DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN Ire Works (Relapse) cd 14.98

DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN Ire Works (Relapse) lp 17.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN Miss Machine (Relapse) cd 16.98
The Dillinger Escape Plan has to be one of the weirdest coolest bands I have ever seen live. The last time I saw them was in NY, and there were three things I distinctly remember, besides how unbelievably complex and heavy they were. The first thing was the drummer, who was absolutely insane, playing impossibly complex stuff, but wearing a goofy bandana and smiling maniacally the whole time, as if he was exerting no effort at all. The second thing was the number of stage divers. I think maybe I was the only one in the crowd who didn't take a turn. At some points there were 40 people on stage. So much so you couldn't even see the band. But easily the most memorable part, was the guitarist, who had his guitar all the way up beneath his chin Buddy Holly style. And who repeatedly charged right off the edge of the stage, into the pit, and would constantly run full bore into folks in the pit, guitar and all, often ending up laying on his back in the middle of the pit, but NEVER MISSING A BEAT. Played every part perfectly. It was amazing! Okay, then. That was years ago, and since then, Dillinger has collaborated with Mike Patton, signed to Relapse, and gotten a new singer.
So how do they stack up now? Pretty good actually. Musically they are still unbeatable. Ultra complex, and dizzingly complicated, with lots of angular riffing and hooky little bits that definitely lift this stuff above standard grind / metalcore / whateveryoucallit. And the new vocalist is not bad either. The only troubling bit is how much the new vocalist seems to be channelling Mike Patton. Conicidence? We think not. But that's okay. It suits the music actually. And when he's not doing patton he's a howling deathmetal / emo demon hovering somewhere between Guy from Fugazi and Sean from Coalesce. For a limited time, Miss Machine comes with a bonus DVD featuring behind the scenes "making of" footage and some other cool stuff.
MPEG Stream: "Sunshine The Werewolf"
MPEG Stream: "Highway Robbery"

DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN WITH MIKE PATTON Irony Is A Dead Scene (Epitaph) cd 10.98
A new four-song ep from New Jersey's out-of-control mathcore metallers Dillinger Escape Plan, with Mike Patton (Bungle, Fantomas, Faith No More) as guest vocalist! With the unmistakable throat abuse and tuneful croon of Patton, this new Dillinger ep is a bit different from their previous recordings, which were some of the most extreme, complex metalcore efforts ever.
Irony sounds more like a blend of Slipknot (especially with the yappy, almost rap-like vocal cadences of Patton), Melt Banana (again, the 'yiyiyiyiyi yi yi' vocals and sharp dynamic bursts), and Faith No More (when Patton's vocals and the music take turn into more melodic, lush realms). It's still extreme and complex, just less so, which Dillinger fan Andee found a little disappointing, but others might disagree. (Allan's always been *impressed* with Dillinger, but finds 'em hard to listen to, believe it or not -- so this is in some ways an improvement, to him.) Whether you like "Irony" will have a lot to do with your taste for Patton's vox. There will probably be a lot more to like here for fans of Mr. Bungle, Faith No More, Melt Banana, Fantomas or Slipknot than those just looking for a new metallic grind fix. But it could be Dillinger's ticket to a wider audience, which is definitely a good thing!
Oddly enough, not released on Relapse (as with prior DEP discs) or through Patton's Ipecac imprint, but on big punk label Epitaph. Imagine, Tom Waits and Dillinger on the same label, that's getting weird!
RealAudio clip: "Hollywood Squares"
RealAudio clip: "Pig Latin"

DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, THE Option Paralysis (Season Of Mist) cd 16.98

MPEG Stream: "Farewell Mona Lisa"
MPEG Stream: "Good Neighbor"
MPEG Stream: "Gold Teeth On A Bun"

DILLOWAY, AARON Beggar Master (Hanson) cd 14.98

MPEG Stream: "Beggar Master"
MPEG Stream: "Prayer Flush"

DILLOWAY, AARON Chain Shot (Hanson) cd 13.98
Finally available on cd! And with a HALF HOUR bonus track, not on the original vinyl!!
A brand new blast of filthy fug from this ex member of noise rock legends Wolf Eyes. Since Dilloway left the fold, his solo work has gotten more and more interesting, and more and more far out. Culminating in the confusional chaos that is Chain Shot. A gorgeously beastly wall of sound created using just tape loops, metal and horns. And it sounds nothing like you could possibly imagine.
"Chain Shot" is a 15 minute epic of grimey gruesome minimalism. A murky soundscape of creaking machinery, whirring industrial hum, and a loop of what sounds like that sound roller coasters make when the cars are being pulled up that first big hill, the various sounds looped and locked and repeated, sped up, slowed down, doused in grit and buzz and lots and lots of hiss. It sounds like some cracked field recording (which it sort of is), the various sounds and loops becoming more and more distorted, and getting louder and louder, eventually becoming more and more musical too, which seems sort of impossible, but it does. The harsher it gets, the more, listenable it gets. A symphony of grind and buzz and clank.
"Execution Dock" is another extended dirge, beginning with processed vocals, drenched in effects and looped into some weird almost funky groove, but as it's repeated, just like when you say a word over and over, it starts to make less and less sense and sound less 'funky'and more haunting and hypnotic. And very very creepy. The track dissipates into more field recordings, bits of clatter and shuffle, all subtly looped, in the distance a horn plays a mournful melody, the loops ramp up slightly, creating weirdly dreamy minimal rhythms beneath that waiting horn, until that all falls apart, leaving a series of fragmented and rapidly decaying loops, overlapping, falling apart, and eventually grinding to a halt.
Finally, the cd version tacks on the 28 minute "Medusa", another monster, beginning with an avalanche of soft crumbling crunch, that sounds to be on the verge of total noise, before it settles strangely into a much more muted drift, distant hum, bits of crunch and clatter, but softened and wreathed in murk, a slowly sprawling creepscape, that gives way to what sounds like field recordings of running water, before shifting to some strange recording of what sounds like a primitive ritual being performed in the forest, the sounds of crickets and other insects, footsteps, the crunch and clank of the recording device, but then some truly fucked up sounding sounds of mysterious origin, finishing off with a buzzy, lo fi, hiss drenched field recording outro, that sounds like what could be the -actual- sounds of some fucked up horror movie scenario!
MPEG Stream: "Chain Shot"
MPEG Stream: "Execution Dock"

DILLOWAY, AARON Chain Shot (Throne Heap) lp 22.00
A brand new blast of filthy fug from this ex member of noise rock legends Wolf Eyes. Since Dilloway left the fold, his solo work has gotten more and more interesting, and more and more far out. Culminating in the confusional chaos that is Chain Shot. A two track 12", created using just tape loops, metal and horns. And it sounds nothing like you could possible imagine.
"Chain Shot" is a side long epic of grimey gruesome minimalism. A murky soundscape of creaking machinery, whirring industrial hum, and a loop of what sounds like that sound roller coasters make when the cars are being pulled up that first big hill, the various sounds looped and locked and repeated, sped up, slowed down, doused in grit and buzz and lots and lots of hiss. It sounds like some cracked field recording (which it sort of is), the various sounds and loops becoming more and more distorted, and getting louder and louder, eventually becoming more and more musical too, which seems sort of impossible, but it does. The harsher it gets, the more, listenable it gets. A symphony of grind and buzz and clank.
The B side, another extended dirge, "Execution Dock" begins with processed vocals, drenched in effects and looped into some weird almost funky groove, but as it's repeated, just like when you say a word over and over, it starts to make less and less sense and sound less 'funky' and more haunting and hypnotic. And very very creepy. The track dissipates into more field recordings, bits of clatter and shuffle, all subtly looped, in the distance a horn plays a mournful melody, the loops ramp up slightly, creating weirdly dreamy minimal rhythms beneath that waiting horn, until that all falls apart, leaving a series of fragmented and rapidly decaying loops, overlapping, falling apart, and eventually grinding to a halt.
Packaged in a SUPER thick, textured sleeve, with a bad ass painting of a pirate on the cover. Yaarrrrrrrr!

DILLOWAY, AARON Infinite Lucifer (Hanson) lp 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

DILLOWAY, AARON Modern Jester (Hanson) 2lp 32.00

DILLOWAY, AARON & C SPENCER YEH The Squid (Hanson) lp 17.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Two AQ favorites team up together for one great lp that shows a more pensive side to these noise rock heavyweights: Aaron Dilloway (Wolf Eyes) and C Spencer Yeh (Burning Star Core). Squid delivers on its title as the sounds on this lp make you feel like you're deep underwater tangled by up in the undersea world. Using tape loops, bowed tape, tape delay, violin, voice and electronics, Dilloway and Yeh create dark, moody textures brimming with mystery, suspense and restraint. We could totally hear this as the score to some Matthew Barney piece, as it shares much of the same influence as his films. As much as we love Wolf Eyes there is something pretty magical and always unexpected about what happens when Dilloway steps away from the world of his main band. And C Spencer Yeh continues to show that he has one of the most unique visions in the noise scene. And together it's pretty fucking magical. Excellent!

DILLOWAY, AARON & C. SPENCER YEH The Squid (Hanson) cd 13.98
We loved this record when we first got it on LP which is sadly out of print now. But luckily it's finally been re-released on cd with a long bonus track tacked on for good measure!
Two AQ favorites team up together for one great record that demonstrates a more pensive side to these noise rock heavyweights: Aaron Dilloway (Wolf Eyes) and C Spencer Yeh (Burning Star Core). Squid delivers on its title as the sounds on this lp make you feel like you're deep underwater tangled up in the undersea world. Using tape loops, bowed tape, tape delay, violin, voice and electronics, Dilloway and Yeh create dark, moody textures brimming with mystery, suspense and restraint. We could totally hear this as the score to some Matthew Barney piece, as it shares much of the same influence as his films. As much as we love Wolf Eyes there is something pretty magical and always unexpected about what happens when Dilloway steps away from his main band. And C Spencer Yeh continues to show us that he has one of the most unique visions in the noise scene. And together it's pretty fucking magical. Excellent!
MPEG Stream: "Ahab"
MPEG Stream: "False Speech I - III (Bonus Track)"

DILS, THE Class War (Dionysus) cd 13.98
The Cali punk legends, live in 1980. (Plus their first single from '77.)

DILS, THE Dils Dils Dils (Dionysus) cd 14.98
Long overdue collection from these punk rock pioneers. This is a collection spanning 1977-1981 and includes their three singles (that's all they ever released) as well as some demos! I (Sadie) didn't pay too much attention to the Dils in the past. I knew that they were in Cheech and Chong's movie 'Up In Smoke', and they were the opeing band for the Clash's first US tour, but what I didn't know is how great and catchy and punk and melodic they were. Check it out!
RealAudio clip: "It's Not Worth It"
RealAudio clip: "Sound Of The Rain"
RealAudio clip: "Blow Up"

DILUTE Grape Blueprints Pour Spinach Olive Grape (54û40' Or Fight!) cd 12.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
There's real stark emotion nakedly playing across the music of local quartet Dilute, whose totally epic tone recalls Flaming Lips, and vocalist Marty Anderson sounds just like a cross between Neil Young and the Lips' Wayne Coyne, a male version of the gentle warble of Victoria Williams. Lurching exclamation points, millisecond shards of noise, serene fingerpicked arpeggios and sad romantic melodies. It's all minor key, spacious, restrained yet explosive. Nice.
RealAudio clip: "1"
RealAudio clip: "Alphabet"

DILUTE The Gypsy Valentine Curve cd 11.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Man oh man, with bands like The Church Steps, For Stars, Erase Errata, and Dilute (and many others), the Bay Area scene is getting to be so interesting and original again. None of this spacerock bulls---; people are writing songs again. There's real stark emotion nakedly playing across the music of local quartet Dilute, whose totally epic tone recalls Flaming Lips, and vocalist Marty Anderson sounds just like a cross between Neil Young and the Lips' Wayne Coyne. Yet Dilute strips out all the bombastic orchestration of, say, the Lips and instead leaves in just the lurching exclamation points, millisecond shards of noise, and fills in the rest of the music with serene fingerpicked arpeggios and sad romantic melodies. The songs remind me of Fuck's (in fact, fans of Fuck will love this) -- deconstructed and barely there; multisectioned with lots of hinted-at yet unstated segues and harmonies that your brain automatically fills in without the band having to. That takes smarts and a lot of musicianly restraint. This is a wonderful record!
RealAudio clip: "Bea"
RealAudio clip: "Freedumb"

DILUTE The Gypsy Valentine Curve + Special Bonus 3" Disk (Toad) cd + 3"cd 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
One of the Bay Area's most wonderful bands sees a reissue of its debut (and IMO best) album, here in a deeeeluxe Japanese pressing -- thick gatefold cover with obi, 2 full color artwork prints, and a 3" live disc, on Andee's pal Hama's new Toad label.
There's real stark emotion nakedly playing across the music of Dilute, whose totally epic tone recalls Flaming Lips, and vocalist Marty Anderson sounds just like a cross between Neil Young and the Lips' Wayne Coyne. Yet Dilute strips out all the bombastic orchestration of, say, the Lips and instead leaves in just the lurching exclamation points, millisecond shards of noise, and fills in the rest of the music with serene fingerpicked arpeggios and sad romantic melodies. The songs remind me of Fuck's (in fact, fans of Fuck will *love* this) -- deconstructed and barely there; multisectioned with lots of hinted-at yet unstated segues and harmonies that your brain automatically fills in without the band having to. That takes smarts and a lot of musicianly restraint. This is a wonderful record!
MPEG Stream: "Bea"
MPEG Stream: "Freedumb"

DIM MAK Knives Of Ice (Willowtip) cd 14.98

MPEG Stream: "Knives Of Ice"
MPEG Stream: "Great Worm Of Hell"

DIMINISHED MEN Shadow Instrumentals (Abduction) lp 16.98

DIMLAIA s/t (Stonehenge / Destructure) lp 12.98

DIMLAIA / SWARRRM split (SuperFi Records) 10" 9.98

DIMMER I Believe You Are A Star (Columbia) cd 16.98
Dimmer is led by one New Zealand rock veteran Mr. Shayne Carter. I Believe You Are A Star is far darker (yes, dimmer, haha!) and deeper entrenched in a brooding mood than their more recent full length There My Dear which we also just got in stock. Unlike that album, it seems like with this (his first recordings after his old band split) he was consciously trying to distance himself from his Straitjacket Fits past. A shadowy chill-out collection of songs propelled by shuffling drumbeats and grooving fluid basslines.
MPEG Stream: "I Drop You Off"
MPEG Stream: "Drift"

DIMMER There My Dear (NZ On Air) cd 16.98
As we've mentioned a few times before, we were pretty geeked when former member of New Zealand's Straitjacket Fits Shayne Carter stopped in for a surprise visit while on tour with his band Dimmer last year. We missed their gig, but fortunately he brought in a couple cds for us to enjoy. After listening to them, we were kicking ourselves even more for missing them live. Sorry for the delay, but it's taken this long for us to get our hands on them to pass along to you! The songs on this their most recent release There My Dear sound as if they were carried to our pop-loving shores by a gentle ocean breeze. Not too soft though, this wistful, yearning pop isn't without a hearty gust or two! You can definitely hear some similarities to his old band, but Carter's sensitive gent vocals and easygoing stride are also quite reminiscent of The Style Council or the Tindersticks pitched up to a higher register. Really good!
MPEG Stream: "Don't Even See Me"
MPEG Stream: "You're Only Leaving Hurt"

DINOSAUR JR Beyond (Fat Possum) cd 13.98
Good ol' Dinosaur Jr.! Looks like Dinosaur Jr.! Sounds like Dinosaur Jr.! Yes, regardless of its title the band's first studio album in ten years -- and first with one Mr. Lou Barlow who left the band back in '89 -- doesn't venture far from their trademark sound of old. In fact, we might even attest to it being on par with any one of their most beloved records. Lofty praise, innit? File under: perfect-driving-in-car-record!
Perhaps taking a cue from a classic Mr. Show sketch, despite the infamous animosity amongst band members in the past, Lou, J and Murph use that tension to sing! Indeed they don't necessarily set their differences aside, but instead put that palpable friction to good use, coming together once more to rock as only they can! Bent and broken guitar chords butt into J's unmistakable sodden whimper vocals. Loud, cacophonous rough-housing meet some of the sweetest romantic sentiments often within the same song. Awwwww! Few other bands can alternately snuggle and sock you in the gut... and have you enjoy it. Just check out the lone song that was co-written by Mascis and Barlow (Mascis wrote the other ten). Damn good. Don't know if the guys like each other any more than they used to, but we sure have a soft spot for 'em. Heck, they even brought back their signature colors -- fuchsia and lime!
After so many disappointing reunion records recently (like, say, The Stooges) it's quite something that this one isn't just not-disappointing, but SO GREAT. Wow.
MPEG Stream: "Almost Ready"
MPEG Stream: "Lightning Bulb"

DINOSAUR JR Beyond (Fat Possum) lp 14.98
NOW ON VINYL!!
Good ol' Dinosaur Jr.! Looks like Dinosaur Jr.! Sounds like Dinosaur Jr.! Yes, regardless of its title the band's first studio album in ten years -- and first with one Mr. Lou Barlow who left the band back in '89 -- doesn't venture far from their trademark sound of old. In fact, we might even attest to it being on par with any one of their most beloved records. Lofty praise, innit? File under: perfect-driving-in-car-record!
Perhaps taking a cue from a classic Mr. Show sketch, despite the infamous animosity amongst band members in the past, Lou, J and Murph use that tension to sing! Indeed they don't necessarily set their differences aside, but instead put that palpable friction to good use, coming together once more to rock as only they can! Bent and broken guitar chords butt into J's unmistakable sodden whimper vocals. Loud, cacophonous rough-housing meet some of the sweetest romantic sentiments often within the same song. Awwwww! Few other bands can alternately snuggle and sock you in the gut... and have you enjoy it. Just check out the lone song that was co-written by Mascis and Barlow (Mascis wrote the other ten). Damn good. Don't know if the guys like each other any more than they used to, but we sure have a soft spot for 'em. Heck, they even brought back their signature colors -- fuchsia and lime!
After so many disappointing reunion records recently (like, say, The Stooges) it's quite something that this one isn't just not-disappointing, but SO GREAT. Wow.
MPEG Stream: "Almost Ready"
MPEG Stream: "Lightning Bulb"

DINOSAUR JR Bug (Merge) cd 14.98
Wow. Never thought we'd be reviewing a Dinosaur Jr. record. I mean, they are one of those bands that were always around. We all loved them. Had all of their records (at the time). Had the cassettes on the floor in the frontseat of the car, just a quick lean from the driver's seat, ready to pop in for the next long drive. They definitely stopped being relevant (and -good- some might argue) after Bug, their third record. But for three or four years there, Dinosaur Jr. took everything we loved and stuffed it into one perfect little indie rock package. Punk rock snarl, metallic crunch, indie jangle, squiggly guitar solos (!), and a Neil Young like whine in the form of frontman J. Mascis' stoned drawling vocals. You can definitely hear the influence Dinosaur had on Nirvana, Polvo, Swervedriver, and about a million other late eighties rock bands! Lou Barlow, bass player for Dinosaur Jr., would go on to send indie rock from the studio back to the practice space and launch a million bedroom rockers with his home recorded 4-track project Sebadoh (whose first official release was actually a track on the second Dinosaur Jr. record You're Living All Over Me) while Mascis (formerly of punk sludge outfit Deep Wound and metal weirdos Upsidedown Cross) would go on to more commercial success before dropping off the face of the earth and giving up music altogether. But for those first three records, Dinosaur Jr. were the shit. And damn if these records don't sound just as good now almost a decade later! All three re-issues have liner notes by Byron Coley and bonus tracks!
Bug was what you would call Dinosaur Jr's breakthrough. Or maybe sell out record. But who really give a shit what you call it. This was the ultimate kick ass indie rock record. Period. Heavy and catchy, melodic and weird, totally derivative and totally original! The song "Freak Scene" is what did it. A perfect pop song if there ever was one. AND the best use of expletives in an indie rock song ever. Even people who didn't know the song, would sing along to -those- parts: "So fucked, I can't believe it", and "Just don't let me fuck up will you, cuz when I need a friend it's still you", at the top of their lungs. And why not? Every inch of that song was a stone cold hook, the chorus, the verse, even the guitar solos. Track two, "No Bones" is maybe as Neil Young as Dino Jr. got, a totally unforgettable riff, and perfectly drawled vocals. Then there was "The Post", a doomy dirge that somehow morphs into into a perfect little pop ditty, wrapped around one of the most kick ass rock riffs ever and some wicked leads on top! This is maybe the first (and only?) truly perfect Dinosaur Jr. record. The sound is still buzzy and heavy, guitars are big and distorted, but the pop songs are just too strong to stay buried and against all odds, and often battling crushing guitars and freaked out noise, they rise to the surface and shine brightly through swirling shroud of distorted psychedelic haze. So so so great!!!
Bonus tracks: videos for "Freak Scene", a sill assemblage of wacky band hijinks and some poor kid getting his head shaved, and "No Bones", a gorgeously arty live video, that perfectly captures the mood of the song!
MPEG Stream: "Freak Scene"
MPEG Stream: "The Post"

DINOSAUR JR Bug (Baked Goods) lp 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Available on vinyl for the first time since the original lp on SST way back in 1988! Limited to 2000 copies on Baked Goods, the label of Dinosaur mainman Jay Mascis.
Wow. Never thought we'd be reviewing a Dinosaur Jr. record. I mean, they are one of those bands that were always around. We all loved them. Had all of their records (at the time). Had the cassettes on the floor in the frontseat of the car, just a quick lean from the driver's seat, ready to pop in for the next long drive. They definitely stopped being relevent (and -good- some might argue) after Bug, their third record. But for three or four years there, Dinosaur Jr. took everything we loved and stuffed it into one perfect little indie rock package. Punk rock snarl, metallic crunch, indie jangle, squiggly guitar solos (!), and a Neil Young like whine in the form of frontman J. Mascis' stoned drawling vocals. You can definitely hear the influence Dinosaur had on Nirvana, Polvo, Swervedriver, and about a million other late eighties rock bands! Lou Barlow, bass player for Dinosaur Jr., would go on to send indie rock from the studio back to the practice space and launch a million bedroom rockers with his home recorded 4-track project Sebadoh (whose first official release was actually a track on the second Dinosaur Jr. record You're Living All Over Me) while Mascis (formerly of punk sludge outfit Deep Wound and metal weirdos Upsidedown Cross) would go on to more commerical success before dropping off the face of the earth and giving up music altogether. But for those first three records, Dinosaur Jr. were the shit. And damn if these records don't sound just as good now almost a decade later! All three re-issues have liner notes by Byron Coley and bonus tracks!
Bug was what you would call Dinosaur Jr's breakthrough. Or maybe sell out record. But who really give a shit what you call it. This was the ultimate kick ass indie rock record. Period. Heavy and catchy, melodic and weird, totally derivative and totally original! The song "Freak Scene" is what did it. A perfect pop song if there ever was one. AND the best use of expletives in an indie rock song ever. Even people who didn't know the song, would sing along to -those- parts: "So fucked, I can't believe it", and "Just don't let me fuck up will you, cuz when I need a friend it's still you", at the top of their lungs. And why not? Every inch of that song was a stone cold hook, the chorus, the verse, even the guitar solos. Track two, "No Bones" is maybe as Neil Young as Dino Jr. got, a totally unforgettable riff, and perfectly drawled vocals. Then there was "The Post", a doomy dirge that somehow morphs into into a perfect little pop ditty, wrapped around one of the most kick ass rock riffs ever and some wicked leads on top! This is maybe the first (and only?) truly perfect Dinosaur Jr. record. The sound is still buzzy and heavy, guitars are big and distorted, but the pop songs are just too strong to stay buried and against all odds, and often battling crushing guitars and freaked out noise, they rise to the surface and shine brightly through swirling shroud of distorted psychedelic haze. So so so great!!!
MPEG Stream: "Freak Scene"
MPEG Stream: "The Post"

DINOSAUR JR Dinosaur (Merge) cd 14.98
Wow. Never thought we'd be reviewing a Dinosaur Jr. record. I mean, they are one of those bands that were always around. We all loved them. Had all of their records (at the time). Had the cassettes on the floor in the frontseat of the car, just a quick lean from the driver's seat, ready to pop in for the next long drive. They definitely stopped being relevent (and -good- some might argue) after Bug, their third record. But for three or four years there, Dinosaur Jr. took everything we loved and stuffed it into one perfect little indie rock package. Punk rock snarl, metallic crunch, indie jangle, squiggly guitar solos (!), and a Neil Young like whine in the form of frontman J. Mascis' stoned drawling vocals. You can definitely hear the influence Dinosaur had on Nirvana, Polvo, Swervedriver, and about a million other late eighties rock bands! Lou Barlow, bass player for Dinosaur Jr., would go on to send indie rock from the studio back to the practice space and launch a million bedroom rockers with his home recorded 4-track project Sebadoh (whose first official release was actually a track on the second Dinosaur Jr. record You're Living All Over Me) while Mascis (formerly of punk sludge outfit Deep Wound and metal weirdos Upsidedown Cross) would go on to more commerical success before dropping off the face of the earth and giving up music altogether. But for those first three records, Dinosaur Jr. were the shit. And damn if these records don't sound just as good now almost a decade later! All three re-issues have liner notes by Byron Coley and bonus tracks!
Dinosaur was not only the name of their debut record, but was actually the name of the band before they added the Jr. (after the release of Bug and a threatened lawsuit from SF hippy leftovers Dinosaur). Sloppy and chaotic, noisy and snotty, Dinosaur is the record that introduced us to what would become a hugely important band, and who by melding melody, punk rock blast, and metallic crunch would end up being massive influences on a decade of indie / college rock. Mascis' lazy, whiney nasal drawl is definitely present, but hasn't become the focal point it would be on later records. Lots of reverb, big distorted guitars, a beautifully clumsy, strummy indie rock with plenty of wah guitar, bursts of angstful harcore grrrr and the occasional metal guitar freakout. Diamonds in the rough include the glimmer of Dinosaur to come in "Repulsion" and the indie jangle love song "Severed Lips" that definitely made it on every indie geek's mixtape in 1985. Bonus track: "Does It Float (live)".
MPEG Stream: "Bulbs Of Passion"
MPEG Stream: "Severed Lips"

DINOSAUR JR Live In The Middle East (Image Entertainment) dvd 24.00
WTF?! Dinosaur Jr Live In The Middle East? Well, sort of... not in the geographical region, mind you! No, the Middle East in question here is a music venue in Boston, MA, and it is only one of the many locations at which the footage on this dvd was actually shot. It documents Dinosaur Jr's triumphant December 2005 reunion tour on which the original lineup dusted off all the old faves and tore into them with all the electricity, volume vim and vigor that we were hoping for. Lots of behind the scenes footage and bonus interviews with fellow veteran rockers Steve Albini, Kim Gordon, Thurston Moore, Kevin Shields, Mike Watt, Sonic Boom and uhhh, Matt Dillon.

DINOSAUR JR s/t (Baked Goods) lp 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Available on vinyl for the first time since the original lp on Homestead way back in 1986! Limited to 2000 copies on Baked Goods, the label of Dinosaur mainman Jay Mascis.
Wow. Never thought we'd be reviewing a Dinosaur Jr. record. I mean, they are one of those bands that were always around. We all loved them. Had all of their records (at the time). Had the cassettes on the floor in the frontseat of the car, just a quick lean from the driver's seat, ready to pop in for the next long drive. They definitely stopped being relevent (and -good- some might argue) after Bug, their third record. But for three or four years there, Dinosaur Jr. took everything we loved and stuffed it into one perfect little indie rock package. Punk rock snarl, metallic crunch, indie jangle, squiggly guitar solos (!), and a Neil Young like whine in the form of frontman J. Mascis' stoned drawling vocals. You can definitely hear the influence Dinosaur had on Nirvana, Polvo, Swervedriver, and about a million other late eighties rock bands! Lou Barlow, bass player for Dinosaur Jr., would go on to send indie rock from the studio back to the practice space and launch a million bedroom rockers with his home recorded 4-track project Sebadoh (whose first official release was actually a track on the second Dinosaur Jr. record You're Living All Over Me) while Mascis (formerly of punk sludge outfit Deep Wound and metal weirdos Upsidedown Cross) would go on to more commerical success before dropping off the face of the earth and giving up music altogether. But for those first three records, Dinosaur Jr. were the shit. And damn if these records don't sound just as good now almost a decade later! All three re-issues have liner notes by Byron Coley and bonus tracks!
Dinosaur was not only the name of their debut record, but was actually the name of the band before they added the Jr. (after the release of Bug and a threatened lawsuit from SF hippy leftovers Dinosaur). Sloppy and chaotic, noisy and snotty, Dinosaur is the record that introduced us to what would become a hugely important band, and who by melding melody, punk rock blast, and metallic crunch would end up being massive influences on a decade of indie / college rock. Mascis' lazy, whiney nasal drawl is definitely present, but hasn't become the focal point it would be on later records. Lots of reverb, big distorted guitars, a beautifully clumsy, strummy indie rock with plenty of wah guitar, bursts of angstful harcore grrrr and the occasional metal guitar freakout. Diamonds in the rough include the glimmer of Dinosaur to come in "Repulsion" and the indie jangle love song "Severed Lips" that definitely made it on every indie geek's mixtape in 1985. Bonus track: "Does It Float (live)".
MPEG Stream: "Bulbs Of Passion"
MPEG Stream: "Severed Lips"

DINOSAUR JR You're Living All Over Me (Merge) cd 14.98
Wow. Never thought we'd be reviewing a Dinosaur Jr. record. I mean, they are one of those bands that were always around. We all loved them. Had all of their records (at the time). Had the cassettes on the floor in the frontseat of the car, just a quick lean from the driver's seat, ready to pop in for the next long drive. They definitely stopped being relevent (and -good- some might argue) after Bug, their third record. But for three or four years there, Dinosaur Jr. took everything we loved and stuffed it into one perfect little indie rock package. Punk rock snarl, metallic crunch, indie jangle, squiggly guitar solos (!), and a Neil Young like whine in the form of frontman J. Mascis' stoned drawling vocals. You can definitely hear the influence Dinosaur had on Nirvana, Polvo, Swervedriver, and about a million other late eighties rock bands! Lou Barlow, bass player for Dinosaur Jr., would go on to send indie rock from the studio back to the practice space and launch a million bedroom rockers with his home recorded 4-track project Sebadoh (whose first official release was actually a track on the second Dinosaur Jr. record You're Living All Over Me) while Mascis (formerly of punk sludge outfit Deep Wound and metal weirdos Upsidedown Cross) would go on to more commerical success before dropping off the face of the earth and giving up music altogether. But for those first three records, Dinosaur Jr. were the shit. And damn if these records don't sound just as good now almost a decade later! All three re-issues have liner notes by Byron Coley and bonus tracks!
You're Living All Over Me was the transitional record, where Dinosaur Jr. started sounding, well. like Dinosaur Jr. With Mascis' Neil Young like drawl way up in the mix, swirling squalls of wah guitar, and most importantly, KILLER songs! Not even remotely punk rock anymore, this was the sound that would define late eighties indie rock. "Little Fury Things", the opening track is the perfect Dinosaur microcosm, starting off with a blast of noisy guitar feakout, a jangly strum takes over, and Mascis belts out a melody that remains stuck in our heads even to this day before the whole thing is subsumed by a suffocating swirl of guitar noise. The rest of the record is practically perfect, veering from loping heavy guitar grooves, to slow shimmering jangle, to full on Crazy Horse instrumental guitar jam. In fact YLAOM is the record that turned Mascis into the first indie rock guitar god. Live, every track would stretch out into endless psychedelic jams, while on record, those jams were compacted and stuck between perfect pop choruses and plaintive, sad boy verses, which again became the blueprint for every indie rock band that followed. YLAOM also included the track "Poledo" which while technically a Dinosaur Jr. track, was performed and recorded by bassist Lou Barlow at home, and was the first officially released Sebadoh song (or songs, as it actually sounds like several song fragments strung together), a mumbly lo-fi acoustic dirge, interspersed with tape hiss, noisy interference, found sounds and bursts of white noise. Weirdly, the first cd version of YLAOM included the Peter Frampton cover "Show Me The Way", replaced here by their infamous cover of the Cure's "Just Like Heaven" with its dirge-y blast of a chorus and wailing guitars, and which, in a testament to Dinosaur's songwriting brilliance, sounds like it could be a Dinosaur original. Bonus tracks: Videos for "Just Like Heaven", a totally ridiculous puppet and band members hamming it up goof fest, and "Little Fury Things" which is amazing, a series of found film footage, band footage, and scratched film negatives, looks a little like the Sonic Youth's Sister album cover come to life!
MPEG Stream: "Little Fury Things"
MPEG Stream: "SludgeFeast"

DINOSAUR JR You're Living All Over Me (Baked Goods) lp 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Available on vinyl for the first time since the original lp on SST way back in 1987! Limited to 2000 copies on Baked Goods, the label of Dinosaur mainman Jay Mascis.
Wow. Never thought we'd be reviewing a Dinosaur Jr. record. I mean, they are one of those bands that were always around. We all loved them. Had all of their records (at the time). Had the cassettes on the floor in the frontseat of the car, just a quick lean from the driver's seat, ready to pop in for the next long drive. They definitely stopped being relevent (and -good- some might argue) after Bug, their third record. But for three or four years there, Dinosaur Jr. took everything we loved and stuffed it into one perfect little indie rock package. Punk rock snarl, metallic crunch, indie jangle, squiggly guitar solos (!), and a Neil Young like whine in the form of frontman J. Mascis' stoned drawling vocals. You can definitely hear the influence Dinosaur had on Nirvana, Polvo, Swervedriver, and about a million other late eighties rock bands! Lou Barlow, bass player for Dinosaur Jr., would go on to send indie rock from the studio back to the practice space and launch a million bedroom rockers with his home recorded 4-track project Sebadoh (whose first official release was actually a track on the second Dinosaur Jr. record You're Living All Over Me) while Mascis (formerly of punk sludge outfit Deep Wound and metal weirdos Upsidedown Cross) would go on to more commerical success before dropping off the face of the earth and giving up music altogether. But for those first three records, Dinosaur Jr. were the shit. And damn if these records don't sound just as good now almost a decade later! All three re-issues have liner notes by Byron Coley and bonus tracks!
You're Living All Over Me was the transitional record, where Dinosaur Jr. started sounding, well. like Dinosaur Jr. With Mascis' Neil Young like drawl way up in the mix, swirling squalls of wah guitar, and most importantly, KILLER songs! Not even remotely punk rock anymore, this was the sound that would define late eighties indie rock. "Little Fury Things", the opening track is the perfect Dinosaur microcosm, starting off with a blast of noisy guitar feakout, a jangly strum takes over, and Mascis belts out a melody that remains stuck in our heads even to this day before the whole thing is subsumed by a suffocating swirl of guitar noise. The rest of the record is practically perfect, veering from loping heavy guitar grooves, to slow shimmering jangle, to full on Crazy Horse instrumental guitar jam. In fact YLAOM is the record that turned Mascis into the first indie rock guitar god. Live, every track would stretch out into endless psychedelic jams, while on record, those jams were compacted and stuck between perfect pop choruses and plaintive, sad boy verses, which again became the blueprint for every indie rock band that followed. YLAOM also included the track "Poledo" which while technically a Dinosaur Jr. track, was performed and recorded by bassist Lou Barlow at home, and was the first officially released Sebadoh song (or songs, as it actually sounds like several song fragments strung together), a mumbly lo-fi acoustic dirge, interspersed with tape hiss, noisy interference, found sounds and bursts of white noise. Weirdly, the first cd version of YLAOM included the Peter Frampton cover "Show Me The Way", replaced here by their infamous cover of the Cure's "Just Like Heaven" with its dirge-y blast of a chorus and wailing guitars, and which, in a testament to Dinosaur's songwriting brilliance, sounds like it could be a Dinosaur original.
MPEG Stream: "Little Fury Things"
MPEG Stream: "SludgeFeast"

DINOSAUR JR. Bug (Jagjaguwar) lp 14.98
Available on vinyl once again... Here's our review from when we first reviewed a reissued Bug back in 2005:
Wow. Never thought we'd be reviewing a Dinosaur Jr. record. I mean, they are one of those bands that were always around. We all loved them. Had all of their records (at the time). Had the cassettes on the floor in the frontseat of the car, just a quick lean from the driver's seat, ready to pop in for the next long drive. They may have stopped being relevant (and -good- some might argue) after Bug, their third record. But for three or four years there, Dinosaur Jr. took everything we loved and stuffed it into one perfect little indie rock package. Punk rock snarl, metallic crunch, indie jangle, squiggly guitar solos (!), and a Neil Young like whine in the form of frontman J. Mascis' stoned drawling vocals. You can definitely hear the influence Dinosaur had on Nirvana, Polvo, Swervedriver, and about a million other late eighties rock bands! Lou Barlow, bass player for Dinosaur Jr., would go on to send indie rock from the studio back to the practice space and launch a million bedroom rockers with his home recorded 4-track project Sebadoh (whose first official release was actually a track on the second Dinosaur Jr. record You're Living All Over Me) while Mascis (formerly of punk sludge outfit Deep Wound and metal weirdos Upsidedown Cross) would go on to more commercial success before dropping off the face of the earth and giving up music altogether for a while. But for those first three records, Dinosaur Jr. were the shit. And damn if these records don't sound just as good now almost a decade later!
Bug was what you would call Dinosaur Jr's breakthrough. Or maybe sell out record. But who really gives a shit what you call it. This was the ultimate kick ass indie rock record. Period. Heavy and catchy, melodic and weird, totally derivative and totally original! The song "Freak Scene" is what did it. A perfect pop song if there ever was one. AND the best use of expletives in an indie rock song ever. Even people who didn't know the song, would sing along to -those- parts: "So fucked, I can't believe it", and "Just don't let me fuck up will you, cuz when I need a friend it's still you", at the top of their lungs. And why not? Every inch of that song was a stone cold hook, the chorus, the verse, even the guitar solos. Track two, "No Bones" is maybe as Neil Young as Dino Jr. got, a totally unforgettable riff, and perfectly drawled vocals. Then there was "The Post", a doomy dirge that somehow morphs into into a perfect little pop ditty, wrapped around one of the most kick ass rock riffs ever and some wicked leads on top! This is maybe the first (and only?) truly perfect Dinosaur Jr. record. The sound is still buzzy and heavy, guitars are big and distorted, but the pop songs are just too strong to stay buried and against all odds, and often battling crushing guitars and freaked out noise, they rise to the surface and shine brightly through the swirling shroud of distorted psychedelic haze. So so so great!!!
MPEG Stream: "Freak Scene"
MPEG Stream: "The Post"

DINOSAUR JR. Farm (Limited Deluxe Version) (Jagjaguwar) 2cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
It's weird to think that in the current climate of rock reunionism, there's probably not a single band you loved when you were younger that you can't imagine reuniting, touring, even making a record. It's even weirder to think that once that band did get together, they might make a record the rivals any of their classics from decades earlier, and while Farm is no Bug or You're Living All Over Me, it's really not that far off. Especially considering what you might expect from a band making a new record nearly 25 years since their debut. Even harder to believe with a band like Dinosaur Jr, whose acrimonious (to say the least) breakup had most of us assuming they would never speak again, let alone write and record and tour.
But here it is, record number two since the original Dinosaur lineup reunited. 2007's Beyond was great, and Farm just rules. It's heavy, catchy as hell, the band are tight, Mascis' voice sounds exactly the same, his leads are wild and all over the place, and while we never thought we'd be hankering for some seriously jammed out guitar rock, Dino Jr. makes us wonder how we did without it for so long. Some of the tracks on Farm ("Pieces") are so catchy and so rocking, they sound like they could have been Bug outtakes. Farm is even more like an old Dinosaur Jr. record as bassist Lou Barlow (Sebadoh, Sentridoh, Folk Implosion) contributes a couple of his old songs, and unlike the old days, when his tracks were gorgeous sad boy 4-track loner folk gems, his two tracks here are dense and intense, super heavy, super catchy melancholy rockers, that sound like kick ass Sebadoh jams, and have us hankering for a new record from those guys too!
We're getting tired of reunions like everyone else. Not every band we loved needs to come back from the dead, and most already have a catalog that's pretty perfect without adding some modern sub par attempt at relevance, but fuck, it's tough to argue with a record as good as Farm, and a band who still kick as much ass as Dinosaur Jr.
While they last (not long we're guessing), we have the deluxe version, with a 4 song bonus track, which includes two Dino originals, a Zombies cover, and a cover of a psych pop classic by Elyse Weinberg.
MPEG Stream: "Pieces"
MPEG Stream: "I Want You To Know"
MPEG Stream: "Your Weather"

DINOSAUR JR. I Bet On Sky (Jajaguwar) cd 14.98
Dinosaur Jr. continue to be one of the few reunited bands, whose new stuff, sounds pretty much as good as their classic stuff. That might be a bit of an overstatement, considering this is the band that was responsible for "Freak Scene", "Bulbs Of Passion", "Repulsion", "The Wagon", "Little Fury Things" and a bunch more, over great record after great record, but ever since they got back together, and released Beyond, it was like they never left. (We were totally prepared for the worst, but they just totally blew us away with that album.) And I Bet On Sky is just the latest great record from these guys, their third since reuniting, and just like Farm before it, which we also loved, all the things we love about the band are present and accounted for: crazy catchy songs, fuzzed out guitars, J Mascis's buzzing leads and whining plaintive vox. The first track on I Bet On Sky, is uncharacteristically jangly, with what sounds like a Mellotron offering up a string-like shimmery backdrop, then the vocals come in, and it's like some sort of minimal stripped down Dinosaur, there's even piano, plonking out a simple melody; gradually, Mascis' guitar swoops in, and unfurls wild soaring leads over the top, all the while, the song stays locked into that single loop/groove/riff/melody. It's a weird one, but impossibly catchy, and great opening track. Next, "Watch The Corners" is much more standard Dinosaur, chugging guitars, lilting melody, Mascis's Neil Young like croon, killer rhythm section, a super rad chorus, with weird harmonies, and super dynamic start/stop arrangement, and of course hooks galore. The rest of the record is pure Dinosaur Jr, which also means super varied, strummed acoustic guitars, under crunchy distorted riffage, all washed out hazily psychedelic, woozy, tangy almost slow-core, plenty of wah wah guitar, some serious rockers too, and some unlikely surprises (one aQ-er thought one of the tracks sounded like Steve Miller Band!), but for the most part, fans are gonna want this, and are likely gonna end up loving it. And while it might not be the very best place to start, it's still good enough that Dino newbies could find themselves hooked, with the added bonus of one of THEE most amazing back catalogs in indie rock to subsequently discover!
MPEG Stream: "Don't Pretend You Didn't Know"
MPEG Stream: "Watch The Corners"
MPEG Stream: "Almost Fare"
MPEG Stream: "Pierce The Morning Rain"

DINOSAUR JR. I Bet On Sky (Jajaguwar) lp 22.00
Dinosaur Jr. continue to be one of the few reunited bands, whose new stuff, sounds pretty much as good as their classic stuff. That might be a bit of an overstatement, considering this is the band that was responsible for "Freak Scene", "Bulbs Of Passion", "Repulsion", "The Wagon", "Little Fury Things" and a bunch more, over great record after great record, but ever since they got back together, and released Beyond, it was like they never left. (We were totally prepared for the worst, but they just totally blew us away with that album.) And I Bet On Sky is just the latest great record from these guys, their third since reuniting, and just like Farm before it, which we also loved, all the things we love about the band are present and accounted for: crazy catchy songs, fuzzed out guitars, J Mascis's buzzing leads and whining plaintive vox. The first track on I Bet On Sky, is uncharacteristically jangly, with what sounds like a Mellotron offering up a string-like shimmery backdrop, then the vocals come in, and it's like some sort of minimal stripped down Dinosaur, there's even piano, plonking out a simple melody; gradually, Mascis' guitar swoops in, and unfurls wild soaring leads over the top, all the while, the song stays locked into that single loop/groove/riff/melody. It's a weird one, but impossibly catchy, and great opening track. Next, "Watch The Corners" is much more standard Dinosaur, chugging guitars, lilting melody, Mascis's Neil Young like croon, killer rhythm section, a super rad chorus, with weird harmonies, and super dynamic start/stop arrangement, and of course hooks galore. The rest of the record is pure Dinosaur Jr, which also means super varied, strummed acoustic guitars, under crunchy distorted riffage, all washed out hazily psychedelic, woozy, tangy almost slow-core, plenty of wah wah guitar, some serious rockers too, and some unlikely surprises (one aQ-er thought one of the tracks sounded like Steve Miller Band!), but for the most part, fans are gonna want this, and are likely gonna end up loving it. And while it might not be the very best place to start, it's still good enough that Dino newbies could find themselves hooked, with the added bonus of one of THEE most amazing back catalogs in indie rock to subsequently discover!
MPEG Stream: "Don't Pretend You Didn't Know"
MPEG Stream: "Watch The Corners"
MPEG Stream: "Almost Fare"
MPEG Stream: "Pierce The Morning Rain"

DINOSAUR L (ARTHUR RUSSELL) 24 -> 24 Music (Sleeping Bag Recordings / Traffic Entertainment Group ) 4lp 64.00
Our heads are nearly exploding from getting not only The Beach Boys Smile Sessions box, but also this beautifully elaborate quadruple lp, in a hand pulled screen printed box set containing the 24->24 Music sessions of Arthur Russell's Dinosaur L project complete with remixes and extra Russell related Sleeping Bag Records singles! Both sets have more in common than you might think in the way they show what fastidious creators both Brian Wilson and Arthur Russell were, in that they both sought to take their musical visions to the limits and didn't know really when to finish. And in both cases, under different circumstances and contexts, had to have others come in and pick up the pieces.
It's really funny scanning back over all of our past Arthur Russell reviews. The first couple from 2004 suggest that a lot of people were into this, "but no one at aQ has become a big Arthur Russell fan", although since then there have been more than a few of us here who have become HUGE fans. While we admittedly have gushed over nearly every release, the Dinosaur L sessions have always been our favorite of Russell's work, probably because it is the one project that went beyond just being a singles project and it also unified his avant experimental leanings with his love for disco and extended dance forms.
Not to be confused with Dinosaur, the single project that Russell worked on with The Gallery's Nicky Siano and David Byrne for Sire Records in 1978 (the single, "Kiss Me, Again" was Sire's first disco single release!). Dinosaur L was born of a performance at the Kitchen in 1979 where Russell compiled a band of downtown regulars including Peter Gordon and Peter Zummo with a congo player and a drummer with Russell on cello, and presented orchestrated disco music as an avant classical performance. The move was a bold and calculated political statement, thumbing their noses at the snobby attitudes of the new music scene towards club music, to which Russell claimed no such hierarchical distinctions. But the performance created strong divides in the downtown scene even though they were largely more bemused bafflement than outright hostility. Emboldened by the reaction, Russell next step was to get these performances on tape, using most of the same musicians and enlisting vocalists like Jill Kroesen, Julius Eastman, and Marie-Chantal Martin, as well as various members of little-known New York new wave and punk bands. While the original performance project allowed the musicians to work freely and expansively, the overall music was highly composed, which adds a strange element of chance to the proceedings, allowing the pieces to include many deliberately wonky and unpredictable twists and turns. The vocals adding both a disaffected no-waveish delivery from Jill Kroesen on "#5 (Go Bang!)", as well as strange operatic fits on "#3 (In the Corn Belt)" and Yoko Ono-ish yelps on "#1 (You've Gotta Be Clean On Your Bean)", make this the perfect punk and disco hybrid that delivers highly on both counts. The entire original project consisted of 4 extended cuts with two shorter interludes, the last song, "#6 (Get Set)", going the deepest in to no-wave guitar territory but maintaining a forward thrusting momentum through its strange and beguiling devolution.
You probably wouldn't unleash such a leftfield dance classic like "#5 (Go Bang!)" on an unprepared dance audience unless you had the timing exactly right, with the crowd all extremely revved up and sweaty. We imagine that was the thinking when stalwart downtown DJs like Larry Levan, Francis Kevorkian and Walter Gibbons each took their editing chops to the Dinosaur L sessions and made them a bit more dance-floor friendly. Stripping out certain vocal parts, adding others, allowing tension to build up and release, each producer taking a different approach to Russell's maximalst visions with the composer's full approval. Russell thought the remix process was just another form of extended creation, and while he favored some remixes over others, he was very generous in handing his creations over to the club DJs he was affiliated with for further manipulation. Included in the set are 3 remixes of "Go Bang!" which are all highly different and all very worthy. The Francis Kevorkian mix is probably our favorite, taking a dub like approach with a tight focus on the rhythms yet utilizing dream-like atmospherics. There are also two Larry Levan remixes from other Dinosaur L sessions. The last three sides are devoted to various Sleeping Bag Records singles from Russell related projects like Felix ("Tiger Stripes"!), Indian Ocean, The Sounds of JHS 126, and Bonzo Goes To Washington.
Packaged in a deluxe screenprinted box with each record housed in a hand-pulled screen printed mat sleeve, and a 20 page booklet with liner notes, production information and testimonials from all the musicians and Djs involved. So unbelievably fantastic!
MPEG Stream: "#5 (Go Bang!)"
MPEG Stream: "#3 (In the Corn Belt)"
MPEG Stream: "Go Bang! (Francis K mix)"
MPEG Stream: "Go Bang! (Walter Gibbons Mix)"
MPEG Stream: "In The Corn Belt (Larry Levan Mix)"
MPEG Stream: "5 Minutes (B-B-B Boming Mix)"
MPEG Stream: "You Can't Hold Me Down (Extended Version)"

DIO, RONNIE & THE PROPHETS Gonna Make It Alone b/w Swingin' Street (HR Archive) 7" 2.50
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Here is one third of a triple dose of bizarre that's just arrived at AQ! What's so bizarre? Well, first off, the pairing of buoyant sixties pop tunes featuring a young lad's sweet voice with the incongruous sepiatone vintage porn pics on the record sleeves. If we were to stop our description there, these would be pretty darn odd enough, but let's continue shall we? The almighty catch is that the voice in question just happens to be the one that would go on to sing for Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, and Dio! Yes, these singles are early sixties recordings by none other than Ronnie James Dio himself! We all know he's an old guy, and had heard rumours for years that his recording career began way back in 1957...well now we pretty much have the proof in the form of these three singles, reissues of tracks circa 1962 done by Dio and his teenage cronies. This is not just pre-Heavy Metal Dio, this is pre-Beatles! Poppy, doo-wop, sock hop styled stuff in the vein of Dion, Richie Valens, that sort of thing. These singles with their risque covers come randomly assorted between plain black and nice thick swirly colored vinyl. Quite a curio. And as you might imagine, we have only a few in stock!

DIO, RONNIE & THE PROPHETS The Ooh-poo-pah-doo b/w Love Pains (HR Archive) 7" 2.50
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Here is one third of a triple dose of bizarre that's just arrived at AQ! What's so bizarre? Well, first off, the pairing of buoyant sixties pop tunes featuring a young lad's sweet voice with the incongruous sepiatone vintage porn pics on the record sleeves. If we were to stop our description there, these would be pretty darn odd enough, but let's continue shall we? The almighty catch is that the voice in question just happens to be the one that would go on to sing for Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, and Dio! Yes, these singles are early sixties recordings by none other than Ronnie James Dio himself! We all know he's an old guy, and had heard rumours for years that his recording career began way back in 1957...well now we pretty much have the proof in the form of these three singles, reissues of tracks circa 1962 done by Dio and his teenage cronies. This is not just pre-Heavy Metal Dio, this is pre-Beatles! Poppy, doo-wop, sock hop styled stuff in the vein of Dion, Richie Valens, that sort of thing. These singles with their risque covers come randomly assorted between plain black and nice thick swirly colored vinyl. Quite a curio. And as you might imagine, we have only a few in stock!

DIO, RONNIE & THE PROPHETS Where You Gonna Run To, Girl b/w Say You're Mine Again (HR Archive) 7" 2.50
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Here is one third of a triple dose of bizarre that's just arrived at AQ! What's so bizarre? Well, first off, the pairing of buoyant sixties pop tunes featuring a young lad's sweet voice with the incongruous sepiatone vintage porn pics on the record sleeves. If we were to stop our description there, these would be pretty darn odd enough, but let's continue shall we? The almighty catch is that the voice in question just happens to be the one that would go on to sing for Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, and Dio! Yes, these singles are early sixties recordings by none other than Ronnie James Dio himself! We all know he's an old guy, and had heard rumours for years that his recording career began way back in 1957...well now we pretty much have the proof in the form of these three singles, reissues of tracks circa 1962 done by Dio and his teenage cronies. This is not just pre-Heavy Metal Dio, this is pre-Beatles! Poppy, doo-wop, sock hop styled stuff in the vein of Dion, Richie Valens, that sort of thing. These singles with their risque covers come randomly assorted between plain black and nice thick swirly colored vinyl. Quite a curio. And as you might imagine, we have only a few in stock!

DIPLO I Like Turtles (Mad Greasy) cd 9.98

DIRECTING HAND Bells For Augustin Lesage (Secret Eye) cd 14.98
Featuring drummer Alexander Neilson (of w/ Richard Youngs fame).

DIRECTIONS IN MUSIC s/t (Thrill Jockey) lp 16.98

DIREEN, BILL Six Impossible Things (Unwucht) lp 22.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
The first in a four part lp reissue series compiling the early eighties singles from legendary (and surprisingly unknown and sadly underappreciated) NZ musician singer/songwriter Bill Direen, who in a perfect world would be held in the same regard as his countrymen Alistair Galbraith, Chris Knox, Peter Jeffries and the rest. The tracks here, originally released as a 7" limited to just 100 copies, are some primo eighties NZ underground post punk / garage pop, all 4-track Velvets jangle and Wire-y angular post punk, crunchy and droney and hypnotic, driven by minimal drum pound and economic arrangements, the songs here exude a brooding mesmer, even at their most kinetic, fusing classic seventies power pop to indie rock jangle and lo-fi psychedelia, pretty fantastic stuff, and well worthy of a wider audience. Sadly, these reissues, for as sonically pleasing and long overdue as they are, will very well price out a lot of folks, as it's 4 songs, 8 minutes, at 45 rpm, essentially a 7" cut deep and loud for maximum fidelity, which we totally dig, but realize that buying all four volumes will get you about 30 minutes of music for nearly $90. We'd say it's worth it, but here's hoping someone will take all these newly remastered singles and cram em all onto an affordable cd. Until then though, this is reservedly recommended!
LIMITED TO 350 COPIES!!

DIREEN, BILL Solomans Ball (Unwucht) lp 21.00

DIRTBOMBS Dangerous Magical Noise (In The Red) cd 13.98

DIRTBOMBS Horndog Fest (In The Red) cd 12.98
Ex-Gories/Blacktop guy and other guys (two bass players, two drummers!) hurl some punk-garage-psycho-noise your way.

DIRTBOMBS Horndog Fest (In The Red) lp 8.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Ex-Gories/Blacktop guy and other guys (two bass players, two drummers!) hurl some punk-garage-psycho-noise your way.

DIRTBOMBS If You Don't Already Have A Look (In the Red) 2cd 16.98
Attention Dirtbombs completists! Here's a two-disc compilations of rare songs, singles, eight new songs and over 20 covers (Gun Club, Rolling Stones, Yoko Ono, Flipper, ESG, Ohio Players, Stevie Wonder, among others)! Many of the tracks found here were recorded and just never released by the labels that took 'em on. A nice 24-page booklet accompanies the discs with tons of photos and track notes. Love your Dirtbomb grungey gutter punk rock all day long.
MPEG Stream: "Broke Again"
MPEG Stream: "Ha Ha Ha"
MPEG Stream: "Little Miss Chocolate Syrup"

DIRTBOMBS, THE Ultraglide In Black (In The Red) cd 13.98
Their best. Amazing covers of such songs as the Underdog theme and "Livin' For The City". Having a party? Get this.