SILVER MT. ZION, THE Born Into Trouble As Sparks (Constellation) cd 14.98
Changing their name from A Silver Mt. Zion to The Silver Mt. Zion may not amount to much, but it certainly irks our propensity for neat-freak orderliness. While certain schools of thought disregard all articles in terms of alphabetization, Aquarius has always been charmed by the article "a." The obvious reasoning to this is that there are not very many bands who have choosen a name beginning with the article "a." Yet it can not be denied that Andee's former band was A Minor Forest and he never wanted his band filed in the "m" section right after Kylie Minogue. Thus, the previous release from this Godspeed! You Black Emperor side-project will remain filed as "A Silver Mt. Zion" and this album will be filed as "Silver Mt. Zion, The." Sometimes people can be confused when their world is thrown into a tizzy, and we wouldn't want that to happen, now would we?
Anyway, "Born Into Trouble As Sparks" is yet another outing of exactly what you would expect to come from the Godspeed! camps: soaring orchestrations for glide guitars and melodramatically inclined strings, tainted by the continued use of knee-jerkingly leftist spoken word snippets. While my initial reaction to this album was just plain bitchy, the accurate analysis was given by our beloved garrulous regular customer Forrest Norvell, who likened Silver Mt. Zion to the films of John Sayles, as earnest-to-a-fault anarcho-syndicalists rebelling with every single ounce of strength against the evils of capitalism, politics, money, greed, the system, the man, and anything else that makes for an easy target. Not every tale of hope in the face of despair makes for good art.
RealAudio clip: "Built Then Burnt (Hurrah! Hurrah!)"
RealAudio clip: "Take These Hands And Throw Them In The River"

SILVER MT. ZION, THE Born Into Trouble As Sparks (Constellation) 2x10" 15.98
Changing their name from A Silver Mt. Zion to The Silver Mt. Zion may not amount to much, but it certainly irks our propensity for neat-freak orderliness. While certain schools of thought disregard all articles in terms of alphabetization, Aquarius has always been charmed by the article "a." The obvious reasoning to this is that there are not very many bands who have choosen a name beginning with the article "a." Yet it can not be denied that Andee's former band was A Minor Forest and he never wanted his band filed in the "m" section right after Kylie Minogue. Thus, the previous release from this Godspeed! You Black Emperor side-project will remain filed as "A Silver Mt. Zion" and this album will be filed as "Silver Mt. Zion, The." Sometimes people can be confused when their world is thrown into a tizzy, and we wouldn't want that to happen, now would we?
Anyway, "Born Into Trouble As Sparks" is yet another outing of exactly what you would expect to come from the Godspeed! camps: soaring orchestrations for glide guitars and melodramatically inclined strings, tainted by the continued use of knee-jerkingly leftist spoken word snippets. While my initial reaction to this album was just plain bitchy, the accurate analysis was given by our beloved garrulous regular customer Forrest Norvell, who likened Silver Mt. Zion to the films of John Sayles, as earnest-to-a-fault anarcho-syndicalists rebelling with every single ounce of strength against the evils of capitalism, politics, money, greed, the system, the man, and anything else that makes for an easy target. Not every tale of hope in the face of despair makes for good art.

SILVER PINES Forces (Light Lodge) lp 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Now On Vinyl!
We weren't sure what to expect of this, when one slow night we were going through a pile of cd submissions and it was the last thing we put on. But we were instantly floored! We didn't really know too much about this band except they were from San Marcos, TX and recently relocated to Austin, having dropped off the cd with us when they were on tour (we had mistakenly assumed at first they were local!).
Silver Pines revel in a sound that can be best described as shoegazey stoner country-rock. Thick, warm, slow-burning and gauzy with lots of reverbed slide guitar and heavy psych amp fuzz underscoring the female singer's pretty heavy-lidded drawled vocals, the songs on Forces remind us of smoky perfumed parlors from a forgotten age. The kind of music that instantly transports you to an a dreamy antiquated time but in a way that seems refreshingly unfamiliar and charmed. Reminiscent of a fuzzier more narcoleptic Mazzy Star or a more heavier slow-rocking Beach House, Silver Pines has taken us all quite by surprise by their majestic grace and atmospheric beauty. Soooo good!! Hopefully this won't be the last we hear from this band. Already assured a spot on our top ten lists for the year. Limited to 500 copies. Don't miss out!!!
MPEG Stream: "Timefather"
MPEG Stream: "Polar Bear"
MPEG Stream: "Old Sky"

SILVER PINES Forces (self-released) cd-r 9.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
BACK IN STOCK! LAST COPIES!!!!
When we first listed this we weren't sure we would get more than the last ten copies the band had, but then we had so many orders for it, the band kindly made another pressing. And after we sold out of those, we thought we would get one last batch from them for all the folks who may have saw the first review and wanted to buy one but didn't think they'd have a chance of ever getting it. Well here's your chance, albeit your last one!
We weren't sure what to expect of this, when one slow night we were going through a pile of cd submissions and it was the last thing we put on. But we were instantly floored! We didn't really know too much about this band except they were from San Marcos, TX and recently relocated to Austin, having dropped off the cd with us when they were on tour (we had mistakenly assumed at first they were local!).
Silver Pines revel in a sound that can be best described as shoegazey stoner country-rock. Thick, warm, slow-burning and gauzy with lots of reverbed slide guitar and heavy psych amp fuzz underscoring the female singer's pretty heavy-lidded drawled vocals, the songs on Forces remind us of smoky perfumed parlors from a forgotten age. The kind of music that instantly transports you to an a dreamy antiquated time but in a way that seems refreshingly unfamiliar and charmed. Reminiscent of a fuzzier more narcoleptic Mazzy Star or a more heavier slow-rocking Beach House, Silver Pines has taken us all quite by surprise by their majestic grace and atmospheric beauty. Soooo good!! Hopefully this won't be the last we hear from this band. Each cd-r hand silkscreened and colored. Already assured a spot on our top ten lists for the year. Don't miss out!!!
MPEG Stream: "Timefather"
MPEG Stream: "Polar Bear"
MPEG Stream: "Old Sky"

SILVER PINES Night Smoker (self-released) cassette 5.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Oh, how we miss the "cassingle". Those two or three songs and perhaps a dance remix that would play on both sides of a cassette over and over again, burning those couple of songs immediately into our heads. And with its cheap cardstock sleeve instead of a case, for the time, before we got so super concerned about the environment, it was so happily disposable.
That's not to say this new 4 song cassette release by aQ faves, Silver Pines is similarly throwaway, but their choice of packaging (a black cardstock sleeve with unique collage elements) and the brevity of its length, just takes us back to those (not really) good ol' days. Made for their recent tour, this is a more lo-fi and blown out take on their majestic shoegazey Americana than we saw on the Forces cd-r (oh, and btw vinyl of that is coming soon!). In fact side one starter, "You Came To My Door", starts off very in the red, with the vocals and drifting guitar soundscapes near clipping out, but the sound issues are pretty much corrected by the second track "(I Believe In) Magic Dreams", a more spacious and slow-burning instrumental. Yet it's the second side that holds the real gold. Both songs, "Glass Church" and "Baby Universe" are stunningly beautiful and druggy ballads that are more strung out and psychedelic than anything we've ever heard from Hope Sandoval or Mazzy Star, the Pines most recognizable sonic touchstones. These two songs alone are worth the price of admission, but act fast, because only 100 were made and we only got a handful. So freakin' lovely!

SILVER SCOOTER Orleans Parish (Peek-A-Boo) cd 13.98
Silver Scooter is a Texan trio whose best Smiths / James / late 80s Brit-pop interpolations within the context of Americana indie-rock makes us look much older than we really are.

SILVER SCOOTER The Blue Law (Peek A Boo) cd 13.98
The Blue Law marks the fourth full length batch of sweetness from this Austin, TX pop trio. Sort of like a hybrid between Go-Betweens (esp. when Grant McLennan is singing) and lo-fi kiddie-core Crayon / Tullycraft, but with each release leaning more and more towards the former than the latter. On Peek-a-Boo Records, home to sugary, fun pop a-plenty.

SILVER SUN Disappear Here (Invisible Hands) cd 10.98
WE LOVE THIS BAND!!! Those of you who have been with us since the beginning will no doubt be well aware of our love affair with these UK power poppers. They played one of the best instores we've ever had, Andee's old band P.E.E. toured with Silver Sun when they were here (Silver Sun's first US tour, P.E.E.'s last tour ever!), and we sold tons and tons of their other two records. And it's no surprise. Silver Sun write unbelivable songs, with super crunchy kick ass guitars, and maybe the best harmony vocals we've ever heard. It's been six or seven years since their last full length, the band even broke up for a while, until frontman James began recording a new Silver Sun record and realized that it wouldn't be the same without the rest of the band, so they got together and came up with Disappear Here. Their first record was a buzzsaw blast of Beach Boys, Queen, Supertramp, Jellyfish, Zumpano and the Posies. The second record, Neo Wave, appropriate to the title was was more angular and eighties and, well, new wave. But for Disappear Here, they've gone back to their power popping of old, maybe even going a bit farther, adding even more sugar and sweetness to their musclely pop. In fact they sound a lot like later Redd Kross (with maybe a bit less of RK's kitsch obsessed jaded hipster vibe) which is a VERY GOOD thing. So take the above list of bands, add Redd Kross, and maybe some Banana Splits, some Xanadu perhaps, even more harmonies, and still more big ultra catchy choruses, and you are looking at THE power pop record of the year. Can't figure out why these guys aren't HUGE!
MPEG Stream: "Bubblegum"
MPEG Stream: "Jody"
MPEG Stream: "Garlic"
MPEG Stream: "Pipsqueak"

SILVER SUN Golden Skin (Polydor) cdep 6.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

SILVER SUN I'll See You Around (Polydor) cdep 6.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

SILVER SUN Last Day (Polydor) cdep 4.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

SILVER SUN Neo Wave (Polydor UK) cd 24.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
At last, we actually have these back in stock again!! Unfortunately, the high import prices are still in effect. But, if you have ever loved the Zombies, Queen, Weezer, Cheap Trick, Jellyfish, Zumpano, the Beach Boys, etc. -- you will LOVE this band, and find these discs well worth the dough. The best take on kick ass power pop in years! Really loud and melodic, with amazing three part harmonies (this last element so beautifully displayed at their all-acoustic Aquarius instore performance). Both records rule! And still no word on a US release, goshdarnit. When will America get a clue?

SILVER SUN s/t (Polydor UK) cd 26.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
This is quite simply one of the most PERFECT, hook-filled 'power pop' records we've heard in forever. It manages to be ultra catchy but not too
cloying, completely tongue in cheek without being too inane, and the band totally kicks-ass without overwhelming the delicate and intricate 3-part
harmonies. They are super tight and their arrangements are both challenging and impeccable.
The Britpop-crazy UK press constantly refers to Silver Sun as the 'British Beach Boys', and while they do have a definite Beach Boys harmonic
flair, they seem to have more in common with the BIG HUGE sound of Queen and Supertramp and the songwriting chops of more recent bands like
Jellyfish, Zumpano or the Posies, with their over-the-top bombast, buzzsaw guitars, and absurdist lyrics. But the vocal stylings are the killer. 3 of the 4 band members sing, and sing like anyone of them could've fronted the band alone! You have NEVER heard harmonies of this quality on an indie rock record. Rarely does a 'pop' record manage to unite the varied AQ-staffers' peculiar tastes, but everyone here *loves* Silver Sun.
While this record isn't actually new, as of Tuesday this will be the first time we've had more than one or two copies in stock, and it's the first time we've had them for less than $20! We will also have two other titles by Silver Sun, 'Neo Wave' (a little
slower and less rocking but still amazing) and their all covers ep, featuring super kick ass versions of Rush's 'Xanadu' and My Bloody Valentine's 'You Made Me Realise'!

SILVER SUN Too Much, Too Little, Too Late (Polydor) cdep 9.99
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Yes, this is our favorite britpop band covering an REO Speedwagon song. Also covers of Rush's "Xanadu", My Bloody Valentine's "You Made Me Realize" and The Muffs' "I'm a Dick".

SILVERSUN PICKUPS Carnavas (Dangerbird) cd 12.98
Worth it just for the song "Lazy Eye". The best song the Smashing Pumpkins never wrote. The rest of the record is pretty damn great as well.
Quiet / loud / quiet indie rock with thick roaring guitars, pounding drums, soft fey vocals and some killer hooks. Makes sense these guys are getting huge... They'd be a guilty pleasure if there were anything to be guilty about!
MPEG Stream: "Lazy Eye"
MPEG Stream: "Melatonin"

SILVERSUN PICKUPS Swoon (Dangerbird) cd 15.98
It's so easy to hate on these guys (and gal), they went from indie darlings to next big thing, to actual big thing in the blink of an eye. Plus they sound dangerously and criminally like Smashing Pumpkins, but, and this is a very very big BUT, they actually kind of rule.
If you haven't heard their big first single "Lazy Eye", look it up on YouTube. It's like the best Smashing Pumpkins song Billy Corgan never wrote. Or more accurately, it's like THAT Smashing Pumpkins song, you know the one, the only really great late period SP song, but made heavier and blissier and a little noisier. That whole first record was packed with similar jams, My Bloody Valentine meets the Smashing Pumpkins is the most obvious (and oft mentioned comparison), but heck if it isn't sort of accurate. And for what they lacks in originality, they make up for in sheer rad rockingness, hooks everywhere, the singer's Corgan-esque croon, some kick ass drumming, and guitars everywhere, supecharged, distorted, heavy, buzzy, blown out, but still warm and thick and billowy.
We never reviewed the first record, but for some of us, it was definitely a (not so) guilty pleasure. While Swoon doesn't have a hit quite as unbeatable as "Lazy Eye", it does manage to be more lush and expansive, a bit heavier, and after a few listens, some of these songs will be lodged in your head FOREVER. And the sad thing is, this stuff sounds so much better than 90 percent of the rock happening these days, and it's sad to realize they just don't make music like this so much anymore, so when someone does, and does it so well, we just have to sit back and let ourselves be transported right back to the good old days, those days being the nineties, so c'mon, close your eyes, let your hair down, turn up the stereo and rock the fuck out. Pop fiends, especially ones who grew up in the nineties, will go nuts for this. And if you can ignore all the hype and the bullshit and just enjoy the music for what it is, even the most jaded of hipsters might just find themselves unable to resist the blissy crunchy pop spell of Silversun Pickups.
MPEG Stream: "Panic Switch"
MPEG Stream: "There's No Secrets This Year"
MPEG Stream: "The Royal We"

SIMIAN Chemistry Is What We Are (Astralwerks) cd 15.98
Trippy, psych-pop with textural electronic bloopy explorations flowing overtop which occasionally threaten to overwhelm the pretty spaced out melodies and wonderful falsetto harmonies. This Manchester quartet has drawn a few comparisons to Beta Band and Badly Drawn Boy, and it does have its share of lazy boy vocals, warm organ drones and programmed beats. However, overall they're actually more in line with labelmates Sweden's soothing popsters Kings of Convenience - only more quirksome- or perhaps Olivia Tremor Control. Includes two bonus tracks not available on the import version.
RealAudio clip: "Drop And Roll"
RealAudio clip: "One Dimension"

SIMINS, RUSSELL Public Places (Grand Royal) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Electric alt-funk a la the Chili Peppers, hip whiteboy blues like Beck, even guitar-filled arena rock... all that and more can be found on Jon Spencer Blues Explosion drummer Russell Simins solo debut. Here he writes all the songs, and performs not only on drums but also guitar, keyboards, and vocals. We didn't know he had it in him! Also making appearances: Vivian Trimble of Luscious Jackson, Miho Hatori of Cibo Matto, and the Beastie Boys' Mike D. This record is a big huge-sounding wake up slap, full of aggro energy and hip groove -- a little too obvious for some tastes but we think a lot of folks will like it all the same.
RealAudio clip: "I'm Not a Model"

SIMMONS, CARL Honeysuckle Tendrils (Sacred Bones) cd 11.98
We're huge fans of the Sacred Bones label. They're responsible for some of our favorite records lately, from space rock to cold wave to twisted garage pop. Gary War, Moon Duo, Blank Dogs, Zola Jesus, The Cultural Decay, 13th Chime, so we were definitely excited to check out this latest release, from a fella called Carl Simmons, and once again, SB has come up with something weird and cool and confounding.
Unlike the more gothic or cold wave or noisy leanings of much of the other stuff on the label, Simmons' record is a strange stripped down psychedelic folk missive, that sounds like it was broadcast from some other world, or other time.
Super spare and simple, mostly vocals and guitar, but fleshed out with layers of sound collage, and lots of effects. But unlike a lot of heavily effects laden music, Simmons manages to pile on the effects, without it becoming ABOUT the effects. Lots of reverb and multitracking results in a strange reedy, almost helium sounding main voice, often laid over Simmons' more natural gruff croon, the result is definitely magical, and mysterious, gorgeous druggy loner bedroom folk for sure, but infused with plenty of spaced out shimmer, and muted lysergic energy. If you can imagine a freaky, psychedelic, lost freak folk artifact, equal parts Sentridoh, Peter Grudzien and Ween (the latter mostly because of the processed helium vox), you might get a rough idea of what Honeysuckle Tendrils sounds like, but it's so much more than its influences or whatever references we can come up with. Recorded 10 years ago, and released in a micro edition of almost none, Honeysuckle Tendrils is definitely a lost gem, emotional, intimate, haunting, pretty and definitely a bit twisted.
Fantastic packaging as with all Sacred Bones stuff, cool hand screened arigato style cardstock sleeve, with multiple mini printed inserts.

SIMMONS, CARL Honeysuckle Tendrils (Sacred Bones) lp + 7" 26.00
Finally got this on vinyl, gorgeously packaged with a bonus 7" and a handful of homemade looking inserts (See the end of the review for more)...
We're huge fans of the Sacred Bones label. They're responsible for some of our favorite records lately, from space rock to cold wave to twisted garage pop. Gary War, Moon Duo, Blank Dogs, Zola Jesus, The Cultural Decay, 13th Chime, so we were definitely excited to check out this latest release, from a fella called Carl Simmons, and once again, SB has come up with something weird and cool and confounding.
Unlike the more gothic or cold wave or noisy leanings of much of the other stuff on the label, Simmons' record is a strange stripped down psychedelic folk missive, that sounds like it was broadcast from some other world, or other time.
Super spare and simple, mostly vocals and guitar, but fleshed out with layers of sound collage, and lots of effects. But unlike a lot of heavily effects laden music, Simmons manages to pile on the effects, without it becoming ABOUT the effects. Lots of reverb and multi tracking results in a strange reedy, almost helium sounding main voice, often laid over Simmons' more natural gruff croon, the result is definitely magical, and mysterious, gorgeous druggy loner bedroom folk for sure, but infused with plenty of spaced out shimmer, and muted lysergic energy. If you can imagine a freaky, psychedelic, lost freak folk artifact, equal parts Sentridoh, Peter Grudzien and Ween (mostly because of the processed helium vox), you might get a rough idea of what Honeysuckle Tendrils, but it's so much more than its influences or whatever references we can come up with. Recorded 10 years ago, and released in a micro edition of almost none, Honeysuckle Tendrils is definitely a lost gem, emotional, intimate, haunting, pretty and definitely a bit twisted.
The lp includes a bonus 7" with two alternate versions, and two songs exclusive to the vinyl version, the 7" comes in a wax sealed sleeve, and includes a special booklet, and this lp+7" vinyl version is limited to 400 copies...

SIMONE, NINA Black is the Colour of My True Love's Hair (Get Back) lp 23.00

SIMONETTI / MORANTE / PIGNATELLI (GOBLIN) Tenebre OST (Dagored) lp 23.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

SIMONETTI, ENRICO WITH GOBLIN Gamma OST (Cherry Red) cd 17.98
We've got to check out anything that has anything to do with the cult Italian soundtrack specialists Goblin. This reissue does -- it's the score to a 1975 television science fiction show, composed by Enrico Simonetti, father to Claudio Simonetti of Goblin, and features Goblin themselves participating as session musicians on these recordings. Simonetti the elder had been a successful bandleader and film composer for years, possibly the reason that his son's band got into the game. Interestingly, the Gamma theme song was apparently a number one hit single in Italy, ironically knocking a Goblin tune (Profundo Rosso!) out of that spot.
But the rare track that Goblin obsessives are really gonna want this for is "Drug's Theme", which sounds like classic example of that group's trademark sinister disco-prog groove. Enrico was definitely inspired by his son's band on that one. However, it IS the only track here that sounds much like Goblin, really. The rest of the album features more typical orchestrated soundtrack material, lush and moody and romantic, with some jazz and Latin flavoring. Doesn't seem too sci-fi, more like cheesy music for a prime-time soap opera. Maybe the best tracks outside of "Drug's Theme" are the couple cuts that feature sweetly melodic female vocals, those are pretty nice. Especially "Chi Mi Cherchera" which reminds us of, say, Francoise Hardy.
MPEG Stream: "Gamma"
MPEG Stream: "Drug's Theme"
MPEG Stream: "Chi Mi Cherchera"

SIMPLY SAUCER Cyborgs Revisited (Sonic Union) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Thirty or so years after first blasting off, the band known as Simply Saucer soars into view once again. Truly a twisted gem of the '70s pre-punk art-rock underground, the *Canadian* '70s pre-punk art-rock underground no less, this Hamilton, Ontario band was freaking people out back in 1974 with the material you'll find on this spiffy new cd reissue. The lucky and enlightened among you might already have the long out of print early-'90s cd version of this album, or even the original LP posthumously released in 1989, but this new edition of their half-studio, half-live "Cyborgs Revisited" adds 8 bonus tracks, including lo-fi demos, additional live stuff, and both sides of the Saucer's lone 1978 single. With or without these bonus tracks, it's a great fuckin' record, boldly owing allegiance to (early) Pink Floyd and the Velvet Underground and The Stooges. They've also got much in common with the likes of the Pink Fairies, Faust, NYC no-wave a la Von Lmo, and the contemporaneous crazy Ohio underground scene of the '70s (Rocket From The Tombs, Electric Eels). Yep, all these inspirations are immediately evident, not too far into side one of "Cyborgs Revisited": witness the the lengthy amazing repetitive Floydian effects instrumental "Mole Machine" as it segues into the acoustic intro of "Bullet Proof Nothing", Simply Saucer's idea of a love song, with lyrics like "Treat me like dirt/drive me insane" delivered in a sloppy Lou Reed drawl.
S.S. (unfortunate initials, hopefully nothing to do with their song "Nazi Apocalypse"!) were formed in '72 by a bunch of Canuck weirdos, notable among them lead guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Edgar Breau, and Sun Ra/Eno inspired electronics dude John LaPlante, aka "Ping Romany" -- Ping being a good stage name for the guy playing the primitive oscillators, tone generators, and theremin! They fought the good fight for a few years, cranking out freakish, space-fx laden proto-punk rock n' roll with sci-fi titles like "Dance The Mutation", eventually dabbling in Toronto's nascent "new wave" scene.
It's certainly no surprise that the Saucer never "made it" -- though that '78 single seems like a stab at poppier (or at least goofier) sound -- and, with no successful commercial career in the offing, they eventually disbanded. Dunno if they could ever be cited as an influence by anyone 'cause they were so obscure, but hypothetically anyway S.S. could be the warped template for today's garage artisans -- Comets On Fire, especially -- totally punk *and* psych, with skronked out guitar, snotty vox, oscillating noise waves and tumbling drums. Glad to have this back in print, and it's certainly a timely reissue considering how well this fits in with some of today's art-punk retro-electro trends!
MPEG Stream: "Nazi Apocalypse"
MPEG Stream: "Illegal Bodies"

SIMPLY SAUCER Cyborgs Revisited (Get Back) lp 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
This gem is now available on vinyl (without the bonus tracks on the cd reissue we raved about recently, though)! Here's some of what we said: Thirty or so years after first blasting off, the band known as Simply Saucer soars into view once again. Truly a twisted gem of the '70s pre-punk art-rock underground, the *Canadian* '70s pre-punk art-rock underground no less, this Hamilton, Ontario band was freaking people out back in 1974 with the material you'll find on this spiffy new reissue. The original edition of their half-studio, half-live "Cyborgs Revisited" LP was posthumously released in 1989, and simply is a great fuckin' record, boldly owing allegiance to (early) Pink Floyd and the Velvet Underground and The Stooges. They've also got much in common with the likes of the Pink Fairies, Faust, NYC no-wave a la Von Lmo, and the contemporaneous crazy Ohio underground scene of the '70s (Rocket From The Tombs, Electric Eels). Yep, all these inspirations are immediately evident, not too far into side one of "Cyborgs Revisited": witness the the lengthy amazing repetitive Floydian effects instrumental "Mole Machine" as it segues into the acoustic intro of "Bullet Proof Nothing", Simply Saucer's idea of a love song, with lyrics like "Treat me like dirt/drive me insane" delivered in a sloppy Lou Reed drawl.
S.S. (unfortunate initials, hopefully nothing to do with their song "Nazi Apocalypse"!) were formed in '72 by a bunch of Canuck weirdos, notable among them lead guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Edgar Breau, and Sun Ra/Eno inspired electronics dude John LaPlante, aka "Ping Romany" -- Ping being a good stage name for the guy playing the primitive oscillators, tone generators, and theremin! They fought the good fight for a few years, cranking out freakish, space-fx laden proto-punk rock n' roll with sci-fi titles like "Dance The Mutation", eventually dabbling in Toronto's nascent "new wave" scene. But with no successful commercial career in the offing, they eventually disbanded. Dunno if they could ever be cited as an influence by anyone 'cause they were so obscure, but hypothetically anyway S.S. could be the warped template for today's garage artisans -- Comets On Fire, especially -- totally punk *and* psych, with skronked out guitar, snotty vox, oscillating noise waves and tumbling drums. Glad to have this back in print, and it's certainly a timely reissue considering how well this fits in with some of today's art-punk retro-electro trends!
MPEG Stream: "Nazi Apocalypse"
MPEG Stream: "Illegal Bodies"

SIMPLY SAUCER Cyborgs Revisited (Get Back / Sonic Unyon) lp 23.00
This all-time psychedelic art-punk aQ fave (a former Record Of The Week) back in print on vinyl, and available again!!! We love it when old faves like this get reissued, 'cause get a chance to add extra hyperbole our previous reviews, in this case realizing we need to say, in all-caps, MAN THIS IS A GREAT RECORD!! An essential, in our opinion.
Thirty or so years after first blasting off, the band known as Simply Saucer soars into view once again. Truly a twisted gem of the '70s pre-punk art-rock underground, the *Canadian* '70s pre-punk art-rock underground no less, this Hamilton, Ontario band was freaking people out back in 1974 with the material you'll find on this spiffy new reissue. The original edition of their half-studio, half-live "Cyborgs Revisited" lp was posthumously released in 1989, and is just a great fuckin' record, boldly owing allegiance to (early) Pink Floyd and the Velvet Underground and The Stooges. They've also got much in common with the likes of the Pink Fairies, Faust, NYC no-wave a la Von Lmo, and the contemporaneous crazy Ohio underground scene of the '70s (Rocket From The Tombs, Electric Eels). Yep, all these inspirations are immediately evident, not too far into side one of "Cyborgs Revisited": witness the the lengthy amazing repetitive Floydian effects instrumental "Mole Machine" as it segues into the acoustic intro of "Bullet Proof Nothing", Simply Saucer's idea of a love song, with lyrics like "Treat me like dirt/drive me insane" delivered in a sloppy Lou Reed drawl.
S.S. (unfortunate initials, hopefully nothing to do with their song "Nazi Apocalypse"!) were formed in '72 by a bunch of Canuck weirdos, notable among them lead guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Edgar Breau, and Sun Ra/Eno inspired electronics dude John LaPlante, aka "Ping Romany" - Ping being a good stage name for the guy playing the primitive oscillators, tone generators, and theremin! They fought the good fight for a few years, cranking out freakish, space-fx laden proto-punk rock n' roll with sci-fi titles like "Dance The Mutation", eventually dabbling in Toronto's nascent "new wave" scene. But with no successful commercial career in the offing, they eventually disbanded. Dunno if they could ever be cited as an influence by anyone 'cause they were so obscure, but hypothetically anyway S.S. could be the warped template for today's garage artisans - Comets On Fire, especially - totally punk *and* psych, with skronked out guitar, snotty vox, oscillating noise waves and tumbling drums. Glad to have this back in print, and it's certainly a timely reissue considering how well this fits in with some of today's art-punk retro-electro trends!
MPEG Stream: "Nazi Apocalypse"
MPEG Stream: "Electro Rock"
MPEG Stream: "Illegal Bodies"

SIN FANG BOUS Clangour (Morr Music) cd 16.98
Sin Fang Bous is the solo project of Sindri Mar Sigfusson who's also in the Icelandic band Seabear. His album Clangour opens with a light summery boy pop tune that breezes along while seemingly incongruous Coleco game bleepity-bloop sounds play over top. Yes, a little odd, but it adds to the album's effervescence! He's layered up the vocals into an all-out sing along. One of his voices has a bit of a Devendra Banhart-ish warble, while another calls to mind Erlend Oye of Kings Of Convenience. Fans of that band as well as the rambunctious romp of bands such as Hidden Cameras and Wolf Parade will surely snuggle up to Sin Fang Bous! Nice!
MPEG Stream: "Advent In Yves Garden"
MPEG Stream: "The Jubilee Choruses"

SIN ROPAS Three Cherries (Perishable) cd 14.98
Guys from Red Red Meat, Califone, Loftus, and Brokeback!

SIN ROPAS Trickboxes On the Pony Line (Sad Robot) cd 13.98
Sin Ropas (aka Tim Hurley of Red Red Meat and Califone, Noel Kupersmith of Brokeback and Chicago Underground Duo, and Danni Iosello) keep things all loose and lanky not unlike old Lou Barlow or Beck. Listening to their new album, you might envision the band slumped and beleaguered in the recording studio - barely able to lift a drumstick or a guitar pick even! But they managed to do so and the results are quite a fine and enveloping listen. Sorta like finding yourself sinking in a strangely intoxicating vat of molasses. Uhh, not that I've ever encountered a vat of molasses, but this is how I'd imagine it'd be - slooowly lulling, slightly unsettling and full of bittersweet aches. Sinews of bluesy guitar notes are stretched and strung together loosely leaving plenty of space for the hoarse drowsy vocals and ramshackle percussion. Very earthy and lowkey. Perfect for a lazy spring evening.
MPEG Stream: "Hands Inside"
MPEG Stream: "Candy Cobra"

SINATRA, NANCY s/t (Sanctuary) cd 16.98
A prediction: we'll soon be reading an abundance of reviews of Nancy Sinatra's album referencing her '60s pop hit. Y'know, phrases like "forty years later her boots still keep walkin'". Oops, and now I'm guilty of it too!
Anyways, is this woman some sort of freak of nature or what?! Holy shit, she just popped back up over thirty years after her last release (1971's This Is Nancy Sinatra) and sounds *exactly* the same. Her voice is absolutely ageless, and she's made her music pretty timeless too. Joined by a diverse bunch of younger jaunty musical suitors such as Morrissey, Pulp's Jarvis Cocker, Jon Spencer, Thurston Moore, Stevie Van Zandt, U2, Pete Yorn and Calexico, she covers such a broad pop palette that she can't be pinned down. As a result this album may appeal to virtually all ages and all walks. The album begins in the best possible way with Sinatra singing the Joey Burns-penned tune "Burnin' Down The Spark" with Calexico as her backing band! It's a fantastic inspired match (oops, no pun intended). The second song "Ain't No Easy Way" recalls her wonderful old duets with Lee Hazlewood. Aah, her ladylike vocals contrasted with the kinda strange'n'creepy male ones (on this one, it's Spencer who assumes the Hazlewood role). Have to say though I'm not so sure about his exclamation of what sounds like "sock it to me!" halfway through. Yikes! Further on, Sinatra proves she's got the spookiness in her too on the eery fifth song "Momma's Boy" penned by Moore. Among the eleven songs there's also smoky ballads, perky energetic numbers and more with Sinatra and all the boys rising to the occasion. Go Nancy!!
MPEG Stream: "Burnin Down The Spark"
MPEG Stream: "Ain't No Easy Way"

SINATRA, NANCY You Go-Go Girl! (Varese Sarabande ) cd 14.98

SINCLAIR, JOHN Guitar Army: Rock & Revolution With MC5 And The White Panther Party (Process) book+cd 22.95
White Panther party chairman, former political prisoner (10 years in jail for two joints) and all 'round drugs, sex, and rock'n'roll guru John Sinclair wrote this book back in 1972, it's a classic of the era. Here's a new paperback edition, done by the fine folks at Process Books, and it comes with a bonus cd with tracks by the MC5 (Sinclair was their manager), Allen Ginsberg, Bobby Seale, and more including audio from meetings of the White Panther Party.

SINGER Unhistories (Drag City) cd 14.98
If aQ was sitting somewhere in the midst of Ontario, or Nova Scotia, or British Columbia (and not smack dab in the middle of San Francisco), this would be a really easy review to write: Singer's Unhistories is a fractured, post-rock take on the blueprint laid down by The Rheostatics and Wooden Stars. However, given that most folks aren't walking around with Canadian passports (and we mean the gov't documentation, not the haircut...), that probably doesn't mean much to you. SO...
Picture a band trafficking in the best kind of snaking, Beefheartian, guitar skronk, add some seriously bad-ass drumming, then throw some four-part harmony into the mix and you're in the ball park. Unhistories is a cacophonous, ramshackle affair, with sounds and ideas crashing into each other, overlapping, crumbling apart and reconstructing themselves. The song structures are atypical; the guitar work is atonal; and the vocals manage to warble, flutter, and dip from falsetto to guttural growl and back again within the space of a few notes. That there's a lot going on in these songs would probably come as no surprise to anyone with even a superficial familiarity with Singer's pedigree: guitarist Todd Rittman and drummer Adam Vida did time in U.S. Maple, while bassist Robert Lowe (who also seems to be handling the majority of the vocal work) was a member of 90 Day Men and currently makes top notch drone-raga vocal/guitar improv as Lichens (look elsewhere on this list for a cool new art book + 3" cd collaboration from him).
Unhistories is definitely a not-for-everyone affair (but then again, what on this list is?), but for those with a penchant for this particular brand of art-damaged post-whatever rock this is top notch stuff.
MPEG Stream: "Oh Dusty"
MPEG Stream: "Please, Tell The Justices We're Fine"
MPEG Stream: "Mauvais Sang"

SINGER Unhistories (Drag City) lp 17.98
If aQ was sitting somewhere in the midst of Ontario, or Nova Scotia, or British Columbia (and not smack dab in the middle of San Francisco), this would be a really easy review to write: Singer's Unhistories is a fractured, post-rock take on the blueprint laid down by The Rheostatics and Wooden Stars. However, given that most folks aren't walking around with Canadian passports (and we mean the gov't documentation, not the haircut...), that probably doesn't mean much to you. SO...
Picture a band trafficking in the best kind of snaking, Beefheartian, guitar skronk, add some seriously bad-ass drumming, then throw some four-part harmony into the mix and you're in the ball park. Unhistories is a cacophonous, ramshackle affair, with sounds and ideas crashing into each other, overlapping, crumbling apart and reconstructing themselves. The song structures are atypical; the guitar work is atonal; and the vocals manage to warble, flutter, and dip from falsetto to guttural growl and back again within the space of a few notes. That there's a lot going on in these songs would probably come as no surprise to anyone with even a superficial familiarity with Singer's pedigree: guitarist Todd Rittman and drummer Adam Vida did time in U.S. Maple, while bassist Robert Lowe (who also seems to be handling the majority of the vocal work) was a member of 90 Day Men and currently makes top notch drone-raga vocal/guitar improv as Lichens (look elsewhere on this list for a cool new art book + 3" cd collaboration from him).
Unhistories is definitely a not-for-everyone affair (but then again, what on this list is?), but for those with a penchant for this particular brand of art-damaged post-whatever rock this is top notch stuff.
MPEG Stream: "Oh Dusty"
MPEG Stream: "Please, Tell The Justices We're Fine"
MPEG Stream: "Mauvais Sang"

SINGER, LIAM Dislocatia (Hidden Shoal) cd 13.98
It's been a while since we last heard from this fine gent! We actually used to see Mr. Singer on a daily basis when he'd keep us not only musically satiated with his (sadly now defunct) indie label Tell-All Records, but also deliciously caffeinated across the street (fyi, he's a maestro at mocha making!). He moved eastward to Brooklyn a few years ago, and the last release from him was his second album, 2006's Our Secret Lies Beneath The Creek. Well, about a year or so ago we caught wind that he had a new album in the works, and it was destined to be released on the Australian indie label Hidden Shoal no less, home to a couple of other faves of ours, SF's Wes Willenbring and Germany's Sankt Otten. We were positively giddy about this good news. Needless to say, we've been eagerly awaiting its arrival, and we are happy to report that it certainly doesn't disappoint.
Carrying on from and expanding upon his richly poetic sophomore beauty, Dislocatia features gorgeous piano and string performances, and full choral arrangements. Indeed, this is quite the elaborate vocal affair, once again he counterbalances his own downy dreamy vocals with feathery soaring female ones courtesy of Wendy Allan of Boxharp. While it certainly makes for a distinct element and a defining characteristic to his music, we'll be honest, we occasionally found the high operatics to be somewhat distracting as we were sinking into each song, but please don't let that dissuade you from checking it out though because this truly is lovely. Might be exactly your cup of tea! It's an elegant coming together of contemporary classical chamber music and folk pop, both flowing and nimble, which will easily charm fans of artists such as Elliott Smith, Sufjan Stevens or The Dodos who might be seeking something perhaps a little more challenging. Really, if Singer were to be creating music in just one of the two styles, we'd be plenty impressed and delighted, but his effortless integration of the two seals the deal! Particular standout tracks include the gorgeous wistful "The Brief Encounter" and "Bellingham, WA And The Four Green Doors Beyond" as well as the comparatively fervent "Morton Feldman Holding Notes For Eternity" which definitely gives a witty nod to 20th century avant garde composers, but also brings to mind the tongue-in-cheek eccentric camp of no holds barred pop extravaganza-ists such as Sparks. Recommended.
MPEG Stream: "The Brief Encounter"
MPEG Stream: "Mold Me Torn Fan"
MPEG Stream: "Bellingham, WA And The Four Green Doors Beyond"

SINGER, LIAM The Empty Heart Of The Chameleon (Tell-All ) cd 9.98
The Empty Heart Of The Chameleon is the debut from Liam Singer. His soft, faint vocals have already drawn comparisons by a few AQ customers to Elliott Smith, but his solo piano and theremin that take turns accompanying his voice create altogether different lonely moods and solitary atmospheres. As well, on occasion, Singer's voice is contrasted with more classically trained sounding female vocals that climb to dramatic, operatic heights. Everything is ultra hushed and delicate, brittle around the edges, in danger of vanishing or being crushed under the emotions they bear. Much like autumn leaves that fall slowly one by one, this music is spartan and contemplative, allowing an achingly sensitive vocal phrase or simple note sequence to linger in the air. Starkly beautiful.
MPEG Stream: "Between My Lips, Which Did Sing"
MPEG Stream: "Asthma / Rivets In Water"

SINISTER LUCK ENSEMBLE Anniversary (Perishable) cd 14.98
Charles Kin's (Pinetop Seven/Boxhead Ensemble) instrumental project, featuring Ken Vandermark as well as members of Wilco, Handsome Family, Vandermark 5, Isotope 217 and the Chicago Underground. The sound is gorgeously lush and cinematic, falling somewhere between the Pinetop Seven, Calexico and the Coctails with lots of lonely strum, deserty twang, jazzy skiffle, melancholy melodies, thrumming upright bass, chiming vibes, muted late night horns and a mysteriously noir ambience. Really nice.
RealAudio clip: "The Black Pool "
RealAudio clip: "Cakewalk"
RealAudio clip: "Sinister Luck"

SINISTRI Free Pulse (Hapna) cd 16.98
Italian abstract analog glitch-rockers Starfuckers have been a long-time AQ fave. There's just nobody else quite like 'em. As their music has become ever more fractured and dissonant and dissolved in time, so too with the band itself it seemed...at least, we hadn't heard anything from the Starfuckers camp for ages.
But then we heard they'd changed their name to Sinistri, the title of the Starfuckers first cd in 1994. And now the Swedish label Hapna, whom we always look to for interesting music, have, much to our excitement, released Free Pulse, the debut Sinistri album (but also kind of the sixth-or-so Starfuckers release). On Free Pulse, Sinistri are a quartet, consisting of long-time core Starfuckers members Manuele Giannini (guitar, amps, echoplex, wah, speaker, computer), Alessandro Bocci (computer, sampler, mixer, synth, turntables) and Roberto Bertacchini (drums), plus newcomer Dino Bramanti (real-time processing/live mixing, sampling, MaxMSP code).
And it seems that these fellows are up to their old tricks here, proving their motto that "music is a pollution of time". If you've heard the Starfuckers last album Infinitive Sessions from 2002, you'll have an idea of what to expect here -- they're still in their newfound "funk" bag. (Song titles indictate this is intentional, from to "Pre-verb Fried Funk" to "Black Vamp #1"). Not that this sounds very funky, far from it, though you can kinda hear it in their chicken-scratch guitar "licks". And if the song titles are clues to their sound, then try these: "Deep Squeak" and "Red Angular Feelin'".
Sinistri play what they call "nonmetric music", but that doesn't begin to describe it. It's mostly-instrumental "rock" music, broken down into the merest tics and pulsations of sound, brief drum hits and stabs of guitar littering Sinistri's quiet soundscape, stark and sparse, interspersed with shortwave-sounding static. Noises that most bands use ProTools to *remove* are the building blocks of the Sinistri sound...there's nothing else here. What vocals there are never rise above a whisper (a sinister one that that), melody is almost nowhere to be found, and rhythmically this is impossible to pin down. Forget "post-rock", this is post-post-rock at least. Maybe we could compare 'em to Radian, or US Maple, maybe...taken to a further extreme. Microscopic sounds being played freely. Different from most musics, and to at least some of us here, endlessly enjoyable.
If this is the first time you've ever heard Starfuckers / Sinistri, you may be bewildered. Give it a chance...you'll either not get it (that's fine)...or you might love it. Like this disc's pen-and-ink cover art drawings, Sinistri are intentionally cryptic. "Getting it" is thus optional, but pretty cool if you do, we think.
MPEG Stream: "Holes In Between"
MPEG Stream: "Ampstone"

SINISTRI Timing The 183K Pulse (Utech) cd-r 10.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
We've been huge fans of the Italian avant free glitch prog abstract whatthefuck outfit the Starfuckers forever, so when the band quietly morphed into Sinistri (the title of one of their best records) we were most definitely intrigued. Their debut record on Hapna reviewed here about a year ago, found the ex-Starfuckers getting even more out there, even more damaged, and unfortunately for us being faced with reviewing the record, even harder to describe. This new cd-r features the band expanded to a sextet, jamming wild and free last summer. Wild might be a bit strong as Sinistri traffic more in musical whispers than shouts, but it couldn't get more free. The instrumentation goes a long way to explaining Sinistri's sound: guitar, amp, wah left channel, amp right channel, drumkit, real time basses, pulses, MaxMSPcode, mixer, synth cd-j, contact mic, effects and am/fm tuner. Lots of parts, but assembled quite economically. The final product is a completely abstract assemblage of guitar skronk, percussive skitter, instrumental scrape and slither, short bursts of white noise, drones and ambient fuzz, very textural and very spacious. Imagine a free jazz record as a huge complex pile of buliding blocks. Then knock it over, dump all the blocks in a big pile and remove about 50 percent of the pieces and then try to reassemble them into the exact same complex structure. You end up with a similarly expansive and ambitious structure, but one with huge gaps and spaces, turning what might have been a dense slab of free jazz, or free rock, or free funk, into a splattery scuttling minimal beast. Occasionally the guitar get almost heavy unfurling some convoluted psych riffage, and the bass does dabble in funkiness, but it's a bizarre alien funk that bears little or no relation to any earthbound funk.
Sinistri are definitely a difficult listen, truly perplexing, baffling and confusional, but their peculiar sound manages to be as mysterious and beautiful as it is abstruse.
Packaged in gorgeous hand assembled card stock covers with pasted on black and grey obi. Limited to 200 copies, each one hand stamped. We only got about 30 or so, and we're pretty sure once these are gone we won't be able to get more.
MPEG Stream: "Tk IV (Pt. 1)"
MPEG Stream: "Tk VI (Pt. 1)"

SINNER DC Crystalized (Airecords) cd 14.98

SINNERJIZM Inject Them With Rabies (Black Top Fade) cd 8.98
From the dirty dirty dirty pun for a band name to the pornographic artwork on the vinyl (or the junkie grime on the CD), the Los Angeles instrumental glam-rock band Sinnerjizm is downright trashy; and that's the way they want it to be. A couple of the guys in Sinnerjizm also hail from the showboating '70s anthem rockers Jet Fuel, who've definitely got enough chops to venture into instrumental territory. Sinnerjizm sites Jesus Christ Super Star, Black Sabbath, Morricone, and the Butthole Surfers as their inspiration in making Inject Them With Rabies; and yeah, that's a pretty solid summation of their musical references. Obviously attuned to the folly of many an instrumental pop ensemble, Sinnerjizm is quick to make unexpected detours with some wah-wah porno funk here, a schmaltzy fun-in-the-sun groove there, and plenty of media samples which were rumored to be culled by Don Bolles of Germs / 45 Grave fame; but the band is best when transforming the 3 minute pop song into a kaleidoscopic marvel of sweet Hammond organ leads, immediately catchy Alice Cooper meets Link Wray riffs, and sweaty backbeats. Nicely done, boys.
MPEG Stream: "I Won't Remember Your Name"
MPEG Stream: "The Weeds Will Grow"

SINNERJIZM Inject Them With Rabies (Black Top Fade) lp 9.98
From the dirty dirty dirty pun for a band name to the pornographic artwork on the vinyl (or the junkie grime on the CD), the Los Angeles instrumental glam-rock band Sinnerjizm is downright trashy; and that's the way they want it to be. A couple of the guys in Sinnerjizm also hail from the showboating '70s anthem rockers Jet Fuel, who've definitely got enough chops to venture into instrumental territory. Sinnerjizm sites Jesus Christ Super Star, Black Sabbath, Morricone, and the Butthole Surfers as their inspiration in making Inject Them With Rabies; and yeah, that's a pretty solid summation of their musical references. Obviously attuned to the folly of many an instrumental pop ensemble, Sinnerjizm is quick to make unexpected detours with some wah-wah porno funk here, a schmaltzy fun-in-the-sun groove there, and plenty of media samples which were rumored to be culled by Don Bolles of Germs / 45 Grave fame; but the band is best when transforming the 3 minute pop song into a kaleidoscopic marvel of sweet Hammond organ leads, immediately catchy Alice Cooper meets Link Wray riffs, and sweaty backbeats. Nicely done, boys.
MPEG Stream: "I Won't Remember Your Name"
MPEG Stream: "The Weeds Will Grow"

SINOIA CAVES The Enchanter Persuaded (Brah) cd 14.98

MPEG Stream: "Dwarf Reaching The Arch Wonder"
MPEG Stream: "Naro Way"

SIOUX, MARIEE Gift For The End (Whale Watch / Almost Musique) cd 14.98
Get out your crystals and light a candle... folkstress Mariee Sioux has a new release, this time on Brooklyn label Whale Watch Records. Like the more haunted folk artist Marissa Nadler, Sioux probably isn't any stranger to ghosts - though hers are the Yoni-power kind that embody the spirits of our ancestral mothers and give us strength in the face of adversity. Case in point would be the album's second track, "Ghosts in My Heart". The other seven songs on the album feature the same stirring and dreamy qualities as on her last release, 2007's Faces in the Rocks, that garnered her comparisons to the pantheon of British psych folk artists, including Vashti Bunyan. It's clear Sioux is trying to connect to something spiritual within nature - with lyrics picked up in the woods and along the streams of her Nevada City, California hometown, in the Sierra Nevada foothills, from where Joanna Newsom and Alela Diane also hail. "You taught the stones to talk," she sings in her feather-light voice on "Old Magic." There is just the right amount of arrangement to accompany Sioux's finger-picking, with gentle flourishes of piano, lap steel, cello, and flute. Also worth noting, her father, of Polish and Hungarian heritage, Gary Sobonya, plays mandolin on the recording. Nevada City is the new Laurel Canyon!
MPEG Stream: " Homeopathic"
MPEG Stream: "Old Magic"
MPEG Stream: "Swimming Through Stone"

SIOUX, MARIEE Gift For The End (Whale Watch / Almost Musique) lp 17.98
Get out your crystals and light a candle... folkstress Mariee Sioux has a new release, this time on Brooklyn label Whale Watch Records. Like the more haunted folk artist Marissa Nadler, Sioux probably isn't any stranger to ghosts - though hers are the Yoni-power kind that embody the spirits of our ancestral mothers and give us strength in the face of adversity. Case in point would be the album's second track, "Ghosts in My Heart". The other seven songs on the album feature the same stirring and dreamy qualities as on her last release, 2007's Faces in the Rocks, that garnered her comparisons to the pantheon of British psych folk artists, including Vashti Bunyan. It's clear Sioux is trying to connect to something spiritual within nature - with lyrics picked up in the woods and along the streams of her Nevada City, California hometown, in the Sierra Nevada foothills, from where Joanna Newsom and Alela Diane also hail. "You taught the stones to talk," she sings in her feather-light voice on "Old Magic." There is just the right amount of arrangement to accompany Sioux's finger-picking, with gentle flourishes of piano, lap steel, cello, and flute. Also worth noting, her father, of Polish and Hungarian heritage, Gary Sobonya, plays mandolin on the recording. Nevada City is the new Laurel Canyon!
MPEG Stream: "Homeopathic"
MPEG Stream: "Old Magic"
MPEG Stream: "Swimming Through Stone"

SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES Best Of (Geffen) 2cd 19.98
A self-explanatory collection that recounts the twenty year history of Steve Severin, Budgie and the ice queen herself, Siouxsie Sioux. All of the favorites are here, spanning from the incisive post-punk of tracks like "Arabian Knights" and "Happy House" to the glamorous Euro-club favorites like "Kiss Them For Me" (which I never realized was based on the breakbeat from Schooly D's "Saturday Night") and "Peek-A-Boo." Disc two will be of added interest to Siouxsie's collectors, as that disc featured a number of the hard-to-find extended mixes and remixes of their singles.

SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES Kaleidoscope (Geffen) cd 11.98

SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES Nocturne (Universal) dvd 29.00
Although the centerpiece of this new Siouxsie & The Banshees dvd is the composite live concert footage from two nights at the Royal Albert Hall back in 1983, arguably the best parts are in the extras. The band's self-produced 'tv show' with performances by The Banshees, The Creatures and The Glove is a delight -- particularly the individual Banshee's distinct segments in which Siouxsie, Budgie, Steve Severin and Robert Smith each recite a spoken word piece in his/her chosen setting -- and the Old Grey Whistle Test tv footage which show the band in top form doing "Melt!" and "Painted Bird". Oh and the main concert footage is pretty great too. A definite fan pleaser!

SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES The Scream (Geffen) cd 11.98

SIPPY CUPS, THE Electric Storyland! (Snacker Disc) cd 14.98
Yay Sippy Cups! What started out as a few local rockers doing Syd Barrett and Who covers for kids a few years back has evolved into a full-blown kids entertainment juggernaut complete with sold-out choreographed live shows (involving a juggler!) and a whole new album of original songs. Electric Storyland is for parents who want to wean their kids off Barney-type treacle and nudge them into something weirder -- but not too weird. The album's songs are catchy and fun and have playful hints of psychedelia -- from '60s-sounding pop songs with suggestive/innocent titles ("Little Puffer" and "Magic Toast") to songs that reference Yoshimi-era Flaming Lips ("I Am a Robot)". Buy it for your sister's kids -- chances are this is the only album you, your sister and her kids might find some common ground on!
MPEG Stream: "Magic Toast"
MPEG Stream: "I Am A Robot"