NEUHAUS, MAX The New York School. Nine Realizations Of Cage, Feldman, Brown (Alga Marghen) cd 17.98

NEUNG PHAK Fucking USA (Abduction) 7" 8.98
If Dengue Fever is an homage to the sort of band you might see in a clean well lit Cambodian bar, classy and melodic, with sweet pop vocals, then Neung Phak is a tribute to the sort of band you'd go to see around the corner from the nice clubs, down the alley, enter through the back, sitting in the gloom, in a cracked vinyl booth, letting the wild Southeast Asian pop rock wash your cares away. Neung Phak, aka Oakland's Monopause, have become masters of whatever SE Asian musics they decide to tackle be it Thai, Laotian, Vietnamese, Taiwanese, or Cambodian, made possible by the band's adept interpretations, but more importantly the band's vocalists Diana Hayes and Joi Po Dee, who are Thai and Laotian.
Side A is the title track, "Fucking USA", a vintage pop rock tune, big band arrangements, horns, fuzzy psychedelic guitars, with the only bit of vocals in English, being the shouted "Fucking USA!!" Catchy and fun, and so genuine sounding it sounds like it came straight off one of those Sublime Frequencies discs. We can imagine this will be a hit... overseas anyway.
The B side features two tracks recorded live for the radio, the first was immediately familiar, due in no small part to its frequent instore play, as it's a track from Neung Phak's full length, "Tui Tui Tui" with it's super catchy, totally recognizable chorus over a lush big band arrangement, with warm horns, understated guitars and shuffling drums. Originally performed by Yim Yamsupan, and quite possibly one of our favorite Southeast Asian pop songs EVER. The second track is a slowed down version of the title track, with the title changed to "Far King USA" for radio play, the whole thing a lugubrious, moody croon, with mournful piano, haunting vocals, somber and minor key.
Pressed on super thick vinyl and packaged in a thick full color sleeve, with hilarious (and perhaps problematic) cover art!
Limited to 300 copies.

NEUNG PHAK (MONO PAUSE) s/t (Abduction) cd 14.98
Of course the first thing that will unfortunately happen for Neung Phak (a.k.a. Mono Pause) are the inevitable comparisons to Dengue Fever. And to come to their defence (and we're devout fans of Dengue Fever as well) Neung Phak have not only began working on these tracks prior to Dengue Fever's inception, but the music of the two bands are apples and oranges. Neung Phak (literal Thai translation of Mono Pause) is a new line-up and musical direction for the East Bay experimental music veterans Mono Pause. Featuring Diana Hayes and Joi Po Dee on vocals (Thai and Lao respectively) and some cameo appearances from Sun City Girl Alan Bishop, Neung Phak have done their homework when it comes to pop music of SE Asia. Less a fusion of styles, as seems to be the general trend with occidental ethno-pop bands, than a thoroughly researched compilation of SE Asian pop music genres, with each individual track being an excellently re-created execution of a particular idiom; be it Thai, Laotian, Vietnamese, Taiwanese, Cambodian or Khmer. The album kicks off with "Hired By The King" an excellent toe-tapping mo lam like track (a Neung Phak original) with superb kaen (the ubiquitous mouth organ of the region) playing by Erik Gergis and accompanied by electric bass, electric guitar (picked like a mandolin or oud would be) and percussion (a track later on in the disc "Fired By The King" is similar, though featuring an out of tune bass line that's apparently popular in many of the originals). In stark contrast what follows is a cover of a Thai country pop tune from 1998, an adorably cute up-beat number featuring percussive nasal vocals ("Tui, Tui, Tui") by Diana Hayes. Still keeping the pace going, the group continues with a couple Cambodian Rocks-esque numbers that are probably as close to Dengue Fever as you'll hear Neung Phak get; the first track being a Khmer hit from the 80's and the second a Cambodian ballad featuring Alan Bishop on she-male vocals. In addition to these songs, the group has actually recreated portions of radio dramas from Vietnam and Laotian theatrical mo lam, the latter is an absolute noise freak out and not over-embellished at all according to sources. Highly recommended!
MPEG Stream: "Hired By the King"
MPEG Stream: "Low Tide"
MPEG Stream: "Morlam Pee Bah"

NEURAXIS Truth Beyond... (Willowtip) cd 14.98

NEUROSIS A Sun That Never Sets (Relapse) cd 16.98
The new, eagerly awaited full-length from the Bay Area's biggest metal band -- whoops, are they really a metal band anymore? They really haven't embraced that tag for a while now, if ever, being more artsy and tribal and droney and avantgarde than what most folks think "metal" is anyway (although we know there ARE lots of metal bands just as weird and innovative). Regardless of the terminology, Neurosis has also always been wayyy heavy. This new disc doesn't exactly lack heaviness, but also seems heavily influenced by some of the acts that Neurosis will be sharing the stage with at their Beyond The Pale festival this weekend: Michael (Swans) Gira, Zoviet France, Tarentel, Amber Asylum... It's a kinder, gentler Neurosis. There's less screaming (and more Gira/Tom Wait-ish singing), more quiet post-rock moments, less of the out-and-out metallic pummel to overload your senses than found on classics like "Enemy of the Sun". But it's still dark and plodding...
RealAudio clip: "The Tide"
RealAudio clip: "Watchfire"

NEUROSIS A Sun That Never Sets (Relapse) dvd 19.98
Live visuals from everyone's favorite Bay Area art-punk-metal legends.

NEUROSIS Enemy Live NYC '94 (Neurot) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Cold, Enemy, Locust, Lost, Takeahnase. If those song titles mean anything to you, you'll probably want this. The Bay Area apocalyptic metalcore artisans captured live to cassette at New York's Limelight back during their "Enemy of the Sun" days. Heavy.

NEUROSIS Enemy Of The Sun (Neurot) cd 14.98
Another reissue, the album after 'Souls At Zero', which if anything only got heavier and trancier. I, Andee, personally think that if you're going to own just one Neurosis album, THIS is it. Come in and Allan and I will leg wrestle to decide which one you should buy.

NEUROSIS Given To The Rising (Neurot) cd 14.98
New albums from old faves come and go, but when you say, there's a new Neurosis, we sit up and pay attention. Like contemporaries the Melvins, they've reached an iconic, utterly influential status at this point in their long career -- and yet still keep making rad, relevant albums that keep pushing their now archetypal sound further. Pioneers who keep on pioneering, getting better and better, even as hordes of other bands copy them and try to keep up. The word on the street was that Given To The Rising was a "return to the heavy" for Neurosis, not like they ever really left. But yes, this is HEAVY. We can't say (like we did about A Sun That Never Sets) that is is a "kinder, gentler" Neurosis. Not at all. The riffs will slay you, the vocals are fierce, yet the scope (musical, emotional) of this disc is impressively broad... The proggy, psychedelic, post-rock and (dare we say) gloom-pop melodic elements that run like a dark thread through their discography are present on these ten tracks, mostly all of epic lengths (as usual). Harrowing power. Depressive beauty. Ritual rumble. Alienated lyrics. Soft-loud dynamics. Droning space-outs. All utterly "owned" by the Neurosis crew. This band just levels everything and everyone in their path!
This is one that will satisfy old school Neurosis fans and yet would be a perfect first-time Neurosis experience too. For instance -- although we can't imagine this is too likely! -- if there are any Jesu fans out there who haven't ever heard Neurosis, do yourself a favor and pick this up pronto!! Arguably their best album since 1999's classic Times Of Grace.
PS while supplies last, we've got a bonus dvd that comes with the cd... oh and also there WILL be a vinyl pressing, but it's not out yet.
MPEG Stream: "Given To The Rising"
MPEG Stream: "Fear And Sickness"
MPEG Stream: "Water Is Not Enough"

NEUROSIS Given To The Rising (Neurot) 2lp 17.98
NOW ON VINYL!
New albums from old faves come and go, but when you say, there's a new Neurosis, we sit up and pay attention. Like contemporaries the Melvins, they've reached an iconic, utterly influential status at this point in their long career -- and yet still keep making rad, relevant albums that keep pushing their now archetypal sound further. Pioneers who keep on pioneering, getting better and better, even as hordes of other bands copy them and try to keep up. The word on the street was that Given To The Rising was a "return to the heavy" for Neurosis, not like they ever really left. But yes, this is HEAVY. We can't say (like we did about A Sun That Never Sets) that is is a "kinder, gentler" Neurosis. Not at all. The riffs will slay you, the vocals are fierce, yet the scope (musical, emotional) of this disc is impressively broad... The proggy, psychedelic, post-rock and (dare we say) gloom-pop melodic elements that run like a dark thread through their discography are present on these ten tracks, mostly all of epic lengths (as usual). Harrowing power. Depressive beauty. Ritual rumble. Alienated lyrics. Soft-loud dynamics. Droning space-outs. All utterly "owned" by the Neurosis crew. This band just levels everything and everyone in their path!
This is one that will satisfy old school Neurosis fans and yet would be a perfect first-time Neurosis experience too. For instance -- although we can't imagine this is too likely! -- if there are any Jesu fans out there who haven't ever heard Neurosis, do yourself a favor and pick this up pronto!! Arguably their best album since 1999's classic Times Of Grace.
MPEG Stream: "Given To The Rising"
MPEG Stream: "Fear And Sickness"
MPEG Stream: "Water Is Not Enough"

NEUROSIS Official Bootleg 01 Lyon France 11.02.99 (Neurot) cd 14.98
As the title indicates, here's the first in a series of "official bootlegs" of live performances by SF's own punk/metal/experimental/tribal juggernaut, those cheerful dudes known as Neurosis. "This series is designed to provide specially priced quality recordings" of Neurosis shows, in an attempt to "put an end to low quality, overpriced recordings which do not represent our vision of our music" it says here. Not sure what's so specially priced about $14.98, but the recording IS of better-than-usual-bootleg quality for sure, doing justice to the band's sound. Massive, pounding, screaming, Neurosis heaviness, brutal and psychedelic. Recorded in France in 1999, the show documented here features three songs from their "Times Of Grace" album, plus one each from "Through Silver In Blood", "Enemy of the Sun" and "Sovereign". Even though one essential component of the Neurosis live experience -- the trippy video/film visual projections -- is of course missing from this disc, it's still a nice release for fans of the band, demonstrating their sheer metallic power to those who've been lulled by the melodic, post-rocky, even folky & acoustic direction of their last album "A Sun That Never Sets" and the various solo efforts of Mssrs. Kelly and Von Till (though the "Times of Grace" stuff was heading that way too).
RealAudio clip: "The Doorway"

NEUROSIS Official Bootleg 02: Stockholm, Sweden 10.15.99 (Neurot) cd 14.98
Our favorite psychedelic apocalyptic tribal metalcore band fights the bootleggers with this offical live recording, circa their Times Of Grace album. Most tracks are drawn from that fine album, with some earlier stuff represented as well, including "Locust Star", the hit from Through Silver In Blood. Great sound, great live band, it's a no-brainer for dedicated Neurosis fanatics.
MPEG Stream: "The Doorway"

NEUROSIS Souls At Zero (Neurot) cd 14.98
Reissue of this all-time-classic by the Bay Area's (and America's!) number one most popular underground metal outfit. Tribal punk/metal with chamber-prog rock leanings? Super heavy and full of atmosphere. I, Allan, personally think that if you're going to own just one Neurosis album, this is it.

NEUROSIS Sovereign (Neurot) cd 14.98
Four tracks, totalling a little over a half hour of Albini-produced psychedelic, metallic, atmospheric Neurosis-music ('cause their heavy, percussive tribal crust-prog is by now too distinctive and unique to be compared to much else). The Neurosis collective is augmented with the usual guests on violin, tuba, trombone, cello, etc. (members of Amber Asylum and so forth). Dark, droning, and mesmerizing as always. And, "Sovereign" includes a special bonus: interactive multimedia cd-rom material for Macs and PCs. As anyone who's been to a Neurosis show knows, they've got AMAZING visuals, and now some of that experience is available on your home computer. Very cool.

NEUROSIS The Eye Of Every Storm (Neurot) cd 14.98
Another great Neurosis opus! They've pretty much perfected the combination of massive drone-metal devastation and quietly drifting, melodic gloom. Heavy guitars, roaring voices and industrial-ized drumming give way to desperate melancholic balladry, sung-spoke in a weary, careworn male voice that's a dead ringer for that of Mark Lanegan. As with their recent collaboration with Jarboe of the Swans, or their previous full-length A Sun That Never Sets, you get both dark and light here...really a twilight I guess. Dusk-infused art from a powerful yet mature band. Neurosis fans may find this to be one of their best yet, and anyone not already a Neurosis fan ought to lend an ear (to this record for sure, not to mention all their other excellent releases).
MPEG Stream: "Burn"
MPEG Stream: "A Season In The Sky"

NEUROSIS The Eye Of Every Storm (Neurot) lp 21.00
Another great Neurosis opus! They've pretty much perfected the combination of massive drone-metal devastation and quietly drifting, melodic gloom. Heavy guitars, roaring voices and industrial-ized drumming give way to desperate melancholic balladry, sung-spoke in a weary, careworn male voice that's a dead ringer for that of Mark Lanegan. As with their recent collaboration with Jarboe of the Swans, or their previous full-length A Sun That Never Sets, you get both dark and light here...really a twilight I guess. Dusk-infused art from a powerful yet mature band. Neurosis fans may find this to be one of their best yet, and anyone not already a Neurosis fan ought to lend an ear (to this record for sure, not to mention all their other excellent releases).
MPEG Stream: "Burn"
MPEG Stream: "A Season In The Sky"

NEUROSIS Through Silver in Blood (Relapse) cd 14.98
"Locust Star" IS a great song.

NEUROSIS Times Of Grace (Relapse) cd 15.98
Local heroes Neurosis (the biggest underground "metal" band in the country?) return with a new digital slab of heaviness, dark and grinding like Slayer on 33. Yet they incorporate elements of their Tribes of Neurot alter-ego, lending Times of Grace a much more melodic sound, with swashes of delicate ambience. Compared to their last record, Through Silver In Blood, this is superior, making for a much better follow-up to their great Enemy Of The Sun lp. Tribal metal psychedelia, uniquely Neurosis. Recommended.

NEUROSIS & JARBOE s/t (Neurot) cd 14.98
Scary Swans 'chanteuse' Jarboe has been getting into the collaborative thing of late, doing a tour and live DVD with Italian post-rockers Larsen, and now getting together with the Bay Area's very own Neurosis, the reigning kings of underground art metal. Jarboe's idiosyncratic but compelling vocals -- a whisper, a pant, a drawl -- get dynamic backing from the Neurosis horde. Their sinister tribal drone-psych heaviness is a churning, seething thing, a perfect backdrop for Jarboe's dramatic lyrics and vocal style, which can range from rather lovely and melodic to total throat abuse. Rather than being a metal juggernaut, Neurosis here sound more akin to their Tribes of Neurot alter-ego, a spacey industrial darkness capable of spells of delicate beauty that seem always about to crumble or explode. Especially effective is the 11 minute apocalyptic country-folk dirge that closes the album. But all ten tracks are powerful, psychological. Definitely a downer listen that should appeal to fans of both sides in this collaboration.
MPEG Stream: "Within"
MPEG Stream: "Seizure"

NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL Everything Is (Fire Records) cd 9.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Wow! A repress of a rare, stunning early single from Neutral Milk Hotel. Not throwaways at all, the songs here are SUPER good and since we've heard nothing yet about upcoming NMH recordings, this should tide you over in a major way. "Everything Is" is a happy, ridiculously catchy tune and "Snow Song" is a dark lament, plus there's a third song which never saw release on this side of the ocean. Long unavailable, originally released in 1995 by Cher Doll here in the States. This is the UK pressing from Fire Records. Highly recommended!

NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL Everything Is (Orange Twin) cd 8.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Hooray. Long awaited re-re-press of a rare, stunning early single from Neutral Milk Hotel. Not throwaways at all, the songs here are lovely and should tide you over until a proper new Neutral Milk album. "Everything Is" is a happy, ridiculously catchy tune and "Snow Song" is a dark lament, plus there's a third song which never saw release on this side of the ocean, and a fourth song from the soundtrack to a film called Hype City, that I've never heard before. NMH completists and those who never got the import version of this single, here ya go! (Just be aware that the single is very lo-fi, which when it comes to NMH doesn't bother me at all, but the more anal might disagree...)
RealAudio clip: "Everything Is"
RealAudio clip: "Tuesday Moon"

NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (Merge) cd 17.98
Three cheers for Jeff Mangum and the rest of the Elephant6 music & art collective that participate on this, Neutral Milk Hotel's second glorious album. That's right, Jeff's pulled it off TWICE. There's still the rough buzz and sweetly chiming chords of his first album, but this record features more interesting instrumentation (musical saw, flugelhorn, accordion, organ, trumpet) along with stretched out parts where said instrumentation can really have a go at it. It's an absolutely perfect, instantly likeable, deeply affecting album from the man who arguably brought singing back to indie rock.

NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (Merge) lp 18.98
Three cheers for Jeff Mangum and the rest of the Elephant6 music & art collective that participate on this, Neutral Milk Hotel's second glorious album. That's right, Jeff's pulled it off TWICE. There's still the rough buzz and sweetly chiming chords of his first album, but this record features more interesting instrumentation (musical saw, flugelhorn, accordion, organ, trumpet) along with stretched out parts where said instrumentation can really have a go at it. It's an absolutely perfect, instantly likeable, deeply affecting album from the man who arguably brought singing back to indie rock.

NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL On Avery Island (Merge) cd 14.98
Another winner from the Denver/Athens (NMH, Olivia Tremor Control, Apples in Stereo) pop axis. 60's British Invasion pop a la Kinks meets lofi 4-trackery. Total Syd Barret vox, and incredible fuzz-drenched extended loopy beauty. Pop record of 1996, bar nothing. Stunning, stellar work from one of Denver's Elephant 6 posse and 1996 is their year. Jeff Mangum sings like Syd Barrett & Chris Knox, his lyrics bear repeated close reading, and just when you think it might turn sweet, a great big beautiful wall of noise hits you and you know that everything is going to be all right cos his instincts are so good. So far proving itself tasty to everyone I've played it for, no matter what their preferred flavor, this is the record Strapping Fieldhands should've & could've made, if only they'd kept it focused. Here're some of the lyrics to "Gardenhead/Leave Me Alone," which we rather pathetically found ourselves inspired to transcribe:

there are beads that wrap around yr knees that crackle into the dark
like a walk in the park, like the hole in yr head
like the feeling you get when you realize yr dead this time
we ride rollercoasters into the ocean
we feel no emotion as we spiral down to the world
and i guess it's worth yr time
cos there's some lives you live and some you leave behind
it gets hard to explain
the gardenhead knows my name
leave me alone
for you know this isn't the first time
in fact this is twice in a row
that the angels have stepped thru our landslide
and filled up our garden with snow
and i don't wish the taste of yr insides
for i've called out yr name thru my phone
for the glory boys at yr bedside
will love you as long as you're something to love
follow me through
the city of frost covered angels
i swear i have nothing to prove
i just wanna dance in yr tangles
to give me some reason to move
but to take on the world at all angles
requires a strength i can't use
so i'll meet you up high in yr anger
alone and it's moping and waiting for you
a love that is hoping and waiting for you

NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL On Avery Island (Merge) lp 18.98
Another winner from the Denver/Athens (NMH, Olivia Tremor Control, Apples in Stereo) pop axis. 60's British Invasion pop a la Kinks meets lofi 4-trackery. Total Syd Barret vox, and incredible fuzz-drenched extended loopy beauty. Pop record of 1996, bar nothing. Stunning, stellar work from one of Denver's Elephant 6 posse and 1996 is their year. Jeff Mangum sings like Syd Barrett & Chris Knox, his lyrics bear repeated close reading, and just when you think it might turn sweet, a great big beautiful wall of noise hits you and you know that everything is going to be all right cos his instincts are so good. So far proving itself tasty to everyone I've played it for, no matter what their preferred flavor, this is the record Strapping Fieldhands should've & could've made, if only they'd kept it focused. Here're some of the lyrics to "Gardenhead/Leave Me Alone," which we rather pathetically found ourselves inspired to transcribe:

there are beads that wrap around yr knees that crackle into the dark
like a walk in the park, like the hole in yr head
like the feeling you get when you realize yr dead this time
we ride rollercoasters into the ocean
we feel no emotion as we spiral down to the world
and i guess it's worth yr time
cos there's some lives you live and some you leave behind
it gets hard to explain
the gardenhead knows my name
leave me alone
for you know this isn't the first time
in fact this is twice in a row
that the angels have stepped thru our landslide
and filled up our garden with snow
and i don't wish the taste of yr insides
for i've called out yr name thru my phone
for the glory boys at yr bedside
will love you as long as you're something to love
follow me through
the city of frost covered angels
i swear i have nothing to prove
i just wanna dance in yr tangles
to give me some reason to move
but to take on the world at all angles
requires a strength i can't use
so i'll meet you up high in yr anger
alone and it's moping and waiting for you
a love that is hoping and waiting for you

NEVER PRESENCE FOREVER / UNGEROMIMIZU split (Lyderhorn) 7" 4.50
Super bizarre 7" match up, that will have weirdo music freeks flipping out. Two bands, with essentially nothing in common, each exploring extreme and opposite ends of the sonic spectrum, both completely ruling. And in one case, completely baffling.
The A side is a band from Virginia called Never Presence Forever. Never heard of em? We hadn't either, but all it took was this brief 7" sampling to have us wanting to hear way more. We were sort of expecting some furious black metal, or damaged noise, but instead, NPF offer up some gorgeous creeping dark ambience, low rumbling strings, deep metallic reverberations, all mournful and melancholy, cinematic and haunting.
The flipside is a whole other something. A band, or a guy, called Ungeromimizu, whose sound is a sort of lo-fi black metal Whitehouse, a square wave damaged synth blown out psychnoise screamo, that is so intense and noisy and freaked out, we weren't sure if we were loving it or hating it. But it only took a few second for us to go with love.
Imagine full on white noise chaos, all hiss and squeal and speaker shredding skree, like Faxed Head with no bass and all the treble your stereo can('t) handle, super processed vocals Masonna style, squiggly FX addled synths, total ear punishing insanity. The second track is toned down, but only a little, a weird warbly techno synth pulse beneath howling black metal vox, and all sorts of squiggly high end streaks and squeals.
Due to a pressing mistake, pressed not on black, or bloody red, or trippy swirled vinyl, but various shades of pink!

NEVERMORE Dead Heart In A Dead World (Century Media) cd 12.98

NEVILLE, STEFAN Destroy Only After 10 Years (Stabbies Etc.) cd-r 11.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

NEW AGE, THE All Around (RD) cd 23.00
One of the more heartbreaking stories of the mid to late sixties Northern California music scene also contains a newly discovered trove of beautiful raga folk that has rarely been heard before now. The New Age were a trio of musicians, namely Susan Graubard (who also played in The Habibiyya, which we raved about a few lists back - on an apologetic side note, we're sorry we mistakenly thought she was a guy) on flutes, viola and tamboura and singer and guitarist Patrick Kilroy whose haunting three octave voice and love for indigenous musical forms and instrumentation, namely the Indian raga, gave the trio a majestic Eastern spiritual quality with an Appalachian folk edge (they had all studied under Ali Akbar Khan). Playing numerous shows, with many famous players of the time in Big Sur, Los Gatos, Berkeley, New York, San Francisco and even at the Human Be-In at Golden Gate Park, The New Age seemed destined to make a big impact on the West Coast folk scene. Yet, one album half-recorded with Elektra in New York (Light of Day) was never finished due to a falling out Kilroy had with the arranger. Even more tragically, these sessions they recorded with Warner Brothers (featuring Bruce Langhorne) were shelved when Kilroy suddenly took ill and died from Hodgkin's Disease at the end of 1967, before the album could be completed. Graubard, now a school teacher in Berkeley, saddened that The New Age never garnered even a footnote or mention in any written sixties musical history, held onto the tapes, in hopes of sometime releasing them. When Raymond Dumont of RD records heard lost tapes of Light of Day, he was pleasantly surprised to hear that more recordings existed and here we are. Great timing, too, that re-issues of The Habibiyya, Extradition, The Christ Tree, Malachi, Joakim Skogsberg along with The New Age are opening up a window into a little seen past where making music was as it should be, a human-spiritual-communal connection.
MPEG Stream: "Dance Around The Sun"
MPEG Stream: "Bhairavi"
MPEG Stream: "All Around (Adagio)"

NEW AMSTERDAMS Never You Mind (Heroes & Villains) cd 13.98
A slow and pretty addition to the roster of this rapidly growing emo label (home to among others the awesome Get Up Kids and The Anniversary). Gentle guitars plucked and strummed and every so often rocked up a bit. The sensitive guy singer may appear familiar, as the tearjerking vocals are from the vocalist for the Get Up Kids / Reggie & The Full Effect. Check out tracks 3 and 7 for two particularly fine tunes.

NEW AMSTERDAMS Para Toda Vida (Vagrant) cd 14.98
I spent a few moments (too many actually) pondering who the New Amsterdam's singer sounds like. I just couldn't put my finger on it. Then - p o o f ! - I remembered, "it IS the guy from Get Up Kids!" Anyway, two words for ya... "Emo Unplugged"! Get Up Kids for the beatnik set. Quite nice actually.
RealAudio clip: "Forever Leaving"

NEW AMSTERDAMS, THE Killed Or Cured (Curb Appeal) 2cd 14.98

MPEG Stream: "Wears So Thin"
MPEG Stream: "Your Red Hand"
MPEG Stream: "Watch The World Cave In"

NEW AMSTERDAMS, THE Story Like A Scar (Vagrant) cd 14.98
Those New Amsterdams have returned with Story Like A Scar, an album packed to the gills with guitar driven energetic pop. Many of the songs reminded us of lots of other like-minded sensitive boy pop bands such as Sloan, Posies, Weezer, Matthew Sweet or their elders Cheap Trick, Big Star, Byrds, Beatles, but the one band that they perhaps most resemble is Chicago trio Material Issue. Remember them? They had that awesome album International Pop Overthrow back in 1991. Well, there's plenty of similarities between the super bright songwriting skills and vocal delivery of Matthew Pryor of New Amsterdams (also of Get Up Kids) and Material Issue's frontman Jim Ellison. Ten infectious, endearing and crushworthy tunes that'll surely find their way onto plenty of indie kids' mixtapes (or should we say iPods?) this summer.
MPEG Stream: "The Death Of Us"
MPEG Stream: "Intelligent Design"

NEW BAND Playing On The Original Harry Partch Instruments (Innova) cd 14.98
New Band is a group spearheaded by Dean Drummond, custodian of Harry Partch's collection of unique micro-tonal instruments. The group's mission includes both performing the works of Harry Partch (which can only be played on Partch's own instruments for the most part) and premiering new works composed for the instruments, primarily Drummond's own. This disc has two compositions by Harry Partch -- "Eleven Intrusions" and "Dark Brother" -- and two by Dean Drummond -- "Before the Last Laugh" and "Congressional Record". "Eleven Intrusions" (1950) is a suite of nine texts set to music by Partch and two instrumentals, while "Dark Brother" (1943) is a 10 minute piece based on the final paragraphs of Thomas Wolfe's "God's Lonely Man." Drummond's "Before the Last Laugh" is a reworking of a larger work that Drummond had composed for the 1925 silent film "The Last Laugh". "Congressional Record" is a satirical piece which utilizing the United States' Congressional Record as a source for its libretto, including: Jesse Helms' arguments for the abolishment of the N.E.A., Kenneth Starr's Independant Counsel Report on hanky panky in the White House and something from The Plumbing Standards Improvement Act of 1999. Drummond's pieces both feature new instruments built by Drummond in the spirit of Partch.
RealAudio clip: PARTCH, HARRY "The Rose"
RealAudio clip: DRUMMOND, DEAN "Congressional Record"

NEW BLACK s/t (Thick Records) cd 14.98
These Chicago kids rock with a frantic urgency positively bursting with confidence and energy. Both live and now on record, they keep up a smokin' pace with chunky crunch guitars, snappy drumming, feisty boy/girl vocals, and reeling Farfisa organ. As this album begins the sounds seem reminiscent of '90s Olympia, WA perky buzzin' garage pop, but as it progresses things get increasingly darker, heavier and more aggressive. A few of the songs sound alarmingly like recent AQ faves, SF to NY transplants Boyskout ("Last Wave" and "Robotobor"). As well, comparisons have been made to bands such as Sleater-Kinney, Throwing Muses or Pixies, however New Black certainly have their own thing goin' on, and a few of their own tricks up their sleeves. An impressive debut!
MPEG Stream: "Put It To Bed"
MPEG Stream: "Last Wave"

NEW BUFFALO The Last Beautiful Day (Arts & Crafts) cd 16.98
Who or what is New Buffalo? Why, it's a one woman band from Melbourne, Australia, Sally Seltmann (with some assistance from her husband Darren Seltmann of the Avalanches!). Her debut album The Last Beautiful Day is the first non-Canadian release on the Canadian label Arts + Crafts (home to fine bands such as Broken Social Scene and Valley Of The Giants), and it's pretty darn great. Achingly lovely and slightly woozy, you can easily imagine any one of these ten songs being included in a David Lynch film. Her vocals are reminiscent of the alternately earnest lilting sing-song and dreamily contemplative singing style and slightly off-kilter poetics of Canada's best-kept secret Ms Jane Siberry. Hmm, perhaps that's what drew the Arts & Crafts folks to the sounds of New Buffalo (consciously or not)? Notable guests include Beth Orton (whose voice blends perfectly with Seltmann's on the seventh song "Inside") and Dirty Three's Jim White (who drums on three songs). Recommended!
MPEG Stream: "Time To Go To Sleep"
MPEG Stream: "Inside"
MPEG Stream: "While You're Away"

NEW CENTURIES, THE s/t (self-released) cd ep 6.98
Charged guitar driven rock from this SF outfit who can be found rocking around town at places like El Rio and The Eagle. We've been smitten with their take on unpretentious post-punk inspired by prime-time Talking Heads that has reminded us a bit of the first Interpol record or a more in the garage and gutsy version of Bloc Party. A really nice debut and we'll be paying close attention to what the future holds for The New Centuries.
MPEG Stream: "Sharp Darts"
MPEG Stream: "Midnight Shows"

NEW CREATION, THE Troubled (Companion) cd 14.98
What would happen if the Shaggs had found God before recording their seminal LP? We've found the answer and it is The New Creation. Recorded in 1970, a year after the Shaggs' "Philosophy of the World" was released, one wonders if the group may have been inspired by the Shaggs D.I.Y. attitude. Hailing from Vancouver, B.C. The New Creation were the most unlikely blend of Christian evangelism with a flower-power hippy outlook which propelled their unique vision through an extremely off-kilter musical vehicle pieced together with leftover body parts: the Velvet Underground taped to the side of the Shaggs chassis with a rebuilt Pat Boone engine under the hood. Ramshackle and tentative, but so earnest and heartfelt and surprisingly catchy. And the lyrics aren't as positive as the music and the presentation might lead you to believe, focusing more on damnation, fire, and brimstone. These are biblical tales in which God wields his might and power for the purpose of final judgement. The biggest surprise is the opening track 'Countdown To Revolution', an epic, acid fried, unstructured freak out with strange effects, 'trippy' reverb, and all manner of TESTIFYIN'!! Creepy but cool!
From the same folks who brought us the amazing Teen Dance Music From China And Malaysia compilation.
MPEG Stream: "Countdown To Revolution!"
MPEG Stream: "Songs To Sing"
MPEG Stream: "Sodom And Gomorrah"

NEW DAWN, THE There's A New Dawn (Jackpot) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Sometimes the timing of certain 'lost classic' reissues is too perfect, giving us a glimpse of the seeds of sounds to come, a prequel to certain musical trends that are gaining so much momentum in the here and now. Such is the case with this great, lost, lonesome psych classic from the Pacific Northwest, which was originally released in 1970. We're not sure if he's heard it or not, as this has been a really tough one to track down until recently, but man do we hear plenty of Kurt Vile in these old recording! With a fuzzy and faded vibe, The New Dawn crafted breezy yet dirgy pop songs that sound like some awesome combination of Lee Hazlewood, The Sonics, Roy Orbison, George Brigman, The Byrds, and the Velvet Underground. We can't get enough of the warm organ, haunting vocals, hypnotic percussion, just all the right sonic elements that really do evoke some desolate street at night, wet from a recent downpour and the flickering reflection of the moon on the shimmery black of the slick asphalt. So mesmerizing and intoxicating, we're beyond stoked this album is getting its beyond deserved moment!
Besides the obvious influence on Kurt Vile we could see so many other current AQ favorites being super into these sounds...Beach House, Silver Pines, Broadcast, Thee Oh Sees (circa Sucks Blood), The Beets, The Soundcarriers, Gary War, Sic Alps, as well as folks from the '80s and '90s that we love like Rain Parade, The Telescopes, Beachwood Sparks, Dream Syndicate, etc. Forty years after it was originally released There's A New Dawn is still completely captivating!
MPEG Stream: "(There's A) New Dawn"
MPEG Stream: "Hear Me Cryin'"
MPEG Stream: "We Need Each Other"

NEW IDEA SOCIETY You Are Awake Or Asleep (Magic Bullet) cd 14.98
Listening to New Idea Society's debut album sorta makes you feel like you've discovered a long lost early/mid '90s mix tape. This band really seems to have multiple personalities... and lots of them! The good thing tho' is that they're all really pleasing to the ear -- primarily centred on warm fuzzy cardigan indie strum-pop, and often with sing-a-long gang vocals. Come to think of it, N.I.S. might make a fine leafy twig on the folk-pop oriented branch of the remarkably varied Elephant 6 Collective musical tree (sorta like Olivia Tremor Control sans the trippy psychedelia). Whereas the first and third songs are graced by some sleepyhead sedated female vocals, tiny ballerina piano tinkling and thoughtful melodic progressions that bring to mind Ms Eleanor Friedberger and her band Fiery Furnaces, the second song, the hushed, brittle "Will/Won't" could be easily mistaken for an Elliott Smith outtake. Then there's the fifth song "The Waiting" that, with it's off-kilter bent-guitar melodies, is really reminiscent of Pavement. Further on in the album the band takes a brief dreamy turn into shoegazer territory with the shimmery, appropriately titled song "Swimming In The Rain". Really, they do it all very well!
Now you might be thinkin' that New Idea Society seems like something of an odd presence on Magic Bullet Records (a label more known as the home of numerous harder-hitting metal and hardcore bands such as Old Man Gloom, Forensics and Cave In). However, it all makes much more sense when you find out the lil' tidbit of info we've left for last, and that is... one of the fellows behind this project is noneother than Cave In's multi-faceted Stephen Brodsky!
MPEG Stream: "Will/Won't"
MPEG Stream: "The Aching Bells"

NEW KEEPERS OF THE WATER TOWERS Chronicles (MeteorCity) cd 11.98

NEW KLEZMER TRIO Short For Something (Tzadik) cd 16.98
Third album (their first since '95, about time!) of jazz/klezmer/improv by these popular stalwarts of the "New Jewish Music" scene, featuring Ben Goldberg on clarinet, Kenny Wollesen on drums and Dan Seamans on bass.

NEW NATIVE FEATURING RADIOACTIVE Breakthrough (4sound) cd 9.98
Some of the best local hip hop we've heard in a while. Kind of upbeat (which usually turns me off immediately) but with a real sinister vibe and what sounds like a full on band: sliding guitars, funky bass, live sounding drums and actual catchy rock-ish choruses. The rhymes are slick, but also kind of syncopated and unorthodox, sometimes almost sung. Both vocalists have rough, kind of scratchy voices like Nine or Del after a pack of cigarettes and a fifth of Bourbon. Fans of Jurassic 5 will dig this.
RealAudio clip: "Breakthrough"

NEW ORDER Get Ready (Reprise) cd 17.98
Get ready ... to do what?! To flee from this disappointing cd, that's what. Appallingly schlocky rhymes abound... "You're everything to me, the sweetest symphony" and "What I mean to say is you keep the wolves at bay" Oh dear. Oh dear dear dear!

NEW ORDER Power, Corruption & Lies (Factory / Warner) cd 12.98

NEW ORDER Power, Corruption and Lies (Rhino) lp 28.00
You know how every band today wants to sound like they're from 1983. Well this is what the best of 1983 really sounded like and it's a record that has stood the test of time with flying colors. In our humble opinion one of the best pop records of all time!

NEW ORDER Waiting For The Sirens' Call (Warner Bros.) cd 17.98
Considering the currently glut of upstart dance-oriented bands, this seems like a more than ripe time for the return of one of the genre's O.G.s who undoubtably inspired many of those youngsters, but sad to say it doesn't do much to ignite any fire in the hearts of their old fans. Really, you can barely tell this is an album by New Order, a band whose sound used to be absolutely unmistakable. No, Waiting For The Siren's Call is pretty darn faceless and much too long. Very disappointing.
MPEG Stream: "Who's Joe?"
MPEG Stream: "Krafty"

NEW PORNOGRAPHERS Challengers (Matador) cd 13.98
These aQ fave Canadian pop champions continue their reign of pop awesomeness. Despite the title (if we assume it is self referential), this new New Pornographers' album doesn't really push any envelopes, it doesn't wear a chip on its shoulder, nor puff its chest out. With nothing to prove -- their audience already deliriously won over -- the band's fourth full length is simply solid (not simple, mind you!), but if it is status quo, then it's the best sounding status quo around! It doesn't challenge the listeners, it gives them a big hug!
Really the only place where there have been any major changes is in the packaging department, and it's not for them better. While we've always felt that the band's visual aspects have fallen short of their kick-ass music, we weren't prepared for the latest cover art atrocity. Accented with splashes of purple and neon orange, it's a disturbing line drawing of NP keyboardist Blaine Thurier shirtless and flexing. Yikes.
With band members settlin' down, starting families and such, it's understandable that it would be reflected in their music too. The initial breathless pop exuberance of their debut indie hit "Letter To An Occupant" has certainly been tempered into a swooning finely crafted and composed pop splendor with some of their most introspective and eloquent songs to date. These immensely talented folks have taken all the goodness from Mass Romantic, Electric Version and Twin Cinema and lovingly rolled it all together into something far grander and more lush than ever before.
With the individual band members' songs and sounds skillfully integrated, but still retaining their unmistakable charms, Challengers is much less of a rollercoaster ride than any of their past recordings. It's quite possibly their most consistent album from start to finish. Check out the late-in-the-album vibrancy of "Mutiny, I Promise You" and the hushed sweetness of "Adventures In Solitude".
All the key familiar faces -- Carl Newman, Dan Bejar and Neko Case -- make their entrances with their respective distinct flair. Y'know, the kind that'll surely receive wild welcoming applause in concert. This album keeps the lovin' good feelings flowing. To boot, they give their Vancouver buddies The Choir Practice a nod by covering their best tune "Failsafe" (the original can be found on that group's own self-titled debut album which came out a couple months ago).
Yes, we can say once again, very recommended!
MPEG Stream: "Challengers"
MPEG Stream: "Mutiny, I Promise You"
MPEG Stream: "Myriad Harbour"

NEW PORNOGRAPHERS Challengers (Matador) lp 14.98
These aQ fave Canadian pop champions continue their reign of pop awesomeness. Despite the title (if we assume it is self referential), this new New Pornographers' album doesn't really push any envelopes, it doesn't wear a chip on its shoulder, nor puff its chest out. With nothing to prove -- their audience already deliriously won over -- the band's fourth full length is simply solid (not simple, mind you!), but if it is status quo, then it's the best sounding status quo around! It doesn't challenge the listeners, it gives them a big hug!
Really the only place where there have been any major changes is in the packaging department, and it's not for them better. While we've always felt that the band's visual aspects have fallen short of their kick-ass music, we weren't prepared for the latest cover art atrocity. Accented with splashes of purple and neon orange, it's a disturbing line drawing of NP keyboardist Blaine Thurier shirtless and flexing. Yikes.
With band members settlin' down, starting families and such, it's understandable that it would be reflected in their music too. The initial breathless pop exuberance of their debut indie hit "Letter To An Occupant" has certainly been tempered into a swooning finely crafted and composed pop splendor with some of their most introspective and eloquent songs to date. These immensely talented folks have taken all the goodness from Mass Romantic, Electric Version and Twin Cinema and lovingly rolled it all together into something far grander and more lush than ever before.
With the individual band members' songs and sounds skillfully integrated, but still retaining their unmistakable charms, Challengers is much less of a rollercoaster ride than any of their past recordings. It's quite possibly their most consistent album from start to finish. Check out the late-in-the-album vibrancy of "Mutiny, I Promise You" and the hushed sweetness of "Adventures In Solitude".
All the key familiar faces -- Carl Newman, Dan Bejar and Neko Case -- make their entrances with their respective distinct flair. Y'know, the kind that'll surely receive wild welcoming applause in concert. This album keeps the lovin' good feelings flowing. To boot, they give their Vancouver buddies The Choir Practice a nod by covering their best tune "Failsafe" (the original can be found on that group's own self-titled debut album which came out a couple months ago).
Yes, we can say once again, very recommended!
MPEG Stream: "Challengers"
MPEG Stream: "Mutiny, I Promise You"
MPEG Stream: "Myriad Harbour"

NEW PORNOGRAPHERS Challengers (Matador) cd + 3cdr 19.98
Also, we've got this SPECIAL "EXECUTIVE EDITION" BOX SET for just an extra $5 more than the cd itself. You get the regular Challengers cd, plus a cardboard slipcase containing 3 blank cd-rs in digipacks, and space for the Challengers cd too. Blank cd-rs? Yes, BLANK cd-rs, but you also get a code to login to the Matador website which will (eventually) allow you to download mp3s of live tracks and b-sides and stuff, that you then can burn onto the cd-rs and have yerself a special little deluxe Challengers box set. Some assembly required, in other words. And we said "eventually" 'cause the catch is, they haven't yet recorded any of this bonus material! Yes it's a bit of a weird idea but we figure if you're a HUGE NP fan this might just be worth your while.
These aQ fave Canadian pop champions continue their reign of pop awesomeness. Despite the title (if we assume it is self referential), this new New Pornographers' album doesn't really push any envelopes, it doesn't wear a chip on its shoulder, nor puff its chest out. With nothing to prove -- their audience already deliriously won over -- the band's fourth full length is simply solid (not simple, mind you!), but if it is status quo, then it's the best sounding status quo around! It doesn't challenge the listeners, it gives them a big hug!
Really the only place where there have been any major changes is in the packaging department, and it's not for them better. While we've always felt that the band's visual aspects have fallen short of their kick-ass music, we weren't prepared for the latest cover art atrocity. Accented with splashes of purple and neon orange, it's a disturbing line drawing of NP keyboardist Blaine Thurier shirtless and flexing. Yikes.
With band members settlin' down, starting families and such, it's understandable that it would be reflected in their music too. The initial breathless pop exuberance of their debut indie hit "Letter To An Occupant" has certainly been tempered into a swooning finely crafted and composed pop splendor with some of their most introspective and eloquent songs to date. These immensely talented folks have taken all the goodness from Mass Romantic, Electric Version and Twin Cinema and lovingly rolled it all together into something far grander and more lush than ever before.
With the individual band members' songs and sounds skillfully integrated, but still retaining their unmistakable charms, Challengers is much less of a rollercoaster ride than any of their past recordings. It's quite possibly their most consistent album from start to finish. Check out the late-in-the-album vibrancy of "Mutiny, I Promise You" and the hushed sweetness of "Adventures In Solitude".
All the key familiar faces -- Carl Newman, Dan Bejar and Neko Case -- make their entrances with their respective distinct flair. Y'know, the kind that'll surely receive wild welcoming applause in concert. This album keeps the lovin' good feelings flowing. To boot, they give their Vancouver buddies The Choir Practice a nod by covering their best tune "Failsafe" (the original can be found on that group's own self-titled debut album which came out a couple months ago).
Yes, we can say once again, very recommended!
MPEG Stream: "Challengers"
MPEG Stream: "Mutiny, I Promise You"
MPEG Stream: "Myriad Harbour"