THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS ... In Holidayland (Restless) cd 9.98
If there's one thing you can count on around any special season, it's They Might Be Giants leading the festivities parade. Hoisting their eggnogs, ringing the bells and handing out plenty of pop goodies from their big sack with plenty of mirth and glee. Well, this winter is no exception. They've gathered together a handful of appropriately themed numbers for this special 5-song EP. To start things off, their rollicking funked-up version of garage greats The Sonics' "Santa Claus" features John Flansburgh (the larger, more boisterous John) affecting a strange, strained, uncharacteristically raunchy vocal delivery perhaps trying to emulate, but not anywhere close to that of Gerry Rosalie. While on "Feast of Lights", John Linnell (the smaller, more soft-spoken John) gives us one of their charming, old-style quirky tunes for Hanukah. And "Careless Santa" you might recall from Flansburgh's side project MonoPuff. Something of a TMBG historic holiday overview.
RealAudio clip: "Santa Claus"

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS A User's Guide To They Might Be Giants (Elektra/Rhino) cd 12.98
What's your favorite TMBG song? "Ana Ng", "Birdhouse In Your Soul", "Don't Let's Start", "Particle Man", "Spider", "I Palindrome I", "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)"? Well, you've got another prime opportunity to figure it out! Yup, here's yet another They Might Be Giants compilation, but it's a much more concise one. Whereas its double disc predecessors "Dial-A-Song: 20 Years of They Might Be Giants" and "Then: The Earlier Years" were a bit pricey and overwhelming, this new collection has somehow whittled their highlights down to one single ultra concentrated cd serving of TMBG bliss. It's still a whopping 29 songs long though! They could've easily called it "The Best Of..." or "Greatest Hits", but dubbing it a "User's Guide" works just fine. It's sorta one step away from those "...For Dummies" or "Idiot's Guide To..." how-to series -- perfect for that rare guy or gal who has yet to experience the assorted pop mastery of the 'Two Johns'. The liner notes even includes an assortment of both relevant and seemingly irrelevant trivia facts and figures. One thing tho', you'll need a magnifying glass to read them. The print is teeny tiny!
MPEG Stream: "She's An Angel"
MPEG Stream: "Ana Ng"

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS Dial-A-Song: 20 Years of... (Rhino) 2cd 30.00
Despite the title, this is NOT a complete compilation of the two Johns' Dial-A-Song answering machine genius. Bummer! I mean, sure, they let us know in the liner notes that almost each of the songs here originated as a dial-a-song, but that's just not the same. Hold your horses though 'cause what this two cd set is is a gigantic, stellar collection of They Might Be Giants' best to commemorate their 20th year together! Bonanza! They kick it all off with a triple whammy of "Birdhouse In Your Soul," "Ana Ng," and "Don't Let's Stop", but the running order of the songs from there on is somewhat puzzling. Seems to be just a big jumble. Definitely not chronological nor alphabetical, but it does come with a hefty booklet filled with photos, discography, lyrics, and band-written essays - all laid out phonebook style. There's 52 songs in all including a handful of live versions as well as their contributions to the television and movie world (for Austin Powers and Malcolm In The Middle respectively). A genuine TMBG fan undoubtably already owns a copy (or two) of each of the albums from which 95% of these songs come, but then again, a genuine TMBG fan is also undoubtably a completist so.... TMBG fan or not, if you like finely crafted eclectic, eccentric pop, this is splendid!
RealAudio clip: "Birdhouse In Your Soul"
RealAudio clip: "Minimum Wage"
RealAudio clip: "New York City"
RealAudio clip: "Dr. Evil"

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS Flood (Elektra) cd 17.98
Features the wonderful "Birdhouse in Your Soul", "Istanbul", "Particle Man", "Whistling in The Dark"... I could go on and on. 19 songs in all. Quirky, brainy nerd pop at it's best.

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS Here Come The 123s (Disney Sound) cd+dvd 17.98
Yes, another children's music album from They Might be Giants. Who better to stimulate the minds of youngsters around the globe than these fellows? They've made it their life's work creating remarkably varied, irresistibly catchy and irrepressibly smarty pants pop songs since the 1982. Heck, most of their songs old and new are already totally child-friendly. However just like old Saturday morning cartoons, there's often a subtext that engages the grown-ups too. That said, this their thirteenth album is indeed just for the kids! It's the numerical follow-up to 2006's Here Come The ABCs. Unlike that release whose cd and dvd were sold separately, the cd and dvd for Here Come The 123s come packaged together. What a whale of a delightful, entertaining deal for thrifty parents! Count along with the two Johns -- monkeys, pirates, miles, monster eyes, soup, and pennies too!
MPEG Stream: "Triops Has Three Eyes"
MPEG Stream: "The Secret Life Of Six"

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS Here Come The ABCs With TMBG (Disneysound) dvd 14.98
More kids stuff from They Might Be Giants! Here's the dvd version of their latest children's cd that we reviewed a couple of AQ Lists back. The Johns enlisted the assistance and talents of various friends to bring the songs to life via super cute and fun computer animation and puppetry -- the endearing puppet stars are from Robin Goldwasser's Deeply Felt Puppet Theater. True TMBG fans will recognize the names of the folks who produced this dvd 'cuz they were responsible for the excellent documentary film about the band, Gigantic: A Tale of Two Johns. Running time: 45 minutes.

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS Here Come The ABCs! (Disneysound) cd 13.98
For all of you out there who been askin' for children's music, well, They Might Be Giants have once again heeded your call! You might remember their last kids' release, the 2002 album simply titled 'No!' As this title tells, these are alphabet songs... but they're so much more than the traditional "Now I know my abc's, next time won't you sing with me?" song. They start things off by using the alphabet to run through the names of countries, then jump right into letter-related songs about such subjects as animals, music instruments, and food. That's right after years of schoolin' the masses on the wide wide world of pop, the Johns are gettin' even more educational. And they've refined they're quirky songcraft to a textbook-like science -- pun intended, hahaha! Lots of funky beats, bubbly cheezy melodies, and vocoder singing. Of course as with all of their kids music they drop references in here and there that'll probably go right over the heads of the tots and into the ears of their parents (such as Linnell's mention of 'flying v' guitars). This cd includes bonus tracks and cd-rom fun stuff too.
MPEG Stream: "Alphabet Of Nations"
MPEG Stream: "The Vowel Family"

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS Here Comes Science (Idlewild / Disney) cd+dvd 17.98
Would've loved to have had Mr. Linnell and Mr. Flansburgh for elementary music teachers, wouldn't you? The learning process would've been so much fun. So much better than Barney and so much cooler than Sharon, Lois and Bram. Over the years, they've proven that they're just as skilled at schooling kids of all ages on other subjects too - the alphabet (2005's Here Comes The ABCs), arithmetic (2008's Here Come The 123s), history (well, sort of on 1990's "James K. Polk"), geography (well, sort of on 2005's Venue Songs) and now science! Here they succinctly and catchily cover topics such as speed and velocity, the color spectrum, the planets, the elements, the environment, photosynthesis, evolution, thought processes, biology and more. 19 smart, engaging pop tunes that bounce along at a sprightly pace, planting little seeds of learning. For the most part this stands up to repeat listens without completely driving the grown-ups nuts... unless you happen to have an aversion to TMBG's trademark nasality which we understand some folks do. That said, we should note that there are a few more singing voices than usual including that of Mrs. Flansburgh. Heck, though this is definitely for youngsters, older listeners might learn something too! Sounds like the Johns have recycled a few melodic lines from their old songs which might make this ring warmly familiar to those parents who cherish their early TMBG albums. They've even reprised "Why Does The Sun Shine?" from 1994. Plus you also get a terrific dvd that's filled with playful candy colored animated video clips for each song which can be viewed individually in alphabetical order, or altogether as a program hosted by the Johns. With this delightful set, we'd say they're really giving Sesame Street a run for their money!
MPEG Stream: "Meet The Elements"
MPEG Stream: "Roy G. Biv"
MPEG Stream: "Why Does The Sun Shine?"

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS Indestructible Object (Barsuk) cd ep 7.98
Easing themselves into the Barsuk camp with this lil' five song EP, those two Johns (Flansburgh and Linnell) from Brooklyn have kept their almost maddeningly infectious, quirky hooks as sharp as ever. In recent years, they've focused more on writing music for tv shows and movies. One of their TV theme songs is included here -- "Am I Awake?" for the series Resident Life. With its burbly percolating electronic beats and Flansburgh's sleepy vocals, it actually made me think of a hyperactive Notwist on a super sugar rush. Their lyrics are still mighty clever and witty, however the overall tone of the proceedings is much less playful and kooky than even the most recent TMBG offerings. It's no less glorious in the pop department, although each song seems ever so slightly unfinished or truncated. Very odd. They close the EP with their fine version of the Beach Boys' "Caroline, No". Probably not essential, though, unless you're a TMBG completist.
MPEG Stream: "Am I Awake?"
MPEG Stream: "Au Contraire"

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS Join Us (Idlewild) cd 14.98
After many years of romping through almost every possible musical style imaginable and composing tons of music for movies, TV and kids' albums, Join Us find the two Johns bringing the focus back to what they've always done best... that is, writing clever, witty, quirky, hook-laden pop songs with a sweet dorky charm. Really, this is their most solidly classic college pop rock (circa '90s) album in eons. So, if you're an old They Might Be Giants fan with a nostalgic hankering for their earlier sounds (y'know, the ones with the maddeningly catchy jingles!), you'll probably find a bunch of peppy tunes here to tickle your fancy (heck, who are we kidding? All of you true old school TMBG devotees don't need us to tell you that. You already secured your copies of this album the day it was released, right?). One thing we came to realize though while listing to this album was that their use (overuse? abuse?) of their magical hook-writing pen over the past decade for non-TMBG projects has resulted in virtually every song here sounding slightly familiar, quite slick and somewhat calculated... like some gleaming TV sitcom theme. A bit unsettling. To be honest, Join Us just had us digging out and dusting off our beloved Flood and Lincoln albums to hear the real deal, and we recommend you do too!
MPEG Stream: "Can't Keep Johnny Down"
MPEG Stream: "You Don't Like Me"

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS Mink Car (Restless) cd 17.98
The endearingly nasal voices of the two Johns are back. Not as immediately infectious as previous records, "Mink Car" might take a while to grow on you. Ever the quirky, fearless genre-jumpers TMBG deliver their trademark, crafty hooks in a number of different guises - careening from bombastic rock ("Cyclops Rock") into a disco-y, New Order turn ("Man, It's So Loud In Here") then into shufflin' indie strummery ("Another First Kiss") then into more familiar TMBG silliness ("Hovering Sombrero" and "Older" - actually we suspect some of these songs may have been kicking around for some time... we know for sure that the latter has existed since at least '96). Sometimes they're truly brilliant, sharp-as-a-tack tunesmiths, and sometimes you're just left scratchin' your head. Wondering "Was that a good idea? What were they thinking?!" Slick pop eccentricities that only made me yearn for their wonderful early lo-fi days.
RealAudio clip: "Man, Is It Loud In Here"
RealAudio clip: "My Man"
RealAudio clip: "Older"

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS No! (Idlewild/Rounder) cd 16.98
In celebration of their 20th anniversary of Giantness, the two Johns decided to release an album "for the entire family", but we ask "which They Might Be Giants album isn't exactly that?!" More accurately this is a record FOR CHILDREN. Their skills of conveying twisted tales and toothsome sentiments in a multitude of styles with a sharp, strange wit cross over smoothly into the kids section. Quirky lyrics sung by quirky voices abound. "Here on Fibber Island we hide mittens in our hair. You might need to stare to see the mittens in our hair." Absurd! There's songs about grocery bags, a Supertaster (!), violins, and the Edison Museum. Some are straight-up singalongs, while others are more like their more "grown-up" rollicking tunes (the Supertaster song for instance). Oddly, the march-along track called "Bed Bed Bed" has a very Residents feel to it. Did I mention that John Linnell has a perfect storytelling voice (he's probably had some practice since he's the father of a toddler). Anyways, the big bonus of this release is that it is an interactive disc which if inserted into a computer will offer up a delightful selection of playtime videos.


RealAudio clip: "Fibber Island"
RealAudio clip: "John Lee Supertaster"
RealAudio clip: "Bed Bed Bed"

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS Severe Tire Damage (Zoe) cd 16.98
Severe Tire Damage is surely no stranger to diehard TMBG fans. This live album was originally released on Restless Records back in 1998, and has been reissued by the kind folks at Zoe Records. So if you somehow missed it the first time 'round or have worn out your first copy, here it is again! Yes, a bunch of the two Johns' classics are here: "Birdhouse In Your Soul", Istanbul (Not Constantinople)", "Spider", "Meet James Ensor", "Why Does The Sun Shine?", "Particle Man", "Ana Ng"... oh, you know'em and love'em all, doncha? Plus demonstrating what quick-wits these gents are, there's a bunch of highly entertaining impromptu stuff at the end.
MPEG Stream: "Ana Ng (live)"
MPEG Stream: "Doctor Worm (live)"

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS The Else (Idlewild) cd 16.98
After numerous extracurricular activities, reissues and special projects, They Might Be Giants return with their first studio album in three years. Not counting 2005's children's record Here Come The ABCs, their last full band album was The Spine which was released in 2004.
So this many moons later, what do the two Johns sound like? Themselves! Well, sort of... the first song sounds strangely like Fat Boy Slim's "Praise You". Lots of rock/pop variety and lots of weird voices, but their trademark dual nasality reigns geeky supreme. The strangest notable thing about The Else is how much everything gleams with a glossy sheen which may be attributed to the production by The Dust Brothers. Nevertheless another TMBG fan pleaser!
PLUS: If you hop to it quickly enough, you'll get the limited first edition which includes a bonus full length cd filled with even more They Might Be Giants new tunes!!!
MPEG Stream: "I'm Impressed"
MPEG Stream: "Careful What You Pack"

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS The Spine (Zoe) cd 16.98
Of course, They Might Be Giants fans (some of the most rabid around) are gonna buy this album regardless of what the reviews say, but nevertheless here's what our resident TMBG supporter had to say: Damn! The Spine starts off soooooo strong with one of TMBG's catchiest pop tunes in ages ("Experimental Film"). That one song got our expectations soaring, but sadly from there things go terribly awry... repeatedly. Their quirky creative decisions (such as wacky-weirdo vocals) frequently cross the line into too-smartie-pants or just plain bummer territory. Really, whenever John Flansburgh affects that Prince-y soul falsetto, all we can do is go "Ewww!" Makes you feel dirty... in a bad way. We'd actually recommended that you enjoy the abovementioned amazing song with its equally amazing video at the HomeStarRunner website, www.homestarrunner.com. And might as well look around while you're there. Odds are you'll end up still sitting in front of your computer hours later, dazed from so much good stuff! Make sure and peep the Strongbad emails!
MPEG Stream: "Experimental Film"
MPEG Stream: "Thunderbird"

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS Then: The Earlier Years (Restless) 2cd 28.00
Here's an old favorite title we thought we'd highlight 'cause we've never listed it before and just got it back in stock! Over the years the two Johns (Flansburgh and Linnell) from Brooklyn, NY have cranked out an impressive amount of musical fun and friviolity. From the early spartan sounds of twisted tuba and accordion nuttiness accompanying their highly humourous yarns (remember 'Dial-A-Song'?) to their more recent much more rock'n'roll adventures with full band line-ups (complete with horn sections), they've never lost their ability to compose the cleverest and catchiest of tunes. Ah, "Ana Ng" anyone? Unfortunately all too often the popsters who've chosen the more quirky path get dismissed simply as novelty. And if you're one of the TMBG naysayers, I gotta tell you bub, you've been missing out. These guys are the princes of pop craftsmanship. This two cd set is a shining example not to mention a barrel of fun unto itself: the first two albums ('s/t' from 1986 and the super-excellent 'Lincoln' from 1988), plus a heap of b-sides and bonus tracks.

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS They Got Lost (Zoe) cd 19.98
Love 'em or hate 'em, ain't nobody gonna put a stopper in the musical geyser of those two Johns from Brooklyn. They've put out so much music over the years that it's hard to imagine that they could possibly have anything left in their vaults to unveil, but they apparently do! They are 'lost' no longer! And all of you They Might Be Giants fans / completists can find 'em right here -- all 21 of 'em including odes to NPR's This American Life program and the fabulous McSweeney's Quarterly Concern literary journals. There are a bunch of super treats here that are just as good if not better than many of the duo's album tracks, and of course there are a couple cringe-inducing numbers that we sorta wish had remained in storage, but granted they also serve to flesh out the already very fleshed out TMBG history. A wonderfully varied and still cohesive collection!
MPEG Stream: "I Am A Human Head"
MPEG Stream: "Theme To McSweeney's"

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS Venue Songs (Idlewild) dvd+cd 16.98
Oh the two Johns never seem to run out of wacky ideas, do they?! And their track record is freakishly good. With the skillz of old tyme ad jingle writers they churn out a steady flow of musical nuggets of every shape and color. Even when the concept seems flimsy, the resulting songcraft is so addictively exuberant and just plain well done that any furrowed brows of criticism evaporate into thin air.
For their 2004 tour, they got it in their brains to record a tune for each and every venue they played. Ok, why not? They can pen a jingle about pretty much anything! Venue Songs offers up the aural and visual fruits of those labors. Mind you, many of them don't really seem to be 'about' the actual venue. The insertion of the respective venue's name in the lyrics seems like an afterthought or a convenient rhyme. Ah well, it's still pretty entertaining!
The cd compiles the resulting songs -- some live and some studio recorded -- plus five additional studio tracks. The dvd presents videos of eleven of those venues, and four more visual treats including a work they did with aQ fave web-based dynamo Homestar Runner titled Experimental Film. The dvd is narrated by a character known as the Deranged Millionaire (aka John Hodgman of The Daily Show, McSweeney's Quarterly Concern, and This American Life among other pursuits).
Their diehard fans will surely gobble this up in one bite and need another copy post haste. On the other hand, non-devotees may find this maddeningly dorky. As novel, nutty and 'revenge of the nerds' as ever.

THIEVERY CORPORATION The Outernational Sound (Eighteenth Street Lounge Music ) cd 14.98
Found myself getting rather sleepy while listenin' to this new Thievery Corporation DJ set album. It seemed like Outernational Sound was going to be another trademark T.C. moody, lush downtempo affair, but no! That was only until the eleventh track (of nineteen tracks total) when things kick in something mighty! Getting all funky and hip-hoppy... and we've got Breakestra, Antonio Carlos Jocafi and Major Force to thank for that. They're the ones responsible for the eleventh, twelveth and thirteenth tracks respectively. From there, the T.C. gents continue to do as they please, 'spinning' a totally mixed bag of musical selections. Thus, this is more of a keep-you-on-yer-toes mix rather than a flowing, sink-in-and-get-groovy one. Three things we're not so sure of about this release though: 1.) whether or not we need yet another version of George Harrison's "Within You Without You" - sitar-fest or otherwise, 2.) whether or not we need a song based around that lame, cheesy 'oriental' melody -- y'know the one that begins that 80s tune "Turning Japanese", the one that get's played when Long Duk Dong appeared in Sixteen Candles, 3.) whether or not we need an artist named Crazy Penis. Ewww!
MPEG Stream: BREAKESTRA "Cramp Your Style"
MPEG Stream: ANTONIO CARLOS JOCAFI "Simbarere"

THIEVES LIKE US Berlin Alex (Captured Tracks) lp 16.98
These New Order and Philip K. Dick worshipping new wavers return with yet another collection of cool Euro wave electro pop, opening their new record with a haunting pulsing intro that wouldn't be out of place on a Zombi record, that Carpenter / Goblin worship tempered with lush swells of the groups more melodic Euro pop leanings which blossom into the record's first proper track, "Fur Judith", that most definitely has a serious Neu! / Stereolab vibe going on, that sort of hazy motorik mesmer, anchored by a simple propulsive rhythm. As the record progresses, it reveals itself as a whole different beast compared to past TLU records, the group seem to have a way more experimental trajectory this time around, instrumental, minimal, rhythmic, the krautrock vibe is huge, but krautrock via new wave, which is definitely a potent combo. But the sound here also seems to be way more experimental, with brief interludes, what sound like primitive tape experiments, and kosmische synthscape, spread out between more conventional eighties new wave beholden jams. It's pretty heady stuff, definitely elevating them above the current crop of retro-wave revivalists. This is the sort of thing that folks into weirdo electronica, and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, and the synthier side of modern krautrock, might really dig. The perfect balance of retro pop wave and avant electronic experimentalism, and by far our favorite TLU record yet!
MPEG Stream: "Free From The Ice"
MPEG Stream: "Fur Judith"
MPEG Stream: "Get Me To The Kiss"
MPEG Stream: "Lasers Coming Back"

THIEVES LIKE US Bleed Bleed Bleed (Captured Tracks) cd 13.98
We've long been pretty into Thieves Like Us, whose M.O. had been a sort of eighties style electro pop, a vintage sounding new wave that fused the sounds of classic New Order to an icy futureworld beholden to sci-fi author Philip K. Dick, but then something strange happened on their last record, the band ditching vocals completely and transforming into something totally (okay, well, maybe not totally) different, conjuring up a sound much more cinematic and krautrocky, definitely shifting toward the current crop of Goblin worshipping John Carpenter wannabes, experimental, psychedelic, kosmische, so that's pretty much what we were expecting from this, their brand new full length, but it seems that brief bit of sonic dabbling, was indeed just that, and with Bleed Bleed Bleed, regardless of the very evocative album title, the band returns to that shimmery eighties synth pop sound, the opening title track, slow burning and sultry, with a percolating bassline underneath swirling synths, and icy dueling boy / girl vocals. "Stay Blue" sounds opens up with a brief bout of serious Kraftwerk worship, before blissing out into something much more swoonsome and ballady, sounding like some lost jam straight off eighties FM radio or classic era MTV, reminding us more of ABC or Thompson Twins or any of those bands, more than the krautrock forebears who the band also obviously count as influences. And so it goes, a hazy time machine trip back into vintage new wave electro pop, and while more modern moments reminds us of M83 at times, folks who flipped over the anomaly that was the band's krautrocky last record, Berlin Alex, might be a bit confused, and perhaps even disappointed, but for the rest of us, who were already digging their fuzzy retro sound, this definitely hits that same sweet spot.
MPEG Stream: "Bleed Bleed Bleed"
MPEG Stream: "Stay Blue"
MPEG Stream: "Still Life"

THIEVES LIKE US Bleed Bleed Bleed (Captured Tracks) lp 16.98
We've long been pretty into Thieves Like Us, whose M.O. had been a sort of eighties style electro pop, a vintage sounding new wave that fused the sounds of classic New Order to an icy futureworld beholden to sci-fi author Philip K. Dick, but then something strange happened on their last record, the band ditching vocals completely and transforming into something totally (okay, well, maybe not totally) different, conjuring up a sound much more cinematic and krautrocky, definitely shifting toward the current crop of Goblin worshipping John Carpenter wannabes, experimental, psychedelic, kosmische, so that's pretty much what we were expecting from this, their brand new full length, but it seems that brief bit of sonic dabbling, was indeed just that, and with Bleed Bleed Bleed, regardless of the very evocative album title, the band returns to that shimmery eighties synth pop sound, the opening title track, slow burning and sultry, with a percolating bassline underneath swirling synths, and icy dueling boy / girl vocals. "Stay Blue" sounds opens up with a brief bout of serious Kraftwerk worship, before blissing out into something much more swoonsome and ballady, sounding like some lost jam straight off eighties FM radio or classic era MTV, reminding us more of ABC or Thompson Twins or any of those bands, more than the krautrock forebears who the band also obviously count as influences. And so it goes, a hazy time machine trip back into vintage new wave electro pop, and while more modern moments reminds us of M83 at times, folks who flipped over the anomaly that was the band's krautrocky last record, Berlin Alex, might be a bit confused, and perhaps even disappointed, but for the rest of us, who were already digging their fuzzy retro sound, this definitely hits that same sweet spot.
MPEG Stream: "Bleed Bleed Blees"
MPEG Stream: "Stay Blue"
MPEG Stream: "Still Life"

THIEVES LIKE US Your Heart Feels (Captured Tracks) 12" 14.98
The return of these New Order named electro pop new wavers, this one not a new record, but a reissue of a rare 2008 ep, which in turn actually featured early recordings from all the way back in 2005. The title track is the jam here, a fuzzy minimal pop wave gem, all chiming melodies, heartfelt vox, thick buzzing synths, a simple pulsing groove, in some ways it reminds us of a less bombastic and shoegazey M83, that same sort of retro eighties vibe, total new wave dream pop bliss, laced with all sort of shimmery swirl and lushly harmonic guitars, and a sweet sweet hooky chorus. Definitely worth the price of admission alone, but the other three tracks are pretty great as well. "Fur Judith" is a bit more funky and propulsive, sounding a lot like it was built on the framework of Maxwell's "Somebody's Watching Me", all low slung and synthy, but a little radio pop/soul mixed in. "The Moon In The Gutter" is a beauty, all hazy and washed out, hushed and muted and swirly, a perfect chunk of blurred blissy ambience, and finally "Don't Take Your Hands Away" finishes things off in a darkly Depeche Mode. Nice!

THIEVES LIKE US Your Love Runs Still (Captured Tracks) lp 13.98
They're named after a New Order song, they have a song titled after a Philip K Dick story AND they're on Captured Tracks, what's not to like? Nothing, especially if you like skeletal minimal electronic Euro new wave pop. Four songs of moody swoonsome woozy electro pop, simple programmed drums, super minimal guitar jangle and synth pulse, boy girl vocals, a little bit icy, very Eighties sounding, the opening track a cool, late night electro ballad, all minor key and sweetly sorrowful lyrics. The second track is more of the same, a skittery rhythm beneath soft focus synth swirl and more hazy, dreamy boy girl vocal harmonies, all washed out and dreamlike, a sort of softly psychedelic new wave.
The rest of the record follows suit, with "You And I" getting a bit more propulsive, with a thick bassline, wrapped in synth swirls, and a loping rhythm, while the PKD worshipping "Flow My Tears The Policeman Said" finishes things off with maybe the best of the bunch, all soft swirling synths, layered and lush and ambient, eventually joined by glitched out effects, and fuzzy crunchy riffage, the riffs adding more droney swirl, the whole thing a dreamy expanse of new agey new wavey guitarsynth drift that wouldn't be out of place on a Oneohtrix or Pulse Emitter record. Cool!
Comes with a download coupon as well.
MPEG Stream: "Your Love Runs Still"
MPEG Stream: "Flow My Tears The Policeman Said"

THIN LIZZY Black Rose (Mercury) cd 17.98

THIN LIZZY Black Rose (Vertigo) lp 21.00

THIN LIZZY Johnny The Fox (Mercury) cd 16.98

THIN LIZZY Live And Dangerous (Mercury) cd 16.98

THIN LIZZY Vagabonds of the Western World (Deluxe Edition) (Decca) 2cd 32.00
Sweet! A deluxe double cd reish of one of our faves by Irish greats Thin Lizzy, who are one of those influential bands that posthumously just seems to be getting more and more popular, heck they're probably bigger now than they ever were before, in the States anyway. More influential on the current rock/metal community too. Vagabonds Of The Western World, from 1973, belongs to the earliest era of the band when Eric Bell was their guitarist. Note we said guitarist, singular. That's right, the twin guitar harmonies thing that Lizzy is famous for came later, originally they were a power trio with only one guy on guitar. But he's awesome, and the first three Lizzy albums (of which this is the 3rd) are definitely cool, though different (often a bit mellower, folkier, psychier) than the more famous later stuff with the Gorham / Robertson duo. Vagabonds is pretty rockin', though, heck it even includes the song "The Rocker" among other classics like "Gonna Creep Up On You", "Little Girl In Bloom", and the storytelling epic "The Hero And The Madman", which is one of this sometimes odd album's weirdest, quasi-prog entries. Plus of course, most crucially, the talents of Thin Lizzy's charismatic singer/bassist/songwriter, and resident tragic genius, Phil Lynott, are fully in effect here, his distinctive voice always a delight...
In addition to the digitally remastered original album, you get ten bonus tracks (including a radio promo edit of early hit "Whiskey In The Jar", and one called "Cruising In The Lizzymobile"!) on the first disc in the set, while the second disc features 13 cuts from various BBC radio sessions, for John Peel and others. In addition to songs from Vagabonds, you'll hear renditions of other Lizzy gems from the era like "Suicide" (different from the later album version done with the double guitar lineup) and "Black Boys On The Corner". The double digi cd package includes liner notes and vintage photos too. Deluxe indeed, and deserving of the treatment.
MPEG Stream: "The Hero And The Madman"
MPEG Stream: "Gonna Creep Up On You"
MPEG Stream: "The Rocker (BBC Radio 1 In Concert)"

THINGY Songs About Angels, Evil, And Running Around On Fire (Headhunter) cd 12.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Rob Crow's post-Heavy Vegetable band will not disappoint fans of Hev Veg's quirky, complex popcore. Another release given the Andee stamp of approval.

THINGY Staring Contest (Headhunter) cd ep 5.98

THINGY To The Innocent (Absolutely Kosher) cd 14.98
The long-awaited and actually finished for quite a while Thingy album finds the equally long-awaited post-Heavy Vegetable band compressing the Built To Spill indie-rock-epic into one-and-a-half minute pop songs with lots of jangly guitars, off kilter time signatures, girl/boy vocal harmonies, and a songwriting ability that can only be qualified as splendidly nifty. Thumbs up!

THINKING FELLERS UNION LOCAL 282 Bob Dinners and Larry Noodles present Tubby Turdner's Celebrity Avalanche (Communion) cd 13.98
Well, with a title like that, you know the Fellers have arrived -- albeit after a much too lengthy absence -- with all their quirks intact. Oddly enough Jeff thought this was Guided By Voices when it was first played in the store. And indeed there has been a noticeable shift in their songwriting style on this their eighth full-length, but keep listening and you know it's TFUL282. There's just certain vocal hoots and hollers not to mention twitchy guitar sounds that can only be from the hand of the Fellers. A bit less cacaphonous these days, and with a pretty lil' ditty or two thrown in there. Newcomers to the Fellers should definitely start with their earlier, better work, especially the flawless Lovelyville (on Matador), but old school TFUL fans may need this. Highly enjoyable.
RealAudio clip: "91 Dodge Van"
RealAudio clip: "Sno Cone"

THINKING FELLERS UNION LOCAL 282 Bob Dinners and Larry Noodles present Tubby Turdner's Celebrity Avalanche (Communion) lp 9.98
Well, with a title like that, you know the Fellers have arrived -- albeit after a much too lengthy absence -- with all their quirks intact. Oddly enough Jeff thought this was Guided By Voices when it was first played in the store. And indeed there has been a noticeable shift in their songwriting style on this their eighth full-length, but keep listening and you know it's TFUL282. There's just certain vocal hoots and hollers not to mention twitchy guitar sounds that can only be from the hand of the Fellers. A bit less cacaphonous these days, and with a pretty lil' ditty or two thrown in there. Newcomers to the Fellers should definitely start with their earlier, better work, especially the flawless Lovelyville (on Matador), but old school TFUL fans may need this. Highly enjoyable.
RealAudio clip: "91 Dodge Van"
RealAudio clip: "Sno Cone"

THINKING FELLERS UNION LOCAL 282 I Hope It Lands (Communion) cd 12.98
New album on different label. Excellent! As always, the Fellers progress by leaps and bounds, continuing to make music that's always better than their previous (stellar). One of our favorite bands ever.

THINKING FELLERS UNION LOCAL 282 I Hope It Lands (Communion) lp 8.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
New album on different label. Excellent! As always, the Fellers progress by leaps and bounds, continuing to make music that's always better than their previous (stellar). One of our favorite bands ever.

THINKING FELLERS UNION LOCAL 282 Mother of All Saints (Matador) cd 9.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

THINKING FELLERS UNION LOCAL 282 The Kids Are in the Mud (Japan Overseas) 7" 4.50
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Import 7".

THINKING FELLERS UNION LOCAL 282 Wormed By Leonard (Thwart) cd 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Their pre-Tangle sought-after cassette only release is finally available again. Highly recommended.

THINKING FELLERS UNION LOCAL 282 Wormed By Leonard (Thwart) 2lp 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Their pre-Tangle sought-after cassette only release is finally available again. Highly recommended.

THIRD SEX Back To Go (Chainsaw) cd 12.98
Pacific Northwest style queer core. Not as rocking as Team Dresch (even though Donna Dresch produced this), not as abrasive as Sleater Kinney, more sort of poppy and catchy. Really pretty good.

THIRSTY MOON Blitz (Long Hair) cd 24.00

THIRSTY MOON I'll Be Back - Live '75 (Long Hair) cd 24.00

THIRSTY MOON s/t (Long Hair) cd 24.00

THIRSTY MOON You'll Never Come Back (Long Hair) cd 24.00

THIS HEAT Deceit (These Records) cd 18.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
It would be nice to think that These Records have only been releasing the reissues of "Deceit" -- This Heat's second and final proper album -- every ten years after the original release of the album in 1981. The first CD pressings arrived on 1991, and this remastered version of the album holds a released date in 2001. Regardless of These Records' coy intentions, the return of "Deceit" to the Aquarius Records' catalogue is very welcome indeed!!!
Almost all of the histories of UK avant-garde music have claim allegiances to This Heat, as Punk, New Wave, Industrial, Prog Rock, Jim O'Rourke, and even Electronica place the seminal outfit somewhere at the beginnings of their respective etymologies. To a certain extent all of these histories may be true, but then again the broad aesthetic and ideological contexts between all of those different styles may cross-each other out, leaving This Heat as one of the few artistic forces that truly exists all by itself.
Just a trio comprised of Charles Hayward, Charles Bullen, and Gareth Williams, This Heat manifested an incredibly explosive sound that hybridized all of the countercultural fury of Punk and Situationism, within a sonic context informed by technological advances of musique concrete techniques and electro-acoustic synthesis. Musically speaking, This Heat did not espouse the three chord structures or the snarling postures of Punk, instead injecting the complex pop agendas of Brian Eno (which were purposefully seeking to conflict the archetypes of rock into a new aesthetic language) with nervous tension building up to dramatic cathartic releases. "Deceit" is a record that was so ahead of its time that it has taken twenty years for artists like Fennesz and Radiohead to articulate ideas with such intensity and attention to the play between musical creation and technological advances. So highly recommended.

THIS HEAT Deceit (ReR) cd 17.98
It's tough to review the records of This Heat separately, knowing that there is a box set, a box set most of us had been waiting for for years! Like imagine if you heard about Christmas, and spent the next decade waking up and rushing out to the living room only to find nothing there. That's what it was like waiting for the long rumored This Heat box. It seems almost self evident that it is honestly one of the few box sets, that is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL. But okay, $100 might be a bit much to drop on a band you're not all the familiar with. And probably some folks already have some of these discs, as they were briefly available in the nineties. But let's be upfront and warn you straight up, we know very few people, who on hearing any music from This Heat, even a single song, weren't immediately compelled to get their hands on every single bit of recorded material they could find. The music of This Heat is most definitely that powerful, that intense, having informed almost all of the music we've loved since. And sounding as fresh and forward thinking today as it did when it was first recorded.
Before we get to reviewing This Heat's second and sadly final full length, Deceit, let's give you some background on (and no small amount of gushing over) one of our all time favorite bands.
Trying to explain why this band is so good is sort of like trying to explain why ice cream is so delicious. Or why Bush is such a terrible president.
Or maybe it's kind of like writing an introduction for the new Pynchon novel. Or telling a few jokes before Richard Pryor comes on stage. Or throwing a couple quick passes before Joe Montana comes on the field. It's that daunting, that overwhelming, that impossible.
The trio of Charles Hayward, Charles Bullen and Gareth Williams known collectively as This Heat were one of the few bands that literally changed people's lives. Changed the way folks thought about music. I (Andee) couldn't believe music like this actually existed. It was everything I wanted to listen to before I knew that THIS was exactly what I wanted to listen to. Hit It Or Quit It publisher / rock critic / indie scenestress Jessica Hopper once wrote that she literally pee'd her pants the first time she heard This Heat. And it's not hard to see why. Without This Heat, modern, alternative, avant-garde music as we know it would be a whole different beast. Post-rock, math-rock, avant rock are hugely indebted to the genre shattering experimentalism of This Heat. Tortoise, You Fantastic, Yona Kit, Brise Glace, Psychic Paramount, Laddio Bollocko, Radian, Village Of Savoonga, Larsen, Starfuckers, Circle, Salvatore, I Am Spoonbender -- none of those bands would even exist if it weren't for This Heat, or if they still did you can bet they would sound a whole lot different. And that's just off the top of our heads, AND that's -just- bands whose sound directly reflects the influence of This Heat. Imagine how many performers and artists were influenced by This Heat but who let that influence manifest itself in not so obvious ways.
We once described This Heat as "Krautrock-ish hyper rhythmic tape-looped prog." Which comes close to succinctly describing the magical musical alchemy of This Heat, but still only scratches the surface. The sound of This Heat is rhythm and texture and dynamics. The recording studio as instrument. Every sound and every song is based on rhythm and texture. There are hooks, and melodies, but they exist to serve the rhythm and are often born from the deft manipulation of sound and tempo. Even the most static and repetitive parts manage to sound -musical-. There are vocals, but they are minimal and otherworldly, weary and sing songy and completely mesmerizing. A droning musical accompaniment to the haunting whirs and clanging percussion in the background.
Their entire catalog has gone in and out of print over the years, mostly out, with all of their records pretty much completely unavailable for the last 7 or 8 years. Rumors of a complete box set and reissue campaign began to circulate a few years back and it has finally happened and it's everything we could have hoped for and more. Every single release, remastered and repackaged in swank digipaks. We're almost jealous of folks who have never even heard This Heat. The thought of entering into this music completely blind, is almost frightening, as the world of This Heat is so singular, so powerful, it will be difficult to ever listen to music the same way again. Trust us.
Deceit, was This Heat's second full length album, released in 1980, hot on the heels of the Health And Efficiency ep from earlier that same year, and sadly ended up being their final proper release. Deceit found the band continuing to expand and explore, consisting of shorter songs, but that didn't mean their process, or disdain for convention was altered. If anything, they managed to subvert pop music in a way never thought possible. Imagine Brian Eno circa Taking Tiger Mountain, but filter that through some avant industrialism, angular new wave and hyper rhythmic krautrock and you'll begin to get the picture. The songs on Deceit are impossibly catchy, especially when examined closely. Abstract, obtuse, angular, convoluted, tangled up but without ever losing that thread, that melodic sensibility that grounded the songs, kept them from falling apart completely, instead, the perilous arrangements only added tension and emotion. An incredibly explosive sound that somehow hybridized all of the countercultural fury of punk and situationism, within a sonic context informed by the technological advances of musique concrete and electro-acoustic experimentation. The sound was definitely punk in its own way, but certainly wasn't expressed through three chord song structures or snarling postures, instead This Heat injected their own complex pop agendas with a jittery nervous tension always building to a dramatic and cathartic release.
MPEG Stream: "Paper Hats"

THIS HEAT Health & Efficiency (These Records) cdep 11.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

THIS HEAT Health And Efficiency (ReR) cd 16.98
It's tough to review the records of This Heat separately, knowing that there is a box set, a box set most of us had been waiting for for years! Like imagine if you heard about Christmas, and spent the next decade waking up and rushing out to the living room only to find nothing there. That's what it was like waiting for the long rumored This Heat box. It seems almost self evident that it is honestly one of the few box sets, that is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL. But okay, $100 might be a bit much to drop on a band you're not all the familiar with. And probably some folks already have some of these discs, as they were briefly available in the nineties. But let's be upfront and warn you straight up, we know very few people, who on hearing any music from This Heat, even a single song, weren't immediately compelled to get their hands on every single bit of recorded material they could find. The music of This Heat is most definitely that powerful, that intense, having informed almost all of the music we've loved since. And sounding as fresh and forward thinking today as it did when it was first recorded.
Before we get to reviewing This Heat's second release, the Health And Efficiency ep from 1980, let's give you some background on (and no small amount of gushing over) one of our all time favorite bands.
Trying to explain why this band is so good is sort of like trying to explain why ice cream is so delicious. Or why Bush is such a terrible president.
Or maybe it's kind of like writing an introduction for the new Pynchon novel. Or telling a few jokes before Richard Pryor comes on stage. Or throwing a couple quick passes before Joe Montana comes on the field. It's that daunting, that overwhelming, that impossible.
The trio of Charles Hayward, Charles Bullen and Gareth Williams known collectively as This Heat were one of the few bands that literally changed people's lives. Changed the way folks thought about music. I (Andee) couldn't believe music like this actually existed. It was everything I wanted to listen to before I knew that THIS was exactly what I wanted to listen to. Hit It Or Quit It publisher / rock critic / indie scenestress Jessica Hopper once wrote that she literally pee'd her pants the first time she heard This Heat. And it's not hard to see why. Without This Heat, modern, alternative, avant-garde music as we know it would be a whole different beast. Post-rock, math-rock, avant rock are hugely indebted to the genre shattering experimentalism of This Heat. Tortoise, You Fantastic, Yona Kit, Brise Glace, Psychic Paramount, Laddio Bollocko, Radian, Village Of Savoonga, Larsen, Starfuckers, Circle, Salvatore, I Am Spoonbender -- none of those bands would even exist if it weren't for This Heat, or if they still did you can bet they would sound a whole lot different. And that's just off the top of our heads, AND that's -just- bands whose sound directly reflects the influence of This Heat. Imagine how many performers and artists were influenced by This Heat but who let that influence manifest itself in not so obvious ways.
We once described This Heat as "Krautrock-ish hyper rhythmic tape-looped prog." Which comes close to succinctly describing the magical musical alchemy of This Heat, but still only scratches the surface. The sound of This Heat is rhythm and texture and dynamics. The recording studio as instrument. Every sound and every song is based on rhythm and texture. There are hooks, and melodies, but they exist to serve the rhythm and are often born from the deft manipulation of sound and tempo. Even the most static and repetitive parts manage to sound -musical-. There are vocals, but they are minimal and otherworldly, weary and sing songy and completely mesmerizing. A droning musical accompaniment to the haunting whirs and clanging percussion in the background.
Their entire catalog has gone in and out of print over the years, mostly out, with all of their records pretty much completely unavailable for the last 7 or 8 years. Rumors of a complete box set and reissue campaign began to circulate a few years back and it has finally happened and it's everything we could have hoped for and more. Every single release, remastered and repackaged in swank digipaks. We're almost jealous of folks who have never even heard This Heat. The thought of entering into this music completely blind, is almost frightening, as the world of This Heat is so singular, so powerful, it will be difficult to ever listen to music the same way again. Trust us.
The Health And Efficiency ep followed This Heat's self titled debut and took their sound in a strangely pop (for them at least) direction, sounding like some tweaked and twisted version of Wire, the title track all angular new wave guitars, monotone vocals, driving drums, strange convoluted arrangements and creepy background sound effects before the whole thing splinters into super abstract rhythmic experimentalism, looped grooves, played over and over, while sounds float and careen in the background, so incredibly hypnotic and repetitive. The second track on Health And Efficiency (which runs a brief twenty minutes) is "Graphic/Varispeed (45rpm)", a lengthy drone, a warm synth whir that surfaces within other This Heat tracks, recontextualized and often chopped up and reassembled, but here, it's a slow shifting slow motion single tone soundscape, with the tone occasionally being pitched up or down, very simple but quite haunting, and a cool glimpse at how This Heat managed to mix and match, use and reuse, without ever treading water. Kinda pricey, as it's only 20 minutes long, and two songs, but it's still well worth it.
MPEG Stream: "Health And Efficiency"

THIS HEAT Live 80 /81 (ReR) cd 17.98
It's tough to review the records of This Heat separately, knowing that there is a box set, a box set most of us had been waiting for for years! Like imagine if you heard about Christmas, and spent the next decade waking up and rushing out to the living room only to find nothing there. That's what it was like waiting for the long rumored This Heat box. It seems almost self evident that it is honestly one of the few box sets, that is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL. But okay, $100 might be a bit much to drop on a band you're not all the familiar with. And probably some folks already have some of these discs, as they were briefly available in the nineties. But let's be upfront and warn you straight up, we know very few people, who on hearing any music from This Heat, even a single song, weren't immediately compelled to get their hands on every single bit of recorded material they could find. The music of This Heat is most definitely that powerful, that intense, having informed almost all of the music we've loved since. And sounding as fresh and forward thinking today as it did when it was first recorded.
Before we get to reviewing Live 80/81, a killer live disc that was included in the box set as a bonus disc, let's give you some background on (and no small amount of gushing over) one of our all time favorite bands.
Trying to explain why this band is so good is sort of like trying to explain why ice cream is so delicious. Or why Bush is such a terrible president.
Or maybe it's kind of like writing an introduction for the new Pynchon novel. Or telling a few jokes before Richard Pryor comes on stage. Or throwing a couple quick passes before Joe Montana comes on the field. It's that daunting, that overwhelming, that impossible.
The trio of Charles Hayward, Charles Bullen and Gareth Williams known collectively as This Heat were one of the few bands that literally changed people's lives. Changed the way folks thought about music. I (Andee) couldn't believe music like this actually existed. It was everything I wanted to listen to before I knew that THIS was exactly what I wanted to listen to. Hit It Or Quit It publisher / rock critic / indie scenestress Jessica Hopper once wrote that she literally pee'd her pants the first time she heard This Heat. And it's not hard to see why. Without This Heat, modern, alternative, avant-garde music as we know it would be a whole different beast. Post-rock, math-rock, avant rock are hugely indebted to the genre shattering experimentalism of This Heat. Tortoise, You Fantastic, Yona Kit, Brise Glace, Psychic Paramount, Laddio Bollocko, Radian, Village Of Savoonga, Larsen, Starfuckers, Circle, Salvatore, I Am Spoonbender -- none of those bands would even exist if it weren't for This Heat, or if they still did you can bet they would sound a whole lot different. And that's just off the top of our heads, AND that's -just- bands whose sound directly reflects the influence of This Heat. Imagine how many performers and artists were influenced by This Heat but who let that influence manifest itself in not so obvious ways.
We once described This Heat as "Krautrock-ish hyper rhythmic tape-looped prog." Which comes close to succinctly describing the magical musical alchemy of This Heat, but still only scratches the surface. The sound of This Heat is rhythm and texture and dynamics. The recording studio as instrument. Every sound and every song is based on rhythm and texture. There are hooks, and melodies, but they exist to serve the rhythm and are often born from the deft manipulation of sound and tempo. Even the most static and repetitive parts manage to sound -musical-. There are vocals, but they are minimal and otherworldly, weary and sing songy and completely mesmerizing. A droning musical accompaniment to the haunting whirs and clanging percussion in the background.
Their entire catalog has gone in and out of print over the years, mostly out, with all of their records pretty much completely unavailable for the last 7 or 8 years. Rumors of a complete box set and reissue campaign began to circulate a few years back and it has finally happened and it's everything we could have hoped for and more. Every single release, remastered and repackaged in swank digipaks. We're almost jealous of folks who have never even heard This Heat. The thought of entering into this music completely blind, is almost frightening, as the world of This Heat is so singular, so powerful, it will be difficult to ever listen to music the same way again. Trust us.
Live 80/81 is a compilation of live tracks recorded between 1980 and 1981 all over Europe and sequenced to resemble the set list the band used on tour in the eighties. Recorded using a single stereo mic, the sound is less that crystal clear, it's blurry and murky and lo-fi, but captures the band in their element at the top of their game. And the sound quality almost adds to the music, the band were such experimentalists, you can almost imagine them spending weeks in the studio trying to perfect the perfect lo-fi method of recording. But the songs are amazing, the extended rhythmic jams, the dense bursts of furious angular pop, it's simply awesome to hear the band recreate pieces that on record relied so heavily on the studio, more evidence as to the genius of This Heat. Rumor has it there are tons of other live recordings soon to get the deluxe reissue treatment as well. We can hardly wait.
MPEG Stream: "S.P.Q.R."
MPEG Stream: "Triumph"