BELOW THE SEA The Loss Of Our Winter (Where Are My...) cd 14.98
From the land of Godspeed You Black Emperor (Quebec, Canada), and creating a very similar sonic landscape, are Below The Sea. Slow steps of sparse guitar twangs. Lonely long washes of strings. Dialogue drifting in and out. Solemn and ethereal.

BEN, JORGE Forca Bruta (4 Men with Beards) lp 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Now on Vinyl!!!
One of the more understated figures in Tropicalia gets one of his best but equally understated albums reissued. Forca Bruta, from 1970, didn't yield any of the hits he was known for such as "Chove Chuva", "Mas Que Nada" or "Umbabarauma", but it's still one of his best collections of songs. Backed by Trio Mocoto, who accompanied Ben through many of his biggest hits, Forca Bruta is a more mellow groover of samba soul that despite its simpler acoustic arrangements packs a powerful punch with some seriously amazing musicianship. Ben wasn't as radical a political figure as his compatriots Gilberto Gil or Caetano Veloso, but was instrumental in importing West African rhythm influences into his music which was influential in both Veloso's and Gil's musical development. Awesome reissue, highly recommended!
MPEG Stream: "Oba, La Vem Ela"
MPEG Stream: "Aparece Aparecida"
MPEG Stream: "O Telefone Tocou Novamente"

BEN-ISRAEL, DANNY The Kathmandu Sessions (Locust) cd 14.98

BENEATH THE LAKE Inside Passage (Glass Throat) cd 10.98
Beneath The Lake is the new ambient drone project of Nicolas Lampert, who was one third of AQ faves Noisegate, a bay area crusty, death-drone-ambient project with two records out on Andee's tUMULt label. Beneath The Lake finds Nicolas and new partner Dave Canterbury exploring similar sonic space as Noisegate did on their last full length 'Suspended Animation', but with more emphasis on the nature of sound and a much more dense and heavily layered approach. Utilising cello, guitar, pedals, processors and environmental recordings of sea lions, water, whales, wasps, wolves, owls and wind, Beneath The Lake manage to create rumbling pulsing drones that feel somehow alive, with organic thrum and cavernous shimmers, sounds slipping in and out of the sonic landscape, sparse and desolate one moment, lush and overpowering the next. Haunting and chillingly beautiful. One of our new favorite drone records.
RealAudio clip: "Water"
RealAudio clip: "Inside Passage"

BENEATH THE MASSACRE Mechanics Of Dysfunction (Prosthetic) cd 14.98

MPEG Stream: "The Surface"
MPEG Stream: "Society's Disposable Son"
MPEG Stream: "The System's Failure"

BENNI HEMM HEMM Kajak (Morr Music) cd 17.98
German label Morr Music tosses us a curve ball with this latest addition to their roster. Benni Hemm Hemm does not make frothy dream-tronica, but something just as easy on the ears. Armed with freshly scrubbed rosy cheeks, Benni Hemm Hemm are a group of gentle indie pop folk from Iceland whose line-up expands and contracts between eleven and seventeen members. This is their second full length and it begins with what we imagined to be a highschool marching band going through their bright-eyed, glockenspiel'd paces out in a greener than green meadow. In the spring morn sunlight, their well polished horns and uplifting perky melodies simply sparkle.
MPEG Stream: "Skvavars"
MPEG Stream: "Snjor Ljos Snjor"

BENNI HEMM HEMM Kajak (Morr Music) lp 17.98
German label Morr Music tosses us a curve ball with this latest addition to their roster. Benni Hemm Hemm does not make frothy dream-tronica, but something just as easy on the ears. Armed with freshly scrubbed rosy cheeks, Benni Hemm Hemm are a group of gentle indie pop folk from Iceland whose line-up expands and contracts between eleven and seventeen members. This is their second full length and it begins with what we imagined to be a highschool marching band going through their bright-eyed, glockenspiel'd paces out in a greener than green meadow. In the spring morn sunlight, their well polished horns and uplifting perky melodies simply sparkle.
MPEG Stream: "Skvavars"
MPEG Stream: "Snjor Ljos Snjor"

BENSON, BRENDAN Lapalco (Startime International) cd 15.98
Very Apples In Stereo / Silver Sun / Sloan jubilant pop with jangly guitar melodies, and perky vocal harmonies. Benson possesses a boyish voice with a lilt that reminded me a lot of Rufus Wainwright or Jason Faulkner. Nice.
RealAudio clip: "What "
RealAudio clip: "Tiny Spark"

BENSON, BRENDAN My Old, Familiar Friend (Echo) cd 13.98

MPEG Stream: "A Whole Lot Better"
MPEG Stream: "Poised And Ready"
MPEG Stream: "Don't Wanna Talk"

BENUMB / PREMONITIONS OF WAR split (Thorp) cd 10.98

BERBERIAN, JOHN Expressions East (Mainstream) lp 16.98
We're lucky to get in this week not one but two mid-sixties LPs showcasing the amazing virtuosity and global grooves of master oud player John Berberian. These are beautiful 180 gram reissues on colored vinyl from Mainstream records who have been reissuing a lot of their amazing back catalog as of late. When you see the covers of Expressions East and its follow up, Oud Artistry, you can't help but think of the late fifties / early sixties "Exotica" craze with paintings of belly dancers in a modernist style and use of oriental-looking fonts. Of course this is not going to be a Hamza El Din record, but the American-born Armenian Berberian is no Martin Denny either. On these records, Berberian beguiles us with his frenetically intense jazz-like compositions occasionally featuring the haunting vocals of Bob Tashjian. Featuring an amazing band playing traditional instruments (canun, bongos, dudoog, dumbeg, def, guitar, clarinet and finger cymbals along with an array of other exotic percussion) performing mesmerizingly rhythmic tracks of Turkish, Armenian and Arabic origins. Berberian became better known for more rockish Middle Eastern projects later on in his career, but it's these early records that really showcase his masterful skills as an instrumentalist and performer. Both records are well-recommended!

BERBERIAN, JOHN Middle Eastern Rock (Acid Symposium) cd 17.98
Hey, all of you who've been digging the Middle Eastern '60s garage psych rock n' roll sounds of the "Hava Narghile" and "Turkish Delight" compilations, or that Devil's Anvil disc! We've come across another east-meets-west gem for your collection, the newly reissued "Middle Eastern Rock" from John Berberian & the Rock East Ensemble, a NYC-based outfit from the sixties that was quite a bit like fellow New Yorkers the Devil's Anvil group. Here's a quote from the original liner notes to the 1969 LP release: "Middle Eastern music and rock...two of a kind. The music of Armenia, Turkey, the Arab nations and Greece is about as nakedly emotional as you can get. The authentic music of the Middle East is the result of generations of hunger, persecution, frustration and suffering. It is explosively melodic...and incoherently mad with joy. It is filled with the heavy odor of animal magnetism. The motivations behind this music are all too familiar. They are the same very often repeated words and phrases that are used to describe the origins of the blues, of jazz and of soul. And all these kinds of closely related styles of music are the prime progenitors of the rock that we hear today." Out to prove these words true, Armenian-American band leader John Berberian's oud meets up with the acid rock guitar of Joe Beck right on the opening cut, the aptly titled "The Oud & The Fuzz". The Oud & The Fuzz!! What more do you need to hear? Well, they don't top that cut, but we do like the whole album. Berberian's band veers into jazzier territory on much of this disc, which is pretty great too. Taking a bunch of traditional Middle Eastern tunes and adapting 'em for the hip swinging young sixties crowd, these cats make some super-cool Middle Eastern jazz-flavored lounge music. This is certainly groovy belly dancing music, if not totally exotic garage psych rock n' roll like "The Oud & The Fuzz" promises. And, they do a track called "Iron Maiden"!
RealAudio clip: "The Oud & The Fuzz"
RealAudio clip: "Flying Hye"

BERBERIAN, JOHN Middle Eastern Rock (Cherry Red) cd 17.98
Now reissued again, via Cherry Red... Hey, all of you who've been digging the Middle Eastern '60s garage psych rock n' roll sounds of the "Hava Narghile" and "Turkish Delight" compilations, or that Devil's Anvil disc! We've come across another east-meets-west gem for your collection, the newly reissued "Middle Eastern Rock" from John Berberian & the Rock East Ensemble, a NYC-based outfit from the sixties that was quite a bit like fellow New Yorkers the Devil's Anvil group. Here's a quote from the original liner notes to the 1969 LP release: "Middle Eastern music and rock...two of a kind. The music of Armenia, Turkey, the Arab nations and Greece is about as nakedly emotional as you can get. The authentic music of the Middle East is the result of generations of hunger, persecution, frustration and suffering. It is explosively melodic...and incoherently mad with joy. It is filled with the heavy odor of animal magnetism. The motivations behind this music are all too familiar. They are the same very often repeated words and phrases that are used to describe the origins of the blues, of jazz and of soul. And all these kinds of closely related styles of music are the prime progenitors of the rock that we hear today." Out to prove these words true, Armenian-American band leader John Berberian's oud meets up with the acid rock guitar of Joe Beck right on the opening cut, the aptly titled "The Oud & The Fuzz". The Oud & The Fuzz!! What more do you need to hear? Well, they don't top that cut, but we do like the whole album. Berberian's band veers into jazzier territory on much of this disc, which is pretty great too. Taking a bunch of traditional Middle Eastern tunes and adapting 'em for the hip swinging young sixties crowd, these cats make some super-cool Middle Eastern jazz-flavored lounge music. This is certainly groovy belly dancing music, if not totally exotic garage psych rock n' roll like "The Oud & The Fuzz" promises. And, they do a track called "Iron Maiden"!
RealAudio clip: "The Oud & The Fuzz"
RealAudio clip: "Flying Hye"

BERBERIAN, JOHN Oud Artistry (Mainstream) lp 16.98
We're lucky to get in this week not one but two mid-sixties LPs showcasing the amazing virtuosity and global grooves of master oud player John Berberian. These are beautiful 180 gram reissues on colored vinyl from Mainstream records who have been reissuing a lot of their amazing back catalog as of late. When you see the covers of Expressions East and its follow up, Oud Artistry, you can't help but think of the late fifties / early sixties "Exotica" craze with paintings of belly dancers in a modernist style and use of oriental-looking fonts. Of course this is not going to be a Hamza El Din record, but the American-born Armenian Berberian is no Martin Denny either. On these records, Berberian beguiles us with his frenetically intense jazz-like compositions occasionally featuring the haunting vocals of Bob Tashjian. Featuring an amazing band playing traditional instruments (canun, bongos, dudoog, dumbeg, def, guitar, clarinet and finger cymbals along with an array of other exotic percussion) performing mesmerizingly rhythmic tracks of Turkish, Armenian and Arabic origins. Berberian became better known for more rockish Middle Eastern projects later on in his career, but it's these early records that really showcase his masterful skills as an instrumentalist and performer. Both records are well-recommended!

BERMUDA TRIANGLE SERVICE High Swan Dive (self-released) cd 9.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
At times Bermuda Triangle Service's vocalist Cynthia Wigginton sounds a lot like Carolyn Mark, Kelly Hogan, Virginia Dare and Paula Frazer. Fans of those lovely ladies just might take a shine to this new combo. They make slow candlelit country with lots of graceful fiddle playin'. Very pretty. For their debut, they've enlisted the kind assistance of Josh Housh (Catalpa Boys and Our Lady Of The Highway). An engaging debut!
MPEG Stream: "Kukui Lei"
MPEG Stream: "Pokerhuntus Was Her Name"

BEST COAST Crazy For You (Mexican Summer) cd 13.98
It's finally here, the debut from Cali sunshine retro poppers Best Coast, and as much as all the internet hype might make you want to think otherwise, it's just as good as they all say. The seven inches we've heard definitely already had us hankering for a full length, and as much as we dug those singles, the band has benefited big time from some serious production upgrade, the sound on Crazy For you finally realizes their potential. All the comparisons to Spector's wall of sound and sixties girl groups, now totally make even more sense, the sound here is totally timeless, fuzzy and reverby, like a treasure trove of rare sixties 7"s, but at the same time lush and lustrous and subtly modern, the guitars warm and liquid, and the vocals, wow, Bethany Cosentino manages to channel every torch singer and chanteuse that she was ever inspired by, her voice rich and smokey and passionate, every line sung with such conviction, the songs melancholic and wistful, a heartbroken longing infusing the sad songs, a pure unfettered joy, and enthusiasm for all the little things, sunshine, love, friendship, oozing from the happy ones, the drums simple and propulsive, the background vocals soft focus clouds of oooohs and aaaahs, Bobb Bruno's understated guitar parts sealing the deal, mirroring the vocal melodies but occasionally spiralling off into soft psychedelic swirls, and the songs, the songs are so good, catchy and fun, and dreamy and heartfelt, and like the sound, totally timeless, opener "Boyfriend" is an instant classic, the melody utterly beguiling, the perfect encapsulation of what Best Coast do so well, right down to Bruno's minimal leads, which perfectly compliment Cosentino's harmonies, the soaring chorus, and the simple propulsive rhythm that drives the song. "The title track is another practically perfect summer pop gem, more jangly and driving, like a sixties girl group jam as interpreted by vintage Unrest, more oooh and ahhhs, and plenty more hooks. The whole record is overflowing with perfect pop, with summery vibes, everything you could possibly want from a feel good pop record. And while they last, we have the version that tacks on the bonus track "When I'm With You", the closest thing the band has to a 'hit', a woozy, soporific intro, quickly exploding into a gloriously infectious pound, the main melody so awesome, and the chorus, a stone cold killer, the harmonies, the arrangement, the fuzzy guitars, the drums, everything. Perfect. Yeah okay, we totally love this record. Like crazy, and we're pretty sure you will too.
MPEG Stream: "Boyfriend"
MPEG Stream: "Crazy For You"
MPEG Stream: "The End"
MPEG Stream: "When I'm With You"

BEST COAST Crazy For You (Mexican Summer) lp 15.98
Took a while, but at long last we got vinyl of this, yay! Here's what we said about the cd:
It's finally here, the debut from Cali sunshine retro poppers Best Coast, and as much as all the internet hype might make you want to think otherwise, it's just as good as they all say. The seven inches we've heard definitely already had us hankering for a full length, and as much as we dug those singles, the band has benefited big time from some serious production upgrade, the sound on Crazy For you finally realizes their potential. All the comparisons to Spector's wall of sound and sixties girl groups, now totally make even more sense, the sound here is totally timeless, fuzzy and reverby, like a treasure trove of rare sixties 7"s, but at the same time lush and lustrous and subtly modern, the guitars warm and liquid, and the vocals, wow, Bethany Cosentino manages to channel every torch singer and chanteuse that she was ever inspired by, her voice rich and smokey and passionate, every line sung with such conviction, the songs melancholic and wistful, a heartbroken longing infusing the sad songs, a pure unfettered joy, and enthusiasm for all the little things, sunshine, love, friendship, oozing from the happy ones, the drums simple and propulsive, the background vocals soft focus clouds of oooohs and aaaahs, Bobb Bruno's understated guitar parts sealing the deal, mirroring the vocal melodies but occasionally spiralling off into soft psychedelic swirls, and the songs, the songs are so good, catchy and fun, and dreamy and heartfelt, and like the sound, totally timeless, opener "Boyfriend" is an instant classic, the melody utterly beguiling, the perfect encapsulation of what Best Coast do so well, right down to Bruno's minimal leads, which perfectly compliment Cosentino's harmonies, the soaring chorus, and the simple propulsive rhythm that drives the song. "The title track is another practically perfect summer pop gem, more jangly and driving, like a sixties girl group jam as interpreted by vintage Unrest, more oooh and ahhhs, and plenty more hooks. The whole record is overflowing with perfect pop, with summery vibes, everything you could possibly want from a feel good pop record. And while they last, we have the version that tacks on the bonus track "When I'm With You", the closest thing the band has to a 'hit', a woozy, soporific intro, quickly exploding into a gloriously infectious pound, the main melody so awesome, and the chorus, a stone cold killer, the harmonies, the arrangement, the fuzzy guitars, the drums, everything. Perfect. Yeah okay, we totally love this record. Like crazy, and we're pretty sure you will too.
MPEG Stream: "Boyfriend"
MPEG Stream: "Crazy For You"
MPEG Stream: "The End"
MPEG Stream: "When I'm With You"

BEST COAST Make You Mine (Group Tightener) 2x7" 12.98
By now Best Coast are practically a household name, at least around our households, as they've proven to be one of the most irresistible pop bands to emerge from the lo-fi garage pop scene over the last several years. Make You Mine was a really early 7" and has been out of print for ages. It's finally been repressed repressed, as a limited edition double 7" pressed on clear vinyl.
The songs here are Best Coast at their most raw and fuzzy, for sure. Melding their love of girl group glory and Beach Boys west coast pop at its most stoned and hazy. In fact it opens up with a cover of the Beach Boys' classic "In My Room." The three other songs kill as well, reminding us just how fuzzy and reverby and gloriously druggy and dreamy BC were just a couple years ago. Got a feeling these aren't going to stay in print too long, so best to act fast on this one.
MPEG Stream: "In My Room"
MPEG Stream: "Feeling Of Love"

BEST COAST Sun Was High (So Was I) (Art Fag) 7" 8.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
We've been trying to get a hold of any Best Coast records, but damn has it been near impossible. With a handful of very limited 7"s under their belts the excitement and deserved buzz about this West coast duo featuring Bethany Cosentino (Pocahaunted) and Bobb Bruno (The For Carnation, Polar Goldie Cats, Goliath Bird Eater) seems based entirely around the fact that these noiseniks make completely infectious pop music that is unlike any of their past bands. But rightfully so, cuz this stuff is fantastic!
Luckily a small number of this great 7" has finally been repressed so we can finally review it and gush about what perfect sun soaked breezy and infectious girl group inspired garage pop this duo whip up (and be sure to check out the new cd ep elsewhere on this week's list!). "Sun Was High (So Was I)" is one of those totally made for 7" songs as you can't help but want to play that side over and over. A laid back washed out anthem, like a DIY stripped down Go-Go's. The B-side features "So Gone" which has an awesome dreamy and fuzzy vibe reminiscent of The Breeders, and the record is rounded out with an awesome cover of Lesley Gore's "That's The Way Boys Are" which is bubble gum girl group perfection filtered through a golden Southern California haze. So good! Grab it while we've still got 'em!

BEST COAST Where The Boys Are (Blackest Rainbow) cd ep 9.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
It's been nearly impossible to get our hands on any Best Coast records, they all seemed to go out of print in the blink of an eye. Those of us lucky enough to snag one or catch them live totally understand why everyone is freaking out about them, because we are too! Bethany Cosentino of Pocahaunted fame let go of her more abstract musical roots to create pretty and primitive, lo-fi, reverb soaked bedroom garage pop that is as raw as it is infectious. Now you finally have a chance to snag a Best Coast release as Blackest Rainbow has released this cd ep of songs that Bethany recorded in her bedroom last summer (we also got some copies of the most recent, repressed 7", might as well grab one of those too before they disappear again!). It's a lot more raw and blasted out than some of their newer, way more poppy and lo-fi Go-Go's like material that we've heard recently, which could be due to the fact that the current incarnation of Best Coast finds her joined by Bobb Bruno (The For Carnation, Goliath Bird Eater, etc.).
These 5 songs represent the birth of Best Coast and what an awesome incarnation it was. Like a way more bleached out and fucked up Breeders, these are songs that embrace the sun and California in all its faded and washed out glory. Sort of like a female counterpart to the awesome Wavves records, as they both are so much about creating the perfect drugged out soundtrack to a beach party in a dusty basement. So fucking good! Not sure how many of these were pressed but it's already out of print, so make sure to act fast on this one.
MPEG Stream: "Moody"
MPEG Stream: "Boy"
MPEG Stream: "Gloomy"

BEST COAST / JEFF THE BROTHERHOOD Sunny Adventure / Bummer (Volcom) 7" 6.50
Another in Volcom's subscriber's singles club, this one a split (like the Flood / Wildildlife, which we still have a final few copies of) featuring big time aQ faves, sunshiney beach poppers Best Coast, who offer up another blast of hazy, girl group, fuzz pop bliss... rocking and rollicking, windows down, breeze blowing, ice cream melting, the usual boatload of reverb and warm summery harmonies, and of course hooks galore, Bethany's voice in fine form, and the band kicking up a fun fuzzed out dream pop underneath, another practically perfect chunk of washed out dreamy sunshine pop that sounds like it could have been plucked right off their full length.
The big surprise here is Jeff The Brotherhood, who we sort of expected to suck, based on the goofy name, but wow were we wrong, reminding us a lot of classic Weezer or old school noise poppers Further, also SF pop geniuses Ovens, super distorted guitars, weary stoned boy vocals, sweet harmonies, killer hooks, crazy catchy, with some tripped out spacey squiggly FX, pop fanatics will be in heaven, and like us, will probably be scrambling for more from these guys.
LIMITED TO 1000 COPIES. Each one hand numbered. Pressed on swirly clear pink vinyl. Comes with a download code for JUST the JTB track...
MPEG Stream: JEFF THE BROTHERHOOD "Bummer"

BESTIAL MOUTHS Hissing Veil (Dais) lp 21.00
The bloodletting goth-punk of LA's Bestial Mouths is likely to find black-clad company with contemporaries like Zola Jesus and Chelsea Wolfe, but this outfit harnesses a creative dualism between voice and drums that's a unique take on what Siouxsie and Budgie had done so brilliantly for so many years in the Banshees and Creatures. Vocalist Lynette Cerezo shrieks, barks, and howls between the operatic vibrato that reaches for the atavistic bellowing that's something of a cross between Diamanda Galas and Rozz Williams of Christian Death. Ebrahim Saleh's percussion is hardly the death-disco that's so often heard from goth drummers, but more of a splattercore punk likened to a No Wave version of Crass regressing at times to caveman pummelling. Christopher Myrick's synths fill in the blanks, and often do get upstaged by the spiralling dynamism between Cerezo and Saleh with all of their car-crash stops and thunderous stomps. Where many of the songs on Hissing Veil are short sharp blasts of feral energy, Bestial Mouths settles into an effectively infernal dirge that's equivalent to Lydia Lunch ripping apart The Cure's Pornography and leaving the parts ugly and abused in some forgotten alleyway. A great addition to the Dais catalogue of recordings!

BETA BAND Heroes To Zeroes (Astralwerks) cd 16.98
Already flying out of AQ's racks, it's obvious this album needs no introduction, but in case you need one... (enormous trumpet fanfare!), TA DAH! The new Beta Band! As is often the case with highly anticipated albums, the lengthy hold-your-breath wait causes expectations and hopes to skyrocket, only to plummet with disappointment when the album fails to reach such lofty heights. From the rumble of eager enquiries from AQ customers for the last few weeks, it became clear that this might be a concern. Well, whether or not this proves to be your dilemma depends on whether Beta Band's choice of a different musical direction from past albums equals disappointment for you. So... what is this new direction? Their familiar very Pink Floyd-y grand superbong space-folk meets warm fuzzy shoegazer Brit rock a la Stone Roses. Shoegazin' is definitely back and on the rise. This album is definitely missing many of the shambolic personality traits of the Beta Band we know and love, and it definitely draws them closer to their trippy UK contemporaries such as Super Furry Animals or Spiritualized. Sound good to you?
MPEG Stream: "Assessment"
MPEG Stream: "Space"

BETA BAND Hot Shots II (Astralwerks) cd 16.98
The Beta Band are still really skilled at mixing together a total hodgepodge of sounds, from ethnic drumming to tinkling piano, dub, weird atmospherics, space age melodica, and shuffling breakbeat percussion. The Pink-Floyd-style hushed unison vocals have this epic chanting quality to them that's pretty addictive. It all adds up to somewhat original rock music for the twenty-first century, but I have to say this album isn't nearly as good as the 3 EP's release, cool Carole King and Nilsson samples notwithstanding (the Beta Band have good taste). In my opinion (presumably that's why you're reading this list, uh, right?) it unfortunately sounds a bit canned, tired and formulaic (and I'm a fan!). Or maybe it's just their "mellow" and "delicate" album.
RealAudio clip: "Won"
RealAudio clip: "Life"

BETA BAND s/t (Astralwerks) cd 15.98
This excellent Scottish (and somewhat Beck-ish) pop band return with their first full-length album, the follow-up to their unanimously-an-AQ-fave ep collection The Three EPs...while this hasn't grown on us as much as that summertime-lovely disc did, several of us did recently witness them live, putting on a great show here in San Francisco, where the new songs came across quite well, so perhaps it will yet take hold. This new album is just a bit too gimmicky to be as good as their The Three EPs, as if they don't trust themselves to simply write good songs. Of course, the Beta Band themselves have been quoted in the NME as saying they hate this new album...I suppose it's quite cute to be that humble (and good publicity?) but don't let them discourage you, make up your own mind.

BETA BAND The Best Of The Beta Band Music (Astralwerks) 2cd 17.98
Ah, throughout Beta Band's short career we've gone through phases of such love (The Three EPs) and sorta hate (their last album Heroes To Zeroes), but all in all we do still have a soft spot for these Scots and were bummed to hear of their split. The first disc is the actual 'best of' while the second disc features a recording of one of the band's final shows at Shepherds Bush Empire last year. Of course fans will have their own ideas of what were the band's best songs, so let's not get into any quibbling here, okay? Where this compilation succeeds very succinctly is in showing the band's broad and deft spectrum of genre-hopping -- from their early Beck-ish patchworked shufflin' shambles ("Dry The Rain") to their Beatles-meets-Pink Floyd period (their great "It's Not Too Beautiful" which also kicks off the live disc) to their slightly ethno-accessoried and funkified leanings to their later, slicker psych-tinged pop/rock that aligned them more with bands such as Super Furry Animals. So if you're not familiar with the Beta Band this is a pretty good overview for you to decide which, if not all, of their many faces please your ears. Actually although when taken individually each of BB's albums seems to have a very different personality and sound from one another, these songs taken from each of their cds and presented in chronological order come across as surprisingly cohesive. The comp begins with four from the above mentioned AQ fave The Three EPs, followed by two from their puzzlingly self-scorned, self-titled sophomore album, next is "To You Alone" a song that was included on 2001's Rarewerks (Astralwerks seventh anniversary compilation), then four from Hot Shots II and a closing five from their last album Heroes To Zeroes. As for the second disc, the live recordings sound terrific -- capturing the energy rush from the band and their audience. The band was in fine form this eve. A suitably vibrant farewell.
MPEG Stream: "To You Alone"
MPEG Stream: "It's Not Too Beautiful (live)"

BETA BAND The Three E.P.'s (Regal/Astralwerks) cd 16.98
The Beta Band are a quartet featuring three Scots and one Brit. Using regular rock instrumentation supplemented by trumpet, piano, jew's harp, bird calls, judicious vinyl scratching, and a weird keyboard contraption that is blown into by means of a long flexible tube, the band comes up with a sound that's, well, like Pink Floyd mixed with Tall Dwarfs if they were really into Mo'Wax. Specifically, Beta Band mix echoey vocals a la The Dark Side of the Moon with loose, tinkly percussive elements and meaty, satisfying guitar strumming, then add a layer of bass groove that's reinforced by rhythmic vocal loops. It's a sound that is at once completely original and unabashedly experimental, yet familiar and immediately accessible.
While many of the reviews of The Beta Band have compared them favorably to Beck (shorthand for saying that they've got command of a wide range of influences that they recombine into their own sound), let's get specific. They are at home with honest-to-goodness psychedelia, synths, beatboxes, sampling, exotica... the list goes on. Combine this breadth and depth of musical chops with their exquisite sense of arrangement, and you begin to see the potential of this group.
--excerpted from Windy's Bay Guardian column.
MPEG Stream: "Dry The Rain"
MPEG Stream: "Inner Meet Me"

BETRAY THE SPECIES Sleepwalker (Can't Stop Eating) cd 11.98

BETSCH, BERTRAND BB Sides (Lithium) cd 14.98
While Bertrand Betsch's lovely previous album, La Soupe a la Grimace, was a sensitive singer songwriter affair, with heartbreakingly pretty hooks and whispered vocals, this record features the addition of 'beats' so it's a lot heavier and Bertrand rises to the occasion -- his voice is even more tortured, the guitar a bit more dissonant than before. Some of you will love the anguish, some will find his new direction distasteful, so listen to the soundclips and decide for yourself.
RealAudio clip: "La Folie des Hommes"
RealAudio clip: "J'entends plus la guitare"

BETSCH, BERTRAND La soupe a la grimace. (Lithium) cd 14.98
Wonderful! This French singer/songwriter's emotional, serious songs are delivered in a breathy, delicate manner that will DEFINITELY appeal to fans of Belle & Sebastian, although Bertrand's unique style isn't as sticky sweet. Highly recommended!

BETTER BEATLES, THE Mercy Beat (Hook or Crook) cd 11.98
A couple lists ago we had the Easy Beatles compilation... now we've got some not-so-easy Beatles! This reissue will drive some folks crazy, but we're lovin' it. Hooray for East Bay label Hook Or Crook for getting their hands on this great outsider classic out of Omaha, Nebraska circa 1981. The Better Beatles played Beatles songs with a naive and fucked up post-punk charm. While there are no shortages of Beatles covers and tribute records, none have been made that suit our bizarre tastes better than this one! With primitive electronics that sounded like they could break at any moment and a detached delivery that gives these songs a feeling somewhere between cold wave, new wave and no wave. Not far off from what The Flying Lizards were doing around this same time but much more out of the loop and less self-conscious.
It's super interesting to see how while being one of the most famous and mainstream appreciated bands of all time, the Beatles have spawned so many outsider fanatics from Daniel Johnston to Bobb Trimble. What makes The Better Beatles so damn cool is that they truly made these songs something else, it's not just novelty (though that is a factor), there is a lot of intensity in their delivery. They might have been joking about being "better" but maybe they meant it, they certainly sound like they mean it when they sing John and Paul's lyrics, which are often the only recognizable parts of the songs. We can't count the times we've had a customer in the store get reeled in by this record without even knowing that it's Beatles covers and when they find out they say something like 'I don't even like The Beatles but this is fucking cool!' and even for those of us who love the Beatles as well we can agree, this IS fucking cool!
MPEG Stream: "Penny Lane"
MPEG Stream: "I'm Down"

BETTER BEATLES, THE Mercy Beat (Hook or Crook) lp 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
A couple lists ago we had the Easy Beatles compilation... now we've got some not-so-easy Beatles! This reissue will drive some folks crazy, but we're lovin' it. Hooray for East Bay label Hook Or Crook for getting their hands on this great outsider classic out of Omaha, Nebraska circa 1981. The Better Beatles played Beatles songs with a naive and fucked up post-punk charm. While there are no shortages of Beatles covers and tribute records, none have been made that suit our bizarre tastes better than this one! With primitive electronics that sounded like they could break at any moment and a detached delivery that gives these songs a feeling somewhere between cold wave, new wave and no wave. Not far off from what The Flying Lizards were doing around this same time but much more out of the loop and less self-conscious.
It's super interesting to see how while being one of the most famous and mainstream appreciated bands of all time, the Beatles have spawned so many outsider fanatics from Daniel Johnston to Bobb Trimble. What makes The Better Beatles so damn cool is that they truly made these songs something else, it's not just novelty (though that is a factor), there is a lot of intensity in their delivery. They might have been joking about being "better" but maybe they meant it, they certainly sound like they mean it when they sing John and Paul's lyrics, which are often the only recognizable parts of the songs. We can't count the times we've had a customer in the store get reeled in by this record without even knowing that it's Beatles covers and when they find out they say something like 'I don't even like The Beatles but this is fucking cool!' and even for those of us who love the Beatles as well we can agree, this IS fucking cool!
MPEG Stream: "Penny Lane"
MPEG Stream: "I'm Down"

BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME Colors (Victory Records) cd 14.98

BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME s/t (LifeForce) cd 14.98
There's a trend in metalcore these days to mix in super melodic, catchy parts that don't fit at all in some sort of bid to appeal to folks who can't handle their metalcore being ALL metal, or to make it onto MTV, where there's now a glut of bands who, when not pounding away in a loose approximation of death metal, sound like boy bands or super wussy indie pop. While BTBAM do have their 'sensitive' moments, they're not just stuck on as an afterthought, they are as critical to the song as the crushing riffs and howled vocals. For the most part, BTBAM are HEAVY through and through, dense and downtuned, pummellingly intense, and rhythmically super complex with obtuse time signatures, hiccupping and stuttering, stop/starts, with even the most straight ahead rhythms complicated by little off time breeches. There's definitely some Swedish influence here (In Flames etc...) but BTBAM manage to take the sound of Swedish death metal, and infuse it with the mathematic complexity of Dillinger Escape Plan and their own strange idea of songwriting, all convoluted and serpentine, and come up with something pretty original in the process. No mean feat considering metalcore's sound-alike tendencies. Songs flit from buzzing black metal to muffled crunchy brass knuckle chug, ultra low guttural death metal barks stumble through chaotic and lurching, stuttery breakdowns, blazing double kick underpins dual guitar harmonies that sound more demonic than melodic and everything is tempered by waltzy minor key melodic bridges with soaring harmony vocals. Thanks to AQ pal Metal Dave for turning us on to this!
MPEG Stream: "More Of Myself To Kill"
MPEG Stream: "Arsonist"

BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME The Anatomy Of (Victory) cd 13.98

MPEG Stream: "Blackened"
MPEG Stream: "Bicycle Race"
MPEG Stream: "Three Of A Perfect Pair"

BEULAH Emma Blowgun's Last Stand (Elastic) cdep 9.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Aussie import cdep of new material by this beloved San Francisco indie-pop band. Lush, instantly catchy Elephant 6 style pop confidently executed ala the Apples or Olivia Tremor Control. Four songs.

BEULAH The Coast Is Never Clear (Velocette) cd 16.98
San Francisco's Beulah cruise into their third full length with a breezy '70s feel, drawing them away from their formerly much more pronounced '60s Beach Boys/Beatles leanings. They still retain a few glimmers of rollicking Elephant Six-ness, but the E6 trademark horns, keyboards and ba-da-ba singalongs brim with much more polish and confidence than many of Beulah's more ramshackle, twee E6 cousins. Their buoyant, sunny melodies flow freely from their gleaming pop fountain. A wonderful follow-up to their lovely "When Your Heartstrings Break".
RealAudio clip: "Gravity Is Bringing Us Down"
RealAudio clip: "What Will You Do When Your Suntan Fades"

BEULAH When Your Heartstrings Break (Sugar Free/Elephant Six) cd 14.98

The only local band to boast Elephant Six credentials, this is pure pop, much lighter and sweeter than the Elf Power record mentioned above, with similar Beatles / Beach Boys / Kinks influences throughout. Very very catchy.

BEULAH Yoko (Velocette) cd 14.98
The fourth full length from local darlings Beulah might just be their best album. Miles Korosky's songwriting is more remarkably mature than ever, with unpredictable chord changes and smart arrangements that convey intense emotion but executed with careful precision. This is perfect pop with a rocker edge and clearly delivered lyrics. Embellishing the usual indierock instrumentation, pedal steel, baritone and tenor saxophones all add a welcome dose of very pretty minor key sincerity. So much to like here, especially for fans of the Elephant6 bands.
MPEG Stream: "Landslide Baby"
MPEG Stream: "Me and Jesus Don't Talk Anymore"

BEULAH / CHARLES NORRIS A Good Band Is Easy To Kill (Further Down Films) dvd 14.98
If your favorite band is SF popsters Beulah and you're still nursing your heartbreak as a result of their breakup, here's a posthumous audio and video treat to brighten your day. This dvd features a documentary of the band on the road back in 2003 touring the U.S. and Canada in support of their final album Yoko, as well as a heap of bonus material (live footage of the band performing seventeen complete songs, deleted scenes, etc). One thing that this dvd reminded us about is that they (well, particularly lead singer Miles Kurosky) sure do swear a fuck of a fucking lot. You might wanna keep it away from the eyes and ears of grannies and children.

BEVIS FROND Live At The Great American Music Hall (Flydaddy) cd 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
A great live album of Nick Saloman and Company, recorded right here in SF on May 16, 1998. "This recording features no overdubbing, re-mixing, enhancement or applause from a different live album."

BEVIS FROND North Circular (Flydaddy) 2cd 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Nick Saloman and band's first domestic release is a double whammy of 25 songs on 2 discs. One of rock's most prolific songwriters whose quality never dips, hear his songs as they were meant to be heard, not cleaned up and prettified as on the Mary Lou Lord album.

BEVIS FROND Valedictory Songs (Rubric) cd 14.98
Nick & co. return with more psych-guitar anthems for the Terrastock Nation!

BEVIS FROND, THE Hit Squad (Rubric Records) cd 14.98
The latest from Nick Salomon and crew, aka The Bevis Frond, known by thousands as the UK's premier latter-day guitar psych band. Heroes to the Ptolemaic Terrascope crowd, these stalwarts are on to their 19th album with Hit Squad! Well, we don't want to dissuade serious fans -- you're gonna have deeper understanding of what Nick's up to here than we do -- but it's hard to not write a review that simply states what we all thought when we put this on in the store the day we got it in... At its best, it could have been bad Monster Magnet. At it's worst, it coulda been Lenny freaking Kravitz. Not what we were expecting. Sorry! There's some sort of goofy retro pop angle they're going for here we just aren't digging...
MPEG Stream: "Dragons"
MPEG Stream: "Hit Squad"

BEVIS FROND, THE London Stone (Rubric) cd 14.98
This is the first time this particular Bevis Frond album (originally released in 1992) has ever been released here in the USA, and yes, it was well worth the thirteen year wait! It comes packed with a half dozen bonus goodies making this cd a probably must-have for fans who already have the import.
Following an introductory traditional number "Stonedance", the band wastes no time, launching right into what might be the album's best song "Coming Round" (a fuzzy indie pop tune that clearly comes from the same songwriting pen that wrote the Mary Lou Lord-sung gem "Lights Are Changin'"). But mainman Nick Saloman is a multi-faceted fellow, and it's made more than apparent on London Stone. Through most of the middle songs he unfurls his serious blues and psychedelic rock guitar chops, only taking a brief breather later in the album for the soft folk number "Lord Of Nothing" and another punchy indie rock tune "And Now She's Gone".
MPEG Stream: "Coming Round"
MPEG Stream: "Lord Of Nothing"

BEYONCE B'Day (Sony) cd 16.98
Wow! It's like Beyonce read our minds. We've always had a big soft spot for her dating back to her days in Destiny's Child and absolutely LOVED about half of her last solo record. But the other half go way too ballady and schmaltzy R+B slow jam for our liking. And BAM! B'Day is all killer no filler, with the fat cut, leaving pure, full on, blood pumping, adrenaline rushing, booty shaking, dance inducing modern R+B groove done to perfection! Beyonce has been often been described as a Diana Ross for her generation and we can't say we really disagree. Her ability to churn out hit after hit, jam packed with killer beats and hook after hook leaves the rest of the hip hop ladies in the dust. With B'day she seems to be moving toward some sort of imaginary kinship with Missy Elliott, what with her new found undeniable intensity, energy and confidence. Every one of these songs (minus the long closer) keeps the intensity full throttle, no letting up, no throwaway tracks, just fierce commanding bad ass funkiness that grabs you by the hair, sends you spinning onto the dancefloor and will NOT let you go. While 99 percent of what's on commercial radio and MTV is pretty tired, stale and disposable, Beyonce continues to make hits that we'll still want to hear 20 years from now.
MPEG Stream: "Get Me Bodied"
MPEG Stream: "Kitty Kat"

BEYOND DAWN Electric Sulking Machine (Peaceville) cd 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Norway's Beyond Dawn build upon the unique sound they established with their Misanthropy-label classic "Revelry": gothic dirge-pop infused with both electronica and metal. Kind of like Katatonia meets Tarwater, with a healthy dose of the Swans (the vocals are magnificently, uncannily close to those of Michael Gira). Beyond Dawn began as yet another black metal outfit (albeit one that stood out from the pack by their use of the trombone!), and now have evolved into something very different, and very special. But the trombones remain! Highly recommended.

BEYOND DAWN Frysh (Peaceville) cd 14.98
There seems to be a trend over the last few years in Norwegian metal. A serious obsession with techno, that when combined with the distinctly Black metal notion that maturing musically means becoming LESS metal, results in all sort of new permutations, that while definitely pushing the boundaries, tend to disappoint long time fans. Look at Manes, Arcturus, Ulver, etc. So what does this have to do with Beyond Dawn? Well...they started out as a seriously grim black metal band, whose unlikely use of a trombone was the only clue to their future direction. They soon moved in a distinctly dirge-y, melancholy, gloom pop direction, sounding more like Katatonia and even the Swans (due in no small part to the vocalist's uncanny Michael Gira like croon) and less like Darkthrone of Mayhem. At the same time, they began to incorporate all sorts of electronic glitchery: drum machines, weird processing, and studio trickery. On Frysh, their latest and weirdest record to date, things have gone about as far away from metal as humanly (or inhumanly) possible. They've pretty much given up the metal ghost entirely, opting for a melancholy techno-doom-pop. Weird bleeping synth melodies hover over skittish almost-techno rhythms, shimmering washes of synthesizer hum, and even some slide guitar! The sticker on the cd calls them "Norwegian's Loungecore Kings". Not sure how accurate that really is, but this definitely has more in common sonically with Depeche Mode or the Pet Shop Boys that it does with any metal bands I can think of. But don't get the wrong impression. This record RULES! Finally a metal band, that instead of talking about how much they love Depeche Mode or some other gloomy pop bands, and maybe even covering a Depeche Mode song once in a while, actually writes gorgeously catchy and sweetly depressive songs that rival those of any of their influences. To me this sounds like a more electronic Angels Of Light, or a metal flecked Magnetic Fields, or Dntel or the Postal Service covering Katatonia with Michael Gira on vocals. So so good. Took me a while to get over the silly and garish cover and the 'loungecore kings' sticker and the goofy new band member names (Clubshoes, Tore Jazztobakk, Hi-Fi Haavik, and Espen Weltschmertz). I was smelling 'jokeband' for sure. But the more I listen to Frysh, the more it reveals itself as a decidedly rich, multi-layered tapestry of perfectly morose, exquisitely crafted, bewitchingly dreamy techno pop gems. SO recommended!
MPEG Stream: "Far From Showbiz"
MPEG Stream: "Increasing the Gravity"
MPEG Stream: "Among the Sedatives"

BEYOND DAWN In Reverie (Eibon) cd 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Hell yeah! We were just doing a bit of cleaning, and found a little stash of these, an AQ record of the week from WAY back in June of 2000!!! We only found 10 copies, and we're pretty sure this is out of print now, so as soon as these are gone, that's it!
This record is sooooo amazing. So dark, and beautiful, creepy and mysterious. So much so that we just had to make it record of the week! Initially, our interest in Beyond Dawn was due mostly to the bizarre fact that they were a trombone-fronted black metal band!! But, in the space of one record (Revelry, the record preceding this one), their sound shifted completely, to something less metal, more experimental, a morose sort of "avant-pop" with a heavy heavy heavy Swans vibe. As well as a bit of Katatonia too. And thankfully, the trombone remained. The mostly acoustic follow-up "In Reverie" also could quite easily be a late period Swans record or an Angels Of Light disc. But for our money, it's even better than most of the later Swans records. The voice is a deep ringing baritone, a dead ringer for Michael Gira's, but the music is way more bizarre. Somehow managing to be both lush and spare, Beyond Dawn create rickety tales of loss and sorrow with plaintive trombone, simple minor key strumming, bizarre percussion, clouds of subtle glistening electronics and warm emotional swells, all wrapped in a creepy atmospheric intensity. Immediately following this disc, they then went on to explore a more electronica-influenced sound on their next record, the completely different but equally amazing Electric Sulking Machine, reviewed elsewhere on the site. Not sure what happened to these guys, they sort of just disappeared, which is an incredible shame as they are just such an amazing band, a perpetual AQ favorite for sure, and this is such a totally breathtaking disc. For everyone who somehow missed out on this 6 years ago, at least ten of you get a second chance. Don't blow it again! So recommended!
MPEG Stream: "Need"
MPEG Stream: "Rendezvous"
MPEG Stream: "Prey"

BI Surf N' Turf / Tuf Jak (Mexican Summer) 7" 5.98
Debut single from this brand new duo, featuring Eric Copeland of long running noiseniks Black Dice and Jimi Hey, formerly of Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, and we have to say, the sound definitely falls somewhere closer to Hey's old outfit, two slab of tweaked, warped, carnivalesque outsider pop, rife with sped up vocals, woozy harmonies, backwards guitar swoops, bizarre production. The A side sounds a bit tropical and summery, very Ariel Pink / John Maus for sure, everything warped and liquid sounding, bloopy melodies, the record almost sounding like it's physically melting, or like a classic pop 45 spinning on a malfunctioning turntable, the RPM's constantly changing, dreamily queasy, sunshiney and washed out, but with a thick buzzy second half that gets weirdly heavy and distorted.
The B side offers up more of the same, another drowsy druggy chunk of outsider jangle pop, more strangely harmonized vox, tangled up wah wah guitars, and a super crazy catchy melody, that the rest of the song and all of the sounds seem deadset on subverting. Cool strange stuff. Definitely recommended for fans of lysergic outsider pop and warped weirdo summery jangle, which we're guessing is probably a whole lot of you!