PIMMON (VS LEMPK) Thong Of Naif (Celebrate Psi Phenomenon) cd-r 10.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
We at AQ have long been fans of Campbell Kneale and his project Birchville Cat Motel who along with the Dead C, Omit, Gate and a handful of others have helped to define one of the richest free-rock-noise-drone scenes in the world. For years Kneale has been releasing cds, lps and cassettes (most of them quite limited) of noisy electronic soundscapes and gorgeous organic drones. So when we discovered Kneale also ran a label, we figured it was definitely worth checking out. And how right we were. Not only is all of the music on Celebrate Psi Phenomena amazing, but the packaging is perfectly and stunningly designed as well (quite nice considering this is a cd-r label. See our crappy cd-r packaging rants in the last three or four lists) with each cd in a plastic sleeve nestled between two sheets of old fashioned textured wallpaper, printed, and sealed with a gold star.
Pimmon is probably one of the best know artists in Celebrate Psi Phenomena (other than Birchville Cat Motel) and here offers more unique Australian 'electronica.' Rumbling and gurgling low end, haunting and atmospheric with rhythmic crackle over found sound snippets and fragments of popular song, with occasional mood-shattering glitches.Loops low in the mix drift in and out becoming murky rhythms before dissipating in a cloud of grit and buzz. Imagine a raw and lo-fi Oval. Like a swamp full of buzzing insects, broken and abandoned instruments, and lost and hungry noise musicians. Good stuff.
RealAudio clip: "One"

PINBACK Autumn Of The Seraphs (Touch & Go) cd 14.98
In this day of constant change and the pursuit of the new and the (unnecessarily) 'improved', it's nice to have an element of comforting constancy... like the music of Pinback. Now closing in on a decade of music making together, Rob Crow, Zach Smith and co. have built a body of music that remains true to itself and its fans, amazingly consistent without being redundant. Why mess with a good thing? Pinback haven't, instead they continue to write totally compelling songs that have the ability to simultaneously give you goosebumps and make your body move. We are always in awe of how Pinback are able to craft a sound that is so driving and punchy while also being so heartfelt and emotional. We love just about everything Rob Crow makes in his never ending side-project excursions (Goblin Cock, Other Men, Optiganally Yours, The Ladies, etc.) but when he and Zach come together to make Pinback records something so special happens, the music those two make is most definitely greater then the sum of its parts. One of the best bands around today now have another great album under their collective belt. Highly recommended!
p.s. the first batch of these come with a bonus disc with 3 extra songs not on the album.
MPEG Stream: "Good To Sea"
MPEG Stream: "From Nothing To Nowhere"
MPEG Stream: "Walters"

PINBACK Autumn Of The Seraphs (Touch & Go) lp 14.98
In this day of constant change and the pursuit of the new and the (unnecessarily) 'improved', it's nice to have an element of comforting constancy... like the music of Pinback. Now closing in on a decade of music making together, Rob Crow, Zach Smith and co. have built a body of music that remains true to itself and its fans, amazingly consistent without being redundant. Why mess with a good thing? Pinback haven't, instead they continue to write totally compelling songs that have the ability to simultaneously give you goosebumps and make your body move. We are always in awe of how Pinback are able to craft a sound that is so driving and punchy while also being so heartfelt and emotional. We love just about everything Rob Crow makes in his never ending side-project excursions (Goblin Cock, Other Men, Optiganally Yours, The Ladies, etc.) but when he and Zach come together to make Pinback records something so special happens, the music those two make is most definitely greater then the sum of its parts. One of the best bands around today now have another great album under their collective belt. Highly recommended!
MPEG Stream: "Good To Sea"
MPEG Stream: "From Nothing To Nowhere"
MPEG Stream: "Walters"

PINBACK Blue Screen Life (Ace Fu) cd 16.98
Much anticipated new full length from Rob Crow (Heavy Vegetable / Thingy / Optiganally Yours) and Zack (Three Mile Pilot). Jeff first thought this was the new Modest Mouse until it started sounding like the Sea & Cake. Oddly enough the last thing any of us thought it sounded like was Pinback. It does sound a lot like those two bands, but that's by no means a dis on Pinback. The results are actually better than both those bands' recent efforts. Wonderfully warm, wistful and emotive quality pop.
RealAudio clip: "Offline P.K."
RealAudio clip: "Talby"

PINBACK Blue Screen Life (Ace Fu) 2lp 15.98
Out of the blue, now here on vinyl! Here's what we said about the cd way back when (2001) about Pinback's second album:
Much anticipated new full length from Rob Crow (Heavy Vegetable / Thingy / Optiganally Yours) and Zack (Three Mile Pilot). Jeff first thought this was the new Modest Mouse until it started sounding like the Sea & Cake. Oddly enough the last thing we thought it sounded like was Pinback. We would agree to its sounding like those two bands, but that's by no means a dis on Pinback. The results in our opinion are actually better than both those bands' recent efforts. Wonderfully warm, wistful and emotive quality pop.

PINBACK Nautical Antiques (Ace Fu) cd 14.98
Nautical Antiques is a collection of b-sides, tour only ep songs, and alternate versions from the first few years of Pinback's existence (1998-2001). Once again demonstrating just why this band deserves all the hype. The proof is in the totally well crafted perfect pop songs. There is a richness to Pinback's sound that allows their melodies to sink right into your soul. There are some serious gems here not on any of their proper releases which makes this absolutely essential. Effortlessly catchy and so fluidly flowing, hands down one of the best bands around, and you can definitely add this to the growing body of evidence proving that point!
MPEG Stream: "Clemenceau"
MPEG Stream: "Anti-Hu"

PINBACK Offcell (Absolutely Kosher) cd ep 11.98
While Three Mile Pilot and Heavy Vegetable have been long-time AQ favorites, it took us a little bit longer to fall under the spell of Pinback, the post-pop creation from Armistead Burwell Smith IV (from Three Mile Pilot) and Rob Crow (HV, Thingy). In fact, Pinback's epic second album "Blue Screen Life" almost slipped under our radar entirely. Pinback's charm can be found precisely in how understated their notions of grandiose pop can be. Perhaps the best comparisons to Pinback's sound especially in their atypical progressions of minor chords through ecstatic crescendos would be Built To Spill's "There's Nothing Wrong With Love" and "Perfect From Now On," with Pinback's additional flares found in Smith's technically-impressive skills at bass fingerpicking and the emo-tinged vocal harmonies from both Smith and Crow. "Offcell" is another excellent outing for Pinback, although like their other records the returns on this short 5 song EP grow stronger with repeated listenings. As before, Pinback does not offer the typical indie-rock songwriting fodder for chorus / bridge / verse; rather their ambitious songs present increasingly complex pop structures of catchy melodies intertwining with smoldering waves of guitar dissonance and their vocal counterpoints and harmonies. Teasingly short at 28 minutes long, "Offcell" certainly has whetted our appetite for the next full length, scheduled in 2004 through Touch and Go.
MPEG Stream: "Grey Machine"
MPEG Stream: "Victorius D"

PINBACK s/t (Tree) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Rob Crow (Heavy Vegetable, Thingy) takes his music into much more of a downer territory than that of his previous outings. With intertwining vocal duets, lazy-day rhythms, yet effortlessly catchy indie-pop mellowness. Pretty darn great and pretty darn recommended!
MPEG Stream: "Tripoli"
MPEG Stream: "Chaos Engine"

PINBACK Some Voices (Absolutely Kosher) cd ep 9.98
Until the boys get around to serving us another new full length, Absolutely Kosher has thankfully reissued this beautiful ep of theirs which was originally issued two years ago. Pinback, for those unfamiliar, is a duo featuring Rob Crow of Heavy Vegetable / Thingy / Optiganally Yours and Zack from Three Mile Pilot. The two are consummate performers and songwriters, the type of people who just ooze music all the time. I can remember when Rob Crow did a solo in-store here several years back. He was playing a guitar through a small battery powered amp (designed to look like a miniature Marshall amp.) He was rocking out -- had everyone in the entire store completely absorbed -- and as he was reaching the very end of the crescendo of the song he was playing, his battery powered amp fell off the used LP bin it was resting on, struck the floor and scattered batteries everywhere. Rob Crow apologetically got down on his hands and knees to retrieve the batteries. After fumbling around for a minute to get them back in and the case snapped tight, Rob immediately went back into his song to finish the last 2 seconds of the feedback cadence he had left to play. The playfullness, sincerity, and deadpan humour are evident in the music Rob and Zack write as a team. They sound like a pair that has been playing together all their lives. The type of guys who had a blast coming up with tricky rounds to sing just for the fuck of it. As Pinback, they have an innate ability to write absolutely infectious pop songs, with lilting melodies, often counterpointed with one another in effortless ways -- never sounding contrived. On top of it all, the two record all their music themselves in Zack's bedroom, which you'd never believe listening to their records. Whenever we play this in the store someone invariably purchases a copy (this goes for either of their full lengths as well.)
RealAudio clip: "Some Voices"
RealAudio clip: "Trainer"
RealAudio clip: "June"

PINBACK Summer In Abaddon (Touch & Go) cd 14.98
Heirs to the indierock throne? We certainly think there's an argument in support of it. Once again Zac and Rob don't disappoint on Summer In Abaddon, their first major-independent label release. They continue to efforlessly write songs that can take the best elements of say, Modest Mouse at their zenith -- we're talking catchy hooks -- but with a finer tuned sense of lyricism, a smoother rhythmmic flow and, well, some damn fine finger picked melodic bass lines from Zac. As on their previous releases, Zac and Rob write and record all the songs themselves. And while this might be a count against some artists, both the musicianship and recording skills of this pair is beyond reproach. In fact, their years of woodshedding together has turned them into a veritable sonic unit, effortlessly harmonizing with one another like an indiepop equivalent to the Louvin Brothers channeling the teen angst mopeyness of Tears For Fears. It's no wonder the Pinback army grows stronger with every release.
MPEG Stream: "Sender"
MPEG Stream: "Fortress"
MPEG Stream: "AFK"

PINBACK Summer In Abaddon (Touch & Go) lp 14.98
Heirs to the indierock throne? We certainly think there's an argument in support of it. Once again Zac and Rob don't disappoint on Summer In Abbadon, their first major-independent label release. They continue to efforlessly write songs that can take the best elements of say, Modest Mouse at their zenith -- we're talking catchy hooks -- but with a finer tuned sense of lyricism, a smoother rhythmmic flow and, well, some damn fine finger picked melodic bass lines from Zac. As on their previous releases, Zac and Rob write and record all the songs themselves. And while this might be a count against some artists, both the musicianship and recording skills of this pair is beyond reproach. In fact, their years of woodshedding together has turned them into a veritable sonic unit, effortlessly harmonizing with one another like an indiepop equivalent to the Louvin Brothers channeling the teen angst mopeyness of Tears For Fears. It's no wonder the Pinback army grows stronger with every release.
MPEG Stream: "Sender"
MPEG Stream: "Fortress"
MPEG Stream: "AFK"

PINCH Attack Of The Giant Killer Robot Spiders (Planet Mu) 12" 7.98

PINCH Pepper Spray (Planet Mu) 12" 7.98

PINCH Punisher (Planet Mu) 12" 10.98
Another new name (at least to us) in the wonderfully whacked world of grime and dubstep. Pinch are way on the super minimal end of the spectrum, constructing super spare rhythms, dubby and seriously spacious, with drifting sitar-like buzz over the top and incredibly weird croaking frog synths, weird burping bblllllaaaeeerrrrp's that have your speakers rattling and threatening to fall to pieces. Then suddenly, part way through the A side a crazy bass line drops, HUGE and thick and snarling and slithering and squirming, a gurgly, wiggly, warbly buzz, surrounded by glistening clouds of insect-like effects and and alien swooshes and bleeps. The B side takes the same track and drenches it in still more dub, making it even more loping and laid back, with strange percussive sounds mixed in, and THAT incredible bass line, but processed and pitched like crazy to sound like some sort of alien ray gun constantly firing in time with the rhythm. Awesome. Another nudge towards the dancefloor. Must... resist...

PINCH Punisher (Planet Mu) 12" 9.98

PINCH Underwater Dancehall (Tectonic) 2cd 22.00
We go on and on complaining about the dearth of grime and dubstep releases in the US, but then we end up sitting on a handful of kick ass titles that have been getting serious playtime in the shop and on our headphones. Well, as we've said before, there are only so many of us, and so so so so many records to review, so some things take longer than others. Like this double disc from Pinch. Not brand new, but easily one of our favorite dubstep discs of that last little while, and easily the darkest and most stripped down.
Split into two discs, one with vocals, one without, we definitely prefer the instrumental disc, but the vocal disc is definitely growing on us. A few tracks we could maybe do without, but for the most part still pretty kick ass. But not nearly as intense and mysterious, murky and skittery as the instrumental disc, well worth the price of admission all on its own.
Each track is super cinematic, the drums skittering and shuffling, the basslines rubbery and dubbed out, synths buzzing and warbling, shards of haunting melody drift by, what vocals do remain, are just ghostly traces and are washed out and blurred into strange streaks of sound. The sound seems to swirl and drift and wash over you, so evocative and creepy and darkly beautiful. Take "Brighter Day", the bassline almost continuous, undulating, rumbling and whirring, the drums locked into a head nodding dubbed out groove, the song anchored by this disembodied melodic fragment, that is somehow a total hook, thick slabs of buzzing synths surface here and there, backward swoops, gristly digital crunch, but for the most part it's dark and smooth, groovy and slithery, a sexy dubbed out crawl, sort of like the Tricky of old dabbling in dubstep. And the rest of the instrumental disc follows suit. Sprawling dubscapes, of fragmented stuttery rhythms, deep rib cage rattling bass, drifting ethereal melodies, lots of buzz and fuzz and rumble and whir, bits of Eastern raga, some more classic dub sounds, a bit of modern dub a la Pole, all woven into blurred bleary eared landscapes of lurch and groove. Absolutely essential.
The vocal disc is not too shabby either really, our only complaint is that the tracks are already practically perfect in their ominous minimalism, so sometimes the vocals almost seem superfluous. But even so, the vocal disc is still pretty bad ass. The opener "Punisher" is a stone cold classic, a rubbery dizzying bassline, streaks and swoops over that classic dubstub groove, totally grime-y and dubby, but also alien and abstract, the vocals a looped toast practically buried under the murk and mire. "Brighter Day", the standout from the instrumental disc, gets a vocal makeover, a super catchy sing songy toasting, that definitely changes the vibe of the song, making it much less ominous and way more poppy, but even as much as we love the instrumental version, this one is definitely still pretty great. A few of the tracks verge on the diva-like, and manage to transform the originals into something a little too croony, but there are only a couple of those, and one of them slips easily into that classic Tricky / Martina sound which is actually pretty nice. The rest of the disc just sounds like more classic modern dub, the vocals going from smooth and melodic to rough and raspy, but still underneath, the music remains gloriously slithery and skittery.
Like we said before, you could just listen to the instrumental version over and over and over (we certainly have), and we'd give this big ups just on the basis of that disc, but give the vocal disc a try to. We've been spinning that one more and more everyday. And as if we even needed to say it, WAY recommended.
MPEG Stream: "Brighter Day (Instrumental Version)"
MPEG Stream: "Gangstaz (Instrumental Version)"
MPEG Stream: "Brighter Day ft. Juakali"
MPEG Stream: "Gangstaz ft. Juakali"

PINCH Underwater Dancehall (Instrumentals) (Multiverse Ltd.) 2lp 19.98
NOW ON VINYL!!!
We go on and on complaining about the dearth of grime and dubstep releases in the US, but then we end up sitting on a handful of kick ass titles that have been getting serious playtime in the shop and on our headphones. Well, as we've said before, there are only so many of us, and so so so so many records to review, so some things take longer than others. Like this double disc from Pinch. Not brand new, but easily one of our favorite dubstep discs of that last little while, and easily the darkest and most stripped down.
Split into two discs, one with vocals, one without, we definitely prefer the instrumental disc, but the vocal disc is definitely growing on us. A few tracks we could maybe do without, but for the most part still pretty kick ass. But not nearly as intense and mysterious, murky and skittery as the instrumental disc, well worth the price of admission all on its own.
Each track is super cinematic, the drums skittering and shuffling, the basslines rubbery and dubbed out, synths buzzing and warbling, shards of haunting melody drift by, what vocals do remain, are just ghostly traces and are washed out and blurred into strange streaks of sound. The sound seems to swirl and drift and wash over you, so evocative and creepy and darkly beautiful. Take "Brighter Day", the bassline almost continuous, undulating, rumbling and whirring, the drums locked into a head nodding dubbed out groove, the song anchored by this disembodied melodic fragment, that is somehow a total hook, thick slabs of buzzing synths surface here and there, backward swoops, gristly digital crunch, but for the most part it's dark and smooth, groovy and slithery, a sexy dubbed out crawl, sort of like the Tricky of old dabbling in dubstep. And the rest of the instrumental disc follows suit. Sprawling dubscapes, of fragmented stuttery rhythms, deep rib cage rattling bass, drifting ethereal melodies, lots of buzz and fuzz and rumble and whir, bits of Eastern raga, some more classic dub sounds, a bit of modern dub a la Pole, all woven into blurred bleary eared landscapes of lurch and groove. Absolutely essential.
The vocal disc is not too shabby either really, our only complaint is that the tracks are already practically perfect in their ominous minimalism, so sometimes the vocals almost seem superfluous. But even so, the vocal disc is still pretty bad ass. The opener "Punisher" is a stone cold classic, a rubbery dizzying bassline, streaks and swoops over that classic dubstep groove, totally grime-y and dubby, but also alien and abstract, the vocals a looped toast practically buried under the murk and mire. "Brighter Day", the standout from the instrumental disc, gets a vocal makeover, a super catchy sing songy toasting, that definitely changes the vibe of the song, making it much less ominous and way more poppy, but even as much as we love the instrumental version, this one is definitely still pretty great. A few of the tracks verge on the diva-like, and manage to transform the originals into something a little too croony, but there are only a couple of those, and one of them slips easily into that classic Tricky / Martina sound which is actually pretty nice. The rest of the disc just sounds like more classic modern dub, the vocals going from smooth and melodic to rough and raspy, but still underneath, the music remains gloriously slithery and skittery.
Like we said before, you could just listen to the instrumental version over and over and over (we certainly have), and we'd give this big ups just on the basis of that disc, but give the vocal disc a try to. We've been spinning that one more and more everyday. And as if we even needed to say it, WAY recommended.
MPEG Stream: "Brighter Day (Instrumental Version)"
MPEG Stream: "Gangstaz (Instrumental Version)"
MPEG Stream: "Brighter Day ft. Juakali"
MPEG Stream: "Gangstaz ft. Juakali"

PINE VALLEY COSMONAUTS Barn Dance Favorites (Bloodshot) cd 10.98
You know it's a special occasion when the Pine Valley Cosmonauts make an appearance! Heck, it doesn't happen every day, folks! In the past it's been to pay fond tribute to classic old country artists such as Johnny Cash and Bob Wills, to assemble volumes of executioner/prison-themed songs or it's simply been that PVC ringleader Jon Langford (Mekons/Waco Brothers) has deemed it a fine time to hook back up with his ever-changing rowdy roundup of Chicago alt-country/Bloodshot Records cohorts (Tom Ray, Kelly Hogan and Sally Timms to name just three regular participants). A barn dance seems like an ideal (if somewhat lighter-hearted) occasion for some PVC festivities. But wait, this isn't just any ol' barn dance! It's a tribute to the National Barn Dance Radio Show which aired in Chicago from way back in 1924 through to 1960. They're kickin' up the dust and havin' an honest to goodness hoedown! Yupsiree, blending the old and the new (both in sound and personnel) into a rip-snortin' hootenanny.
MPEG Stream: "Here, Rattler Here!"
MPEG Stream: "Dixie Cannonball"

PINE VALLEY COSMONAUTS The Executioner's Last Songs Vol. 1 (Bloodshot) cd 16.98
Following the rather unsettling "Anthology of American Literature" collaboration between the PVCs and Neal Pollack that we reviewed in the last AQ List, Jon Langford gets things back on track. On this new album, they - as described right on the cover - "consign songs of murder, mob-law & cruel, cruel punishment to the realm of myth, memory & history". Some of the familiar faces include Neko Case (sashaying out a rollicking "Poor Ellen Smith"), Sally Timms, Kelly Hogan, and Edith Frost, along with Steve Earle (on a swarthy rendition of "Tom Dooley"), Jenny Toomey (on a heavy-hearted, weary version of "Miss Otis Regrets") Rosie Flores, Johnny Dowd (with Jon Langford on "Judgement Day") and Paul Burch. A wonderfully rich and varied collection of songs and voices benefitting the Illinois Death Penalty Moratorium Project.
RealAudio clip: "Tom Dooley"
RealAudio clip: "Poor Ellen Smith"
RealAudio clip: "Miss Otis Regrets"

PINEBENDER Working Nine To Wolf (Lovitt) cd 12.98

PINEIRO, IGNACIO Y Su Septeto Nacional (Tumbao) cd 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
This is a collection of Son, Bolero Son, Rumba & Guaracha from Ignacio Pineiro and his septet, recorded in 1928 and 1930. Very raw sounding, infectious songs with beautiful, semi-out-of-tune guitar & tres guitar filling out the sound. Accompanying Ignacio Pineiro (bass, conductor) on these recordings are: Alfredito Valdes & Jose Jimenez or Juan De La Cruz & Abelardo Barroso (1st voices, claves - 1930 & 1928 respectively); Bienvenido Leon (2nd voice, maracas); Miguel Angel Portillo or Jose Manuel Incharte (bongos); Eugenio Constantin or Alberto Villalon (guitar); Francisco Gonzalez (tres guitar); Lazaro Herrera (trumpet.)

PINETOP SEVEN Bringing Home the Last Great Strike (Self-Hel p/Truckstop) cd 14.98
The criminally underrecognized Pinetop Seven have been plugging away for years, as they watched Lambchop, Whiskeytown, the Old 97s and a handful of their alt-country peers hit it (relatively) big. But with their fourth album, Pinetop Seven's time has finally come. The band takes simple country ballads, stretches and expands them, adding strings and lush textures, bizarre and exotic instrumentation, and create gut wrenching, brutally intimate country epics. The vocals are deep and trembly like the guy singin' 'em might be about to have a breakdown -- Roy Orbison channeled through Jeff Buckley, Thom Yorke, and Chris Isaak. You know how bands like Godspeed and Blackheart Procession reside at the dark murky end of the indie rock spectrum? That's what Pinetop Seven is to the alt-country scene. And in the same say that Godspeed is, at this point, only barely connected to an "indierock" sound, Pinetop are only tangentially "country" by way of their slight twang. What gets us is that it's also perfectly accessible, dark music that in a perfect world would be on adult radio all the time. This is real honest-to-god music that lingers in your brain for a while -- it's about as far from trendy and flash-in-the-pan as you can get. Very accessible, very deep, and very highly recommended.
Note: we also have one of their previous albums, "Rigging the Toplights", which is one of Andee's absolute favorites of all time.
RealAudio clip: "On the Last Ride In"

PINETOP SEVEN Lest We Forget (Self-Help) cd 11.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
A special album from Pinetop Seven, a staff fave band whose simple dark ballads are augmented with strings and lush textures, bizarre and exotic instrumentation, all resulting in gut wrenching, brutally intimate country epics. The vocals are deep and trembly like the guy singin' 'em might be about to have a breakdown -- Roy Orbison channeled through Jeff Buckley, Thom Yorke, and Chris Isaak.
This tour-only disc is officially now only available via direct mailorder from the band, but we convinced 'em to let AQ have a few. Various songs that had to be left off previous albums (although they're great songs and NOT filler), plus a 32-minute improvised soundtrack to the silent film Wind. Oh, and a surprisingly good *remix* of a song called Mission District, that's actually quite evocative and wonderful, bringing out some of the most sombre qualitites of the band's sound via looped repetition and added rumbling rhythms.
RealAudio clip: "Mission District"

PINETOP SEVEN Rigging The Top Lights (Atavistic) cd 14.98

PINETOP SEVEN The Night's Bloom (Barbary Coast) cd 14.98

MPEG Stream: "Easy Company"
MPEG Stream: "Fringe"

PINHAS, RICHARD East / West (Cuneiform) cd 15.98
Another early Richard Pinhas album has been reissued! East/West was his fourth solo outing and was originally released in 1980. As the title suggests, the sounds are definitely reminiscent of those from the far east and west, more so the former than the latter perhaps. That said, the eleven tracks are incredibly varied. Check out the kinetic shimmering cityscape of "Kyoto: Kyoto #3", the slinking Fripp inspirations of "La Ville Sans Nom" and Beautiful May", the fevered unprocessed and vocoder'd vocals of the driving prog "Houston 69 Part 1". As with most every Pinhas solo album (and those of his band Heldon), East/West is a wealth of cyclical rhythms, looming atmospheres and near-industrial textures. In fact, it may also pique the interest of fans of Download if it hasn't already. As we were digging this, it made us want to revisit the seemingly likeminded The Eyes Of Stanley Pain from 1996. Included are two previously unreleased bonus tracks!
MPEG Stream: "Houston 69 Part 1"
MPEG Stream: "La Ville Sans Nom"

PINHAS, RICHARD Iceland (Cuneiform) cd 13.98
Did you know electronic music pioneer and guitarist for the mighty '70s prog rock band Heldon, Richard Pinhas was recently in the Bay Area to play two criminally underpromoted shows? Yes, fortunately the word of mouth reached our ears at the very last minute, and some of us were able to attend this rare event. It was his first time performing in SF and only his second visit to the city in twenty five years. Less than ideal sound and somewhat awkward stage set up aside, Pinhas on guitar, his laptop collaborator Jerome Schmidt and drummer Antoine Paganotti made the most of the situation, holding the small audience rapt for the duration of their performance. Quite possibly the most intimate and casual setting in which he's performed in years. Pinhas' musical path has travelled from early loose rock jams into absolutely tight prog precision and outwards through richly textured atmospheric soundscapes.
Iceland is his third solo album which was released back in 1979. It focuses on the latter two directions, flowing seamlessly from one into the other and back again. The sixth track "The Last Kings Of Thule (Part 2)" highlights the deep influence Robert Fripp's snaking sinewy guitar work has had on Pinhas who slinks his way into far more dystopic territory. While the eighth track titled "Greenland" flows out into an epic expanse of overlapping cyclical synthesizer sequences. The album closes with the twenty four minute long Eno-friendly frosty shimmering dronescape of "Wintermusic". Meditative and beautiful. The album as a whole could be the perfect soundtrack to a winter night's Aurora Borealis. A majestic, hypnotic wonder.
MPEG Stream: "The Last Kings Of Thule (Part 2)"
MPEG Stream: "Greenland"
MPEG Stream: "Wintermusic"

PINHAS, RICHARD Metatron (Cuneiform) 2cd 19.98
Metatron is the brand new album from Richard Pinhas, well respected as both a solo artist and member of '70s French electronic rock trailblazers Heldon. He's joined by an equally revered group of players from around the globe -- his former Heldon bandmates Didier Batard (bass), Patrick Gauthier (synthesizer) and Alain Renaud (guitar), Magma's Antoine Paganotti (drums), Philipe Simon (violin), Djam Karet's Chuck Oken Jr. and his frequent collaborator Jerome Schmidt (laptop). The twelve lengthy tracks on Metatron effectively integrate the many facets of Pinhas' illustrious career from Heldon's early mid-'70s raw rock jams to their later jaw-droppingly tight propulsive synth prog rock to his slinky intricate Fripp inspired guitar pieces to his more recent solo shimmeringly hypnotic soundscape works. Yes, it's all here and yes, it's quite a feast for the ears. The only parts that we could do without might be the bits with spoken word, the music is just fine all by itself, Mr. Pinhas!! Ah well, that's just our knee-jerk reaction to that sort of thing...
MPEG Stream: "Aleph Number 1"
MPEG Stream: "Metatron(ic) Rock"

PINHAS, RICHARD Single Collection 1972-1980 (Captain Trip) cd 26.00
Richard Pinhas is the mastermind behind French '70s synth-prog-proto-industrial pioneers Heldon, who combined spacey analog electronics with punkish attitude, hypnotic rhythms, and Robert Fripp-style flights of electric guitar. Next to Magma they're one of our all-time favorites from France.
Japan's Captain Trip label has been digging into the Heldon/Pinhas vaults, bringing us some cool live recordings reviewed here not long ago, and now this. Packaged in a handsome silvery metallic mini-LP styled jacket, this cd collects Pinhas's various singles releases as a solo artist, under the Heldon moniker, and in various other earlier guises -- starting with his heavy psych act Schizo from 1972, who were obviously heavily influenced by Hendrix, sounding also quite a bit like the "heavy metal thunder" of Steppenwolf! Those tracks, such as "Schizo (And The Little Girl)" and "Paraphrenia Praecox", certainly fit with the so-called Francais Metal de Proto scene we've been digging lately, bands like Les Variations and Docdail. Cool! That's only the first four tracks and already we're pretty excited.
This disc also contains singles from Heldon, one-off spin-off band T.H.X., and Pinhas solo, all progressively getting more and more into a space age new wave prog thing that fans of the band Zombi will love, cult sci-fi writer Norman Spinrad even showing up for a guest vocals on the paranoid groove of "Houston 69". While some of these singles are are in fact extracts from albums (Heldon's "Baader-Meinhof Blues" for instance), others were only available in this format (like T.H.X.'s version of Joe Meek's classic instrumental "Telstar"!). So this is essential for any dedicated Heldon fan -- and in a lot of ways a great single-disc introduction to the the Pinhas oeuvre, one that's more eclectic and extreme than we'd previously imagined, ranging from Schizo's ponderous psych to the circa-1980, NYC Disco-Not-Disco cool of his solo singles! And as we said, this comes handsomely packaged, with a cd booklet including track details and images of each 7" release compiled here.
MPEG Stream: SCHIZO "Paraphrenia Praecox"
MPEG Stream: HELDON "Perspectives 1"
MPEG Stream: RICHARD PINHAS "Houston 69"

PINHAS, RICHARD Tranzition (Cuneiform) cd 14.98
Where do you go once you've collected everything Robert Fripp has ever recorded? (Yes, even including Sacred Songs, his mid '80s collaboration with Daryl Hall...). Try Richard Pinhas. He's likely to tell you himself (although it'd be in French) that he's Fripp's number one fan. Pinhas (and his old band Heldon) have a long history, since the mid '70s, of churning out minimalist prog records, many of which directly express a certain devotion to the sounds pioneered by Fripp and Eno with their multiple reel tape loop system (it was the title "In the Wake of King Fripp"’ that convinced me to buy, not without a little embarassment, the beautiful Heldon record Allez Teia years ago). On Tranzition we find Pinhas & band (himself on guitar & electronics, with a violinist, a drummer and a "laptop boy") sculpting blissful and edgy atmospheres. The skittering drum beats are repetitious and seductive, the songs spacious and evolving. Perhaps Pinhas has also become a fan of Godspeed You Black Emperor! because he does resort on one track to an unnecessary and slightly irritating voice sample (as always, it'd be better if it weren't in English!). Also we note a song title from the Pinhas disc prior to this: "GSYBE (Thanks To)"! Even so, we can forgive this old-timer his indulgences (at least he's still checking out new music) and appreciate this rare example of a fan actually outdoing his heroes. If you're one of those who finally gave up on King Crimson a while back, you might find yourself getting excited over this release, hearing in it what could've been... [AQ thanks Loren Chasse for this review...hmm maybe we should put him on the payroll.]
MPEG Stream: "Tranzition"
MPEG Stream: "Aboulafia Blues"

PINHAS, RICHARD / MERZBOW Keio Line (Cuniform) 2cd 16.98
Yes, that's right. Japanese noise maestro Masami Akita, aka Merzbow, teamed up here with guitarist Richard Pinhas of pioneering '70s French synth-prog act Heldon in a Tokyo studio last year. An unexpected collaboration, perhaps, but a successful one - two action-packed discs worth! Here at AQ you could call us Merzbow fans - one of us even dutifully reviewed EVERY SINGLE FREAKIN' DISC in the 50-cd Merzbox that came out a few years ago. He's not only pretty much thee originator of Japanese noise but we still find him to be one of the genre's most interesting practitioners. But since Merzbow is, almost by definition, so prolific, we can't get excited about every single release he puts out (the obi blurb here claiming "He has recorded and released nearly 100 cds" may be the understatement of the century... isn't it more like 1000??). This one, though, we are quite excited about. 'Cause Pinhas is another AQ fave. We love Heldon, and also enjoy much of his solo work since the '70s, right up to 2006's Metatron.
So, what does the Merzbow-Pinhas summit sound like? It's plentiful and varied, but the basic impression is that of Merzbow's fried electronic noise zips and zaps like someone shooting down spaceships amidst Pinhas's glimmering, glorious Frippish guitar drone. Merzbow is credited with EMS Synthi A and "all noises" though Pinhas, with his guitar and "loop system" isn't exactly quiet. As Merzbow's machines emulate the sound of a sparking, arcing live electric wire, electricity shooting sparks in sizzling patterns, Pinhas keeps the pleasurable pulse of his guitar going and going. There was obviously much mutual admiration here, between "Merzdon" and "Heldrow" as one of the track titles puts it, Merzbow thrilled to play with one of his '70s heroes, Pinhas quite aware of how he paved the way for further extremes of experimental, electronic music, but not resting on his laurels at all. They bring out the best in each other, easily making this one of our favorite recent documents from either artist. Pinhas sure can't wimp out here, and Merzbow keeps his contributions psychedelically listenable.
This is available as a double cd on Cuneiform, or a deluxe triple vinyl set on the Dirter Promotions label. Expensive, but quite fancy.
MPEG Stream: "Chaos Line"
MPEG Stream: "Fuck The Power (and Fuck Global Players)"

PINHAS, RICHARD / MERZBOW Keio Line (Dirter Promotions) 3lp 42.00
Yes, that's right. Japanese noise maestro Masami Akita, aka Merzbow, teamed up here with guitarist Richard Pinhas of pioneering '70s French synth-prog act Heldon in a Tokyo studio last year. An unexpected collaboration, perhaps, but a successful one - two action-packed discs worth! Here at AQ you could call us Merzbow fans - one of us even dutifully reviewed EVERY SINGLE FREAKIN' DISC in the 50-cd Merzbox that came out a few years ago. He's not only pretty much thee originator of Japanese noise but we still find him to be one of the genre's most interesting practitioners. But since Merzbow is, almost by definition, so prolific, we can't get excited about every single release he puts out (the obi blurb here claiming "He has recorded and released nearly 100 cds" may be the understatement of the century... isn't it more like 1000??). This one, though, we are quite excited about. 'Cause Pinhas is another AQ fave. We love Heldon, and also enjoy much of his solo work since the '70s, right up to 2006's Metatron.
So, what does the Merzbow-Pinhas summit sound like? It's plentiful and varied, but the basic impression is that of Merzbow's fried electronic noise zips and zaps like someone shooting down spaceships amidst Pinhas's glimmering, glorious Frippish guitar drone. Merzbow is credited with EMS Synthi A and "all noises" though Pinhas, with his guitar and "loop system" isn't exactly quiet. As Merzbow's machines emulate the sound of a sparking, arcing live electric wire, electricity shooting sparks in sizzling patterns, Pinhas keeps the pleasurable pulse of his guitar going and going. There was obviously much mutual admiration here, between "Merzdon" and "Heldrow" as one of the track titles puts it, Merzbow thrilled to play with one of his '70s heroes, Pinhas quite aware of how he paved the way for further extremes of experimental, electronic music, but not resting on his laurels at all. They bring out the best in each other, easily making this one of our favorite recent documents from either artist. Pinhas sure can't wimp out here, and Merzbow keeps his contributions psychedelically listenable.
This is available as a double cd on Cuneiform, or a deluxe triple vinyl set on the Dirter Promotions label. Expensive, but quite fancy.
MPEG Stream: "Chaos Line"
MPEG Stream: "Fuck The Power (and Fuck Global Players)"

PINK I'm Not Dead (LaFace) dualdisc 19.98
We gotta admit, we sorta love Pink. Of all those MTV pop girls, she has to be our favorite. She's the sort of tomboy, badass, spitting, belching beauty, that if you met her anywhere -other- than MTV you'd fall head over heels. Either that or she'd be the best friend who you suddenly realize is actually REALLY HOT. Cue teen movie montage NOW! Can't say ALL of her music does it for us though. We all loved "Get The Party Started", why the fuck not? That was a killer song. The rest of that record was so-so, but there are plenty of records without a single track as good as that single. The new record follows a similar path, she's still the sort-of non-conformist trash talking bad girl, although this time that vitriol has taken the shape of the best song on the record "Stupid Girl", a wicked dis of all things Paris, Nicole, Ashley, Jessica, Britney, Lindsey and the whole stable of Star magazine IT girls. It's a killer track, sort of like "Get The Party Started" part two, but the lyrics are so snarky and the video seals the deal, with Pink, taking on various MTV slut personas, in short shorts washing a car, carrying around a tiny little dog, driving with a latte and a cellphone, engaged in a nightshot sex video, backup dancing for 50 Cent, but all of them done just tongue in cheek enough to be right on. The rest of the record is surprisingly -rock-, not rock enough to actually be a rock record, but there's way more band sounding songs that dance floor fillers. We're sure there's probably a couple other good songs on here, but we can't stop listening to "Stupid Girl" long enough to find out.
The dualdisc includes the "Stupid Girl" video, which is funny as shit, a bloopers/outtakes reel, and some sort of MTV style, making of the video.
MPEG Stream: "Stupid Girl"

PINK Missundaztood (Arista) cd 16.98
The demise of the tv show Star Search back in 1995 (who knew it lasted even that long?!?) left many show biz hopefuls wonderin' "Now what am I gonna do?!" Well, without middle man Ed McMahon, many clearly made it straight to the major labels and top 40. These more than capable, but snoringly devoid of individuality, soul or personality r&b/pop vocal gymnasts litter the radio dial today. Of course, there are certainly a few exceptions though it's often hard to find them in all the clutter. With 'Missundaztood', Pink sets herself apart, exuding plenty of confidence, personality and fun. Yeah, it's fluffy and ultra-produced. Yeah, there's some overwrought teen soul balladry and the first song really reminded me of Sheryl Crow's hit "All I Wanna Do", but it also is a really exuberant, sassy, good time and she does have a great voice. Capturing high-spirited, teenage bounce with the single "Get The Party Started" or conveying the world weary tone of someone twice her age (on "Misery" with Steven Tyler). You may already be familiar with Pink from her previous 'Can't Take Me Home' album, but this is actually a lot more fresh and spunky with fewer diva-esque moans. Seems she's taken the wheel of this boogie bus -- kicking the serious party butt.
RealAudio clip: "Get The Party Started "
RealAudio clip: "Misery"

PINK Try This (Arista) cd 16.98

PINK & BROWN Final Foods (Toyo) cd 10.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
A decidedly and perhaps appropriately lo-fi recording of this SF/LA spazz-noise-rock pair. Yes, one is Pink (ex-Landed, ex-Burmese, current OCS, Coach Whips and Dig That Body Up, It's Alive) and one is Brown (ex-Tarentel, ex-Lumen). As is hinted at by the dirt on Pink's knees and the raised fist of Brown, these two aren't afraid to get down in the aural muck. Although comparisons to bands like Lightning Bolt and Olneyville Sound System are inevitable as these two hail from the same town (Providence, RI), their sound also runs along the same tracks as early Pussy Galore and the King Brothers.
RealAudio clip: "Christ Balls"
RealAudio clip: "Soccermoms"

PINK AND BROWN Shame Fantasy II (Load) cd 13.98
Time to tear some shit up with a postumous release from energetic SF/LA guitar, drums & costumes spazzers Pink (aka John Dwyer) & Brown (aka Jeff Rosenberg). At the beginning of the year, the duo took time off from being broken up to terrorize a basement full of San Francisco party-goers and do a bit of recording for this record (5 new songs), which also serves as a complete Pink & Brown discography, collecting the tracks from their Toyo Records "Final Foods" album and the vinyl-only Deathdrug split. 22 pummeling tracks of hyper noise rock antics, out of which exactly one exceeds three minutes. R.I.P Pink & Brown.
While the cd is a complete discography, the "Shame Fantasy II" LP offers up just the 5 new songs, a tasty vinyl package for those of you who already have Pink & Brown's previous recordings.
MPEG Stream: "Black Pearl"
MPEG Stream: "Je Suis Nasty"

PINK AND BROWN Shame Fantasy II (Load) lp 10.98
Time to tear some shit up with a postumous release from energetic SF/LA guitar, drums & costumes spazzers Pink (aka John Dwyer) & Brown (aka Jeff Rosenberg). At the beginning of the year, the duo took time off from being broken up to terrorize a basement full of San Francisco party-goers and do a bit of recording for this record (5 new songs), which also serves as a complete Pink & Brown discography, collecting the tracks from their Toyo Records "Final Foods" album and the vinyl-only Deathdrug split. 22 pummeling tracks of hyper noise rock antics, out of which exactly one exceeds three minutes. R.I.P Pink & Brown.
While the cd is a complete discography, the "Shame Fantasy II" LP offers up just the 5 new songs, a tasty vinyl package for those of you who already have Pink & Brown's previous recordings.

PINK AND BROWN / DEATHDRUG Split (Load) 12" 10.98
Second installment in Load Records' split 12" series. Five new songs by the Providence via SF/LA duo Pink and Brown. Yes, one performs in pink while the other in brown. These new tracks, recorded last year around the time of their US tour with longtime pals Lightning Bolt, offer more groove and danceability while retaining the harshness and sonic dissonance of "Final Foods", and with much better production. Death Drug, with members of the sadly departed Le Shok, offer a sidelong cheeseball "jam" accompanied by soundclips of the 1986 film of the same name starring Philip Michael Thomas of Miami Vice fame. Vinyl only, and bright pink to boot, with lovely screenprinted sleeve by Lightning Bolt's Brian Chippendale.

PINK FAIRIES Finland Freakout 1971 (MLP (Major League Productions)) cd 25.00
Even if this wasn't a recording by the legendary Pink Fairies, anything with that title (Finland! Freakout!! 1971!!!) you know we'd have to love, right?
It wasn't too too long ago that you couldn't find hardly any Pink Fairies stuff on cd at all. This freaky band of early '70s proto-punks, hairy hippie underground rock n' rollers often (fairly accurately) described as England's version of the MC5, were more the stuff of legend, and if you wanted to hear 'em "do it", you had to look pretty hard for the goods. Then a few years back, their three classic albums (Neverneverland, What A Bunch Of Sweeties, and Kings Of Oblivion) finally got nice new reissues. You've got those, right? Hope so, 'cause goddammit it seems like they've gone out of print again!! Obviously the powers that be in the record industry, The Man if you please, don't really appreciate the Pink Fairies like they should. In a perfect world, they'd be household names - not 'cause they're the best band ever, they're not, but 'cause few bands embody the anarchic spirit of rock n' roll and its most deviant extremes (punk, psych, metal) as much they do.
So anyway, if you don't have those albums, start with one of 'em, any of them - if you can find 'em. But if you're already a fan, or we just made you impatiently curious, then this newly released archival disc is well worth checking out. It's an hour-long, previously unreleased festival set, professionally live-recorded for broadcast by Finnish national radio (from the Ruisrock festival in Turku, Finland, sometime in 1971, where the Fairies played alongside such international acts as Fairport Convention, The Kinks, the Jeff Beck Group, and Canned Heat and well as Finnish bands like Wigwam, Tasavallan Presidentti, and Charlies). They kick out the jams big time here, starting off with a loud n' heavy, totally blown out cover of the Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows", and also including such classic Fairies fare as "The Snake", "Walk Don't Run", and their 20+ minute festival standard "Uncle Harry's Last Freakout" (to the Fairies what "Black To Comm" was to the MC5, who by the way played the same festival a year later in 1972). Rumbling with distortion, wasted psych guitar leads a-wailing, raspy vox only occasionally emerging from the din, everything underpinned by the urgent caveman pounding of the rhythm section, this is the Pink Fairies as a power trio with a capital P.
And it's fully legit, from the master tapes, pretty decent sounding for an unearthed live thing from way back when, the cd booklet packed with photos and liner notes, including some by drummer Russell Hunter. Nice! Fairies fans, queue up.
Man, what else lurks in the archives, you've gotta wonder?
MPEG Stream: "Tomorrow Never Knows"
MPEG Stream: "Walk Don't Run"

PINK FAIRIES Kings Of Oblivion (Polydor) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Woo-hoo! At last, cd reissues of the three classic studio albums by seminal British freak-rock act the Pink Fairies are again available, and not only that, they're inexpensively priced, remastered editions complete with bonus tracks and nice, colorful illustrated booklets! Previously they were only to be found on cd as high-priced Japanese imports (although this one did get a reissue in 1998, now superceded by this new Polydor pressing), and have been out of print and truly impossible to find even then for almost a decade now. So, a happy day it was when we learned we'd be getting these! While it's true that the scarcity of Pink Fairies product (not counting the many discs compiling live stuff and out-takes and reunions that until now were all you'd find in the Pink Fairies bins) has perhaps made 'em out to be more fantastic than they really were (such are the pitfalls of legendary status) these discs really do hold up as psychedelic, proto-punk early '70s rock sets. A British Stooges they're not, but a sillier, even more anarchistic, hippified MC5 isn't too far off.
Kings Of Oblivion is their aptly-titled third (and last proper) album, featuring future founding Motorhead member, guitarist Larry Wallis, replacing original Fairies guitarist Paul Rudolph (who left to take Lemmy's spot in Hawkwind). And of course, founding Fairy Twink was long gone by the time this LP came out in '73. But the Fairies new Wallis/Hunter/Sanderson line-up was a strong one. Here you can hear the last gasp of the hippy psychedelic sixties meeting the wasted hard rock seventies, making for some pre-punk, post-psych rawk that, at its best, sounds sorta like a cross between that other Pink band (Floyd) and, well, Motorhead. Wallis steps up to the plate with a bunch of energetic compositions (one of 'em co-written with former Fairy Mick Farren), including ripping instrumental "Raceway" and the epic and Alice Cooper-ish number "I Wish I Was A Girl".
Remastered and blessed with bonus tracks: the single and alternate versions of a song called "Well, Well, Well", the single track "Hold On" and an alternate take of album lead-off track "City Kids".
Kings Of Oblivion wraps up the Pink Fairies trilogy, certainly all albums of interest to those into the rock/protest counter-culture of the early '70s.
RealAudio clip: "City Kids"
RealAudio clip: "Raceway"

PINK FAIRIES Never Neverland (Tapestry) lp 35.00
Vinyl (import, expensive) reissue of the 1971 debut album from English psychedelic proto-punks the Pink Fairies. It contains their best known song, "Do It", an anthem for yippies everywhere, later to be covered by the Rollins Band (and we hear the Cherry Valence do it, ahem, live). When, as above, the Pink Fairies are referred to as a "proto-punk" band, this song is one of the reasons. Elsewhere on the record, they get into mellower psych zones (like "Heavenly Man" and the title track), biker rock ("Teenage Rebel") and of course hippy jam-rock (the ten-minute-plus "Uncle Harry's Last Freakout").
The Fairies line-up for this album included guitarist Paul Rudolph and drummer John "Twink" Alder, and they were the major players/composers here, just as they were on Twink's fantastic 1970 solo album Think Pink (which in some ways was the real debut of the Pink Fairies).

PINK FAIRIES Neverneverland (Polydor) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Woo-hoo! At last, cd reissues of the three classic studio albums by seminal British freak-rock act the Pink Fairies are again available, and not only that, they're inexpensively priced, remastered editions complete with bonus tracks and nice, colorful illustrated booklets! Previously they were only to be found on cd as high-priced Japanese imports (although Kings of Oblivion did get a reissue in 1998, now superceded by its new Polydor pressing), and have been out of print and truly impossible to find even then for almost a decade now. So, a happy day it was when we learned we'd be getting these! While it's true that the scarcity of Pink Fairies product (not counting the many discs compiling live stuff and out-takes and reunions that until now were all you'd find in the Pink Fairies bins) has perhaps made 'em out to be more fantastic than they really were (such are the pitfalls of legendary status) these discs really do hold up as psychedelic, proto-punk early '70s rock sets. A British Stooges they're not, but a sillier, even more anarchistic, hippified MC5 isn't too far off.
The Fairies got started as the spawn of Mick Farren's Deviants, and Steve Peregrine Took's Shagrat, and Twink's, uh, Twink. Brothers in arms with fellow "people's band" Hawkwind, the Fairies (with a constantly shuffling line-up -- Mick Farren left early on) were an underground festival fixture in the UK, with an anti-commercial, anti-establishment attitude that certainly did anticipate the '77 punk explosion, while sonically they were all over the place, from punkish rockers to tripped-out jams to poppier stuff.
Neverneverland was their recorded debut, from 1971, and contains their best known song, "Do It", an anthem for yippies everywhere, later to be covered by the Rollins Band (and we hear the Cherry Valence do it, ahem, live). When, as above, the Pink Fairies are referred to as a "proto-punk" band, this song is one of the reasons. Elsewhere on the record, they get into mellower psych zones (like "Heavenly Man" and the title track), biker rock ("Teenage Rebel") and of course hippy jam-rock (the ten-minute-plus "Uncle Harry's Last Freakout"). Bonus tracks include heavy-duty rocker "The Snake" (a-side of the Fairies first single, which had "Do It" on the flip!), a twelve and a half minute alternate take of "Uncle Harry's Last Freakout", and alternate mixes/edits of two other album tracks.
The Fairies line-up for this album included guitarist Paul Rudolph and drummer John "Twink" Alder, and they were the major players/composers here, just as they were on Twink's fantastic 1970 solo album Think Pink, which in some ways was the real debut of the Pink Fairies.
RealAudio clip: "Do It"
RealAudio clip: "Heavenly Man"
RealAudio clip: "The Snake"

PINK FAIRIES What A Bunch of Sweeties (Polydor) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Woo-hoo! At last, cd reissues of the three classic studio albums by seminal British freak-rock act the Pink Fairies are again available, and not only that, they're inexpensively priced, remastered editions complete with bonus tracks and nice, colorful illustrated booklets! Previously they were only to be found on cd as high-priced Japanese imports (although Kings of Oblivion did get a reissue in 1998, now superceded by its new Polydor pressing), and have been out of print and truly impossible to find even then for almost a decade now. So, a happy day it was when we learned we'd be getting these! While it's true that the scarcity of Pink Fairies product (not counting the many discs compiling live stuff and out-takes and reunions that until now were all you'd find in the Pink Fairies bins) has perhaps made 'em out to be more fantastic than they really were (such are the pitfalls of legendary status) these discs really do hold up as psychedelic, proto-punk early '70s rock sets. A British Stooges they're not, but a sillier, even more anarchistic, hippified MC5 isn't too far off.
What A Bunch Of Sweeties was the Fairies second album, still featuring guitarist Paul Rudolph but without original Fairy Twink, who split to Morocco after the first album. Fortunately, although Twink played drums, they already had a second drummer, Russell Hunter, in the band, so slimming down to a trio wasn't too difficult. They certainly kept their "deviant" sense of humor, even getting the guy who did the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers comix to pen lyrics to one song, "Pigs Of Uranus". Amidst the silliness, though, the Fairies might actually have managed more straight-up acid rock on this album than their debut, with one of its highlights being their nine-minute long, heavily distorted cover of surf classic "Walk Don't Run" (an even longer, alternate take of which appears as one of the two bonus tracks). Like the MC5, the Pink Fairies obviously felt that the Revolution was Rock n' Roll and Rock n' Roll was Revolution, evident from the album's lead off good times rocker with the countercultural, political message of "Right On, Fight On" to the last track, their cover of the Beatles' "I Saw Her Standing There". With their whiskey-soaked vocals, psychedelic excursions, pop hooks, and freak-flag attitude, the Fairies were too eclectic and scattered and messed up to have much of a "career" (you could never really imagine 'em ending up as a metal or punk or even Hawkwind style spacerock band). But at least What A Bunch Of Sweeties and their other two albums remain as fun artifacts of their existence, and it's nice have 'em available again for us to sample that long-gone vibe today.
Bonus tracks: the gruff, bluesy "Going Down" and the aforementioned even-more epic "Walk Don't Run (first version)".
RealAudio clip: "Walk Don't Run"
RealAudio clip: "Marilyn"

PINK FLOYD Live At Pompeii: The Director's Cut (Universal) dvd 23.00
Ohmigod. What the fark?! This is probably the first time ever a director's cut takes the original edit of a film and vomits it down a toilet. Ugh. I couldn't have more bad things to say about it... from completely corrupting the opening sequence by adding all kinds of irrelevant stock footage, to even re-doing the titles -- making it a all big pile of poo. HOWEVER!!!, the original concert film is on the dvd with slightly improved audio and picture quality and absolutely worth owning (especially if you have access to a projector). The original Live At Pompeii features one of the most amazing, totally captivating opening sequences in a rock movie ever. The director's idea for the film, shot in 1972, was to fly a young Pink Floyd to Pompeii, set up and play in a ruined amphitheater, then combine this with beautiful tracking shots of their recording session at Abbey Road for what would become Dark Side Of The Moon. The film's landscape-style photography works well with Floyd's live performance of songs from Meddle and other earlier albums, particularly ambient Echoes (for the film, broken into two parts). Why aren't more music video/movies like this? Hillariously Spinal Tap-like interview responses and some endearingly cheesy montages reminscent of the era punctuate the film's mostly atmospheric treatment. Two elements of the director's cut could have been useful to the original in some way: 1. some incredibly gorgeous black and white footage of Floyd recording vocals and responding to an interviewer, and 2. a very spare selection of its newer footage of Pompeiian landscapes if treated a little to mesh in with the original scenes. Wish they were included properly. Synopsis: DO NOT WATCH THE BULLSHIT DIRECTORS CUT. But definitely get your hands on this dvd for the original concert film. It will establish or re-establish you as a Floyd fan, maybe even turn you into a devotee.

PINK FLOYD Meddle (Capital) cd 16.98
This 1971 recording is probably everyone at AQ's favorite post-Barrett Floyd album, and the one for Mogwai fans to get!

PINK MOUNTAIN s/t (Frenetic) cd 13.98
Raucous, wild n' wooly noisy jazz jamming in collision with an equally noisy indie rock aesthetic... a heavy and freaky blowout with squealing horns, hard frenetic drumming, all manner of electric guitar and analog synth keyboard textures, droning violin, and sometimes some hoarse, throwaway vocals. It's all massively chaotic but, perhaps, carefully composed and even catchy at times. What the heck is this? It's Sam Coomes of Quasi getting his "jazz" on, sorta, in cahoots with a bunch of accomplished Bay Area improvisors -- Kyle Bruckmann, Gino Robair, Scott Rosenberg, and John Shiruba -- who, conversely, all take this as a chance to seriously rock out. The demented, diverse results sound something like Italy's Zu meeting up with Captain Beefheart in Tom Waits' junkyard. With both John Zorn and Melvins on the sidelines, getting drunk and cheering them on. It sounds like they're having that sort of fun. Kinda crazy and pretty darn cool.
Note: not to be confused with the similarly-named Pink MountainTOPS... that's a totally different band. We hear though that the two groups have been in correspondence and are even planning a split single maybe.
MPEG Stream: "On A Persian Rug"
MPEG Stream: "Antigravity"

PINK MOUNTAIN s/t (Sick Room) 2lp 16.98
NOW ON VINYL!
Raucous, wild n' wooly noisy jazz jamming in collision with an equally noisy indie rock aesthetic... a heavy and freaky blowout with squealing horns, hard frenetic drumming, all manner of electric guitar and analog synth keyboard textures, droning violin, and sometimes some hoarse, throwaway vocals. It's all massively chaotic but, perhaps, carefully composed and even catchy at times. What the heck is this? It's Sam Coomes of Quasi getting his "jazz" on, sorta, in cahoots with a bunch of accomplished Bay Area improvisers - Kyle Bruckmann, Gino Robair, Scott Rosenberg, and John Shiruba - who, conversely, all take this as a chance to seriously rock out. The demented, diverse results sound something like Italy's Zu meeting up with Captain Beefheart in Tom Waits' junkyard. With both John Zorn and the Melvins on the sidelines, getting drunk and cheering them on. It sounds like they're having that sort of fun. Kinda crazy and pretty darn cool.
Note: not to be confused with the similarly-named Pink MountainTOPS... that's a totally different band. We hear though that the two groups have been in correspondence and are even planning a split single maybe.
MPEG Stream: "On A Persian Rug"
MPEG Stream: "Antigravity"

PINK MOUNTAINTOPS Axis Of Evol (Jagjaguwar) cd 14.98
Not sure what happened to Pink Mountaintops since their last record, but whatever it is, we're sure glad it did, because as much as we hated the first PM record, this new one, Axis Of Evol, is one grimy filthy bluesy drone folk garage dirge gem. Whether they're burning across lazy drawled sunbaked folk, equal parts Jandek, Dylan, Iron & Wine or muscling through a slowed down fuzzy growling garage blues, like a slowmotion Stooges, a more skeletal Green River, or a way druggier Velvet Underground, Pink Mountaintops have their mad sixties drug rock mojo going on BIG TIME. This sounds like it could be some unearthed East Village / ESP records / drug drenched drone-folk combo, the sort of band that would have opened for the Godz back in the day. Maybe it's frontman Stephen McBean's dayjob in the Sabbath worshipping Black Mountain that's rubbed off on his Pink Mountaintops, since this does actually sound like some sort of introspective Black Mountain morning after, stumbling, still hungover, bleary eyed and so elegantly wasted sounding. One track incorporates some drum machine, that at first sounds a bit jarring, but quickly settles comfortably into the murk and mire, a dreamy jam that sounds like some super lo-fi folkified Neu! Elsewhere, the jams occasionally build into epic swells of fuzzed out sound, reminding us of Spacemen 3, Loop, Black Angels, that sort of thing.
But at it's wild and wasted heart, Axis Of Evol is a slow burning, doomy, late night, garage folk, psychrock bender, guitars are dirty and jangly, steel string strum that emits a smoky haze of minor key bliss, vocals that strain and crack, warble and croon, not unlike Mudhoney's Mark Arm, over darkly skeletal acoustic guitar melodies, complete with squeaks and buzz, blasts of jagged distorted fuzz, creepy washes of synthesizer drone, all tangled up in thick swirls of shimmer and buzz. A gloriously doped up, laid back, stoned and blown-out drug rock sprawl.
MPEG Stream: "Comas"
MPEG Stream: "Cold Criminals"

PINK REASON Cleaning The Mirror (Siltbreeze) cd 13.98

MPEG Stream: "Goodbye"
MPEG Stream: "Motherfucker"