ANNIVERSARY, THE Your Majesty (Vagrant) lp 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
What the hell happened here? The Anniversary has poised themselves as the heir apparents to the emo / power pop throne now occupied by labelmates the Get Up Kids, yet with their second album "Your Majesty," these kids from Lawrence, Kansas suddenly think they're Noel and Liam, constructing a bombastic album of baroque pop with lots of harmonizing choruses, extended guitar solos, dramatic piano chords, and distant nods to The Pixies and Supertramp. This record was a real slow burner. In the beginning we all hated it, wondering what happened to our emo pop Anniversaries, but the more we listen, the more we began to understand. I began catching Jim listening to it when he thought no one was the wiser. So now, we have to give it a thumbs up. The only bummer is the one guy singer who whispers in a earnest croon and ends up sounding lame. Outside of that, they're probably the best Brit pop band America has. A few painfully public inter-band squabbles and loads of coke and the sky's the limit!
RealAudio clip: "The Siren Song"
RealAudio clip: "Sweet Marie"

ANNUALS, THE Be He Me (Ace Fu) cd 12.98
Thought we had this band figured out during the first song, but we weren't even close!
From that track's aggressive youthful male angst vocals and bristly guitars, The Annuals turn on a dime and deliver some of the sunshiniest West Coast-y perfect pop! Comparisons to Modest Mouse and Built To Spill will invariably pop up, but The Annuals manage to come up with way more than the mere hero worship that taints many a young band. They bring other variables into the shuffling mix which on their own aren't particularly original but together make Be He Me sound super fresh. Cool.
MPEG Stream: "Brother"
MPEG Stream: "Dry Clothes"

ANODYNE The Outer Dark (Escape Artist) cd 14.98
Thrashy noisy hardcore GONE METAL?! Woo Hoo! Seems like all those punk kids have GONE METAL. But who am I to complain? I mean, I -do- like metal more than punk. And this -is- good, just not terribly groundbreaking. Think equal parts, Coalesce, Converge, Dillinger Escape Plan with a HUGE helping of Neurosis! Definitely for fans of the above.
RealAudio clip: "Lucky Sky Diamond"

ANOMOANON Asleep Many Years in the Wood (Temporary Residence Ltd.) cd 13.98
Sometimes the hardest records to review are the good ol' regular rock albums. Whether it's good or not, saying "2 guitars, drums, bass" just isn't scintillating reading. So how to express how thoroughly enjoyable this new Anomoanan record is. Hm. And this from a band that's, well, never made such a good impression on me before -- I found their earlier efforts unremarkable but with "Asleep Many Years...", the band's __th record, it's all come together. Led by Ned Oldham (yep, brother to Will Oldham, who makes several prettily broken-voiced appearances here, and producer Paul Oldham), the band plays with a tuneful confidence resulting in an instantly classic sound -- the music is a familiar AM-radio sort of lite rock, with lovely warbly harmonies, a southern country rock vibe reminding me of my favorite Bread, America, Eagles and Neil Young tracks. Yeah, it's that good! Excellent, accessible hooks augmented with the occasional sweet cowbell clock-clocking, twangy slide guitar, organ and sweet viola. Give the soundclips a try -- the songs will instantly grab you, if'n you're inclined to love the abovementioned bands as well as Tom Petty, Robbie Fulks, Handsome Family, Richard Buckner, etc. And DEFINITELY get this if you're a Will Oldham fan at all -- it's like Palace only "easier to talk to". Recommended by Windy!
RealAudio clip: "Ain't Skeert"
RealAudio clip: "Kick Back"

ANOMOANON Envoi Villon (Galaxia) cd 10.98
2002's Anomoanan release Asleep Many Years in the Wood was, in my opinion, their high point, but this li'l EP ain't bad either. Led by Ned Oldham (yep, brother to Will Oldham), the sound is a familiar AM-radio sort of lite rock, with lovely warbly harmonies, comforting harmonica, and sleepy guitars. But while Asleep... had a rockin' cowbell knockin' vibe, Envoi Villon is a less hook-ridden, more laid back affair remarkably similar to Will Oldham and other downer twang outfits like Songs:Ohia. Lyrics on the four songs are all by Francois Villon, the oft-jailed, 13th century renegade French poet.
MPEG Stream: "Ballade of Good Doctrine to Those of Ill Life"

ANOMOANON, THE Joji (Temporary Residence Ltd.) cd 14.98
My oh my! Already a new release from The Anomoanon! Their last album The Derby Ram (released just a few months ago) was a fine, drifting atmospheric soundscape-y work that, after hearing this new full length, now seems to have been more of a brief detour rather than the previously suspected complete change in direction. Joji brings Ned Oldham and co. back to their more song-oriented past with its very '70s California rock sound -- more akin to Eagles, Tom Petty and Fleetwood Mac than their formerly more Grateful Dead jam leanings. Although the album's pretty solid from start to finish, the album's best one-two punch comes early with the second song "Leap Alone". It's a fine example of the band's range, starting out all slow, frail and despairing and then breaking into a more rockin' clip. The tempo stays at that pace for the third song "Mr. Train". On both numbers the band's unmistakable somber vocal and guitar harmonies are in top form. Those bleary, expressive vocals are truly an Oldham family trademark. Sure to please the clan's many fans.
MPEG Stream: "Leap Alone"
MPEG Stream: "Mr. Train"

ANOMOANON, THE Joji (Temporary Residence Ltd.) lp 11.98
My oh my! Already a new release from The Anomoanon! Their last album The Derby Ram (released just a few months ago) was a fine, drifting atmospheric soundscape-y work that, after hearing this new full length, now seems to have been more of a brief detour rather than the previously suspected complete change in direction. Joji brings Ned Oldham and co. back to their more song-oriented past with its very '70s California rock sound -- more akin to Eagles, Tom Petty and Fleetwood Mac than their formerly more Grateful Dead jam leanings. Although the album's pretty solid from start to finish, the album's best one-two punch comes early with the second song "Leap Alone". It's a fine example of the band's range, starting out all slow, frail and despairing and then breaking into a more rockin' clip. The tempo stays at that pace for the third song "Mr. Train". On both numbers the band's unmistakable somber vocal and guitar harmonies are in top form. Those bleary, expressive vocals are truly an Oldham family trademark. Sure to please the clan's many fans.
MPEG Stream: "Leap Alone"
MPEG Stream: "Mr. Train"

ANOMOANON, THE Mother Goose (Drag City) cd 13.98
23 Mother Goose rhymes set to vaguely British-Isles-style folk by Ned Oldham, Will's brother.

ANOMOANON, THE s/t (Palace Records) cd 14.98
Singer/songwriter Ned Oldham (brother of Palace's Will Oldham y'know) presents his band's third full-length.

ANOMOANON, THE Songs From Robert Louis Stevenson's A Child's Garden Of Verses (Palace) cd 14.98
Ned Oldham (Will's bro) sets quaint children's poetry by R.L. Stevenson to music, with the help of, among others, Aram Stith, Will Oldham, Paul Oldham, and David Pajo. No, Long John Silver does not make an appearance, but poems like "Land of Nod" and "Fairy Bread" are delightfully rendered in musical form. For ages 3 to 30, and up...

ANOMOANON, THE The Derby Ram (Box Tree ) cd 14.98
On their sixth album, Anomoanon rises with the sun, waking you up not with a rooster's call, but with the perky, flute-y sounds of the tune "Little Birdy". Then, they lead you out the garden gate and beyond. This folky acoustic album is the aural equivalent of a lengthy roaming stroll that takes you through overgrown bushes, across rolling fields and into dried up creekbeds. It meanders with no specific destination in mind and pausing every so often to gaze at the clouds or to stumble across some lyric fragments to "Scarborough Fair". Revisiting their feathered friends later in the album, the fifth song "Mary Had A Pretty Bird/Bluebirdy Jam" gently drifts away from traditional song structure and melody into rootsy jam territory -- a return to their past Grateful Deadish tendencies. Broodingly strummed and picked guitars form much of the instrumental foundation of each song with an occasional faint undercurrent of noodly keyboards. A worthy follow-up to their excellent 2002 full length Asleep Many Years In The Wood.
MPEG Stream: "Little Birdy"
MPEG Stream: "For Every Evil"

ANONYMOUS Inside the Shadow (Aether) lp 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
If you prefer vinyl, the Anonymous record is available here (although not with the J.Rider tracks which are on the *cd* reissue of it).
Heavily influenced by the psychedelic sounds of the Byrds, the Beatles, Crosby Stills & Nash, Heart, the Mamas and Papas, etc. If this material had been released in the late '60s instead of '77, he would've had a hit on his hands, but instead the records languished in obscurity until being reissued this year. Lush 12-string guitarwork, unison male/female vocals, epic song structures and a heavy California psych vibe permeate the music in a really good way. Very fresh and pretty.
RealAudio clip: "J. Rider"
RealAudio clip: "Who's Been Foolin"

ANONYMOUS / J. RIDER Inside the Shadow / No Longer Anonymous (Aether) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Two ridiculously-collectible albums ($600!) one on cd, ostensibly by the groups Anonymous and J. Rider, who were basically the same bands headed by Ron Matelic, who was heavily influenced by the psychedelic sounds of the Byrds, the Beatles, Crosby Stills & Nash, Heart, the Mamas and Papas, etc. If this material had been released in the late '60s instead of '77, he would've had a hit on his hands, but instead the records languished in obscurity until being reissued this year. Lush 12-string guitarwork, unison male/female vocals, epic song structures and a heavy California psych vibe permeate the music in a really good way. Very fresh and pretty.
RealAudio clip: ANONYMOUS "J. Rider"
RealAudio clip: ANONYMOUS "Who's Been Foolin"
RealAudio clip: J. RIDER "Sunday's Hero"

ANTARCTICA 81:03 (File 13) 2cd 15.98
Not downer slo-mo indie-rock as you might surmise from the band name and minimalist Seam/Codeine styled artwork, not at all. This is actually two discs of early '80s inspired synth/new-wave songsmithery, reminding us of Depeche Mode, Xymox, and especially New Order. No wonder the "kids" are clamoring for it. Well, I do wonder, but this is pretty well done, and at least a surprise.

ANTENA Camino Del Sol (Numero) cd 16.98
A very welcomed reissue of this wonderful, incredibly obscure band's music from 1982. Although it's called Camino Del Sol (the title of their 5-song mini-lp debut), this cd includes lots of other material (compilation tracks and the like) as well as an additional three bonus tracks, swelling the total song count to fourteen swoonsome delights!
Back in the day, when he first heard Antena's breezy Brazillian tropicalia styled tunes crafted with unexpected instrumentation (early puttering drum machines and analog synthesizers), former British music journalist / Pet Shop Boy Neil Tennant tagged them 'electro-samba'. And the label suits them well, they even do a spaced-out, jazzy version of "Girl From Ipanema" (renamed "Boy From Ipanema" and produced by John Foxx). Imagine if seminal electro-punk duo Suicide were suddenly magically transformed into a light, airy female-sung group, and you'd have a pretty accurate picture of Antena's sound. Blending genres and instrumentations way ahead of the pack, the stylish trio can easily be seen as a French precursor to such groups as Stereolab. You can also hear where young Brit upstarts Electrelane probably got ample birdlike vocal inspiration on the song "To Climb The Cliff". Fans of the Gilberto family (Joao, Astrud and Bebel) will surely also want to check out Antena too. Really, this album sounds perfectly fresh today.
MPEG Stream: "Camino Del Sol"
MPEG Stream: "The Boy From Ipanema"

ANTENA Camino Del Sol (Numero Group) 2lp 21.00
Finally available on vinyl!
A very welcomed reissue of this wonderful, incredibly obscure band's music from 1982. Although it's called Camino Del Sol (the title of their 5-song mini-lp debut), this cd includes lots of other material (compilation tracks and the like) as well as an additional three bonus tracks, swelling the total song count to fourteen swoonsome delights!
Back in the day, when he first heard Antena's breezy Brazillian tropicalia styled tunes crafted with unexpected instrumentation (early puttering drum machines and analog synthesizers), former British music journalist / Pet Shop Boy Neil Tennant tagged them 'electro-samba'. And the label suits them well, they even do a spaced-out, jazzy version of "Girl From Ipanema" (renamed "Boy From Ipanema" and produced by John Foxx). Imagine if seminal electro-punk duo Suicide were suddenly magically transformed into a light, airy female-sung group, and you'd have a pretty accurate picture of Antena's sound. Blending genres and instrumentations way ahead of the pack, the stylish trio can easily be seen as a French precursor to such groups as Stereolab. You can also hear where young Brit upstarts Electrelane probably got ample birdlike vocal inspiration on the song "To Climb The Cliff". Fans of the Gilberto family (Joao, Astrud and Bebel) will surely also want to check out Antena too. Really, this album sounds perfectly fresh today.
MPEG Stream: "Camino Del Sol"
MPEG Stream: "The Boy From Ipanema"

ANTIETAM Opus Mixtum (Carrot Top) 2cd 15.98

ANTIETAM Victory Park (Carrot Top) cd 14.98

ANTIOCH ARROW Gems of Masochism (Three.One.G) cd 14.98

ANTISEEN 15 Minutes of Fame, 15 Years of Infamy (Steel Cage) cd 13.98
Rarely does a band make it to its third or fourth record, especially when the band plays sloppy, trashy, violent, totally uncommercial punk rock. But here it is, the year 2000, and Antiseen are still carving their messy, bloody swath across the punk underground, 15 years and counting. Especially amazing considering that frontman Jeff Clayton has been abusing his body in true rock and roll style, ending every show in a bloody disheveled heap on the floor. This is a collection of 7"s, compilation tracks, weird out of print stuff and some unreleased songs, as well as a bunch of covers (Roky Erickson, Screaming Lord Sutch, Troggs, Stooges) showcasing Antiseen at their trashy, fucked up, southern-fried best.

ANTLER Nothing That A Bullet Couldn't Cure (Small Stone) cd 14.98
The return of our favorite classic hard rocking, shit kicking, wild eyed Southern rock band. Okay so, there's not a whole lot of them left, but that's exactly why we gotta love the ones we got. There's Raging Slab of course. Our love for them is eternal. There's new kids on the block, Black Stone Cherry, who are cool, but get a little close to mainstream MTV Nickelback territory. Then there's Antler. Who we originally thought were indie rock kids taking the piss. But their debut was just too fucking good. And too fucking genuine to be anything but. Allan and Andee saw them live at CMJ, in front of a slightly confused crowd, who were obviously unprepared to the cowboy boots, the cowboy hats, the Southern boogie, the twang and the killer classic Southern rock that was exactly what we were there to see.
Record number two finds the band in fine form. Still channeling Lynrd Skynrd, the Allman Brothers, the Outlaws, Blackfoot, but adding some extra stomp, some more crunchy guitar, but staying true to their Southern rock roots. It's perplexing why these guys were on Indie meta label Tortuga and are now part of Small Stone's stoner rock stable. These guys should be HUGE. On some major label. Playing stadiums, touring the Midwest and the South, showing rednecks worldwide that real Southern rock and roll is not dead. These guys should be wrapped in Confederate flags and showered with whiskey and weed, a harem of pretty little trailer trash girls, a private jet with a big set of antlers painted on the tail. That's what this sounds like. Kids who were 15 and 16 when Skynrd's Pronounced... came out, were getting high, getting drunk, and blasting shit like this in their Dad's pick up, parking by the lake and trying to get to second base with their second cousin.
Maybe one of these days, some label bigwig will figure out what the hell is going on, wine and dine these motherfuckers, hustle them into some penthouse office, ply them with booze and drugs, have them sign in blood on the dotted line, shove them in a tour bus and set them free to rule the rock and roll world like the boogie born Southern Rock scions they truly are!
MPEG Stream: "The Gentle Butcher"
MPEG Stream: "Deep In A Hole"
MPEG Stream: "A Little Goes A Long Way"

ANTLER s/t (Madoak / Tortuga) cd 14.98
When we first got this we were so psyched. Totally gorgeous layout / design courtesy of Hydra Head Honcho Aaron Turner, all silver metallic filligree on what looks like tooled leather. Cool band name, properly tough and mysterious. It's on Hydra Head sub label Tortuga, home to Old Man Gloom, 5ive, Tusk and other like minded metallic dronesters. So when we actually got around to listening to it we were a little confused. Actually a lot confused. We were convinced it had to be a joke. Or at least some HH/Tortuga heavy band's tongue in cheek side project. Straight up MTV country tinged rock. Full on fist in the air, beer in one hand, American (or Confederate!) flag in the other, epic arrangements and super throaty Eddie Vedder / Layne Staley / that-guy-from-Creed vocals, wailing guitar leads, heartfelt ballads, songs about cigarettes, and tombstones, and blood and battles and love and soulful, belted out lyrics like "It ain't right..." and " All I know...." and "I believe in you..."
We absolutely hated it. I mean why wouldn't we? But then something happened. I don't know what it was. I just decided to like it. There it is. Not sure why. No idea. I just did. And now I do like it. A lot! I love it actually. And I've been listening to it like crazy. It's just plain old super kick ass rock! It's sort of like Nickelback for the metalhead indie rock hipster set. That may not sound all that good, but it is. Trust me. I mean, c'mon, why should MTV watching lemmings get all the majestic arena cockrock, slide guitars, lighters held aloft and all that? It's not fair. So Antler is here to settle the score. And settle it they do.
Hard to say if this is tongue in cheek or totally genuine, but it's not really funny, or cheesy enough to be a joke (unless it's the most subtle joke ever), it's just totally commercial and radio ready. But in a good way. Just regular old stadium rock. But with that sort of glam western edge that was so popular a decade ago. Definitely makes me feel 17 again. Tooling around in my crappy 4 cylinder Mustang, feathered hair, ripped jeans, glam rock cowboy hat, blasting the first Bon Jovi record. Or maybe the Hangmen record. Yep. Just like that.
Allan and Elliott think the ballads sound like the Red Hot Chili Peppers at their most melodic and commercial, you know like that "Under The Bridge" song. But if you've been paying attention to the AQ list, you know how much Allan likes the RHCP so no matter how much he denies it, that can only be an endorsement coming from him!
MPEG Stream: "Tombstones And Cigarettes"
MPEG Stream: "1975"
MPEG Stream: "I Got Lost"

ANTLERAND Branches (Sound Family) cd 11.98
The lead off track on this cd is so wintry you can almost see your breath while it's playing! Branches is the new album from Oregon band Antlerand, and it's a fine introduction. While they initially appear to be treading shimmering sonic ground that's already been well worn by the post rock likes of Mogwai and Sigur Ros, it soon becomes apparent that they're combining it with intelligent pop sensibilities akin to sensitive, smart pop folks Bright Eyes, Arcade Fire and Destroyer... and they're doing it exceptionally well. Chamber strings and horns join the sinewy electric guitars that just might send chills down your spine. Piano, stuttery electronics and chimes pretty things up, as do the sweet female vocals on songs such as "Maybe We're Still Running" and "Make Nothing Happen" which further the comparisons to Bright Eyes when Jenny Lewis is accompanying Conor Oberst. This is simply lovely!
MPEG Stream: "Rows Of Unbending Lines"
MPEG Stream: "Maybe We're Still Running"

ANTLERS, THE Hospice (French Kiss) cd 12.98

ANTONY & THE JOHNSONS Aeon / Crazy In Love (Secretly Canadian) cd ep 8.98
Antony's most recent live appearance in San Francisco transpired earlier this year at the Nob Hill Masonic Center, and it will most likely go down as one of THE concerts of the year for many of us who witnessed it. Besides having William Basinski as his opener and then playing an incredibly rich, intimate and moving set, one of the highlights came when Antony and his band did an amazing version of the Beyonce hit "Crazy In Love". After they played it someone in the audience yelled out, "You are so much better then her" to which Antony immediately replied "Excuse me?! She is extremely talented!" Haha. We totally agree and that made us love Antony even more, if that was even possible. This single offers up a studio recorded version of that amazing cover as well as "Aeon" from the latest album The Crying Light.
MPEG Stream: "Aeon"
MPEG Stream: "Crazy In Love"

ANTONY & THE JOHNSONS Another World (Secretly Canadian) cd 9.98
It's been three years since Antony & The Johnsons captivated us, along with the rest of the world, with the devastatingly gorgeous I Am A Bird Now. But luckily we've been able to hear his voice on lots of releases since, as he's lent his striking vocals to records by folks like Bjork, Matmos, Current 93, Yoko Ono, Michael Cashmore, Nico Muhly and channeled his inner disco diva on the great Hercules & Love Affair debut. But of course we've still been craving a new full on Antony & The Johnsons album and it looks like that's on the horizon, but for now there is this brand new five song ep that once gain offers up that ineffable magic in Antony's voice and that unique songwriting that is still such a sound to behold.
The title track, which leads off the ep. literally made us freeze and fill with goosebumps the second we first heard it and "Shake That Devil" would make the best companion piece to Nina Simone's "Take Me To The Water/I'm Going Back Home". The ep's closer is filled with solemn soul and mournful glory making this a totally essential slab of dark beauty. Only one of these songs will be on the brand new album, so of course this is a must have for all Antony fans!
MPEG Stream: "Another World"
MPEG Stream: "Shake That Devil"

ANTONY & THE JOHNSONS Another World (Secretly Canadian) 12" 13.98
It's been three years since Antony & The Johnsons captivated us, along with the rest of the world, with the devastatingly gorgeous I Am A Bird Now. But luckily we've been able to hear his voice on lots of releases since, as he's lent his striking vocals to records by folks like Bjork, Matmos, Current 93, Yoko Ono, Michael Cashmore, Nico Muhly and channeled his inner disco diva on the great Hercules & Love Affair debut. But of course we've still been craving a new full on Antony & The Johnsons album and it looks like that's on the horizon, but for now there is this brand new five song ep that once gain offers up that ineffable magic in Antony's voice and that unique songwriting that is still such a sound to behold.
The title track, which leads off the ep. literally made us freeze and fill with goosebumps the second we first heard it and "Shake That Devil" would make the best companion piece to Nina Simone's "Take Me To The Water/I'm Going Back Home". The ep's closer is filled with solemn soul and mournful glory making this a totally essential slab of dark beauty. Only one of these songs will be on the brand new album, so of course this is a must have for all Antony fans!
MPEG Stream: "Another World"
MPEG Stream: "Shake That Devil"

ANTONY & THE JOHNSONS Hope There's Someone (Secretly Canadian) cd ep 9.98
Second single from I Am A Bird Now, from mysterious androgynous ingenue / torch singer Antony and his group the Johnsons. Smokey piano driven, gospel flecked ballads featuring Antony's amazing and impossible to describe voice, that we had described as "A rich throaty tenor, that slips effortlessly into a keening falsetto. A luxurious vibrato, trilling and wrapping itself around every note. Equal parts Nina Simone, Tiny Tim, Tracy Chapman, Jimmy Scott and even a little Elvis Presley." It truly is unlike anything you'll ever hear. This single features the gut wrenching "Hope There's Someone" (you can hear a sounds sample with the review for I Am A Bird Now) as well as two unreleased tracks, both nearly as emotional and intense. The cd features a video for "Hope There's Someone" that is as creepy and darkly lovely as the song.
MPEG Stream: "Frankenstein"

ANTONY & THE JOHNSONS Hope There's Someone (Secretly Canadian) 12" 9.98
Second single from I Am A Bird Now, from mysterious androgynous ingenue / torch singer Antony and his group the Johnsons. Smokey piano driven, gospel flecked ballads featuring Antony's amazing and impossible to describe voice, that we had described as "A rich throaty tenor, that slips effortlessly into a keening falsetto. A luxurious vibrato, trilling and wrapping itself around every note. Equal parts Nina Simone, Tiny Tim, Tracy Chapman, Jimmy Scott and even a little Elvis Presley." It truly is unlike anything you'll ever hear. This single features the gut wrenching "Hope There's Someone" (you can hear a sounds sample with the review for I Am A Bird Now) as well as two unreleased tracks, both nearly as emotional and intense.
MPEG Stream: "Frankenstein"

ANTONY & THE JOHNSONS Thank You For You Love (Secretly Canadian) 12" 15.98
Always time to rejoice around here when we're graced by new music from Antony. This ep has three brand new songs as well as two covers (Dylan, Lennon). It opens up with, what for Antony is an almost upbeat and rocking song that doesn't come off as immediately devastating as most Antony record openers, but instead demonstrates the rage of textures and dynamics that Antony is capable of creating. The next two songs slip back into Antony's more slow and swoonsome sound. And then the record closes with covers of Bob Dylan's "Pressing On", a cool choice for a cover as it came from Dylan's 1980 born again record Save. And Antony latches on to the melancholy gospel themes of survival in such a beautiful way. The record closes with a cover of "Imagine" where Antony is joined by Kevin Barker and William Basinski. That might be our least favorite of the songs from this ep but luckily we love the other tracks so much that it almost doesn't matter.
MPEG Stream: "Thank You For Your Love"
MPEG Stream: "You Are The Treasure"
MPEG Stream: "Pressing On"

ANTONY & THE JOHNSONS Thank You For Your Love (Secretly Canadian) cd ep 11.98
Always time to rejoice around here when we're graced by new music from Antony. This ep has three brand new songs as well as two covers (Dylan, Lennon). It opens up with, what for Antony is an almost upbeat and rocking song that doesn't come off as immediately devastating as most Antony record openers, but instead demonstrates the rage of textures and dynamics that Antony is capable of creating. The next two songs slip back into Antony's more slow and swoonsome sound. And then the record closes with covers of Bob Dylan's "Pressing On", a cool choice for a cover as it came from Dylan's 1980 born again record Save. And Antony latches on to the melancholy gospel themes of survival in such a beautiful way. The record closes with a cover of "Imagine" where Antony is joined by Kevin Barker and William Basinski. That might be our least favorite of the songs from this ep but luckily we love the other tracks so much that it almost doesn't matter.
MPEG Stream: "Thank You For Your Love"
MPEG Stream: "You Are The Treasure"
MPEG Stream: "Pressing On"

ANTONY & THE JOHNSONS The Crying Light (Secretly Canadian) cd 14.98
While we had the fantastic Another World ep to tide us over last year while we waited patiently, the time has finally come and we now get a brand new full length from Antony and it DOES NOT disappoint, not one bit!
I Am A Bird Now is a really touch act to follow, but The Crying Light glows in its own unique beauty. Filled with lush arrangements and gorgeous orchestration, and of course Antony's one of a kind magical voice that is absolutely heavenly. Exploring similarly emotional and stunning stratospheres as folks like Rene Joly, Nina Simone, Bryan Ferry, Arthur Russell and Boy George, while employing a remarkable group of musicians (Nico Mushily, Greg Cohen, Doug Wieselman, etc.), but ultimately it's Antony's incredible songwriting and delivery that elevate his work to that highest level of musical achievement.
While not a dramatic departure from the haunting and emotionally charged sounds of I Am A Bird Now, this record still finds its own voice. Focusing on nature, and our relationship to nature in the smallest and most grandiose ways, Antony ponders our lives, births and deaths, as these songs make you stop in your tracks and soak up the wind and air and spirits that surround us. This is the kind of record that keeps revealing itself on repeated listens. Of course, highly recommended!
MPEG Stream: "The Crying Light"
MPEG Stream: "Kiss My Name"
MPEG Stream: "Aeon"

ANTONY & THE JOHNSONS The Crying Light (Secretly Canadian) lp 22.00
Now available on deluxe 180 gram vinyl which includes a digital download of the album! Here's our review of the cd when we first listed it:
While we had the fantastic Another World ep to tide us over last year while we waited patiently, the time has finally come and we now get a brand new full length from Antony and it DOES NOT disappoint, not one bit!
I Am A Bird Now is a really touch act to follow, but The Crying Light glows in its own unique beauty. Filled with lush arrangements and gorgeous orchestration, and of course Antony's one of a kind magical voice that is absolutely heavenly. Exploring similarly emotional and stunning stratospheres as folks like Rene Joly, Nina Simone, Bryan Ferry, Arthur Russell and Boy George, while employing a remarkable group of musicians (Nico Mushily, Greg Cohen, Doug Wieselman, etc.), but ultimately it's Antony's incredible songwriting and delivery that elevate his work to that highest level of musical achievement.
While not a dramatic departure from the haunting and emotionally charged sounds of I Am A Bird Now, this record still finds its own voice. Focusing on nature, and our relationship to nature in the smallest and most grandiose ways, Antony ponders our lives, births and deaths, as these songs make you stop in your tracks and soak up the wind and air and spirits that surround us. This is the kind of record that keeps revealing itself on repeated listens. Of course, highly recommended!
MPEG Stream: "The Crying Light"
MPEG Stream: "Kiss My Name"
MPEG Stream: "Aeon"

ANTONY & THE JOHNSONS You Are My Sister (Secretly Canadian) cd ep 5.98
Besides putting out one of the year's best albums I am a Bird Now, Antony also put on one of the most moving and brilliant live shows of the year in his SF appearance at the Palace of Fine Arts this fall. Like myself, so many people I know were brought to both tears and laughter that night. We left knowing we would never forget that night and of course wanting more Antony as soon as possible. Well here are three NEW songs as well as "You Are My Sister" a great single from the last LP with Boy George lending his vocals. If you're like us and you need an Antony fix to remember what's really important then this EP will hold you over for a bit.
MPEG Stream: "Forest Of Love"
MPEG Stream: "Paddy's Gone"

ANTONY AND THE JOHNSONS I Am A Bird Now (Secretly Canadian) cd 14.98
Holy shit, this record destroys me. Within 30 seconds, this record had already given me chills, unnerved me, and literally made me want to cry. On the first listen even! Just listen to the first sound sample and you'll know just what I mean. It's all about Antony's voice. A rich throaty tenor, that slips effortlessly into a keening falsetto. A luxurious vibrato, trilling and wrapping itself around every note. Equal parts Nina Simone, Tiny Tim, Tracy Chapman, Jimmy Scott and even a little Elvis Presley. The instrumentation is minimal, piano, upright bass, shuffling jazz drums, occasional electric guitar. Some songs sound like jazz standards, some like lost gospel classics, others like timeless spirituals. Soaring and maudlin, without becoming overwrought or overly dramatic. He's sort of like an otherworldly, avant-garde Rufus Wainwright. Or the sort of singer you would find in a piano bar in your strangest dreams. Not sure what it was that kept us from getting into Antony And the Johnsons in the past, whether it was the overplayed Coil / Current 93 connection or the whole gender bending novelty aspect, but this record has definitely turned us around. Totally chilling, absolutely haunting and completely beautiful. Features guest performances by Rufus Wainwright, Boy George, Lou Reed and Devendra Banhart.
MPEG Stream: "Hope There's Someone"
MPEG Stream: "My Lady Story"

ANTONY AND THE JOHNSONS I Am A Bird Now (Secretly Canadian) lp 16.98
Now on vinyl!!!
Holy shit, this record destroys me. Within 30 seconds, this record had already given me chills, unnerved me, and literally made me want to cry. On the first listen even! Just listen to the first sound sample and you'll know just what I mean. It's all about Antony's voice. A rich throaty tenor, that slips effortlessly into a keening falsetto. A luxurious vibrato, trilling and wrapping itself around every note. Equal parts Nina Simone, Tiny Tim, Tracy Chapman, Jimmy Scott and even a little Elvis Presley. The instrumentation is minimal, piano, upright bass, shuffling jazz drums, occasional electric guitar. Some songs sound like jazz standards, some like lost gospel classics, others like timeless spirituals. Soaring and maudlin, without becoming overwrought or overly dramatic. He's sort of like an otherworldly, avant-garde Rufus Wainwright. Or the sort of singer you would find in a piano bar in your strangest dreams. Not sure what it was that kept us from getting into Antony And the John sons in the past, whether it was the overplayed Coil / Current 93 connection or the whole gender bending novelty aspect, but this record has definitely turned us around. Totally chilling, absolutely haunting and completely beautiful. Features guest performances by Rufus Wainwright, Boy George, Lou Reed and Devendra Banhart.
MPEG Stream: "Hope There's Someone"
MPEG Stream: "My Lady Story"

ANTONY AND THE JOHNSONS s/t (Secretly Canadian) cd 14.98

ANTONY AND THE JOHNSONS Swanlights (Secretly Canadian) cd 15.98
Swanlights might be the most giving, emotional and personal record yet from Antony & The Johnsons. Right from the get go, you've got "Everything Is New" which builds to a triumphant climax and captures the same kind of intensity that "I Hope There Is Someone" conjured, the opener to the 2005 release I Am Bird Now, which so strongly reeled us in to the world of Antony at the time. The follow up to that record, The Crying Light, was much more stark and insular, distant even, yet was still so haunting and intense. But with Swanlights it feels like Antony is coming to these songs from a much more personal and intimate point of view, and as always his voice and the song structures just totally make us melt and give us chills and the effects of these songs linger and linger...
Besides having a song called "I'm In Love" we get the exciting feeling that Antony may very well in fact be in love in a way we haven't heard from him before. There are several tracks with a much more wide eyed and under-the-influence, blood-rushing-love sound then on any of his past recordings. So while there is a more hopeful and uplifting tone to Swanlights, there are still lots of great somber and haunting moments, including a truly chilling duet with Bjork. Once again another stunning set of songs from Antony that we'll be listening to for a long time to come.
MPEG Stream: "Everything Is New"
MPEG Stream: "I'm In Love"
MPEG Stream: "Flˇtta (featuring Bjork)"

ANTONY AND THE JOHNSONS Swanlights (Secretly Canadian) lp 19.98
Swanlights might be the most giving, emotional and personal record yet from Antony & The Johnsons. Right from the get go, you've got "Everything Is New" which builds to a triumphant climax and captures the same kind of intensity that "I Hope There Is Someone" conjured, the opener to the 2005 release I Am Bird Now, which so strongly reeled us in to the world of Antony at the time. The follow up to that record, The Crying Light, was much more stark and insular, distant even, yet was still so haunting and intense. But with Swanlights it feels like Antony is coming to these songs from a much more personal and intimate point of view, and as always his voice and the song structures just totally make us melt and give us chills and the effects of these songs linger and linger...
Besides having a song called "I'm In Love" we get the exciting feeling that Antony may very well in fact be in love in a way we haven't heard from him before. There are several tracks with a much more wide eyed and under-the-influence, blood-rushing-love sound then on any of his past recordings. So while there is a more hopeful and uplifting tone to Swanlights, there are still lots of great somber and haunting moments, including a truly chilling duet with Bjork. Once again another stunning set of songs from Antony that we'll be listening to for a long time to come.
MPEG Stream: "Everything Is New"
MPEG Stream: "I'm In Love"
MPEG Stream: "Flˇtta (featuring Bjork)"

ANVIL CHORUS The Killing Sun (Rockadrome) cd 12.98
Not to be confused with Anvil! Though, right now, maybe they'd like to be. This Bay Area metal band, is another from the '80s that had even less success than those now famous Canucks. Much less. Back in the day, Anvil Chorus never managed to get signed, and released only demos and singles, never an album - until now. It wasn't 'cause they weren't good, in fact, they were commonly known as "the Bay Area's best unsigned metal band". It was more due to mere bad luck. And maybe 'cause their music crossed too many genre lines, from NWOBHM power, to party time LA pop metal, to progressive wank, to speed metal tech. Who knows. But it's cool that they got back together, got back in the studio, and FINALLY have released their debut album, via the Rockadrome label (who've been blessing us with some awesome proto-metal reissues lately, you should recall). Anyone who digs '80s metal ought to check this out. There's certainly plenty of shred. And don't worry, most of these songs are ones demoed back in the day and thus have that "only in the '80s" authenticity to 'em, although they're newly recorded.
Criticisms? Well, Anvil Chorus do have a tendency to a bit of cheesiness, mainly due to overuse of keyboards, that's their weak spot taste-wise. And they've probably only grown in "adulthood", towards such prog-metal pitfalls, also evinced by the awful album cover. Cheesy, yeah. Still, even their cheese can be kinda enjoyable, so this is just a warning to those who can't handle a whiff of it. Their song "European" for instance, might be too poppy for some, but it's ultimately pretty good, a classy track, though we prefer it when they're killing us with the equally classy "Deadly Weapons"! Anyway, among the 12 songs here there's lots to make folks into heavy, riffy, rippin' bands like Riot, Armored Saint, and Metal Church happy... along with pleasing the Queensryche fans that their cheesier prog side indulges. So check it out, it's some Bay Area heavy metal history come back to life (they even played a show the other night!). Oh, and making amends for the cover art, the cd booklet includes lyrics, vintage photos of the band in action in the '80s, and a band history/appreciation by local metal celeb Ron Quintana.
MPEG Stream: "Deadly Weapons"
MPEG Stream: "Blue Flames"
MPEG Stream: "Phase To Phase"

ANWORTH KIRK s/t (Pre-Cert Home Entertainment) lp 19.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Demdike Stare fans listen up! There's a new dark mysterious stranger in town by the name of Anworth Kirk, and for fans of Demdike Stare's haunted dub sound paintings or that Broadcast and The Focus Group record we keep raving about, or any of the vintage horror soundtracks from Trunk Records, you will surely want to give this a listen. No, Anworth Kirk is not really a person, or a band, as far as we can tell, but it's the first release on the new archival imprint Pre-Cert Home Entertainment that will be devoted to releasing a series of limited vinyl missives of contemporary musical and non-musical strangeness. Most definitely associated with DJ Andy Votel and the B-Music crew as well as Demdike Stare themselves (in fact, we're pretty sure Anworth Kirk IS Andy Votel and Sean Canty of Demdike, who run the Pre-Cert label), the music presented here is a mind-bending collage of haunting creaking loops, far away noises of babies crying and dogs barking, slow motion creeping synths, library music, and eldritch incantations culled from dusty corners of British horror. So haunting and beautiful! Limited to 500 copies, it is basically already out of print, so grab one of the few we have while you can!

ANYWHERE Infrared Moses (Valley King) 7" 9.98
Record number two from this psychedelic raga-rock supergroup finds the lineup slightly altered but with very little shift in their sound. Still present of course are Cedric Bixler Zavala of the Mars Volta, Christian Eric Beaulieu of the late great Triclops! and Mike Watt (Minutemen, firehose et. al.), but gone is Rachel from dream poppers Sleepy Sun and in her place is Toshi Kasai from Big Business, but as we mentioned before, the sound still remains relatively unchanged, which is a good thing, considering how much we dug their debut. The A side title track, named for a Grateful Dead record, is all wild tumbling drums, that flit from rhythmic and motorik to chaotic and progged out, heavily strummed acoustic guitars, shimmery keyboards, the whole thing very spaced out and darkly proggy, almost like the intro to some sidelong seventies prog rock epic, but here kept well in check, minimal, tight, a little raga-like, but super mesmerizing and hypnotic.
The flipside sounds almost like a continuation of the first track, but blossoms into some soaring strummy psychedelic rock, with high, crystalline vox, over a bed of steel string strum, and more busy drumming, all blurred into something much more dreamy, with a distinctly seventies Yes vibe (which is most definitely a good thing), the vocals processed into swoonsome sheets of shimmery melody and lush layered texture, again, having the feel of being one part of a much bigger whole, that we just haven't heard yet. Fantastic. And after two singles, we're definitely hankering to hear what these guys can do with a full length.
Like everything on Valley King, super deluxe, gorgeously designed slikscreened sleeves, with original artwork from Alan Forbes. LIMITED TO 500 COPIES, each one hand numbered. And pretty much entirely sold out. We should be able to get a few more copies when this first batch sells out, but most likely not many, so as always, grab one quick...
MPEG Stream: "Infrared Moses"

ANYWHERE Pyramids Mirrors (Valley King / Secret Serpents) 7" 9.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Local label Valley King are on fire, after singles by local space rockers Carlton Melton, SF psych stoners Golden Void, witchy Swedish rockers Spiders and Sweet Apple, the project of Witch's Dave Sweetapple, comes this, the debut from L.A. supergroup Anywhere, which we have to say, we were a wee bit skeptical about. Not just because of the often bandied about 'supergroup' tag, but also cuz it seemed like a strange hodgepodge member-wise, Cedric Bixler Zavala of The Mars Volta and At The Drive In, Christian Eric Beaulieu of the late great Triclops!, Mike Watt of the Minutemen and fIREHOSE obviously, and finally Rachel Fannan from SF dreampsych combo Sleepy Sun. Weird right? The label explains how these folks all fell in together, but even then we weren't sure what to expect, but whatever it was, it wasn't this, a weird sort of psychedelic rhythmic acoustic guitar driven dronerock, laced with electronics, and tabla like percussion, a bit proggy and druggy and dreamy, the A side plays out like the first movement of an epic sidelong prog masterpiece, the guitars lush and shimmery, those tabla sound rhythms often run through glitched out effects, the melodies majestic and soaring, some classic sixties psych guitar laid over the top, it's a shame it ends after only 5 minutes, when we had been plotting out the rest of the imagined song in our heads. Needless to say, it was a hugely pleasant surprise and had us hankering for more.
The B side adds vocals to the mix, Fannan's hazy stoned croon, perfectly complimented by the warm, whirling acoustic strum and toy xylophone like percussion, the song ebbing and flowing in soft swells, even more than the first side, sounding like some lost sixties band, all Laurel Canyon, witchy folk flecked psychedelic classic rock, brooding and moody and darkly dreamy. Gorgeous stuff for sure, and here's hoping they can manage a full length!
LIMITED TO 500 COPIES! Already sold out, we have the last 20 copies, and then this is gone for good. Like the other Valley King releases, super swank sleeves with striking cover art by artist Alan Forbes, signed and numbered, includes a sticker as well.

APACHE Boys Life (Douchemaster) 7" 5.50

APACHE DROPOUT s/t (Family Vineyard) lp 14.98

APE HAS KILLED APE Mattricide (True Classical) cd 14.98

APES, THE Fugue in the Fog (French Kiss) cd 14.98
The completely rad, hectic debut full length release from this Washington, D.C. quartet! The Apes have replaced the position of lead guitar with organ, giving their music a dark, creepy feel, while still staying totally rock. 14 raw'n'raunchy, bluesy, burlesque-y butt-kickers with four self-referential song titles. Grinding bass, thick moody moog and organ lines, and distorted angstful vocals. Fans of the Gold Standard Laboratories label might find The Apes quite to their liking. I do believe they'd fit quite nicely on a bill beside SF's Pleasure Forever (or their former incarnations The VSS and Slaves).
RealAudio clip: "Black Tears"
RealAudio clip: "Ape Town"

APOSTLE OF HUSTLE Folkloric Feel (Arts & Crafts) cd 16.98
Canadian lad Andrew Whiteman is the Apostle Of Hustle, but you might be more familiar with him as one of the main guys from Broken Social Scene. His solo album Folkloric Feel is filled with his roaming musical adventures with catchy bits of postrock, krautrock, jazz and folk surfacing throughout. Not surprisingly, some tread along very much the same path as BSS's non-electronic material, and will most definitely appeal to their growing legions of admirers. Plus this release shows even further that Canada has some damn potent music communities (e.g. the loosely strung collaborative networks spearheaded by groups such as Godspeed You Black Emperor and the New Pornographers), as Whiteman is joined by other BSS-ites (many of them multi-band musicians) as well as members of fellow Canadian indie pop band Stars.
MPEG Stream: "Energy Of Death"
MPEG Stream: "Animal Fat"

APOSTLE OF HUSTLE National Anthem Of Nowhere (Arts & Crafts) cd 16.98
Those Broken Social Scene folks don't let grass grow beneath their feet in between albums. Heck no, much like fellow Canadian music collective/family Godspeed You Black Emperor, side projects and offshoots abound. And they're all quite different from each other! And they're all quite good! Andrew Whiteman is the lead guitarist for BSS, but he also goes it alone as mildly eccentric The Apostle Of Hustle (well, sorta, his BSS bantams have been known to sit in on occasion). This is the follow-up to his solo debut Folkloric Feel from 2004. His suave laid-back charm is pretty hard to resist particularly when he's singing in Spanish. Yes indeedie, National Anthem Of Nowhere is filled with tasty horns, flamenco tinged guitars and subtle Latin influences (perhaps even more so than on his debut which he recorded shortly after returning from a culturally enriched stay with his godmother in El Barrio Santa Suarez, Cuba). That said, National Anthem Of Nowhere's definitely got some energetic, quirkful, peppy pop propulsion. A definite standout is the dreamy fifth track "Cheap Like Sebastien" with its organ drones and sweet female backing vocals. Very reminiscent of Stereolab or Broadcast. Really good.
MPEG Stream: "The Naked & Alone"
MPEG Stream: "Cheap Like Sebastien "

APOSTLE OF HUSTLE National Anthem Of Nowhere (Arts & Crafts) lp 16.98
Those Broken Social Scene folks don't let grass grow beneath their feet in between albums. Heck no, much like fellow Canadian music collective/family Godspeed You Black Emperor, side projects and offshoots abound. And they're all quite different from each other! And they're all quite good! Andrew Whiteman is the lead guitarist for BSS, but he also goes it alone as mildly eccentric The Apostle Of Hustle (well, sorta, his BSS bantams have been known to sit in on occasion). This is the follow-up to his solo debut Folkloric Feel from 2004. His suave laid-back charm is pretty hard to resist particularly when he's singing in Spanish. Yes indeedie, National Anthem Of Nowhere is filled with tasty horns, flamenco tinged guitars and subtle Latin influences (perhaps even more so than on his debut which he recorded shortly after returning from a culturally enriched stay with his godmother in El Barrio Santa Suarez, Cuba). That said, National Anthem Of Nowhere's definitely got some energetic, quirkful, peppy pop propulsion. A definite standout is the dreamy fifth track "Cheap Like Sebastien" with its organ drones and sweet female backing vocals. Very reminiscent of Stereolab or Broadcast. Really good.
MPEG Stream: "The Naked & Alone"
MPEG Stream: "Cheap Like Sebastien "