then finally the bass and the guitar, the climax, intense and dramatic, epic and majestic!
Comes packaged in a super intricate hand screened die cut fold over sleeve with a full color insert. The cover has a sticker affixed to the front and each copy is hand stamped and numbered. Limited to 1000 copies worldwide, 500 of which made it to the United States, we got about 25 copiesŠ
MPEG Stream: "Manticore"
MPEG Stream: "Taus"