LADD, MIKE Vernacular Homicide (Likemadd / Ozone) 10" 7.98

LADDIO BOLOCKO As If In Real Time (Hungarian) cd 11.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
We've been championing Laddio Bollocko since we first heard their mighty 'Strange Warmings' album (which we finally managed to get back in, review later in the list) and inexplicably they have managed to elude the superstardom we predicted for them. But with their hyper-distorted-This-Heat-fronted-by-Albert-Ayler sound, they were definitely an acquired taste. It's been a couple years, and it's two releases later, and Laddio is kind of a different beast. This cd compiles the 'In Real Time' ep and the 'As If By Remote' sort-of-full-length, and shows an amazing amount of growth. They've all but completely abandoned the bludgeoning, pounding shrieking bombast, and instead stretch out, and explore rhythms and textures, creating lengthy krautrock jams, and hypnotic drones. And their noisey, in your face, live recording has been replaced by what sounds like a serious exploration of the studio as instrument, with at least half the record full of innovative production and gorgeous textures. Also, the sax, which on 'Strange Warmings', was more textural and not immediately identifiable as a saxophone, is more of a presence here, giving it more of a sort-of-jazz feel on several tracks.
Their sound these days is much more in the vein of This Heat and Circle. In fact, everyone who was blown away by the recent Circle releases should definitely check this out.
RealAudio clip: "Karl"
RealAudio clip: "As If By Remote"
RealAudio clip: "A Passing State Of Well Being"

LADDIO BOLOCKO Strange Warmings Of (Hungarian) cd 12.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
This record is one of the most amazing we have ever heard, and of course, it's been practically impossible to get back in stock. But now we have it, and you should buy it. It's pummelling and heavy and beautiful. Not sure how long we'll have this in stock.
An ex-Dazzling Killmen (Blake Fleming) takes his penchant for angular discordance a step further, forgoing the ferocious heaviosity of his former outfit, and instead, explores lengthy semi-improvisational psychedelic freakouts and repetetive hypno-krautrock instrumentals ala Circle. Post rock jamscapes littered with shrieking and droning Albert Ayler-ish sax, jabs of no wave guitar, an overwhelming over-saturated super-distorted production and absolutely crushing drumming. Totally essential.
RealAudio clip: "Nurser"

LADDIO BOLOCKO The Life And Times Of... (No Quarter) 2cd 17.98
Finally re-pressed and back in stock!!
We have been championing this band since the very first time we heard their mighty 'Strange Warmings' debut years ago but continually faced the problem of all three of their releases being practically impossible to get. And my (Andee's) only possible complaint about this comprehensive career retrospective collection is that I WANTED TO PUT IT OUT ON tUMULt!!!! Arrrrgghhh. But kudos to AQ pal Mike who runs the mighty No Quarter label, for his amazing taste (Earth, Pharoah Overlord and now LB!) and ability to unearth/rerelease these out of print gems.
Laddio Bolocko were absolutely one of the most amazing bands we have ever heard, taking the bloated corpse of 'post rock' and filling it with squirming, ultra complex, super dynamic kraut rock and out rock and...uhhhh trout (mask replica) rock? Or whatever. Imagine a modern day This Heat, but with bigger amps, more lo-fi production, free-jazz scud missle saxophone, unlikely melodies, relentless rhythms, ear-ringing dynamics and a sound unlike anything you've ever heard. Sounds good huh? Well, it is. In fact. as far as I'm concerned LB were probably one of the most important and most original rock bands of the last 20 years. High praise indeed, but once you hear this stuff you'll be hard pressed to argue.
The Life & Times Of collects all three Laddio Bollocko releases, their devastating debut Strange Warmings Of and the two follow up eps, In Real Time and As If By Remote. Also included is a video playable on your computer (which, along with the nice digipak packaging, may even tempt those lucky enough to already have Laddio's hard to find releases).
Disc one is Strange Warmings Of, a pummelling and heavy drone rock masterpiece, in which an ex-Dazzling Killmen (Blake Fleming) takes his penchant for angular discordance a step further, forgoing the ferocious heaviosity of his former outfit, and instead, explores lengthy semi-improvisational psychedelic freakouts and repetetive hypno-krautrock instrumentals a la AQ faves Circle. Post rock jamscapes littered with shrieking and droning Albert Ayler-ish sax, jabs of no wave guitar, an overwhelming over-saturated super-distorted production and absolutely crushing drumming. Anyone into Circle or This Heat or Acid Mothers Temple or Faust or any or any of that, will be completely blown away.
Disc two containing the two later eps find Laddio Bolocko in a new space with a new sound. Showing an amazing amount of growth, LB have all but completely abandoned the bludgeoning, pounding shrieking bombast, and instead stretch out, and explore rhythms and textures, creating lengthy krautrock jams, and hypnotic drones. And their noisey, in your face, live recording has been replaced by what sounds like a serious exploration of the studio as instrument, with at least half the record full of innovative production and gorgeous textures. Also, the sax, which on Strange Warmings, was more textural and not immediately identifiable as a saxophone, is more of a presence here, giving it more of a sort-of-jazz feel on several tracks. This later, less ROOOOOOOAAAAARRRR sort of sound puts them even more comfortably in the sonic realm occupied by Faust, This Heat and Circle.
MPEG Stream: "Nurser"
MPEG Stream: "Karl"
MPEG Stream: "As If By Remote"
MPEG Stream: "A Passing State Of Well Being"

LADIES W.C. s/t (Essex) cd 17.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Compact disc reissue of super rare 1970 psych LP.
Remember this band's great song "People" from the Love, Peace & Poetry: Latin Amercian Psychedelia compilation? Well, that's the first track on here, followed by more bluesy jungle psych rock made by wandering Yankee hippy Stephen Scott (bass/vocals) and a group of fellow freak musicians he met in Venezuela. Although mostly full of fuzz geeetar, pounding garage-rawk energy, and wild harp blowing, there are also some moments of melancholic folk-rock gentleness.
It's obviously mastered from one of the rare vinyl copies, 'cause the sound is just a bit scratchy, but that's not particularily detrimental -- after all, this is an album with musique concrete elements that of course include the sound of a flushing toilet as the first thing you hear!
RealAudio clip: "People"
RealAudio clip: "And Everywhere I See The Shadow Of That Life"

LADIES W.C. s/t (Shadoks Music) cd 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Compact disc reissue of super rare 1970 psych LP from Venezuela! We had a previous edition of this a while back, but now it's been reissued by Shadoks, with better packaging and a more legit "look". It now includes liner notes from two of the band members, reminiscing about their days in the band. And the sound quality is much better than before, not so crackly.
Remember this band's great song "People" from the Love, Peace & Poetry: Latin Amercian Psychedelia compilation? Well, that's the first track on here, followed by more bluesy jungle psych rock made by wandering Yankee hippy Stephen Scott (bass/vocals) and a group of fellow freak musicians he met in Venezuela. Although mostly full of fuzz geeetar, pounding garage-rawk energy, and wild harp blowing, there are also some moments of melancholic folk-rock gentleness -- which contrast nicely with the musique concrete elements that of course include the sound of a flushing toilet as the first thing you hear!
MPEG Stream: "People"
MPEG Stream: "And Everywhere I See The Shadow Of That Life"

LADIES WHO LUNCH Present: Kims We Love (Grand Royal) 7" 3.99
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
LwL is Kate Schellenbach (Luscious Jackson, Beastie Boys) and Josephine Wiggs (Breeders, Perfect Disaster) emitting plinky bleepy noises from children's synths. They cover 'Bull in the Heather' and 'Gigantic,' hence the record's title. Get it?

LADIES, THE They Mean Us (Temporary Residence Ltd.) cd 14.98
Rob Crow has been paying much more attention to his metallic leanings as of late. With his Goblin Cock release a few months back he was finally able to unleash a side of himself that the smooth sounds of Pinback don't really allow. Being HUGE fans of Mr. Crow back from his beginnings in Heavy Vegetable (-especially- in HM!) there is no doubt that Crow has always had a scrappy / scizophrenic / ADD element to his aesthetic, which definitely showed on those Heavy Vegetable records and even his records with Thingy. Being able to go from bursts of guitar and drums to the sweetest melody all at the drop of a coin. The Ladies find him re-exploring that chaotioc split personality, hard meets soft side of his song writing skills. The Ladies are two fellas, the abovementioned Mr. Crow and Mr. Zach Hill (of Hella). Sounds promising, doesn't it?
The two bring their totally recognizable and seemingly incompatible sounds together to create a record that's choppy, rocking, proggy, noisy, poppy, sweet and satisfying all at the same time. There are moments when Zach's Hella sounds comes to the front with intense drumming and noisy outbursts, but underneath it all Rob Crow shows again how no matter what elements he's working with, he has the ability to bring out whatever great pop song or hidden hook that lives underneath it all. Another exciting chapter in the always ongoing and prolific world of Rob Crow. And quite possibly our favorite batch of Crow tunes since Heavy Vegetable or the first Pinback record!
MPEG Stream: "Black Caesar / Red Sonja"
MPEG Stream: "Nice Chaps, Buddy"

LADIES, THE They Mean Us (Temporary Residence Ltd.) lp 13.98
Rob Crow has been paying much more attention to his metallic leanings as of late. With his Goblin Cock release a few months back he was finally able to unleash a side of himself that the smooth sounds of Pinback don't really allow. Being HUGE fans of Mr. Crow back from his beginnings in Heavy Vegetable (-especially- in HM!) there is no doubt that Crow has always had a scrappy / scizophrenic / ADD element to his aesthetic, which definitely showed on those Heavy Vegetable records and even his records with Thingy. Being able to go from bursts of guitar and drums to the sweetest melody all at the drop of a coin. The Ladies find him re-exploring that chaotioc split personality, hard meets soft side of his song writing skills. The Ladies are two fellas, the abovementioned Mr. Crow and Mr. Zach Hill (of Hella). Sounds promising, doesn't it?
The two bring their totally recognizable and seemingly incompatible sounds together to create a record that's choppy, rocking, proggy, noisy, poppy, sweet and satisfying all at the same time. There are moments when Zach's Hella sounds comes to the front with intense drumming and noisy outbursts, but underneath it all Rob Crow shows again how no matter what elements he's working with, he has the ability to bring out whatever great pop song or hidden hook that lives underneath it all. Another exciting chapter in the always ongoing and prolific world of Rob Crow. And quite possibly our favorite batch of Crow tunes since Heavy Vegetable or the first Pinback record!
MPEG Stream: "Black Caesar / Red Sonja"
MPEG Stream: "Nice Chaps, Buddy"

LADY GENIUS s/t (Gold Robot) 10" 7.98
Channeling the orchestral pop sound of many of the Elephant Six bands (Olivia Tremor Control, Neutral Milk Hotel, Apples In Stereo, The Minders) this Bay Area five piece has got some mighty fine pop chops of their own. "Saber Ace" is probably our favorite of the bunch which is so delightfully sweet & sour and benefits from the somewhat lo-fi and dirty recording. They do a really nice job of sprinkling tasteful horns on a few of these tracks. Six sweet songs grace this red vinyl record which also comes with a code for a free download.

LADY SOVEREIGN Blah Blah EP (Universal Island) cdep+dvd 11.98
It's hard to get a grime fix these days, at least on this side of the Atlantic. We got a grimy little tease last year with an ep we made aQ Record Of The Week last November. A dizzying, head spinning post hip hop whatthefuck. For those who have yet to sample the grime, imagine a super stripped down hip hop, sort of junglized, a very ragga like beat, lots of fuzzy synths, and then rapping that is totally tonguetwisting, lightning fast, marble mouthed. Lady Sovereign is the toast of the grime scene these days, having blown up BIG managing to pretty much totally eclipse M.I.A who was one of the first grime shooting stars. But deservedly so we have to say. Lady Sov's tracks are fierce and funky, funny and spunky, the beats are killer, the music is always weird and wild, and her flow is second to none, fast and furious flurries of disses, self deprecation, insane free association, all woven into impossibly tangled smears of mind melting wordplay. And "Blah Blah" might be here best track yet. The riff (yep, there are real insturments) is some weird Morricone guitar twang, almost like a grime Cramps or something, peppered with plenty of little Missy Elliott bleeps and rhythmic hiccups. And Lady Sov going fucking wild over the top. Never thought she could get faster, never thought the rhymes could get more bizarre and funny as hell. But they have, in a big way. It's a bit frustrating to get hit with another single, since we're all chomping at the bit for the upcoming Jay-Z full length, but when they're this good, it's hard to complain too much. Plus these singles are packed to the gills with extra goodies. The cd features the new track, a remix (by Adrock from the Beastie Boys) which also showed up on the Vertically Challenged ep, plus you get two live tracks, one an almost rocker, the other a simple stripped down beat, with Sov freestyling. Pretty cool. Plus you get a DVD with the video for "Blah Blah" as well as a making of short and a bunch of interviews with fans.
Just barely enough to hold us over, in fact we were definitely jonesing for more Lady Sov so this arrived just in time, but now we're even more anxious for the full length to drop, since we're pretty dang sure that Lady Sov / Jay-Z joint is gonna destroy.
SUPER LIMITED. Each disc is numbered. We got about 30 copies. Pretty sure they're gone for good after that.
MPEG Stream: "Blah Blah"

LADYBUG TRANSISTOR Live At Emmabodafestivalen 99 (Amigo) cd 8.98
An official "bootleg" released by the band themselves. As per the bootleg norm, the cover is a simple black and white Xerox-looking photo, and most song titles (and the band's name) are wonkily misspelled... intentionally. Lo-fi packaging aside, this is quite an impressive live recording. Both the sound quality and band performances are right on the mark. Elephant 6 Collective followers will be familiar with these kids, but if you haven't visited that crowded clubhouse yet, this is from the chamber pop branch of that musical arts'n'crafts collective. Mind you, if you are new to them you should first check out "The Albemarle Sound" album on which most of these songs originally appear. Plentiful orchestral pop flair. Fans of the grand stylings of Cinerama or Magnetic Fields, just might soon become fans of the LT. Includes a BeeGees cover to boot!
RealAudio clip: "Aleidas Theme"
RealAudio clip: "Masschussettes"
RealAudio clip: "Medow Port Arch"

LADYFINGER (NE) Dusk (Saddle Creek) cd 14.98
Sometimes you just need some guy rock (or should that be "Guy Rock"). Yeah, you do. The kind with tons of dudely testosterone with just a tiny squirt of fabric softener so that the ol' grey hoodie is comfy enough and not too stinky for the girlfriend. Whenever she hears this, Cup makes a beeline for her old Seaweed albums whose fierce yet catchy emo punk pop tunes are a clear influence. Chris Machmuller and Jamie Massey's muscular double-barrelled guitar riffin' flexes along with the sharp punch of Pat Oakes' drums while the deep boil of Ethan Jones' bass guitar provides the imposing scowl. What brings this band's music out of the '90s is the emotive scream-yelp-croon vocal range of Chris Machmuller which alternately brings to mind Seaweed's Aaron Stauffer and Queens Of The Stone Age's Josh Homme. Cool stuff!
MPEG Stream: "Over And Over"
MPEG Stream: "Bones"

LADYHAWK s/t (Jagjaguwar) cd 16.98
Debut album from a Canadian band that you can be sure has a healthy collection of both indie rock and classic rock records that they hold near and dear to their hearts. Crunchy guitar and emotive vocals that echo both '70s rock a la Neil Young & Crazy Horse/CSNY, as well as indie rock luminaries like Dinosaur Jr, Will Oldham, and later era Husker Du as well as roaming some of the same territory as label-mates Black Mountain (which makes sense since some of the folks in Ladyhawk also do time in Black Mountain).
MPEG Stream: "My Old Jacknife"
MPEG Stream: "Drunk Eyes"

LADYTRON 604 (Emperor Norton) cd 16.98
Pop music simply doesn't get much more stylin' than this euro-fashion plate quartet. 604 is packed with groovy moments that bring to mind the sound and mood of "Sexy Boy" by AIR (but with female vocals). Lots of retro-futuristic (yes, at times quite Giorgio Moroder, New Order and Kraftwerk-esque --- in fact, their song "He Took Her To A Movie" is a shameful deadringer for "The Model") synth fluffiness along with equally light, playful lyrics delivered by the two female vocalists in sweet breathiness cozied up next to almost-spoken drollness a la Flying Lizards. Add in the bouncing, boogie-worthy beats and - voila! - a perfect fit on the Emperor Norton roster (amid such kindred spirits as Fantastic Plastic Machine and Takako Minekawa). Although I do have to ask -- why? Why do something that was done to perfection in the '80s and not even add anything new to the formula?
RealAudio clip: "Discotraxx"
RealAudio clip: "The Way That I Found You"

LADYTRON Extended Play (RykoDisc) cd+dvd 11.98
Ladytron enter a bid to keep the kids on the dancefloor just a little bit longer with this remixes 'n' b-sides collection. The former are previously unreleased tracks in which the fluffy electronic pop foursome's music gets even more techno-fied, and the latter are drawn from their Witching Hour album's UK singles. One of the best cuts on the cd is the third. It's James Iha mix of "Weekend". He wisely keeps one of the best things about Ladytron in the foreground, that is, the gals' breathy kittenish vocals. It has a raved-up ending that would've been great on the Run Lola Run soundtrack. Another tasty track is what the group has dubbed the "Catholic Version" of their last album's single "Destroy Everything You Touch". They deliver the song's simple central synth line through a church organ sound and apply a heavy dose of echoe-y cathedral-esque reverb. Quite nice. An aside, we'd swear that in the second track ("Nothing To Hide" which is one of the b-sides, but actually seems more like a remix in its unstructuredness) they're singing "I huff and I puff". It could be our rain-addled minds, 'cause we kinda doubt that they'd be making any Three Little Pigs references.
Also included in the deal is a bonus dvd so that in between boogie sessions you can kick back for a half an hour or so and watch some vids and a short documentary.
MPEG Stream: "Nothing To Hide"
MPEG Stream: "Weekend (James Iha Mix)"

LADYTRON Gravity The Seducer (Nettwerk) cd 13.98

LADYTRON Gravity The Seducer (Nettwerk) lp 22.00

LADYTRON Light & Magic (Emperor Norton) cd 17.98
Here it is, the much-anticipated second full length from these four Euro-cats! Behold more pleasingly groovy, unbarbed club pop that's definitely not experimental nor groundbreaking although they've been frequently touted thusly by the media. Prepare yourself to see their name in even more electro-clash / '80s discussion-group threads! Yes, many have yet to forgive them for their shameless facsimile of Kraftwerk's "The Model" ("He Took Her To A Movie") and their general recreation of the '80s new wave dance sound, but seldom do you hear as loud an outcry about any of the recent guitar-based revivals and regurgitations. Hmmm, seems to be just a given that guitars - both acoustic and electric - are a mainstay, whereas synthesizers are somehow still viewed as novel and effortless button-pushing. Clearly it's what you do with your chosen instrument that's key, and you can do quite a lot with a guitar, but you can also do quite a lot, if not more, with a synthesizer. That said, this album does find the foursome venturing out a little further, and honing their songwriting and production skills. "Nuhorizons" and "Re:Agents" are prime examples of this. Yet overall, Ladytron still overflows with bubbly programmed beats and repetitive, uncomplicated arpeggiated melodies (the synthesized 'strings' sounds are put to rather abundant use). Their distinct soft'n'wispy versus droll'n'deadpan dual female vocals are much more effected and integrated into the mix, making the lyrics less decipherable than those on 604, and making the album, as a whole, less pop. Sadly however, there aren't any tracks that immediately made their presence known by locking their hooks in the way that "Playgirl" or "Paco!" did. Andee did remark however that "Turn It On" sounded like it could easily be "Axel's Theme Part Two" from Beverly Hills Cop. Whether this is a good or bad thing... dunno! Regardless, if you like sleek, stylish and playful dance music, Ladytron is for you.
RealAudio clip: "Seventeen"
RealAudio clip: "Turn It On"
RealAudio clip: "Nuhorizons"
RealAudio clip: "Re:Agents"

LADYTRON Light & Magic (Emperor Norton) 2lp 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Now on vinyl...
Here it is, the much-anticipated second full length from these four Euro-cats! Behold more pleasingly groovy, unbarbed club pop that's definitely not experimental nor groundbreaking although they've been frequently touted thusly by the media. Prepare yourself to see their name in even more electro-clash / '80s discussion-group threads! Yes, many have yet to forgive them for their shameless facsimile of Kraftwerk's "The Model" ("He Took Her To A Movie") and their general recreation of the '80s new wave dance sound, but seldom do you hear as loud an outcry about any of the recent guitar-based revivals and regurgitations. Hmmm, seems to be just a given that guitars - both acoustic and electric - are a mainstay, whereas synthesizers are somehow still viewed as novel and effortless button-pushing. Clearly it's what you do with your chosen instrument that's key, and you can do quite a lot with a guitar, but you can also do quite a lot, if not more, with a synthesizer. That said, this album does find the foursome venturing out a little further, and honing their songwriting and production skills. "Nuhorizons" and "Re:Agents" are prime examples of this. Yet overall, Ladytron still overflows with bubbly programmed beats and repetitive, uncomplicated arpeggiated melodies (the synthesized 'strings' sounds are put to rather abundant use). Their distinct soft'n'wispy versus droll'n'deadpan dual female vocals are much more effected and integrated into the mix, making the lyrics less decipherable than those on 604, and making the album, as a whole, less pop. Sadly however, there aren't any tracks that immediately made their presence known by locking their hooks in the way that "Playgirl" or "Paco!" did. Andee did remark however that "Turn It On" sounded like it could easily be "Axel's Theme Part Two" from Beverly Hills Cop. Whether this is a good or bad thing... dunno! Regardless, if you like sleek, stylish and playful dance music, Ladytron is for you.
RealAudio clip: "Seventeen"
RealAudio clip: "Turn It On"
RealAudio clip: "Nuhorizons"
RealAudio clip: "Re:Agents"

LADYTRON Velocifero (Netwerk) cd 16.98

LADYTRON Velocifero (Cobraside) 2lp 24.00

LADYTRON Witching Hour (Rykodisc) cd 16.98
Many changes greeted us when we put this new Ladytron album on for its inaugural spin. For one thing, they're much less electronic dance-oriented, for another they've beefed up their line-up and sound most noticeably by adding a human drummer. There's far less of their shameless Kraftwerk worship this time around, and some more edgier power pop sensibilities (think Elastica or more recently Canada's Metric). On this their third full length, Ladytron also venture more into the territory of space age euro-pop. Many songs on Witching Hour conjure images of lovely stylish 60's jetsetters whisking their way through Heathrow Airport on their way to the next exotic destination. Light, effervescent and pretty. If you liked their song "Playgirl" from their first album 604, there's a lot here that will tickle your fancy. This certainly continues on in that delightful vein with soft female vocals charming the pants off the listener from start to finish. Oooooh la la!
MPEG Stream: "High Rise"
MPEG Stream: "International Dateline"

LAGUARDA, PEP & TAPINERIA Brossa d'Ahir (Discmedi Blau) cd 17.98
Wow! What a dreamy Spanish psych-folk gem this is! A gorgeous sonic gem from the late 70's only making it to our eager ears nearly 30 years later. Turns out this is the only album that Pep Laguarda released, but what a timeless record left for future generations to enjoy. With production and assistance from Daevid Allen of Gong and Soft Machine, Brossa d'Ahir is the kind of record you put on and then just drift away and get lost with. So breezy and well crafted, these are songs designed for long daydreams, windows down as the wind comes rushing in and the scenery breezes by. Pep Laguarda & Tapineria is reminding us of the Chilean cosmic psych-folk of Congregacion, the tender touch of Caetano Veloso and the sprawling beauty of Neil Young albums like On The Beach or Comes A Time. We can imagine that if they aren't already, current day folks like Brightblack Morning Light, Devendra Banhart, Will Oldham and Vetiver would be drooling over the beautiful melodies and flowing ambience of this three decade old document of psych-folk perfection!
MPEG Stream: "Alceu Vos,Xe,Que Ja Es De Dia Sent"
MPEG Stream: "Cims Abismes"

LAIBACH Anthems (Mute) 2cd 25.00
The art of Laibach can be found in their precise engineering of context, as they specialize in the cross-pollenization of musical archetypes and political rhetoric in an effort to undermine the totalitarian forces at work within consumer culture. The Laibach iconography emerges as a complex and purposefully contradictory concoction of Nazi-kunst, Wagnerian pomp, and Teutonic disco. When Laibach gets their hands on them, these forms become especially absurd, as they fuse such industrialized, miltaristic aesthetics to the songs of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Queen, Pink Floyd, Europe, and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Yes, some of these Frankensteinian marches are a little clumsy; if you've heard their infamous reinterpretation of the Beatles' Let It Be, and particularly the comically fumbled version of "Get Back", then you know that Laibach's iron fist has the potential to crack a pretty bad joke from time to time.
Anthems is the self-explanitory anthology of Laibach's most bombastic, and well, anthemic work. In many ways, Anthems is a "best of" compilation for Laibach, dating back to such classics as "Brat Moj" a turgid, solemn oath delivered with the sanguine baritone voice that has become a trademark for Laibach. But the bulk of Anthems feature the jackhammered, post-Wax Trax rhythms, incendiary guitar riffs, and claustrophobic electronics which Rammstein shamelessly stole on their way to MTV domination. Laibach probably didn't care, as they obviously did it much better and with a smug intelligence that Rammstein wholly lacks. Along with a great retrospective of this self-proclaimed retro-garde band, Anthems also features a second disc of remixes which apply a greater dancefloor sheen to Laibach's sound.
MPEG Stream: "Die Liebe"
MPEG Stream: "Panorama"
MPEG Stream: "Sympathy For The Devil"
MPEG Stream: "Wirtschaft Is Tot"

LAIBACH Neu Konservatiw (Cold Spring) cd 14.98
From their very earliest audio documents and live performances, the Slovenian avant-industrial ensemble Laibach had developed an incredibly focused mythology around themselves as a provocative force acting upon the extremes of art and politics. Working particularly with the aesthetics of totalitarianism (which as a political institution had long been hammered into the psyche of the Slovenian people from the left, right, East, and West), Laibach reconstituted any number of myths which invoked both fear and fascination in their audience. They wrote manifestos calling for a depersonalization through their music; they cross-pollinated Stalinist and Nazi imagery (alongside occultish symbolism and increasingly absurdist pop-cultural references); and they qualified their concerts as presentations of "systematic psycho-physical terror as a principle of social organization." In 1985 when Laibach ventured out upon their Occupied Europe Tour, they were a truly scary band with nobody really knowing how to analyze what they were doing. Was it an ugly resurgence of fascism? Was it psychological warfare conducted in the public arena? Was it a post-modern strategy reconnecting signifiers of hollowed ideologies? It was probably all of those things and more.
In the live recordings from that tour that made their way onto Neu Konservatiw, Laibach's sound was a punishing collision of martial rhythms and megaphone vocal broadcasts, exhibiting none of the black humour found later in their Beatles covers or their take on Jesus Christ Superstar. With the insistent plod of the multiple drums and monochord bass thumps, Laibach paralleled the abject stomp that the Swans were producing at that time, even though both projects had vastly different artistic intentions. As their studio albums in the mid-'80s were mostly sample based and had a clipped rigidity that make some of their songs a little clumsy, the live setting forced Laibach to strip their music to the most essential stabs of anthemic bombast; and on Neu Konservatiw, Laibach pull it off with an executioner's cold stoicism. Forcefully blunt and uncompromisingly brilliant.
MPEG Stream: "Nova Akropola (live)"
MPEG Stream: "Die Liebe (live)"

LAIBACH Rekapitulacija 1980 + 1984 (NSK / EFA) cd 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
If one were to take the logic of appropriative artists like Warhol or Rauschenberg, to the extremities of absurdity and dehumanization through the procress of mechanical reproduction, you would have Laibach. Perhaps the most misunderstood post-modern project to infiltrate pop culture, Laibach has often been associated with the proliferation of totalitarianism and Nazi culture, simply because they used those higly charged symbols and images and projected them back into the mass culture. However, Laibach's intent is to reinvest not just those symbols, but any symbol of authority and power, with the question of why is this symbol important to our culture. In many ways, Laibach was continuing in the same paths of inquiry found in their British compatriots Throbbing Gristle and The Hafler Trio; however, Laibach never cracked a smile, an attitude exemplified in their triumphant reinterpretations of the Beatles "Let It Be" as a series of miliaristic dirges and patriotic medleys.
"Rekapitulacija 1980 + 1984" was their first album, released as a double LP set with a beautiful series of reproduced woodcuts, offering portraits of the noble spirit from the agrarian worker married to the industrial landscapes, mirroring the same totalitarian artforms that had been thrust upon their native Slovenia during the Nazi occupation and later behind the Iron Curtain, when Yugoslavia was a Communist country. Despite this being their earliest set of recordings, Laibach's skill in the studio is tremendous, as heard in their epic piece 'Ti, Ki Izzivas' transforming Bernhard Hermann's soundtrack for "Psycho" into a punishing uber-motif coupled with a relentless drum machine pound and discordant organ blasts. Other tracks such as 'Brat Moj' or 'Smrt Za Smrt' are brooding no wave constructions, taking the best and most haunting elements of early Swans and early Cabaret Voltaire and fusing them into a skeletal anti-groove laced with growling vocals and commanding basslines.
But Laibach themselves have said it best in their early masterpiece 'Perspektive' : "By darkening the consumers' mind, it drives them into a state of humble contrition and total obedience and self-sacrifice, by destroying every track of individuality, it melts the individuals into a mass and a mass into a humble collective body... Our basic inspiration (ideals which are not ideals through their form but the material of Laibach manipulation itself) remains an industrial production, the art of the third Reich, totalitarianism, taylorism, bruitism, disco... The disco rhythm as a regular repetition, is the purest / the most radical form of the militantly organized rhythmicity of technicist production, and as such the most appropriate means of media manipulation." To hear this recited in the style of a Russian propagandist over a ominous thud of drum machines and triumphant Wagnerian horns, one can't help but laugh at the absurdity of such a statement; however, the logic quickly sinks in that Laibach are 100% correct. A brilliant album.
Perhaps the greatest and most challenging pieces of conceptual art disguised as a pop album. Truly awesome.
MPEG Stream: "Brat Moj"
MPEG Stream: "Slovenska Zena"
MPEG Stream: "Ti, Ki Izzivas"

LAIBACH Wat (Mute) cd 16.98
What with the sad recent history of the former Yugoslovia -- conflicting ethnicities and religions, horrible atrocities, wars upon wars -- Laibach's perspectives on politics and culture appear as ghastly premonitions, which unfortunately have come true. Since the early '80s Laibach has located their Slovenia at the crossroads of the many forces (e.g. Nazi fascism, Communism, Western consumerism, fundamentalist religions, etc.) which all attempt to exact their wills upon the people of their nation, who in turn have had to adapt culturally, politically, or otherwise to such forces. In turn, Laibach and their larger organization NSK has embraced this behavior for adaptation and appropriation as a means of both celebrating the Slovenian spirit and criticizing the invasive forces. At times, the Laibach ethos spoke through grim industrial mantras (e.g. "Rekapitulacija" and "Nova Akropola"); yet others, Laibach's message came through the pastiche of their bizarrely comical cover album of the Beatles "Let It Be."
So strong are their convictions about their own concepts, politics, and aesthetics that Laibach runs dangerously close to self-parody. Of course, Laibach has plenty of rhetoric to defend their conceptual agenda; but it's hard for them to hide behind tautologies in defense of "Wat," a strange album that jack hammers 909 rhythms, Wagnerian samples, Chain Reactive synth pads, and growling vocals into a slick production not unlike a guitarless Rammstein, who in turn are the most egregious of Laibach copyists. That said, Laibach unwaveringly believes that "Wat" is a relevant pop album disguising their interrogative practices. The bombast of these ideals is what makes Laibach so effective, but at the same time Laibach can stumble over their own tongues.
MPEG Stream: "B Mashina"
MPEG Stream: "Du Bist Unser"
MPEG Stream: "Now You Will Pay"

LAIKA Good Looking Blues (Too Pure) cd 21.00
Margaret Fiedler and her Laika co-horts brings us another super-sultry album. The follow-up to Sound of The Satellites is full of the same sexy murmurred, whispered vocals, rich Rhodes keyboard, minimoog textures, and intricate rhythms. A wonderfully groovy collection.

LAIKA Good Looking Blues (Too Pure) cd 15.98
Now domestically available (thus cheaper, the important point). Otherwise, as with the identical import version that we previously stocked, it's a super-sultry follow up to "The Sounds of Satellites", full of the same sexy murmurred, whispered vox, minimoog textures, and infectious rhythms.

LAIKA Lost In Space (Pure) 2cd 16.98
A ten year anniversary double cd retrospective from the fabulous Laika! Even a decade after their debut, some amount of confusion still seems to linger as to the band's identity. Therefore, once again we'd like to state the following: Named after the Soviet space travellin' canine (the album cover is an awesome photo of the lil' doggie's bubble helmet!), this Laika is not to be confused with the other musical group of the same name (y'know, the one with The Cosmonauts) who are a surf combo. That said, this trippy groovy London quartet, lead by Ms Margaret Fiedler (formerly of Moonshake) and Guy Fixsen, have released three fine albums - 1994's Silver Apples Of The Moon (no relation to the band nor the Morton Subotnick album of the same name), 1997's Sounds Of The Satellites, and Good Lookin' Blues from 2000. A fourth full length is currently in the works. They're a melding of all the good stuff: complex and sexy electronics, hypnotic dubby bass, scintillating jazzy percussion, and Fiedler's seductive vocals. Meticulously piecing and layering it all together to set moods that crackle, smoulder and undulate.
The first cd is a compilation of highlights from their three previous albums, and the second features remixes, Peel sessions, live recordings and a *new* previously unreleased track! Will surely delight Laika fans until their next album finally surfaces, and win them some new admirers as well. Captivating!
RealAudio clip: "Beestinger"
RealAudio clip: "Sugar Daddy"

LAIKA Sounds Of The Satellites (Too Pure) cd 14.98
Finally available domestically!

LAIKA Wherever I Am I Am What Is Missing (Too Pure) cd 13.98
Laika aren't a band of sudden changes or startling shifts. They've effectively cast their spell, soothing and grooving their way through three smokily trippy albums, and you might recall their splendid ten year retrospective compilation from earlier this year callled Lost In Space. Well, we're pleased to report that with the lengthily titled Wherever I Am I Am What Is Missing, they're showing no signs of stopping. That said, this full length contains perhaps their most low key and stripped down tracks ever. Their usual lush assemblage of samples and diverse array of instruments have been stripped down to the Laika bare bones basics Fender Rhodes keys, undulating bass lines, kinetic rhythms and Margaret Fiedler's spoken-sung vocals. Still very hypnotic and moody, it makes for a perfect late night wind down album.
MPEG Stream: "Girl Without Hands"
MPEG Stream: "King Sleepy"

LAKE OF DRACULA (Skin Graft) cd 14.98
A "supergroup" of folks from what Skin Graft likes to call Chicago's "Now Wave" scene. (Someone from the label even asked to speak to our store's "Now Wave" buyer. Geez.) Regardless of such silliness, this band is comprised of Heather from the Scissor Girls, Marlon Magas from Couch, Weasel Walter from the Flying Luttenbachers and Al Johnson from the mighty U.S. Maple. In addition, Fred Lonberg-Holm contributes cello on one track and the mighty Jim O'Rourke had a hand in the recording. This is the band that will be opening for 50 Foot Hose and the Silver Apples at the Kilowatt here in S.F. on June 1st.

LAKE OF DRACULA (Skin Graft) lp 10.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
A "supergroup" of folks from what Skin Graft likes to call Chicago's "Now Wave" scene. (Someone from the label even asked to speak to our store's "Now Wave" buyer. Geez.) Regardless of such silliness, this band is comprised of Heather from the Scissor Girls, Marlon Magas from Couch, Weasel Walter from the Flying Luttenbachers and Al Johnson from the mighty U.S. Maple. In addition, Fred Lonberg-Holm contributes cello on one track and the mighty Jim O'Rourke had a hand in the recording. This is the band that will be opening for 50 Foot Hose and the Silver Apples at the Kilowatt here in S.F. on June 1st.

LAKE OF DRACULA Skeletal Remains (Savage Land) cd 13.98
BACK IN STOCK!
What's weird is we don't remember liking Lake Of Dracula very much back in the day, but listening to this now, it's sort of kicking our ass in a huge way. Pounding sludgy new wavish punk rock, with a serious gothy dark vibe. Sort of like Chrome playing Interpol or something. Big crunchy guitars playing doomy angular riffs, a simple garagerock thud, thick swaths of feedback, occasional squalls of psychedelic freakout, and vocals that rant and rave in a super dramatic croon. Most of this disc is take from a live radio broadcast recorded May 28th, 1997, but there are a handful of extra tracks taken from singles and compilations. This short lived combo ('95-'97) featured Flying Luttenbachers drummer extrordinaire Weasel Walter on the GUITAR, Marlon Magas from Couch and Magas on vocals, Jessica from the Jacks on bass and Heather M. from the Scissor Girls on the drumkit as well as some guest rock action from Al of U.S. Maple fame.
Shit, the more we listen to this, the more we're digging it. An ultra chaotic mix of old school industrial thud, gloomy depressive punk rock, psychedelic garage rock stomp, a hellish sort-of-rockabilly with reverbed guitars and galloping drums, gloomy doom and in-your-face no-wave freakout. Seems like it would be a big ol' mess and it sort of is, but it sounds so impossibly good. Like the Strokes with frontal lobotomies recording for Bulb, or some caveman doom band covering Franz Ferdinand after taking huge handfuls of horse tranquilizers. Getting a jump on the current crop of new wave revivalists by a decade. But their new wave was a whole lot darker, damaged and demented!
MPEG Stream: "Four Teachers"
MPEG Stream: "Plague Of Frogs"
MPEG Stream: "Biographers Of The Flaming Druglords"
MPEG Stream: "Cherries And Socks"

LAKE OF DRACULA Skeletal Remains (Rococo) lp 15.98
Now on vinyl! Here's what we said about the cd edition when it came out a few years back:
What's weird is we don't remember liking Lake Of Dracula very much back in the day, but listening to this now, it's sort of kicking our ass in a huge way. Pounding sludgy new wavish punk rock, with a serious gothy dark vibe. Sort of like Chrome playing Interpol or something. Big crunchy guitars playing doomy angular riffs, a simple garagerock thud, thick swaths of feedback, occasional squalls of psychedelic freakout, and vocals that rant and rave in a super dramatic croon. Most of this disc is take from a live radio broadcast recorded May 28th, 1997, but there are a handful of extra tracks taken from singles and compilations. This short lived combo ('95-'97) featured Flying Luttenbachers drummer extraordinaire Weasel Walter on the GUITAR, Marlon Magas from Couch and Magas on vocals, Jessica from the Jacks on bass and Heather M. from the Scissor Girls on the drumkit as well as some guest rock action from Al of U.S. Maple fame.
Shit, the more we listen to this, the more we're digging it. An ultra chaotic mix of old school industrial thud, gloomy depressive punk rock, psychedelic garage rock stomp, a hellish sort-of-rockabilly with reverbed guitars and galloping drums, gloomy doom and in-your-face no-wave freakout. Seems like it would be a big ol' mess and it sort of is, but it sounds so impossibly good. Like the Strokes with frontal lobotomies recording for Bulb, or some caveman doom band covering Franz Ferdinand after taking huge handfuls of horse tranquilizers. Getting a jump on the current crop of new wave revivalists by a decade. But their new wave was a whole lot darker, damaged and demented!
MPEG Stream: "Four Teachers"
MPEG Stream: "Plague Of Frogs"
MPEG Stream: "Biographers Of The Flaming Druglords"
MPEG Stream: "Cherries And Socks"

LALI PUNA Faking the Books (Morr Music) cd 16.98
Lali Puna's third album is not as engaging on first listen as its two full length predecessors 1999's Tridecoder and 2001's Scary World Theory, but it's definitely grown on us with repeat listens. Valerie Trebeljahr's sweet wisp of a voice wafts gracefully around the abrasive guitars and woozy synths of wunderkind Markus Acher (Notwist, Village of Savoonga, Tied & Tickled Trio). Like The Notwist and brother Micha's Ms John Soda, Lali Puna are able to straddle the rock / electronica line incredibly well. On the one hand, they can exude an amazing amount of warmth for a band founded in the electronic recording studio and on the other they can rock out with the best: tracking live drums, bass, guitar and violin as often as they rely on sequencers and synths. Acher and Trebeljahr never forsake good, solid song writing with infectious hooks and rich harmonies for studio wizardry gimmicks. In fact, they utilize the two with uncanny balance and effect. Before closing, the comparisons that will be drawn, nay have been drawn, between Lali Puna and Stereolab must be addressed. Yes, many tracks on Faking The Books immediately bring to mind the aformentioned English electroni-rock warhorse. And while certain superficial likenesses are admittedly there: female singer, similar cache of electronic gear, and an ostensibly pop music format, it's what lies at the core of their respective musical engines that makes them different. Think of Lali Puna as what might happen to Stereolab if they managed to be a little less regimented and a little more playful.
MPEG Stream: "Faking The Books"
MPEG Stream: "Micronomic"

LALI PUNA Micronomic (Morr Music) cd ep 8.98
Micronomic is a song from Lali Puna's most recent full length Faking The Books. In addition to appearing in its unadulterated state, the dreamy pop song gets the remix and video treatment for this cdep -- an expansive remix by Boom Bip (in exchange for the one they contributed to the recent B.B. release Corymb), and video by Luis Briceno. Another album track "Alienation" is also remixed by their tourmates Alias. Both remixers are totally respectful of Lali Puna's overall sound, injecting more billowy spaciousness into the lovely already-atmopheric tracks. Rounding out this 5-song ep are two brand new ones "The Daily Match" and the moody instrumental "Harrison Reverse". Nice!
MPEG Stream: "Micronomic Boom Bip Remix"
MPEG Stream: "The Daily Match"

LALI PUNA Our Inventions (Morr) cd 15.98
Markus Asher had once been quite a prolific producer of avant poptones, beginning way back when with the underappreciated Village Of Savoonga and moving onto the arcing indietronica brilliance of The Notwist whose zenith occurred with Neon Golden back in 2002. Lali Puna was an Asher project that ran concurrent to both Savoonga and Notwist, with often sublime impressionist songs matching the breathy vocals of Valerie Trebeljahr with percolating electronics wrapped around twee pop ballads. Our Inventions is the first album by Lali Puna in quite a long time. Six years since the last proper record. Five since a collection of B-sides and remixes. Not much has changed for Lali Puna. The band settles upon polite, slightly melancholy melodies that flicker upon delicate rhythms built out of clockwork sequences and restrained tappings on the drumkit. Delicate as always.
MPEG Stream: "Remember"
MPEG Stream: "Our Inventions"

LALI PUNA Tridecoder (Darla/HausMusik) cd 14.98
While this quartet boasts the talents of Markus Acher and Christoph Brandner from Village of Savoonga, Valerie Trebeljahr and Florian Zimmer, this is far from that band's dark, textured, moody compositions. Lali Puna lead by Trebeljahr is much more of an airy, textured, pretty combo. Think a German Stereolab. Playful programmed beats, wafting organ drones, twinkling electronics, murmurred vocals, and an ample array of sampled sounds.

LAMBCHOP Aw Cmon (Merge) cd 14.98
These two records were born from an experiment undertaken by Lambchop frontman Kurt Wagner. The experiment? To try and write a song every day for a year. Apparently, the experiment was a success and the song-a-day regime was easier than expected. These two releases represent the cream of the crop of those..um...365 songs?!?! Phew, could've been a 20 disc set! The Lambchop sound is in full effect. lush, and sweet, lots of strings and big arrangements, with Wagner's distinctive and lugubrious drawl. For those of you unfamiliar with Lambchop, imagine Vic Chesnutt fronting the Tindersticks. That gives you a rough idea. But Wagner's arrangements aren't always dour and dark. His songs evoke afternoon tea in the parlour and lazy mornings on the porch as much as they explore loneliness and despair. A sort of big band / lounge / no depression / Gone With The Wind / redneck musical. Played impeccably. Wagner's caustic wit seems to have mellowed with age, but it suits Lambchop's ever mellowing smooth sound to a T. While the two parts of this set -are- different, they are similar enough that, we're not sure what to say. They exist as a sort of call and response, one complimenting the other. So it seems unlikely that anyone would buy just one. And needless to say, if you're a Lambchop fan, you're definitely gonna want both.
MPEG Stream: "Being Tyler"
MPEG Stream: "Four Pounds In Two Days"
MPEG Stream: "Steve McQueen"

LAMBCHOP Damaged (Merge) cd 14.98
Between this new album from Lambchop and those from Jason Molina and M. Ward, whoa, this is quite the week for country rock excellence!
Listening to the latest Lambchop album is a lot like wrapping your winter-chilled bones in an old wool blanket... or like being hugged by your favorite bearded uncle -- a bit bristly, but utterly warm and comforting. Y'know, something / someone you can always count on. Their country rooted sound is thick, smooth and dark like molasses with the piano, bass, steel guitar, strings and vocals all melting together beautifully. When this band is 'on' they simply can't be beat for deep, shadowy Americana goodness, and with Damaged they most definitely are! Recommended!
MPEG Stream: "Paperback Bible"
MPEG Stream: "The Rise And Fall Of The Letter P"

LAMBCHOP Damaged (Merge) lp 14.98
Between this new album from Lambchop and those from Jason Molina and M. Ward, whoa, this is quite the week for country rock excellence!
Listening to the latest Lambchop album is a lot like wrapping your winter-chilled bones in an old wool blanket... or like being hugged by your favorite bearded uncle -- a bit bristly, but utterly warm and comforting. Y'know, something/someone you can always count on. Their country rooted sound is thick, smooth and dark like molasses with the piano, bass, steel guitar, strings and vocals all melting together beautifully. When this band is 'on' they simply can't be beat for deep, shadowy Americana goodness, and with Damaged they most definitely are! Recommended!
MPEG Stream: "Paperback Bible"
MPEG Stream: "The Rise And Fall Of The Letter P"

LAMBCHOP Hank (Merge) 10" 6.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
"Introducing The Nashville Sound." Live ep proves they haven't lost it.

LAMBCHOP I Hope You're Sitting Down (Merge) cd 14.98
Lambchop's debut full length from 1994 is, in Windy and Andee's opinion, also their very best! Trembling mandolin, moody horns, bandleader Kurt Wagner at his most lucid, and heartbreaking melodies. A sort of dark gothic twangy lost gem of an album. God I love this record!
RealAudio clip: "Let's Go Bowling"
RealAudio clip: "Betweemus"

LAMBCHOP Is A Woman (Merge) cd 14.98
It's been years since I (Windy) reviewed a Lambchop record. Having deeply adored this Nashville collective's debut full length from several years back (I Hope You're Sitting Down), I haven't found their ensuing musical trajectory very interesting. Their records have progressively gotten slower, more introspective, less twangy, and less hook-filled and melodic. That's not to say their new material is bad. In fact, this new album seems to signal their complete transformation to a different kind of band, one that isn't concerned with the traditional sounds I had favored, but who are now more into creating long, melancholy song poems crooned by bandleader Kurt Wagner, with poignantly pretty flourishes of honkin' baritone sax, hushed female backing vox, emotional piano, etc. Lambchop has become mood music (like Talk Talk did too): it's not about actual songs anymore, it's about being inside Kurt Wagner's head. While their sound is certainly valid and perhaps interesting to some, I have to say I found Is a Woman quite boring. Buyer beware.
RealAudio clip: "The New Cobweb Summer"

LAMBCHOP Mr. M (Merge) cd 14.98
Way back in the mid-nineties, we were a bit obsessed with Nashville's Lambchop, their first record I Hope You're Sitting Down still ranks as one of our all time favorites, a fantastic record of dark twangy slo-mo gothic country ballads rife with clever wordplay that at times reminded us quite a bit of occasional Lambchop member, the late great Vic Chesnutt. Lambchop's vocalist and main songwriter Kurt Wagner's distinctive laconic mumbly croon as much a defining part of their sound, as the lush twang flecked, almost orchestral arrangements.
For whatever reason, we kind of lost touch with Lambchop, as their sound grew more soulful and introspective, we of course checked in occasionally, and looking back on past reviews it seems we always welcomed them back with open arms. And the latest, Mr. M looks to be no different. Another gorgeous songsuite, hushed and gently twangy, warm and lush and darkly dreamy, Wagner's vocals sounding as perfect as ever, and the lyrics, well, the first line of the album opener finds Wagner dropping the F-bomb right off the bat, amidst soaring swirling strings and a shuffling almost easy listening jazziness. The rest of the record is not nearly so string laden, but the songs are all pretty fantastic, we'd say it was a return to form, but really, these guys never stopped. Mr. M has definitely rekindled our love of Lambchop (and had us running home to throw on I Hope You're Sitting Down), and while we may not love it as much as those old records, it definitely still hits the spot.
MPEG Stream: "If Not I'll Just Die"
MPEG Stream: "2B2"
MPEG Stream: "Gone Tomorrow"

LAMBCHOP Nixon (Merge) cd 14.98
Nashville's Lambchop add a little soul to their twang. Introspective male vocals. Nice.

LAMBCHOP No You Cmon (Merge) cd 14.98
These two records were born from an experiment undertaken by Lambchop frontman Kurt Wagner. The experiment? To try and write a song every day for a year. Apparently, the experiment was a success and the song-a-day regime was easier than expected. These two releases represent the cream of the crop of those..um...365 songs?!?! Phew, could've been a 20 disc set! The Lambchop sound is in full effect. lush, and sweet, lots of strings and big arrangements, with Wagner's distinctive and lugubrious drawl. For those of you unfamiliar with Lambchop, imagine Vic Chesnutt fronting the Tindersticks. That gives you a rough idea. But Wagner's arrangements aren't always dour and dark. His songs evoke afternoon tea in the parlour and lazy mornings on the porch as much as they explore loneliness and despair. A sort of big band / lounge / no depression / Gone With The Wind / redneck musical. Played impeccably. Wagner's caustic wit seems to have mellowed with age, but it suits Lambchop's ever mellowing smooth sound to a T. While the two parts of this set -are- different, they are similar enough that, we're not sure what to say. They exist as a sort of call and response, one complimenting the other. So it seems unlikely that anyone would buy just one. And needless to say, if you're a Lambchop fan, you're definitely gonna want both.
MPEG Stream: "Sunrise"
MPEG Stream: "Low Ambition"
MPEG Stream: "There's Still Time"