RACHEL'S Selenography (Quarterstick) cd 14.98
More quietly stunning chamber music from this constantly evolving group of post rockers. Absolutely beautiful!

RACHEL'S Systems / Layers (Quarterstick ) cd 14.98
The Rachel's have always been in a tough position. Indie kids eat up their take on chamber music, but lots of other music folks think, 'well why not listen to REAL chamber music?'. We were always of the mind that it was great that a bunch of indie rockers were exploring and trying something new (well, new to them) and maybe turning some kids on to classical music in the process. And their records were always quite pretty and pleasant. And then they surprised everyone by pairing up with electronic duo Matmos for their last release. But on Systems / Layers, Rachel's have finally bridged the gap between their traditional chamber music side and their experimental side, and the results are fantastic. Still present are the lovely mournful strings and Rachel Grimes delicate piano, but the arrangements are strange and more otherwordly, with plenty of found sounds and field recordings. Alternately dreamy and creepy, familiar and totally alien. Reminds us a bit of a less bombastic Godspeed or listening to classical music on your Walkman with only one earphone on as you explore some new city. We always liked Rachel's but this is the first record of theirs that really made us super excited. Check it out.
MPEG Stream: "Moscow Is In The Telephone"
MPEG Stream: "Water From The Same Source"
MPEG Stream: "Systems / Layers"

RACHEL'S / MATMOS Full On Night (Quarterstick) cd 12.98
This release from Rachel's and Matmos will undoubtedly warrant sufficient critical consternation / amazement / hate / love simply based on the unusual pairing of the two sets of musicians. Rachel's - the indierock answer to a chamber ensemble - present a shortened but reconstructed version of "Full on Night" originally found on their first album "Handwriting." This updated version dynamically rearranges the original such that it maintains its antiquited sound (delicate played piano with a reserved guitar angularity)... It's super sparse at first and mutates by the end of the track into something quite rockin', especially for the Rachel's.
San Francisco's electronica duo Matmos, by turn, apply a wealth of electronic trickery to the Rachel's sound. Scraped violin and a guitar din similar to the Moore / Ranaldo duets for guitars and screwdrivers emerge from a digidubscape that gets quite volatile by the end of Matmos' 18 minute excursion. While apparently not overly concerned with keeping the Rachel's material recognizable, Matmos mirrors the out-rock / chop-shop of Brise-Glace -- that project fronted by Jim O'Rourke many many moons back.
This is one of those records that the staff in the office is so confounded by that they have to run out to the front room to find out what's playing. I mean, you'd never guess.

RACHEL'S / MATMOS Full On Night (Quarterstick) lp 12.98
This release from Rachel's and Matmos will undoubtedly warrant sufficient critical consternation / amazement / hate / love simply based on the unusual pairing of the two sets of musicians. Rachel's - the indierock answer to a chamber ensemble - present a shortened but reconstructed version of "Full on Night" originally found on their first album "Handwriting." This updated version dynamically rearranges the original such that it maintains its antiquited sound (delicate played piano with a reserved guitar angularity)... It's super sparse at first and mutates by the end of the track into something quite rockin', for Rachel's.
San Francisco's electronica duo Matmos, by turn, applies a wealth of electronic trickery to the Rachel's sound. Scraped violin and a guitar din similar to the Moore / Ranaldo duets for guitars and screwdrivers emerge from a digidubscape that gets quite volatile by the end of Matmos' 18 minute excursion. While apparently not overly concerned with keeping the Rachel's material recognizable, Matmos mirrors the out-rock / chop-shop of Brise-Glace -- that project fronted by Jim O'Rourke many many moons back.
This is one of those records that the staff in the office is so confounded by that they have to run out to the front room to find out what's playing. I mean, you'd never guess.

RACONTEURS Consolers Of The Lonely (Warner Bros.) cd 16.98

RACONTEURS, THE Broken Boy Soldiers (V2) cd 14.98
We hardly need to write anything about this disc, as it's a band that features the White Stripes' Jack White. For most folks that seems to be enough. If you've even glanced at Rolling Stone or Spin or any music video channel, you're probably sick to death of this band already, without hearing note one. And White has been ubiquitous in publications like Star and Us Weekly, his breakups and dating habits, right there alongside Brad and Angelina, Vince and Jen, and all the baby Apples and Shiloh's. But all that stuff serves to do is to distract from what is in fact a fucking killer pop record. And while White's voice features prominently, as do his songwriting and guitar playing, all completely killer by the way, this record is all about his bandmate Brendan Benson and his perfect pop pen. This is no White Stripes side project, instead this sounds more like the latest and greatest Brendan Benson record, that just so happens to feature Jack White. Benson has been making perfect pop records for years, quietly outdoing all of his pop rivals. Benson's One Mississippi is probably one of the greatest pop records you never heard. As was the follow up Lapalco. Benson's got a killer voice, a great ear for melody, and a seemingly effortless knack for spitting out ultra perfect pop, but with plenty of loud guitars. An unsung power pop hero for sure. So it's a bit sad that it takes teaming up with his longtime pal White to get heard by more than a handful of indie pop hipsters, but so be it. And the fact is that the combination of White's voice and guitar teamed up with Benson's is pretty much unbeatable.
This record is great. Ignore all the press bullshit, all the photo shoots and all the hype and just dig in. The opener, "Steady As She Goes" might just be the pop song of the year (and peep the killer video featuring the band racing soapbox derby style featuring Pee Wee Herman as a nefarious race saboteur!). Awesome harmonies, strange studio FX, crunchy guitars, all wrapped around a hook that will get stuck in your head FOREVER. The rest of the record, while never quite reaching the pop perfection of the opening track, is still pretty dang great. Leaning strangely toward some lost seventies radio rock, a hard rockin' pop sound, Zeppelin III, Steve Miller Band, Beatles, etc., but with a serious hard pop sheen. Fans of the Posies, Sloan, Silver Sun, Apples In Stereo and all things glistening Beatles-esque Big Star-ish, big guitar, soaring harmony, foot stomping, hand clapping, kick ass power pop!!
MPEG Stream: "Steady As She Goes"
MPEG Stream: "Hands"

RACZYNSKI, BOGDAN Boku Mo Wakaran (Rephlex) cd 21.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
"I never really knew Ed, but i knew he could craft a story out of a math equation." Quite a telling sample from a man who didn't want his name legible on the cover, didn't want song titles, and didn't want it to sell for more than $8. Well, he got 2 out of 3. Quirky drum & bass for fans of Aphex Twin and Mike Paradinas (Mu-ziq) with a warped sense of humor like the Residents.

RACZYNSKI, BOGDAN myloveilove (Rephlex) cd 16.98
Fans of Fourtet, head up. The mellowest album to date from Polish electronicist Bogdan Raczynski, who has been known to make drill 'n bass and other manic electronica a la Squarepusher, this is extremely serene, full of short pieces that carry on the wistful mood for one or two minutes at a time. The very simple sonic elements are supposedly all made on the computer, or so he proudly proclaims about all his previous recordings, yet here I am not so sure. The melodica sure sounds like melodica, cheap pump organ sounds like cheap pump organ, accordion sounds like accordion. Who cares -- whether or not they are computer generated, Raczynski uses his sounds well, not coldly, and thus the music is warm and pretty. A harpsichord-like element cavorts drunkenly over a Boards-of-Canada-style gloomy underlayer, while accordions gently carouse outside in the snow -- perhaps this is music made by a regular techno electronica kid who secretly loves Tom Waits.
RealAudio clip: "myloveilove (track 11)"
RealAudio clip: "myloveilove (track 6)"

RACZYNSKI, BOGDAN myloveilove (Rephlex) lp 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Fans of Fourtet, head up. The mellowest album to date from Polish electronicist Bogdan Raczynski, who has been known to make drill 'n bass and other manic electronica a la Squarepusher, this is extremely serene, full of short pieces that carry on the wistful mood for one or two minutes at a time. The very simple sonic elements are supposedly all made on the computer, or so he proudly proclaims about all his previous recordings, yet here I am not so sure. The melodica sure sounds like melodica, cheap pump organ sounds like cheap pump organ, accordion sounds like accordion. Who cares -- whether or not they are computer generated, Raczynski uses his sounds well, not coldly, and thus the music is warm and pretty. A harpsichord-like element cavorts drunkenly over a Boards-of-Canada-style gloomy underlayer, while accordions gently carouse outside in the snow -- perhaps this is music made by a regular techno electronica kid who secretly loves Tom Waits.

RACZYNSKI, BOGDAN Renegade Platinum Mega Dance Attack Party: Don The Plates (Rephlex) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Basically a compact disc issue of 2003's don't-call-it-a-comeback EP 'And I Will Eat Your Children Too', in which our modest Bogdan completely destroys the silly notion that he's mellowed out. Harder, faster, louder is the modus operandi here, and the Samurai Math Beats are in full force. Interspersed throughout the disc as a bonus are five wicked cuts from Bogdan's elusive (ie: vinyl only and extremely limited) '96 Drum N Bass Classixxx', including the DJ Scud endorsed rave anthem by Abdullah K, 'Trip To The Boom'! Also features tracks previously released in the form of 4-Cillinda, Agent 30, Re-Start and Suburban Fox.

RADAR BROS. The Fallen Leaf Pages (Merge) cd 14.98
It's been so long since we've heard from the Bros. (three years since "And The Surrounding Mountains" was released) that we'd taken them for broke-up. Well, we're pleased that our fears were unwarranted. There's no escaping the sounds-like-early-Pink-Floyd chorus of remarks that seems to follow Radar Brothers like an albatross whenever they're played. But then again, that's certainly not a bad comparison, or anything to be ashamed of. They can keep milking this musical cow as long as they want as far as we're concerned, cuz they know how churn it better than anyone. As with their previous recordings, their songs are mostly paced in that unique Radar Bros. snail paced tempo, like they're being pulled through molasses and their lyrics are the stuff of fever dreams. Haunting and dispassionate descriptions of horrific scenes, bleak outlooks and unhappy endings are the stuff of Jim Putnam's song writing, which are then hermetically encased in dreamy, opiate paced songs. You find yourself wanting to sing along with a chorus, but are afraid someone might catch you as the lyrics "Hey, is that blood, coming from me..." slip from your lips. With their songs seemingly floating in a space in between major and minor key, like a good blues, Radar Bros. can write sad songs that warm your cockles. It's a creepy and wonderful warmth of feeling, not unlike crying into a pillow until you fall asleep as a child, only to wake up feeling great. And while we don't want to deceive you into thinking the Radar Bros. resemble, even remotely, a blues band, there's also something -- as Allan pointed out -- timeless about the music of The Radar Brothers. They don't seem to take their cues from what anyone today is doing. If there's anyone they're influenced by it would be the aformentioned Pink Floyd (circa Meddle), or (a severely depressed and macabre) Beach Boys. Like their previous recordings, The Fallen Leaf Pages was recorded entirely at Jim's Skylab (now currently under Phase III) studio, and as you might guess it's absolutely gorgeously produced. Fallen Leaf Pages is an album that will grow on you with each listen. Highly recommended!
MPEG Stream: "Papillon"
MPEG Stream: "Is That Blood"
MPEG Stream: "Show Yourself"

RADAR BROTHERS And The Surrounding Mountains (Merge) cd 14.98
Back in November of '99, Radar Brothers' album The Singing Hatchet was our Record of the Week. Didn't think it was possible, but the band has actually gotten even better (to the point of -gasp- converting an AQ staffer or two who didn't like' em before), thus we hereby bestow the same honor on the new record And the Surrounding Mountains. For those of you who're unfamiliar with the LA-based trio of Jim, Senon, and Steve, their sound can be most easily described (and I'm sure they're tired of hearing it) as very similar to Pink Floyd. And not just any ole Pink Floyd, mind you!, but specifically the sad, epic two songs that conclude The Dark Side of the Moon: "Brain Damage" (y'know, "the lunatic is on the grass...") and, god, especially "Eclipse" ("And all that is now/And all that is gone/And all that's to come/And everything under the sun is in tune/But the sun is eclipsed by the moon...") You know how you never want that song to end, it's such a pretty, bittersweet way to close an album? Radar Brothers have made FOUR ALBUMS of that sound all stretched out and atmospheric and personal and warm. The guitars are ever so plaintively strummed so that you hear the chords but also the individual strings, the vocals are hushed and sung usually as a duo, the melodies achingly gorgeous, majestic swells of emotion. They're so great that I find it hard to do anything else while listening to Radar Brothers; like Low and Red House Painters' work, Radar Brothers' songs *demand* stillness and respect -- all your attention. Highly recommended.
RealAudio clip: "You and the Father"
RealAudio clip: "Camplight"
RealAudio clip: "This Xmas Eve"
RealAudio clip: "Sisters"

RADAR BROTHERS Auditorium (Merge) cd 14.98
The vastly different music groups Dengue Fever and Radar Brothers share the bass playing excellence of Senon Williams. He must be a very busy man -- both have awesome new albums out now! Don't want to belabor the point too much, but the contrast is remarkable between the international technicolor frenzy of Dengue Fever and the Pink Floydian space-rock of Radar Brothers. One gets your heart pumpin' and brings a flush to your cheeks. The other offers unwinding, soothing dreaminess (a possible point of comparison: an earthier Flaming Lips!). Both stir the listener to open channels and let go! Despite the implied audience and artist stage enclosure of title, the Radar Brothers' fourth full length is for roaming open spaces and star-gazing while keeping an introspective mood. No walls in sight. Simply beautiful.
MPEG Stream: "When Cold Air Goes To Sleep"
MPEG Stream: "Hearts of Crows"

RADAR BROTHERS s/t (Restless) cd 15.98
Wow, out of nowhere (okay, there was a 10" a coupla years ago but we missed out) comes this FANTASTIC trio from Los Angeles whose quiet, mournful sound and plaintive vocals remind us of Neil Young & the delicate side of Pink Floyd. For fans of Low, Scud Mountain Boys, Radiohead, and Rex. Definitely a winner; we highly recommend you hear them.

RADAR BROTHERS The Singing Hatchet (See Thru Broadcasting) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Mellow LA-based slowcore trio Radar Bros make some of the most emotional music we've ever heard. With super-plaintive, Pink Floyd-y vocals, creamy thick guitars, and hook-filled melodies, some of Radar Bros songs are so beautiful you literally have to stop what you're doing just so you can listen to them -- yeah, they're that good! Fans of Low, Half Film, Red House Painters, and Palace will LOVE this record.

RADAR BROTHERS, THE The Illustrated Garden (Merge) cd 14.98
While they are most certainly still very Pink Floyd-esque in their interstellar expansiveness, the beloved Radar Brothers' fifth album has what might be their most straightforward pop songs to date... and we're digging 'em! The mood is downright upbeat and breezy at times, but it totally works with the band's warm enveloping sound which also suited their earlier slow creeping melancholia just as well. The Illustrated Garden is a wistful instead of solemn listen, and a wonderful follow-up to their last full length, Auditorium. Songs such as "Rainbow", "Radio" and "Horses Warriors" are perfect for cruising down the West Coast on a warm spring or summer day with the top down. As always, recommended!
MPEG Stream: "Dear Headlights"
MPEG Stream: "Horses Warriors"
MPEG Stream: "Radio"

RADAR EYES Best Friends (Hozac) 7" 6.50
We actually had the debut tape from these Chicago fuzz pop garage rockers, released on the seemingly now defunct Plus Tapes label, but for some reason never managed to get it reviewed, which is a bummer, cuz this new 7" is definitely hitting the spot. You can now add another band to the roster of garage pop combos we dig, who like some of their sonic brethren and sistren, are channeling classic sixties girl group pop, even the vocals here, make, but high enough and reverby enough to have us thinking 'girl group' all along, the music is lush and melodic, fuzzy guitars and driving drums, chiming melodies, underpinned by swirling synths, the first track getting downright distorted and crunchy near the end. While the B sides is a short blast of fuzzy almost punky pound, with whirring organs, buried vox, and a super sweet chorus that must go over gangbusters live. Serious sing along potential for sure. Definitely excited to hear more!

RADAR EYES s/t (Plus Tapes) cassette 5.98

RADAR EYES s/t (Plus Tapes) cassette 5.98

RADBOUD MENS Cli;ck (Noise Museum) cd 16.98
Radboud Mens manufactures Brinkmann/Goem style post-techno monotracktion with a simple drum beat hammering an inistent rhythm, no bassline, just modulations of the chirps, tweeks, whistles, and of course clicks.

RADHAKRISHNAN, PRASANT East Facing (Lotus Music) cd 14.98
When it comes to specific musical instruments it's definitely tough for us to be won over by the sax. It's an instrument that all too often employed by those who have no business using it (think Kenny G, bad '80s pop rock, etc.) It's questionable use has made it so that even in respected jazz we almost cringe at its use unless its by one of the very few sax masters. So we knew immediately that this record by Carnatic player Prasant Radhakrishnan was something very special when it began with the sounds of a gorgeous alto sax. Part of it was the fact that the sax was being played in a way we had never really heard the instrument used before. Radhakrishnan's ability to bring together the disciplines of Classical South Indian music with Jazz is something he does grace and style. Equally influenced by John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins as much as D.K. Jayaraman and his guru Kadri Gopalnath, Radhakrishnan essentially uses the Sax to play ragas while his group adds violin and traditional Carnatic percussion to round out the sound. Now living right here in San Francisco, Radhakrishnan has found a perfect place to share his transcendent sounds with lots of open minds and ears.
MPEG Stream: "Varnam"
MPEG Stream: "Kshinamai"

RADIAN Chimeric (Thrill Jockey) cd 15.98
We REALLY like Viennese instrumental glitch-groove trio Radian. This, Chimeric, is their first album in four whole years. And it's awesome. So it deserves a glowing review from us. We're having trouble writing it, though. The problem is, we made the mistake of going back and looking at what we wrote about their previous albums, and feel like we already said it best about 'em then, can't really top lines like these: "Y'know how in subatomic reality, seemingly solid objects aren't solid at all, but filled with empty space interspersed with electrons and protons and such? Radian's music is kind of like that, atomized, spacious, abuzz with crackling energy", and "There's a jazz/improv element as well, but rather than rock/jazz fusion this is more like fission, breaking down elements of both musics, and releasing volts of energy in the process."
See? Good stuff, eh? And those sentiments apply here as well. Though, it's not like this is just the same as Radian's earlier work. No, their computer-processed live improv post rock electro-acoustic sound (whew!) has definitely developed, Radian themselves considering Chimeric to be more "Free", though what they mean by that we have to guess, perhaps it's why this Radian record does seem rather more noisy, raw, chaotic, rocking, & heavy than ever before, though.
Which is much to our liking, as it brings 'em even closer to sounding like some bands to which we've compared 'em in the past, a "sliced-up Circle" and, especially, a "sci fi This Heat", that uniquely rhythmic British experimental prog-rock unit from the '70s, who are really one of our "touchstone" bands here at AQ that we're always referencing in reviews, always hoping to hear something new that reminds us of 'em (we're the same way about the likes of Comus, Goblin, Earth, Magma, Black Sabbath, and Circle too). Thus, one reason we dig this Radian album so much (and Radian's other efforts too) is 'cause we can hear a lot of This Heat goin' on here. This Heat gone electronically futuristic in some mad scientist's laboratory, that is... The fractured structures, jumbled rhythms, distorted guitar stabs, and rumbling textures found here are totally hitting the spot. We mentioned it's been 4 years since their last album, and it's about time. We NEED more music like this, thanks Radian!
MPEG Stream: "Git Cut Noise"
MPEG Stream: "Kinetakt"

RADIAN Chimeric (Thrill Jockey) lp 15.98
We REALLY like Viennese instrumental glitch-groove trio Radian. This, Chimeric, is their first album in four whole years. And it's awesome. So it deserves a glowing review from us. We're having trouble writing it, though. The problem is, we made the mistake of going back and looking at what we wrote about their previous albums, and feel like we already said it best about 'em then, can't really top lines like these: "Y'know how in subatomic reality, seemingly solid objects aren't solid at all, but filled with empty space interspersed with electrons and protons and such? Radian's music is kind of like that, atomized, spacious, abuzz with crackling energy", and "There's a jazz/improv element as well, but rather than rock/jazz fusion this is more like fission, breaking down elements of both musics, and releasing volts of energy in the process."
See? Good stuff, eh? And those sentiments apply here as well. Though, it's not like this is just the same as Radian's earlier work. No, their computer-processed live improv post rock electro-acoustic sound (whew!) has definitely developed, Radian themselves considering Chimeric to be more "Free", though what they mean by that we have to guess, perhaps it's why this Radian record does seem rather more noisy, raw, chaotic, rocking, & heavy than ever before, though.
Which is much to our liking, as it brings 'em even closer to sounding like some bands to which we've compared 'em in the past, a "sliced-up Circle" and, especially, a "sci fi This Heat", that uniquely rhythmic British experimental prog-rock unit from the '70s, who are really one of our "touchstone" bands here at AQ that we're always referencing in reviews, always hoping to hear something new that reminds us of 'em (we're the same way about the likes of Comus, Goblin, Earth, Magma, Black Sabbath, and Circle too). Thus, one reason we dig this Radian album so much (and Radian's other efforts too) is 'cause we can hear a lot of This Heat goin' on here. This Heat gone electronically futuristic in some mad scientist's laboratory, that is... The fractured structures, jumbled rhythms, distorted guitar stabs, and rumbling textures found here are totally hitting the spot. We mentioned it's been 4 years since their last album, and it's about time. We NEED more music like this, thanks Radian!
MPEG Stream: "Git Cut Noise"
MPEG Stream: "Kinetakt"

RADIAN Juxtaposition (Thrill Jockey) cd 14.98
Y'know how in subatomic reality, seemingly solid objects aren't solid at all, but filled with empty space interspersed with electrons and protons and such? Radian's music is kind of like that, atomized, spacious, abuzz with crackling energy. We loved the last Radian album, Rec.Extern, and are mighty pleased with this new one, another dose of glitch-happy instrumental post-rock from the Vienna-based trio of Martin Brandlmayr (drums, vibraphone, electronics, computer), Stefan Nemeth (synthesizers, guitar, computer) and John Norman (bass). Yeah that's two computers, and no they're not checking their email, they're integrating their live playing with computer processing and programming droning, rhythmic soundscapes of urgent beats and simmering atmospheres... Imagine the likes of Circle, Salvatore, This Heat, and Village Of Savoonga...all sucked into a computer (kinda like Tron) to do virtual battle... There's a jazz/improv element as well, but rather than rock/jazz fusion this is more like fission, breaking down elements of both musics, and releasing volts of energy in the process. Exciting, beautiful, creative, futuristic.
MPEG Stream: "Shift"
MPEG Stream: "Rapid Eye Movement"

RADIAN Juxtaposition (Thrill Jockey) lp 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Y'know how in subatomic reality, seemingly solid objects aren't solid at all, but filled with empty space interspersed with electrons and protons and such? Radian's music is kind of like that, atomized, spacious, abuzz with crackling energy. We loved the last Radian album, Rec.Extern, and are mighty pleased with this new one, another dose of glitch-happy instrumental post-rock from the Vienna-based trio of Martin Brandlmayr (drums, vibraphone, electronics, computer), Stefan Nemeth (synthesizers, guitar, computer) and John Norman (bass). Yeah that's two computers, and no they're not checking their email, they're integrating their live playing with computer processing and programming droning, rhythmic soundscapes of urgent beats and simmering atmospheres... Imagine the likes of Circle, Salvatore, This Heat, and Village Of Savoonga...all sucked into a computer (kinda like Tron) to do virtual battle... There's a jazz/improv element as well, but rather than rock/jazz fusion this is more like fission, breaking down elements of both musics, and releasing volts of energy in the process. Exciting, beautiful, creative, futuristic.
MPEG Stream: "Shift"
MPEG Stream: "Rapid Eye Movement"

RADIAN Rec.Extern (Thrill Jockey) cd 15.98
Buzz whir click crackle throb. Skittery drums, lovely drone. It's Glitch, but it's Rock. Post rock, anyway. It's the new disc from Radian, the computer-aided instrumental post rock trio from Vienna. Radian have previously released two cds -- a full-length and an ep -- on the Mego and/or Rhiz labels over the past few years. Now they show up with a new full-length on Chicago label Thrill Jockey, enlisting Tortoise's John McEntire on recording/mixing duties. Drummer Martin Brandlmayr lays down the fractured beats, bassist John Norman fills out the pulse, and synthesizer coloration is provided by Stefan Nemeth. And together they use computers to process their real-time playing. Hard disc edits, electronic effects, layered textures, done with a great sense of timing and placement. At times "Rec.Extern" is propulsive and rhythm-driven like a sci-fi This Heat or sliced-up Circle, at others it's atmospheric, the background radiation of a haunted laboratory, with the sounds of burbling beakers and hissing Bunsen burners quietly rising and fading. Sudden silences, sudden sounds. We like it when today's electronic artistes step out from behind their laptops to play real instruments, and Radian falls in line with the likes of Markus Schmickler's Pluramon project and Dean Roberts' "Plays The Grand Cinema" disc on Ritornell as electro-acoustic computers-meet-rock successes. We're also put in mind of the abstract sounds n' silences of Supersilent or Starfuckers (the latter who can be much more 'out' and abrasive than Radian), and recent Dead C. We certainly liked Radian's other releases, but "Rec.Extern" seems to be even better, there's just more to it. Recommended.
RealAudio clip: "Jet"
RealAudio clip: "Bioadapter"
RealAudio clip: "Etage 3 / Flur"
RealAudio clip: "Ulan"

RADIAN Rec.Extern (Thrill Jockey) lp 11.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Buzz whir click crackle throb. Skittery drums, lovely drone. It's Glitch, but it's Rock. Post rock, anyway. It's the new disc from Radian, the computer-aided instrumental post rock trio from Vienna. Radian have previously released two cds -- a full-length and an ep -- on the Mego and/or Rhiz labels over the past few years. Now they show up with a new full-length on Chicago label Thrill Jockey, enlisting Tortoise's John McEntire on recording/mixing duties. Drummer Martin Brandlmayr lays down the fractured beats, bassist John Norman fills out the pulse, and synthesizer coloration is provided by Stefan Nemeth. And together they use computers to process their real-time playing. Hard disc edits, electronic effects, layered textures, done with a great sense of timing and placement. At times "Rec.Extern" is propulsive and rhythm-driven like a sci-fi This Heat or sliced-up Circle, at others it's atmospheric, the background radiation of a haunted laboratory, with the sounds of burbling beakers and hissing Bunsen burners quietly rising and fading. Sudden silences, sudden sounds. We like it when today's electronic artistes step out from behind their laptops to play real instruments, and Radian falls in line with the likes of Markus Schmickler's Pluramon project and Dean Roberts' "Plays The Grand Cinema" disc on Ritornell as electro-acoustic computers-meet-rock successes. We're also put in mind of the abstract sounds n' silences of Supersilent or Starfuckers (the latter who can be much more 'out' and abrasive than Radian), and recent Dead C. We certainly liked Radian's other releases, but "Rec.Extern" seems to be even better, there's just more to it. Recommended.

RADIAN TG11 (Mego) cd 16.98

RADIANT HUSK Beyond An Endless Swale (Bezoar Formations) cassette 5.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Though we sold out pretty quick, some of you aQ-loyalists might remember a super killer cd-r we got awhile back from local guy Matt Erickson, otherwise known as Radiant Husk. Aside from also playing in the free-psych noise duo Sudden Oak, which is equally as awesome (although most of their releases are now out of print), Erickson has been busy conjuring a fantastic offering of ritual saxophone sorcery. In relatively the same vein as Terry Riley's alto sax work in the seventies, Beyond An Endless Swale explores the more damaged, far reaching capabilities of the sax. And despite any reservation you might have about the sax, take it from us, there ain't nothing smooth or soft about Radiant Husk. Beyond An Endless Swale will lure you to the twisted outlands of grey shorelines where distant foghorns coax you into hypnosis, improvised melodies hover above richly layered drones and singing overtones, reverbed sax riffs lull into the dreamy horizon. An endless journey exploring all kind of sonic territory, at times Erickson pushes his sax on the verge of fiery collapse, piling dense layers of blistering noise and feedback, bird-like squeaks and wails, only to let it all melt away into the soft-droning sky. All housed in hand made tape inserts assembled in a very limited quantity, this cassette is a gem and should really not be missed!

RADIANT HUSK Several Potem (Bezoar Formations) cd-r 5.98
Holy shit, 30 seconds into this mysteriously packaged cd-r from SF's own M. Erickson and we're totally sucked into his hypnotic world of saxophone, synths and other various droning devices. Long tones enveloping and luring us through the darkened doors of a stone temple, beams of light pouring from an ominous orb that hangs above its dreary entrance. Mystical, entrancing and all-the-while darkly sinister. Dreary loops that move in a rhythmic march while trembling vocals ring out from the bowels of an empty cave. If Terry Riley ever spent a year alone in the deep dark woods of Norway, the final product might sound similar to this. Forested alchemic nightmare-ish minimalism, perfect for fans of Bonecloud, Ghosting or even Expo 70. But be forewarned, you WILL be left wanting more, as this limited cd-r from Bezoar barely even lasts thirty minutes. Short, sweet and to the point, highly recommended and a must have for all those who bow at the gates of the mystic minimalism temple.
MPEG Stream: "Bell Peel"
MPEG Stream: "Water Margins"

RADIATION 4 Wonderland (Century Media) cd 15.98
This band is in sort of a tough postion. But they brought it on themselves. As with lots of genre-hopping bands, Radiation 4 hop nimbly and deftly between two specific genres, but it just so happens that the two genres in this case, are like cats and dogs. Radiation is heavy. And I mean HEAVY. Able to spew grim shrieking black metal, and pummelling chaotic metalcore like it was second nature. And it is second nature actually, because they also indulge their Faith No More / Mr. Bungle / Mushroomhead, goofy, crooning, proggy nu-metal side quite a bit. Now we all loved Faith No More back in the day, but that goofy over-eclecticism tends to grate a bit. That said, Radiation 4, do both amazingly well, and those facets fit better than you might think. And it helps that this record is so goddamn heavy at points. But it you're unable to handle any Slipknot or Bungle chocolate in your black metal / metalcore peanut butter, you better pass. Otherwise, give it a chance -- Andee ended up loving it.
MPEG Stream: "Silence Fiction"
MPEG Stream: "Tick. Tock. Tick."

RADIGUE, ELIANE CHRY-PTUS (Schoolmap) 2cd 28.00

RADIGUE, ELIANE Elemental II ( Rosa) cd 17.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

MPEG Stream: "Elemental II"

RADIGUE, ELIANE Geelriandre - Arthesis (Fringes) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Off the top of my head, I can think of the Monks, Glenn Branca, and Eliane Radigue as some of the musicians who've admitted that their unwitting discovering of feedback profoundly altered their ways of thinking about music. Similar to Eddie Shaw's epiphany about feedback in his biography about the Monks, Radigue's revelation about feedback might warrant religious proportions, given that her meditative compositions led her to become a disciple of Buddhism. It was in the mid-60s, when Radigue was a protege of musique concrete legend Pierre Henry, that Radigue first stumbled across electronic feedback in the studios of INA-GRM. Unfortunately, Henry (with his unwavering insistance on the Modernist superiority of musique concrete) did not share Radigue's enthusiasm and Radigue parted ways to build her own studio that centered around the technologies of the Moog and the Arp synthesizers.
Composed in 1972 and 1973 respectively (though these recordings were made several years later), "Geelriandre" and "Arthesis" represent some of the earliest work of Radigue's maturation as a minimalist. While neither of these pieces appear to use feedback, Radigue's subtle shifting drones within these pieces mirrors the fluttering complexity that a feedback loop (when carefully controlled) can achieve. "Geerlriandre" for prepared piano and Arp synthesizer ripples with a melancholia through a beautiful chorus of tightly oscillating electric drones occasionally punctuated by the sustained yet muffled resonance of the piano. "Arthesis," using the Moog, is a more ominous affair, whirling back and forth between low end frequencies amidst a glacial progression of bleak ambience.
This album isn't only good for historical documentation, but also is an exceptional precursor to the dronological pursuits of current artists like Jonathan Coleclough, Thomas Koner, and Andrew Chalk. Highly recommended.
RealAudio clip: "Geelriandre"
RealAudio clip: "Arthesis"

RADIGUE, ELIANE Geelriandre / Arthesis (Senufo Editions) cd 17.98
A much needed reissue of two magnificent pieces of Holy Minimalism from Eliane Radigue! Much of Radigue's classic work from the late '60s and into the '80s had never been presented outside the context of live playback, due to the simple fact that vinyl couldn't handle more than 25 minutes to a side without serious loss of fidelity. So with the advent of cds, the vast archives of her reel-to-reel tapes of very-long form compositions and stasis-oriented dronemuzik began to see the light of day well after the work had been completed and shelved. Radigue had studied composition in the INA-GRM studios in the mid-'60s and was one of many artists who became enamored with the potential of feedback as a tool within composition. The long sinewy drones of a controlled feedback loop became a signature of her earliest works, with synthesizers gradually enveloping those sounds with their greater control and tonal palette.
Composed in 1972 and 1973 respectively (though these recordings were made several years later), "Geelriandre" and "Arthesis" represent some of the earliest work demonstrating Radigue's maturation as a minimalist. "Geerlriandre" - for prepared piano and Arp synthesizer, ripples with a melancholia through a beautiful chorus of tightly oscillating electric drones occasionally punctuated by the sustained yet muffled resonance of the piano, anticipating what Brian Eno would present many years later on Thursday Afternoon albeit with none of the romanticized impressionism. "Arthesis," using the Moog, is a more ominous affair, whirling back and forth between low end frequencies amidst a glacial progression of bleak ambience. This album isn't only good for historical documentation, but also is an exceptional precursor to the drone-tastic pursuits of current artists like Thomas Koner and Andrew Chalk.
Originally released about ten years ago on Giuseppe Ielasi's Fringes, and Ielasi wisely reclaimed these recordings for his new imprint Senufo. If you didn't get it the first time, you should certainly pick this one up now!
MPEG Stream: "Geelriandre"
MPEG Stream: "Arthesis"

RADIGUE, ELIANE Jetsun Mila (Lovely Music) 2cd 28.00

RADIGUE, ELIANE Kyema, Intermediate States (Edition XI) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

RADIGUE, ELIANE L'ile Re-sonate (Shiiin) cd 21.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

RADIGUE, ELIANE Mila's Journey Inspired By A Dream (Lovely Music) cd 15.98
Accompanying a sustained minimalist drone from an Arp, Eliane Radigue incorporated segments of the Tibetan singing from Lama Kunga Rinpoche and English vocals from Robert Ashley. This is one of her many pieces in the large scale cycle of works based on the life of Tibetan master, Milarepa.

RADIGUE, ELIANE Transamorem - Transmortem (Important) cd 14.98
Much of avant composer Eliane Radigue's work dating back to 1967 has yet to be heard, as she would construct her long form minimalism through feedback (for the earliest compositions) and synthesizers (particularly the Arp and occasionally Moog and Buchla) to be played back on a reel of tape with durations often lasting longer than an hour. After an installation or a performance, she would box up the results and work on something new. It wasn't until the advent of cds that technology allowed for her work to made commercially available, as she was unwilling to allow these pieces to be sliced into 20 minute excerpts for vinyl playback.
In 1974, she presented 4 nights of her work in New York - three nights at Phill Niblock's loft (where the man is STILL hosting shows!) and one at the Kitchen. A handwritten invitation to these gigs is included in the liner notes, mentioning various pieces that are now appearing on cd releases some 30 years later. Transamorem - Transmortem was one of these pieces, now part of the reissue series spearheaded by Manu Holterbach and reissued by Important. This 67 minute monolith undulates slowly through a series of "waves in tune" (as she calls them) from her Arp. The strategy is very simple, but the choices Radigue makes are perfect. Her tones are primal and earthen, grounded in plenty of low-end that gives the impression that whatever notion of the eternal she is seeking to describe, it's located physically in the here and now. This is a beautiful piece of minimalism, certainly ranking with her chilling Trilogy Of Death and Adnos.
MPEG Stream: "Transamorem - Transmortem"

RADIGUE, ELIANE Triptych (Important) cd 14.98

RADIGUE, ELIANE Vice Versa, etc.... (Important) cd 16.98
Back in 1970, Eliane Radigue ran off ten copies of her final composition for feedback on magnetic tape, each of which included a small handwritten note. She intended for the piece to be played back at any speed and at any duration and either backwards or forwards. Given the smooth polish to her sustained drones that could easily blur into infinity, such instructions to her audience of ten seems quite reasonable, even if the tiny edition of 10 is far from a reasonable amount. Fortunately, the French sound artist Manu Holterbach (whose minimalist work is awe-inspiring in its own right) has been sifting through Radigue's archives and came across this incredibly rare document which Radigue originally released for the Lara Vincy Gallery in Paris as part of a group sound exhibition. For the cd repackaging of this lone composition, Holterbach curated a double disc of various mixes of the original recordings. The first disc being the straight versions of the composition, played back at the four standard speeds of a reel-to-reel tape deck; and the second disc being backwards versions, also played back at those four speeds. The longest version is a little over 13 minutes long, with the shortest being a bit under 3 minutes; and all four mixes exhibit variations in tonal colors and slight oscillating modulations not heard on previous mixes. The first mix is the longest, slowest, and thus deepest plunge into the Radigue drone, which balances an asymmetrical undulation of low end against a static vibration which sits a couple octaves higher than the super-low rumble and pushes a little farther into the distance. As the track develops, Radigue seems to be gradually increasing the tension of these pieces, as if tension were just a knob she were effortlessly twisting, but in fact she's deftly controlling all of the parameters of her feedback loop to cause such effects. The second piece clocks in under a brisk 9 minutes with that irregular hovering sounds more pronounced. The next two pieces are a bit over four and two minutes respectively, each brightening vibrations to a sharp resolution on the finale. Both discs exhibit essentially the same sounds, which might be accentuated if you were to play both discs at the exact same time. A peculiar excerpt, yes, but a wonderful record for sure from one of the finest authors of 20th Century minimalism.
MPEG Stream: "Backward 19"
MPEG Stream: "Backward 38"
MPEG Stream: "Backward 76"

RADIO 4 Electrify (Astralwerks) cd 10.98
New York's Radio 4 receive a heap of remixification on Electrify - transforming the funky, already danceable tunes of this clean cut, mod-ish post-punk band into gothy industrial-dance stomps and more straightforward techno rave-ups. Just like the Astralwerks remix album of The Faint's songs drew much puzzlement from these parts, so does this. Granted the remixers here seem much more aware and respectful of band and their original songs... heck, there's even a remix by The Faint! Includes five versions of "Dance To The Underground" (by The Faint, Playgroup, and hotshit producers DFA), one for "Start A Fire" by Justin Robertson, one for "Struggle" by Adrian Sherwood and Mark Stewart, as well as a video for "D.T.T.U." Although the DFA mix in particular sure is a tasty snakecharmer, as a whole, can't say this is essential. We'd definitely recommend checking out Radio 4's Gotham album first, if you haven't already. Now *that's* plenty exuberant and danceworthy!
MPEG Stream: "Dance To The Underground (The DFA Version)"
MPEG Stream: "Struggle (Adrian Sherwood/Mark Stewart Mutant Disco Vocal Mix)"

RADIO 4 Enemies Like This (Astralwerks) cd 14.98
On Enemies Like This, the Radio 4 boys continue their remarkable hybrid reincarnation of The Clash and Gang Of Four for the hip NYC party set. After the somewhat disappointing last album Stealing Of A Nation back in 2004, they get a little closer to the punchy sound of their 2002 DFA produced album Gotham -- that was a match made in dance-punk heaven. This album was appropriately and deftly produced by Jagz Kooner (who's that?! the producer for sleek dance-rockers Kasabian and Primal Scream), the guitars are full and sinewy, the vocals are sneeringly present with lots of hooky lines, the drums smart like the snap of a tight elastic waistband and the bass maintains a deep dub-inflected grooviness. No, not original, but very catchy and well done.
MPEG Stream: "Too Much To Ask For"
MPEG Stream: "Grass Is Greener"

RADIO 4 Gotham (Gern Blandsten) cd 13.98
If you're expecting the total retro pop catchiness of Radio 4's debut album "The New Song And Dance", you might be a bit disappointed with "Gotham" (as we initially were). That's not to say this is a disappointing album. It's just that after the first song "Our Town" (a great driving pop number that I keep hitting 'repeat' after), things are a bit ... different. In fact, this almost sounds like a completely different band save for the recognizable Joe Jackson/Elvis Costello-ish vocals. It's as if the Radio 4 fellows have been deeply immersed in their Clash albums. Moving more in the direction of such current groups as Outhud or !!! with their funky grooviness. They've expanded their sound and incorporated electronics into the mix to complement their dub-influenced bass lines and jagged guitars. May take a few listens for it to get its less obvious hooks into you. And may trigger you to dance rather than sing along.
RealAudio clip: "Our Town"
RealAudio clip: "Calling All Enthusiasts"
RealAudio clip: "Certain Tragedy"

RADIO 4 Gotham (Gern Blandsten) lp 8.98
If you're expecting the total retro pop catchiness of Radio 4's debut album "The New Song And Dance", you might be a bit disappointed with "Gotham" (as we initially were). That's not to say this is a disappointing album. It's just that after the first song "Our Town" (a great driving pop number that I keep hitting 'repeat' after), things are a bit ... different. In fact, this almost sounds like a completely different band save for the recognizable Joe Jackson/Elvis Costello-ish vocals. It's as if the Radio 4 fellows have been deeply immersed in their Clash albums. Moving more in the direction of such current groups as Outhud or !!! with their funky grooviness. They've expanded their sound and incorporated electronics into the mix to complement their dub-influenced bass lines and jagged guitars. May take a few listens for it to get its less obvious hooks into you. And may trigger you to dance rather than sing along.
RealAudio clip: "Our Town"
RealAudio clip: "Calling All Enthusiasts"
RealAudio clip: "Certain Tragedy"

RADIO 4 Stealing Of A Nation (Astralwerks / City Slang) 2cd 17.98
Pssst, we've discovered the recipe for the new Radio 4 album, and we'll share it with you: Combine 2 cups of The Rapture with 2.5 cups of The Faint. Mix well. Allow to rise for approximately 15 minutes. Add a generous dollop of Oasis, and a smidge of INXS. Aaah, all kidding aside, it does seem to be the pattern for Radio 4 that on each album they end up sounding very much like one of their musical forefathers/heroes (in the past it's been The Clash, Gang Of Four and early Elvis Costello). Heck, their band name is taken from a Public Image Limited song title! Granted they've done this very well, kicking out some really addictive punchy tunes. Their last full length Gotham and its predecessor The New Song And Dance (both on the Gern Blansten label) were filled with sharp songwriting and non-stop good times. Needless to say we were looking forward to this new offering. So, it's somewhat disconcerting that this Brooklyn band now sounds like an edgeless, house-y rehash of a more recent dance punk rehash (i.e, their contemporaries the aforementioned Faint and Rapture). What happened?! Well, for one thing there's the noticeable absence of the hot-shit DFA production crew which could account for some of the changes. All in all, it's alright if you don't listen too hard and just get swept up in the slick dance beat and groovy bassline. The album's thumpin' lead-off track "Party Crashers" has undoubtedly already infested hipster dancefloors across the nation (actually the bonus disc includes a bunch of remixes of this song as well as "Absolute Affirmation", some videos and a making-of-the-album documentary film in QuickTime format). However on closer scrutiny, Stealing Of A Nation sticks to the shallow end and doesn't really inspire repeat listens which is disappointing considering the efforts they seem to have taken to give this album some depth and political gravity. We'd definitely recommend (re)visiting the DFA produced Gotham instead.
MPEG Stream: "Party Crashers"
MPEG Stream: "State Of Alert"

RADIO 4 The New Song And Dance (Gern Blandsten) cd 10.98
It would be sooo easy to simply say "for fans of Elvis Costello...", but let's say more than that. Well done power pop with a lil' bit of emo thrown in the mix. Yes, lots of Costello-esque melodies and vocal inflections as well as some songs that sound like the perkier poppier moments of Joe Jackson. Seriously, when this release was played in the store, a customer even mistook it for some old lost Costello tapes. Really. Good though.

RADIO BERLIN Sibling (Love & Romance) cd 14.98
Hailing from Vancouver, BC, are these synth-pop youngsters. An almost eery rendering of the late '80s synth-wave sound (when these boys were mere tots). Think "Hanging Garden"-period Cure or Echo and the Bunnymen around the time of "The Cutter". Dark, mournful and moody.

RADIO BERLIN The Selection Drone (Your Best `Guess) cd 13.98
Radio Berlin's new full length is a much tighter and more propulsive effort than their promising debut album "Sibling", but still retains the swirling, sirening synth and guitar sounds and lamenting, angstful vocals popularized in the early '80s by British bands like The Cure, Siouxsie & the Banshees or Echo And The Bunnymen. These Vancouver lads execute this style well with a youthful verve. So, now that they've polished up their performance, if they could shift their focus to bringing something new of themselves to this picture, things might get considerably more interesting, but in the meantime, if your itchin' for the O.G., you just might want to head for The Cure's "Pornography".
RealAudio clip: "Selection Drone"