PEOPLE Ceremony - Buddha Meet Rock (Phoenix) lp 24.00
Yay! Back in print! New label, new packaging, and also now on vinyl!
1971 strikes again! Here's a new cd reish of this beautifully freaky album by a Japanese "Buddhist-psych" band called People, featuring guitarist Kimio Mizutani (who played with Love Live Life + 1, Hiro Yanagida, and others, and did a solo album called A Path Through Haze). There's monk-like chanting and resounding gongs, field recordings of birds and street sounds, and even, strangely enough, samples from soulful psych-funk producer David Axelrod's classic 1968 album Song Of Innocence. And of course heavy wah wah guitar action. The album is a real 'trip', much of it indeed very ceremonial-sounding, venturing from blissful grooves with tick-tock rhythms ("Shomyo Part 2") and placid, lovely droniness ("Prayer Part 1") to sheer pounding electric fuzz riffage laced with screams of orgasmic ecstasy ("Prayer Part 2"). The puzzling use of those lush, orchestral Axelrod samples on the first and last tracks just helps to make this somehow both very much of its time and also way ahead of it (since Axelrod is heavily sampled by folks today as well!). Quite recommended.
This was previously reissued by Teichiku, but that one's been gone for a while. This new reissue on Phoenix is the same price, with the cd packaged in one of their usual "wallet" style cardboard sleeves - and they also did vinyl.
MPEG Stream: "Flower Strewing "
MPEG Stream: "Prayer Part 2"

PEOPLE OF THE NORTH Steep Formations (Brah / Jagjaguwar) 2lp 16.98
Record number two from this Oneida offshoot, two long form pieces, both heavily drum driven, spaced out, psychedelic and very very rhythmic, beholden for sure to the many minimalist greats that came before, not to mention heavily indebted to krautrock classics, but for everything these guys borrow from the past, they manage to infuse it with its own unique modern psychedelic energy. So much so that it's actually quite difficult to describe. The 40+ minute, two part "Border Waves" begins with a strange flurry of stuttering drumming, over heaving swells of whirring organ, and buried swirls of melody, it's not until about 4 minutes in that the sound shifts, the drumming shifts from snare to toms, and gets all tribal, the sound mesmerizing and hypnotic, folks who flipped for the Boredoms Boadrum performances (of which Kid from Onieda and POTN played a big part), will go nuts for this too, a similarly drums-as-portal-to-the-cosmos energy to the sound, that sound growing more and more chaotic, the swirling swooshing background sounds growing more and more active and noisy, but never losing that droned out psych-kraut mesmer. The second movement is almost like the sonic flipside, the background sound, the tripped out synths and drones moving to the fore, squelches and swooshes drifting over a bed of grinding crumbling blacknoise, a similarly stuttery drum rhythm, albeit way more stripped down, enters the fray, but fades way after not too long, letting the various other sounds shift and sway, a dark ambient spaced out psychedelic drift, underpinned by that ever present distorted low end rumble.
The 30+ minute title track, might be the heaviest, darkest krautdrone jam yet, all rumbling whirring low end, pulsing synths and grinding buzzing thrum, laced with minimal spare drumming, a sense of propulsion infused into the sound, less rhythmic, but still weirdly motorik, the caustic crunch almost SUNNO))) like in its tarpit creep, but strap some headphones on and lose yourself in the undulating layers and the lush, blackened textures.
Comes with a download card too!
MPEG Stream: "Border Waves (Part 1)"
MPEG Stream: "Steep Formations"

PEOPLE'S TEMPLE More For The Masses (Hozac) cd 10.98
People's Temple are another group whose debut record seemed to slip right past us, but record number two from these Michigan sixties style psychedelic garage poppers is definitely pretty great, groovy and swaggery, fuzzy and jangly, their sound definitely transplanted from the past, it's actually not that difficult to imagine this is some lost sixties artifact recently dug up and reissued, the sound stripped down and raw, super jammy, with plenty of spidery leads, some serious blooze jams, a few with harmonica even, lots of echo and reverb, the guitars slipping easily from urgent crunch to shimmery jangle, the vocals a snarly drawl, almost Scott Walker-y at times, but with some cool dreamy two part harmonies, the songs slipping from low slung brood, to soaring baroque pop, to fuzzed out dirge, to soaring FX heavy trip outs, to crunchy stripped down garage rock groovers, a serious grower, the sound instantly digable, but with every play, the songs seem to get catchier and catchier, and it's easier and easier to get lost in the People's Temple's sixties sonic time warp.
MPEG Stream: "More For The Masses"
MPEG Stream: "Blinding City"
MPEG Stream: "Nevermore"
MPEG Stream: "The River (Donovan's Song)"

PEOPLE'S TEMPLE More For The Masses (Hozac) lp 14.98
NOW ON VINYL!!
People's Temple are another group whose debut record seemed to slip right past us, but record number two from these Michigan sixties style psychedelic garage poppers is definitely pretty great, groovy and swaggery, fuzzy and jangly, their sound definitely transplanted from the past, it's actually not that difficult to imagine this is some lost sixties artifact recently dug up and reissued, the sound stripped down and raw, super jammy, with plenty of spidery leads, some serious blooze jams, a few with harmonica even, lots of echo and reverb, the guitars slipping easily from urgent crunch to shimmery jangle, the vocals a snarly drawl, almost Scott Walker-y at times, but with some cool dreamy two part harmonies, the songs slipping from low slung brood, to soaring baroque pop, to fuzzed out dirge, to soaring FX heavy trip outs, to crunchy stripped down garage rock groovers, a serious grower, the sound instantly digable, but with every play, the songs seem to get catchier and catchier, and it's easier and easier to get lost in the People's Temple's sixties sonic time warp.
MPEG Stream: "More For The Masses"
MPEG Stream: "Blinding City"
MPEG Stream: "Nevermore"
MPEG Stream: "The River (Donovan's Song)"

PEPE WISMEER Musi (Equation) lp 19.98
Not a person, but a duo from France, Pepe Wismeer create an incredible concoction of otherworldly cabaret, psychedelic chamber folk and mysterious minimal ambience, creating a soundworld that seems to situate itself somewhere between Nurse With Wound, Antony And The Johnsons and Natural Snow Buildings.
Pianos and strings swirl and soar, while operatic female vocals drift over the top, the sound is stirring and dramatic, soundtracky and cinematic, occasionally those sounds fade into the background allowing the aforementioned folk to surface, the duo crooning warmly over this very unlikely assemblage of sounds, seems like it would be too much, but it's perfect, like a doom folk NWW whipping up this, moving tales of lost loves, the dark meandering minimal soundscaping augmented by bells, chimes, samples ouds and sitars, creaking and moaning, random animal sounds, it's like a musical interpretation of Alice In Wonderland, surreal and fantastical, occasionally dark and ominous, always warm and weird and mysterious, lapsing now and again into some serious chaotic noisiness, but always returning to the group's glorious core brood and drift, shimmer and soar. So wonderfully and mysteriously lovely.
LIMITED TO JUST 100 COPIES!! Each one is numbered, on the sleeve AND the lp, includes an 8 page booklet, and is housed in a gorgeous paste on jacket.

PEPITO Migrante (This Record Label) cd 9.98
A delightful local surprise from the Bay Area's ridiculously-talented pool of avant electronicists, Pepito is Jose and Ana, augmented with the production and musicianly talents of Chris Palmatier (of AQ-staff-and-customer fave Brian & Chris). Pepito play a charming blend of lighthearted electronica -- digital clicks and bleeps cavort around delicately strummed guitar, so melodic and serene that it reminds me of the Sea & Cake or Tortoise, and sometimes so fragmented it reminds me of Gastr del Sol. Jose and Ana's vocals (half in English, half in Spanish) are clear 'n hushed but not too breathy (thank heavens), bringing to mind emo pop faves such as P.E.E. or Rainer Maria. There's also fuzzed-out garage guitar and distorted almost-grind(pop) guitar -- both acting nicely to break up the otherwise loping, loopy playfulness. This is certainly post rock done right, just enough indie rock, just enough electronica. Recommended.
RealAudio clip: "Terapia"
RealAudio clip: "Salyut"
RealAudio clip: "Ardilla"

PEPPERMINTS Jesus Chryst (Paw Tracks) cd 15.98
Hmmmm... A punk rock opera? Sort of sounds like one, though we're pretty sure it's not intentional. On Animal Collective's Paw Tracks label.

PER MISSION A Ritual Loop (Monitor) cd 14.98
Where would indie rock be today if the Rachels and Rodan had never existed. The kids would probably still be listening to the Dead Milkmen. Which to me doesn't seem like such a bad thing, but I digress.
Per Mission is Jason Noble of the Rachels doing his ambient electronica thing. Spoken word snippets whirring ambient noise, simple stuttering drum loops, smooth fuzzed out spacy trip hop. A little bland and mediocre, and a bit too hippy dippy with all the 'spiritual' spoken word stuff and the website all about how he fed his baby -- nobody would care probably if this didn't 'feature a member of the Rachels'.

PERCEPTION s/t (Mellow) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
France's freaky Futura label originally released this on LP in '71. It's jazz fusiony stuff, kinda "Zeuhl" (saxophonist Yochk'o Seffer, the leader of the group, soon went on to join Magma and then formed Zeuhl group Zao). Perception features his sax and clarinet blowing backed by busy drums and bass and electric piano action. Over the four lengthy tracks here, they'll quiet down for a moody respite, then go off on a noodley prog-groove that quickly explodes into full-on free jazz improv clatter, and then quiet down again for some melancholy, melodic sax soloing, and then back to the energetic ensemble interplay, and so on... Perception are definitely more jazz than rock, and a lot more together and musical than some of the other, even freakier Futura releases. Fans of Magma's jazzier side should definitely investigate.
RealAudio clip: "Chirato"

PERE UBU Datapanik in the Year Zero 5cd box 56.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
5-cd box set documenting the first 5 albums, 1 hour of previously unreleased live performances, 70 minutes of rarities, and all the single releases.

PERE UBU Dub Housing (Thirsty Ear) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

PERE UBU Modern Dance (Blank) lp 12.98
Finally reissued from 1977, Pere Ubu's debut full length. Essential stuff, and still sounds unbelievably great, vital, and groundbreaking 21 years later.

PERE UBU St Arkansas (Spin Art) cd 15.98
Since emerging along with the Dead Boys from Rocket From The Tombs, Pere Ubu have continued to survive through numerous breakups, reformations and incarnations, including frontman David Thomas' solo efforts. With recent records by other seminal art-punk bands (*ahem* Wire) lacking the creativity and vision of the early releases which brought them acclaim (in the underground, at least), it's more than reassuring that this newest Pere Ubu album is quietly great. Musically, 'St Arkansas' bears little resemblance to the sharp dissonant punk of Modern Dance but avoids the pop of their later eighties efforts. Gone is Thomas' hyper-manic yelping, and in its place a much more sinister growl. We find here an Ubu of dark, slow burn intensity. St. Arkansas is so infused with creepiness that comparisons to Tom Waits seem unavoidable. It makes sense: there's a thread of lowlife drifterdom, a mysterious desperation, a desire to break free through the transcendence of the open road -- and the radio, as outlined mantra-like in the heavyweight final track. Worth your attention.
RealAudio clip: "Slow Walking Daddy"

PERE UBU The Modern Dance (DGC) cd 11.98
Finally reissued from 1977, Pere Ubu's debut full length. Essential stuff, and still sounds unbelievably great, vital, and groundbreaking 21 years later.

PERE UBU Why I Hate Women (Smog Veil) cd 12.98

PERERIN Teithgan (Guerssen Records) cd 21.00
Welsh psych from 1981!

PERFORMING FERRETS No One Told Us (Hyped To Death) cd 12.98

PERFUME GENIUS Put Your Back N 2 It (Matador) cd 14.98

PERFUME GENIUS Put Your Back N 2 It (Matador) lp 16.98

PERHACS, LINDA Parallelogram (Mexican Summer) 2lp 29.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Available again on vinyl, this all-time AQ fave, now via Mexican Summer, limited to 1000 copies in a deluxe gatefold with new liner notes and artwork by Perhacs herself!
The psychedelic folk fans here at Aquarius (all of us!) are overjoyed that this brilliant obscurity is back in print again with bonus tracks included. We got to see her play here recently and it was indeed a dream come true. She also let on that this was her favorite reissue of her sole record. Here is what we said about it the last time it was reissued:
Originally released in 1970, Linda Perhacs' Parallelograms is a now-not-so-lost gem of lovely, delicate folk-psych songs in line with Joni Mitchell or Heart's folkier moments, gone waaay underground and mystic. For a long long time, although collectors held the record in great esteem, no-one knew anything about Ms. Perhacs at all. When the Wild Places label first reissued the album on cd some years ago they had to do it from a mint vinyl copy of the record. Later, they miraculously managed to track down Linda and got their hands on reel to reels dubbed from the original masters, along with a passel of bonus tracks - half a dozen of 'em, demos and alternate takes, which they included on their second cd edition and are included here as well. Along with that good stuff, some mysteries were answered. It turns out that, for instance, the popularly held belief that Perhacs was from Hawaii was incorrect. But she lived in the Pacific Northwest and California, so that's not too far off, really... They also confirmed that this was indeed her only recording. But if you're only going to make one record, having it be as good as Parallelograms is a neat trick. Her gossamer vocals encounter tripped-out electronic effects and gentle folk-rock backing, transporting the listener to a place not usually or easily reached in this day and age. There's a track or two that get strangely coffeehouse beatnik on us, and sound a bit dated, but most of this is truly ethereal hippie folk-psych beauty unparalleled. Really nice, and recommended.
MPEG Stream: "Parallelograms"
MPEG Stream: "Hey, Who Really Cares?"
MPEG Stream: "Moons And Cattails"

PERHACS, LINDA Parallelogram (Sunbeam) 2lp 34.00
Sunbeam 2011 vinyl repress. Includes the bonus trax. 180gram wax.
The psychedelic folk fans here at Aquarius (all of us!) are overjoyed that this brilliant obscurity is back in print again with bonus tracks included. We got to see her play here recently and it was indeed a dream come true. She also let on that this was her favorite reissue of her sole record. Here is what we said about it the last time it was reissued:
Originally released in 1970, Linda Perhacs' Parallelograms is a now-not-so-lost gem of lovely, delicate folk-psych songs in line with Joni Mitchell or Heart's folkier moments, gone waaay underground and mystic. For a long long time, although collectors held the record in great esteem, no-one knew anything about Ms. Perhacs at all. When the Wild Places label first reissued the album on cd some years ago they had to do it from a mint vinyl copy of the record. Later, they miraculously managed to track down Linda and got their hands on reel to reels dubbed from the original masters, along with a passel of bonus tracks - half a dozen of 'em, demos and alternate takes, which they included on their second cd edition and are included here as well. Along with that good stuff, some mysteries were answered. It turns out that, for instance, the popularly held belief that Perhacs was from Hawaii was incorrect. But she lived in the Pacific Northwest and California, so that's not too far off, really... They also confirmed that this was indeed her only recording. But if you're only going to make one record, having it be as good as Parallelograms is a neat trick. Her gossamer vocals encounter tripped-out electronic effects and gentle folk-rock backing, transporting the listener to a place not usually or easily reached in this day and age. There's a track or two that get strangely coffeehouse beatnik on us, and sound a bit dated, but most of this is truly ethereal hippie folk-psych beauty unparalleled. Really nice, and recommended.
MPEG Stream: "Parallelograms"
MPEG Stream: "Hey, Who Really Cares?"
MPEG Stream: "Moons And Cattails"

PERHACS, LINDA Parallelograms (Wild Places) cd 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
The psychedelic folk fans here at Aquarius are overjoyed that this brilliant obscurity is at last back in print -- and in an expanded, vastly improved cd edition no less. Originally released in 1970, Linda Perhac's "Parallelograms" is a lost gem of lovely, delicate folk-psych songs in line with Joni Mitchell or Heart's folkier moments, gone waaay underground and mystic. For a long long time, although collectors held the record in great esteem, no-one knew anything about Ms. Perhacs at all. When the Wild Places label first reissued the album on cd some years ago they had to do it from a mint vinyl copy of the record. Since then, they've miraculously managed to track down Linda and got their hands on reel to reels dubbed from the original masters, along with a passel of bonus tracks -- half a dozen of 'em. Whoo-hoo! Along with that good stuff, some mysteries were answered. It turns out that, for instance, the popularly held belief that Perhacs was from Hawaii was incorrect. But she lived in the Pacific Northwest and California, so that's not too far off, really... They also confirmed that this was indeed her only recording. But if you're only going to make one record, having it be as good as "Parallelograms" is a neat trick. Her gossamer vocals encounter tripped-out electronic effects and gentle folk-rock backing, transporting the listener to a place not usually or easily reached in this day and age. There's a track or two that gets strangely coffee-house beatnik on us, and sound a bit dated, but most of this is truely ethereal hippie folk-psych beauty unparallelled. Really nice, and recommended.
MPEG Stream: "Parallelograms"
MPEG Stream: "Hey, Who Really Cares?"
MPEG Stream: "Moons And Cattails"

PERHACS, LINDA Parallelograms (Sunbeam) cd 17.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
The psychedelic folk fans here at Aquarius (all of us!) are overjoyed that this brilliant obscurity is back in print, again - this time on the UK's Sunbeam label, with a couple more bonus tracks than even the previous expanded edition on Wild Places had!
Originally released in 1970, Linda Perhacs' Parallelograms is a now-not-so-lost gem of lovely, delicate folk-psych songs in line with Joni Mitchell or Heart's folkier moments, gone waaay underground and mystic. For a long long time, although collectors held the record in great esteem, no-one knew anything about Ms. Perhacs at all. When the Wild Places label first reissued the album on cd some years ago they had to do it from a mint vinyl copy of the record. Later, they miraculously managed to track down Linda and got their hands on reel to reels dubbed from the original masters, along with a passel of bonus tracks - half a dozen of 'em, demos and alternate takes, which they included on their second cd edition. Along with that good stuff, some mysteries were answered. It turns out that, for instance, the popularly held belief that Perhacs was from Hawaii was incorrect. But she lived in the Pacific Northwest and California, so that's not too far off, really... They also confirmed that this was indeed her only recording. But if you're only going to make one record, having it be as good as Parallelograms is a neat trick. Her gossamer vocals encounter tripped-out electronic effects and gentle folk-rock backing, transporting the listener to a place not usually or easily reached in this day and age. There's a track or two that gets strangely coffeehouse beatnik on us, and sound a bit dated, but most of this is truely ethereal hippie folk-psych beauty unparallelled. Really nice, and recommended.
This new Sunbeam version ups the ante on the out of print Wild Places one. They've added two more bonus tracks: a 2005 interview on the BBC, and the previously unreleased "I Would Rather Love". It also includes liner notes from Perhacs herself. Recommended.
MPEG Stream: "Parallelograms"
MPEG Stream: "Hey, Who Really Cares?"
MPEG Stream: "Moons And Cattails"

PERHACS, LINDA Parallelograms (Sunbeam) cd 19.98
Available again, this all-time AQ fave, now in the "Sunbeam Masters" series, limited to 1000 copies in mini-LP sleeve. Here's what we said the last time Sunbeam put this out:
The psychedelic folk fans here at Aquarius (all of us!) are overjoyed that this brilliant obscurity is back in print, again - this time on the UK's Sunbeam label, with a couple more bonus tracks than even the previous expanded edition on Wild Places had!
Originally released in 1970, Linda Perhacs' Parallelograms is a now-not-so-lost gem of lovely, delicate folk-psych songs in line with Joni Mitchell or Heart's folkier moments, gone waaay underground and mystic. For a long long time, although collectors held the record in great esteem, no-one knew anything about Ms. Perhacs at all. When the Wild Places label first reissued the album on cd some years ago they had to do it from a mint vinyl copy of the record. Later, they miraculously managed to track down Linda and got their hands on reel to reels dubbed from the original masters, along with a passel of bonus tracks - half a dozen of 'em, demos and alternate takes, which they included on their second cd edition. Along with that good stuff, some mysteries were answered. It turns out that, for instance, the popularly held belief that Perhacs was from Hawaii was incorrect. But she lived in the Pacific Northwest and California, so that's not too far off, really... They also confirmed that this was indeed her only recording. But if you're only going to make one record, having it be as good as Parallelograms is a neat trick. Her gossamer vocals encounter tripped-out electronic effects and gentle folk-rock backing, transporting the listener to a place not usually or easily reached in this day and age. There's a track or two that gets strangely coffeehouse beatnik on us, and sound a bit dated, but most of this is truely ethereal hippie folk-psych beauty unparallelled. Really nice, and recommended.
This new Sunbeam version ups the ante on the out of print Wild Places one. They've added two more bonus tracks: a 2005 interview on the BBC, and the previously unreleased "I Would Rather Love". It also includes liner notes from Perhacs herself. Recommended.
MPEG Stream: "Parallelograms"
MPEG Stream: "Hey, Who Really Cares?"
MPEG Stream: "Moons And Cattails"

PERKINS, ELVIS Ash Wednesday (XL Recordings) cd 13.98
As artistically immersive in music as his father Anthony Perkins was in film, singer/songwriter Elvis Perkins sings beautiful folk pop songs that are blistered gently by electric guitar. Very reminiscent of The Kinks, Rufus Wainwright, Jeff Buckley, Ron Sexsmith, and Elvis Costello. Absolutely dreamy and achingly heartfelt. Recommended.
MPEG Stream: "While You Were Sleeping"
MPEG Stream: "The Night & The Liquor"

PERKINS, ELVIS Ash Wednesday (XL Recordings) lp 10.98
As artistically immersive in music as his father Anthony Perkins was in film, singer/songwriter Elvis Perkins sings beautiful folk pop songs that are blistered gently by electric guitar. Very reminiscent of The Kinks, Rufus Wainwright, Jeff Buckley, Ron Sexsmith, and Elvis Costello. Absolutely dreamy and achingly heartfelt. Recommended.
MPEG Stream: "While You Were Sleeping"
MPEG Stream: "The Night & The Liquor"

PERKINS, ELVIS Dearland (XL) cd 13.98

PERKINS, ELVIS Dearland (XL) lp 14.98

PERNICE BROTHERS Discover A Lovelier You (Ashmont) cd 15.98
Joe Pernice teeters frightfully close to easy listening territory on his band's latest studio album. The recent trend of finely crafted '70s soft rock revivalism (y'know, stuff influenced by the likes of Bread and Raspberries) seems to have bitten Mr. Pernice's songwriting pen. There's even some weirdly affected eighties new wave-isms ala Tears For Fears or Echo And The Bunnymen (hinted at by some past cover song choices maybe?). When you compare this to older 'classic' Pernice Brothers, the hooks just aren't as immediate and plentiful, their former boyish heartsick sentiments replaced by a more 'grown-up' air. These new songs slip easily alongside the likes of likeminded veteran breezy pop artists such as Archer Prewitt and Sam Prekop. We've yet to determine if it really makes for a lovelier Pernice Brothers though... after absolutely love-love-lovin' them album after album, this one might take some getting used to. In the meantime if you're craving some more familiar Pernice-y sights and sounds, you might wanna check out their brand new Nobody's Listening Nobody's Watching live cd/dvd combo!
MPEG Stream: "There Goes The Sun"
MPEG Stream: "Saddest Quo"

PERNICE BROTHERS Goodbye Killer (Ashmont) cd 13.98
We've loved Joe Pernice ever since the Scud Mountain Boys, his classic alt-country Sub Pop outfit, the songs sad and wistful, the arrangements lush, and the voice, it was always about the voice, delicate and fragile and so emotional, after Scud Mountain Boys called it quits, Pernice went on to craft similarly evocative and moving country / pop in various guises, Big Tobacco, Chappaquiddick Skyline, and finally as the Pernice Brothers. But whatever name he used, and whatever sound he was exploring, whether it was soft pop, mournful country, or whatever, the sound and the voice were always recognizable.
We complained a little about the last Pernice Brothers, we still dug it, but were worried that Pernice's obsession with soft rock (Bread, the Raspberries, etc.) was dulling his songwriting pen, the hooks less hooky, the sound less sparkly and sharp. But on Goodbye, Killer, it sounds like nothing ever changed. This record would fit anywhere in Pernice's career, and that's not a bad thing at all, jangly, smart pop, flecked with country-ish twang, lush arrangements, big time hooks, and that voice, sounding as powerful as ever, but without losing any of its fragility.
Right out of the gate, we're utterly smitten, "Bechamel" opens with a perfectly lilting vocal melody over strummed acoustic guitar, and straight into not only a killer chorus, but a bridge that's just as memorable. "Jacqueline Susann" gets a little bit more rocking, reminding us a bit of Ted Leo of all people, but there's a certain sort of melody that only Pernice seems to be capable off, every band has had certain sonic shadings, the sort of thing, that no matter who was playing it, that chord progression, or the way the vocals interact with the music around it, total Joe Pernice, and this record is overflowing with that classic Pernice sound.
Those first two songs are definitely a killer one two punch, and we find ourselves playing those over and over, but the whole record plays out fantastically as a whole, the sort of bittersweet perfect pop that there's just not enough of these days.
MPEG Stream: "Bechamel"
MPEG Stream: "Jacqueline Susann"
MPEG Stream: "We Love The Stage"
MPEG Stream: "Not The Loving Kind"

PERNICE BROTHERS Live A Little (Ashmont) cd 14.98
Hurrah, a new Pernice Brothers album never fails to brighten your day! While the very uncharacteristic '70s soft rock and '80s new wave leanings on their last studio album Discover A Lovelier You did cause a little bit of mild puzzlement around here last year, the band fortunately have fallen back in step with their old sweet, heartmelting selves for Live A Little. Mainman Joe Pernice steeps pretty much each and every one of his songs here with wonderful pop goodness. The generous serving of reverb on his tender vocals mean that each and every word is going to give your ears a big warm hug. Irresistible.
MPEG Stream: "How Can I Compare"
MPEG Stream: "Conscience Clean (I Went To Spain)"

PERNICE BROTHERS Monkey Suit (Sub Pop) 7" 3.99
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Features Joe Pernice of Scud Mountain Boys and his brother Bob, also Stephen Desaulniers on bass. It sounds just like a Scud record, and that's a very good thing.

PERNICE BROTHERS Nobody's Watching Nobody's Listening (Ashmont) dvd+cd 15.98
If the name Pernice Brothers brings a tear of joy to your eye, we're telling you everything's gonna be alright... once you get your hands on Nobody's Watching Nobody's Listening, that is! For those of you who've yet to bask in the glow of Joe Pernice and Co.'s fabulous pop glory in the live setting, we s'pose this might be the next best thing. Not only do you get a live album packed with twelve of their finest songs, but you also get a dvd featuring a tour diary and two of their music videos complete with storyboards. The live album begins all rambunctious with lots of speedy, loud, rockin' guitars and gets progressively more somber. Our only complaint would be that the vocals are a bit low in the mix. Who doesn't want to hear more of Pernice's sweet, engagingly heartsick singing? Having just read his fictional ode to The Smiths' Meat Is Murder album in the 33 1/3 book series, we were particularly aware of his appreciation for (obsession with?) that band and their lead singer, and it does make itself apparent on occasion here. Shades of Morrissey's melodramatic mope surface in Pernice's lyrics and in his vocal delivery. Not a bad thing by any means. Everybody watch! Everybody listen!
MPEG Stream: "Working Girls"
MPEG Stream: "Flaming Wreck"

PERNICE BROTHERS Overcome By Happiness (Sub Pop) cd 13.98
Joe Pernice, the main force behind Massachusetts' Scud Mountain Boys, has formed a new band with his brother. This is very much like Scud Mountain Boys' music, albeit without the lovely slide guitar BUT with the addition of lush strings. For fans of Bread, Jimmy Webb, Beach Boys. Perfect, clean, rich music.

PERNICE BROTHERS The World Won't End (Ashmont) cd 13.98
Joe Pernice, formerly of the Scud Mountain Boys, and Big Tobacco, and now the Pernice Brothers is turning out to be one of the most important singer songwriters of our time. It sounds like hyperbole, but Joe Pernice has managed to find a sound all his own, even though it draws heavily on music from the past, and make it important and relevent and most importantly fucking good. Having shed most of the 'No Depression' style country stylings of his first combo, the Scud Mountain Boys, Pernice now occupies a space rich in pop tradition; Bread, Jimmy Webb, America as well as the Beach Boys, the Beatles and the like. But unlike the current crop of retro popsters (High Llamas, the entire Elephant 6 Collective) Pernice doesn't just regurgitate watered down influences, he gleans the bare minimum, and applies it to his already practically flawless songwriting, and comes up with a sound that manages to be totally unique: a lush, hushed pop, heavy on the melancholy, and light on the kitsch. But it's all about the voice, high and fragile but intense and controlled, singing the most bittersweet and ridiculously perfect lyrics. Makes you want to break down and cry, sometimes because everything sucks, but just as often because everything is SO GOD DAMN GREAT even though you are alone and miserable and your girlfriend left you and your dog died. Perfect.
RealAudio clip: "Working Girls (sunlight shines)"
RealAudio clip: "Bryte Side"
RealAudio clip: "Let That Show"

PERNICE BROTHERS The World Won't End (American Dust) lp 15.98
Now at last on vinyl, this great album from over ten years ago!! Here's our original rave review of the Ashmont cd edition, from way back on list #115:
Joe Pernice, formerly of the Scud Mountain Boys, and Big Tobacco, and now the Pernice Brothers is turning out to be one of the most important singer songwriters of our time. It sounds like hyperbole, but Joe Pernice has managed to find a sound all his own, even though it draws heavily on music from the past, and make it important and relevant and most importantly so fucking good. Having shed most of the 'No Depression' style country stylings of his first combo, the Scud Mountain Boys, Pernice now occupies a space rich in pop tradition; Bread, Jimmy Webb, America as well as the Beach Boys, the Beatles and the like. But unlike many other retro popsters (High Llamas, the entire Elephant 6 Collective) Pernice doesn't just regurgitate watered down influences, he gleans the bare minimum, and applies it to his already practically flawless songwriting, and comes up with a sound that manages to be totally unique: a lush, hushed pop, heavy on the melancholy, and light on the kitsch. But it's all about the voice, high and fragile but intense and controlled, singing the most bittersweet and ridiculously perfect lyrics. Makes you want to break down and cry, sometimes because everything sucks, but just as often because everything is SO GOD DAMN GREAT even though you are alone and miserable and your girlfriend/boyfriend left you and your dog died. Perfect.
MPEG Stream: " Working Girls (Sunlight Shines)"
MPEG Stream: "7:30"
MPEG Stream: "Our Time Has Passed"
MPEG Stream: "Flaming Wreck"

PERNICE BROTHERS Yours, Mine & Ours (Redeye) cd 15.98
With bandleader credits under the monikers Scud Mountain Boys, Big Tobacco, and Chappaquiddick Skyline, perennial AQ-favorite Joe Pernice offers his third as the Pernice Brothers. Yes, this is the most polished and radio-ready of all his records, but that doesn't mean it is watered down at all. Moving away from his country rock explorations with the Scuds, the Pernice Brothers explore the world of pop, albeit very melancholy, achingly bittersweet, emotion-drenched, sincere singer-songwriter pop. His near 'n dear influence remains the same as ever -- Bread. Wonderful Bread, who share with Pernice a love for delicately, carefully, quietly sung vocal melodies and sympathetic instrumentation -- warmly strummed guitars (at times reminiscent of The Smiths even!). Pernice's music has gotten me thru more than one broken heart... Now if you haven't heard Pernice before we'd recommend you start with Scud Mtn Boys' Massachusetts or the Big Tobacco album, but if you're already a fan we certainly recommend Yours Mine and Ours.
MPEG Stream: "How"
MPEG Stream: "Sometimes I Remember"

PERNICE, JOE It Feels So Good When I Stop (Novel Soundtrack) (Ashmont) cd 13.98
Much like the Young Accuser 7" reviewed a couple lists back, It Feels So Good When I Stop is another Joe Pernice release related to his forthcoming novel. The Young Accuser 7" was a not-imaginary record, by the imaginary band in Pernice's novel, channeling a more rocking vibe than we're used to from him, but on It Feels So Good When I Stop, Pernice takes on a bunch of covers, forming what is essentially a soundtrack to his novel. Some of the tracks seem to be actually mentioned in the story (based on the handful of readings interspersed between the songs here), while others seem to just be songs that informed its writing or heck, that Pernice just digs.
Del Shannon, Sebadoh, Tom T. Hall, Allan Sherman, Todd Rundgren, Plush, Dream Syndicate, Sammy Johns and of course The Young Accuser. Pernice manages to make all the covers here sound like his own, his voice wispy and delicate, the instrumentation minimal, the song choice ideal for his style, Del Shannon's "Found A Little Baby" is one of the highlights, joined by the rest of the Pernice Brothers, if it wasn't a cover, we'd be proclaiming it one of the best Pernice / Pernice brothers tracks ever. The Sebadoh cover manages to make the original sound even slower and sadder. The instrumental version of one of the Young Accuser jams from the Sub Pop 7" is also pretty great (with the Pernice Brothers again), and Todd Rundgren's "Hello, It's Me" seems like it was written for Pernice, stripped down and gorgeously vulnerable.
Not sure if this has us wanting to read the novel necessarily, but it sure has us hankering for another Pernice Brothers record. Or how about a Scud Mountain Boys reunion! Regardless, a beautiful collection of songs for sure.
MPEG Stream: "I Go To Pieces"
MPEG Stream: "Soul And Fire"
MPEG Stream: "Hello It's Me"

PERNICE, JOE Two Blind Pigeons (Ashmont Books) book 10.95
A book of poetry and prose from Joe Pernice who you know as the leader of Scud Mountain Boys, Chappaquidick Skyline, and the Pernice Brothers. Joe's a writer and a poet and we were able to get hold of a precious few copies of his debut book, a slim 40-page volume of terse, quiet words from one of our favorite musicians. Here's 'After the Last Supper':
"Christ sweating bloody bullets in the trellised garden. A sesame seed wedged in his teeth the least of his problems, and already the apostles sleep beneath a dream-coat of stars.
"As if the whole world depends on it, the scent of camel stirs on the back of a breeze. Christ lights up a Camel, his face ghostly in match light. The horizon flickers with the distant bonfires of campers, thrill seekers, and execution buffs. The desert is one gigantic party, the biggest of the season, complete with commemorative mugs, crucifigurines, the works. All around, dueling sitars bang out popular tunes under the ivory moon. Buckets of drunken laughter and throes of multitudes copulating in the dunes.
"Christ rubs his aching temples, wonders if he's just pissing against a fierce tide. He'll be glad when all the hoopla's died down. It's been a frustrating couple of years, to say the least. He could use some real R and R: A secluded tropical island where they wait on you hand and foot... shelled quahogs drenched in lemon butter... mile high cocktails with names impossible to spell."

PERRI, SANDRO Plays Polmo Polpo (Constellation) cd 16.98
Sandro Perri was/is the man behind Toronto's always experimenting Polmo Polpo. Over the last few years he began playing under his own name and released a very limited cd-r of new interpretations of Polmo Polpo songs which are now seeing a proper release thanks to Constellation. Under his own name Perri has a much more delicate and seductive touch then displayed on Polmo Polpo recordings. While we liked a lot of the stuff on those discs, it really seems that in this incarnation, Perri's playing comes to life and feels so comfortable and never forced. Daydreaming washed out guitars that create such perfect melodies with understated vocals that never get in the way of the sparkling wave these songs create. We got a hint of this new direction earlier this year with the debut from Perri's killer new band, Glissandro 70.
MPEG Stream: "Romeo Heart (Slight Return)"
MPEG Stream: "Requiem For A Fox"

PERSEUS NOBLE s/t (Plus Tapes) cassette 5.98

PERSEUS NOBLE s/t (Plus Tapes) cassette 5.98

PERSONAL & THE PIZZAS Diet, Crime, & Delinquency (Oops Baby Records) 7" 8.98

PERSONAL & THE PIZZAS Tearjerker / Never Fine Me (Windian) 7" 6.98

PERSONAL AND THE PIZZAS Dead Meat (Total Punk) 7" 5.98

PERSONAL AND THE PIZZAS Raw Pie (1-2-3 Go!) lp 14.98

PERSONS Attack The Scene (Black Bean & Placenta) cd 9.98
What starts off as an angular instrumental juggling act comprised of one part circus, one part surf, one part Talking Heads, and one part jazz, eventually becomes a much less interesting all parts punk pop. Perhaps they should have stuck with their much more promising and energetic original direction? At any rate, they're certainly not a long-winded bunch, taking care of business in less than twenty minutes. And y'know, it's not surprising that this found its way onto Black Bean & Placenta, a label that prides itself on covering a veritable mishmash of styles.

PERVERTS s/t (HBSP-2X) 7" 7.98
In a relatively short period of time, Ty Segall has developed a totally recognizable style of super blown out garage punk that we just can't seem to get enough of. And a lot of you must feel the same, cuz the records keep pouring out and selling like crazy.
So it was quite fitting that when we first played this in the store a customer immediately asked "So what Ty Segall project is this?" and he was right on, because even though the Perverts are even more in-the-red and fucked up and punk sounding than Segall's other records, it still has his immediately noticeable rad guitar playing and wild vocals all over it. We dig how Segall is following in the tradition of old school punk and the early days of vintage garage rock where folks would put out singles almost every month, and have a billion different side-projects. Lucky for us everything he's been doing is sounding so great so we say, go ahead and keep on being the hardest working man in blown out garage rock!

PESTEG DRED Years Of Struggle Against The Lies, The Stupidity And The Cowardice (Dark Entries) lp 15.98
Martin Hall appears to be the figure who defined the Danish New Wave scene, but there doesn't seem to be a lot of evidence that any of the projects he worked in found much traction outside of Denmark. Ballet Mecanique was one such project, And Then Again was another; of course, there were a couple of solo outings too. Pesteg Dred was a very short-lived project, as the trio that revolved around Hall got together in 1981 with electronics wrangler Per Hendrichsen and vocalist Inge Shannon. During one weekend, the three landed in a studio and banged out an album but didn't have the ability to pay the bill. So the tapes sat until Hall could negotiate something with the owners of the studio. A cassette of the material surfaced as a bonus with an art magazine in 1985, but otherwise, the recordings languished while all three members went onto other projects. We've never heard of any of Hall's other projects; but if any were half as good as Pesteg Dred, they'd be worth the price of admission.
The dark storm of post-punk had certainly come to Denmark, with Hall admitting an early infatuation with Cabaret Voltaire and A Certain Ratio (well, he did name one his later projects And Then Again after an A Certain Ratio tune); but The Pop Group and The Ex must have made a big impact as well. The band is essentially a mutant rhythm section of rumbling, discordant funk basslines and unschooled percussive fills that showcase way more fury than skill, with a series of weirdly skittered electronics flushed between the rhythms with murky modular sweeps, distorted drones, and delay-rippled bloop. Inge's vocals are a cold monotone bellow that aren't too far from Bettina Koster of Malaria, making a perfect fit for the darkly, cacophonous agit-punk of Pesteg Dred. The lengthy "Light, More Light" is very much in the vein of the best A Certain Ratio, with breakneck post-disco rhythm, neck-strangling basslines, jittery guitars, and even some atonal blurts from a trumpet. Death disco? You bet!
Dark Entries scores yet again with a really great re-discovery on Pested Dred.
MPEG Stream: "Salt"
MPEG Stream: "Cold Impressions Of Perhaps"
MPEG Stream: "Almost"

PESTEG DRED / SS-SAY 1981-1985 I Have Seen You Through The Years, Worn By Different Faces (Optik) cd 15.98
Martin Hall appears to be the figure who defined the Danish New Wave scene, but there doesn't seem to be a lot of evidence that any of the projects he worked in found much traction outside of Denmark. Ballet Mecanique was one such project, And Then Again was another; of course, there were a couple of solo outings too. Both Pesteg Dred and SS-Say were very short-lived projects in the early '80s. Pesteg Dred was a trio that revolved around Hall in 1981 with electronics wrangler Per Hendrichsen and vocalist Inge Shannon. During one weekend, the three landed in a studio and banged out an album but didn't have the ability to pay the bill. So the tapes sat until Hall could negotiate something with the owners of the studio. A cassette of the material surfaced as a bonus with an art magazine in 1985, but otherwise, the recordings languished while all three members went onto other projects.
The dark storm of post-punk had certainly come to Denmark, with Hall admitting an early infatuation with Cabaret Voltaire and A Certain Ratio (well, he did name one of his later projects And Then Again after an A Certain Ratio tune), but The Pop Group and The Ex must have made a big impact as well. The band is essentially a mutant rhythm section of rumbling, discordant funk basslines and unschooled percussive fills that showcase way more fury than skill, with a series of weirdly skittered electronics flushed between the rhythms with murky modular sweeps, distorted drones, and delay-rippled bloop. Inge's vocals are a cold monotone bellow that aren't too far from Bettina Koster of Malaria, making a perfect fit for the darkly, cacophonous agit-punk of Pesteg Dred. The lengthy "Light, More Light" is very much in the vein of the best A Certain Ratio, with breakneck post-disco rhythm, neck-strangling basslines, jittery guitars, and even some atonal blurts from a trumpet.
SS-Say released only one single in 1985, and that material rounds out the cd. Here, Hall is working again with Inge Shannon, for a more baroque, anthemic number wrought with Siouxsie-esque operatics and wah-wah guitar scratching above the catwalk disco rhythms. With its cocaine strung synths, "Care" is definitely the gem amongst the SS-Say tracks, which showcase much more polish as a Studio 54 / Batcave hybrid than Pesteg Dred, but with just as much post-punk bombast.
The Pesteg Dred material was reissued by Dark Entries on vinyl in 2010, and now it's available on cd for the first time with the SS-Say tracks that didn't appear on the lp reish.
MPEG Stream: PESTEG DRED "Salt"
MPEG Stream: PESTEG DRED "Cold Impressions Of Perhaps"
MPEG Stream: PESTEG DRED "Almost"
MPEG Stream: SS-SAY "Care"