TALL DWARFS The Sky Above The Mud Below (Carrot Top) cd 14.98
Finally! The long awaited new Tall Dwarfs album is in our hot little hands. The New Zealand indierock duo of Chris Knox and Alec Bathgate have each released solo work, but in my opinion *pure magic* occurs when they pool their prodigious talents. Their songs are constructed from delightfully unpredictable vocal, found sound, and percussive loops all overlayed with Bathgate's incredibly sweet, melodic guitar and various casio tinklings. There are poppy Beatles-y tracks, tracks with a rough T Rex-style buzz to them, and one that sounds like an excellent Capt. Beefheart outtake! The combination is, however, immediately recognizable as Tall Dwarfs' own singular sound, and I love it. While this new album is not as stunningly, unbelievably perfect as Fork Songs (IMO their peak), it easily sits near the top of Tall Dwarfs extensive catalog, and I have no doubt you will be pleased with it. It is also a fine place to start for the neophyte Tall Dwarfs listener.
PLUS!: included here is the second volume of the International Tall Dwarfs project, wherein Dwarfs-friendly likeminded musicians collaborated with the Knox and Bathgate on eight individual tracks -- one features Jad Fair, two have Jeff Mangum (Neutral Milk Hotel) and Laura Carter (Elf Power), plus the Clean's Kilgour brothers, Robert Scott of the Bats, Graeme Downs of Verlaines, a Dutch group called Mongrell, etc.
RealAudio clip: "Room to Breathe"
RealAudio clip: "Deodorant"

TALL DWARFS Weeville (Cloud Recordings) cd 14.98
Yippeeeeeeee! Reissues of albums by those beloved New Zealand popsters, Tall Dwarfs (nope, that's not a spelling mistake where they're concerned)! This is one of the absolute standout albums of their career, 1990's Weeville. It's their third album and the one on which they really found their stride. It starts off with one of their best tunes (and a particular Andee fave) "Log". If you're gonna start somewhere with Tall Dwarfs, this is it!
Their minimal, lo-fi tunes stitched together a loose patchwork of psychedelia, country and folk but the fillin' was all pop charms. Their music was characterized by deliriously catchy off-kilter song structures, boyishly emotive (but not 'emo') vocals and crunchy janglin' guitar duties. From their formation in 1979 through to their split in 1988, the duo of Chris Knox and Alec Bathgate made quite a captivating and inspiring songwriting team. You can hear their immense influence on bands such as Pavement to Yo La Tengo to any one of the numerous Elephant 6 Collective bands. So great! Yup, we love 'em!
MPEG Stream: "Log"
MPEG Stream: "Sign The Dotted Line"

TALL FIRS s/t (Ecstatic Peace!) cd 10.98
This is definitely not the kind of music we ever expected to hear from Thurston Moore's Ecstatic Peace! label. A dark and languorous folk, moody and murky, spare sinewy guitars, barely there percussion, and a thick warped ambience. Not that we're complaining, it just seems like the Tall Firs are a little too melodic, and maybe not difficult enough to fit in with their labelmates. But hell, we're always up for surprises, and this debut from the Tall Firs was a big one. Featuring a very misleading musical pedigree (including At The Drive In among others) the band weaves gorgeous and delicate soundscapes of thick reverb, gently fingerpicked guitar, subtle rhythms, from muted thumps to tinkling chimes, warbly organs and gorgeous world weary vocals, into a totally riveting dreamlike slowcore folk. Fans of Red Red Meat, Califone, Low and the like will be immediately smitten for sure.
Tall Firs began way back in 1990, didn't play their first show until 2001, and didn't record an actual album until this year. You can sort of hear the slow burn of fifteen years emanating from each of these songs. Intense and intensely personal, foggy and fuzzy, like sitting in a huge hall, lit only by candlelight, flames flickering and casting ghostlike shadows, the band at the far end of the hall, letting notes and melodies drift from the stage, slowly filling the room with a thick hypnotic shimmer, each song a buried memory played out in the flickering firelight like some otherworldly shadow puppet show, acoustic guitars getting tangled up into little squalls of mumbled buzz, the vocals slipping from a croon to a whisper, every word dripping with some ineffable melancholia, often underpinned by bits of harmonic dissonance or random snatches of electronic glitch or machine made skitter. Dreamy and creepy and lovely.
psst: They also do a gorgeous Quix*o*tic cover!!
MPEG Stream: "More To Come"
MPEG Stream: "Don't Complain"
MPEG Stream: "Go Whiskey"

TALL FIRS Too Old To Die Young (Ecstatic Peace) cd 10.98

MPEG Stream: "So Messed Up"
MPEG Stream: "Blue In The Dark"
MPEG Stream: "Hairdo"

TAMAM SHUD Evolution (EM Records) cd 21.00
Last list we highlighted two somewhat unusual "surf music" reissues, by Farm and Peter Martin & Finch, both brought to us by our favorite Japanese reissue label, EM Records, as part of their Summer 2007 "EM Under Water Series"! Those were quite cool, and now we've got the remaining three discs in the series, all of 'em (like those first two) soundtracks to several now-legendary surfing movies from back in the sixties/seventies. With the exception of Farm (from the USA) all the bands in EM's series are Australian, and in all cases the movies they were doing soundtracks for were Australian productions and/or featured Australian surfers. And as before, this isn't your typical SoCal Jan & Dean, Beach Boys style surf music... it's *psychedelic* surf music. Well 2 out of 3 of these anyway (the Tim Gaze Band album being more of a yacht rock outing).
Now this one is a bonafide Australian garage psych rock classic! It's also the only disc in the "EM Under Water" series that we'd ever actually heard before, as there'd been at least one (possibly non-legit) cd reissue in the past, and so we already know it was a good 'un, which boded well for the series as a whole. Tamam Shud, who took their name from the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam (it's Persian for "The End"), were a heavy (for the era), fuzz-drenched psych pop combo who recorded two albums in their brief career. This was their first, from 1969, and it served as the soundtrack to a motion picture on the subject of surfing (natch) called Evolution. Which was appropriate 'cause these guys were indeed surfers, even if their music sounded a lot more like The Amboy Dukes, The Litter, and The Count Five than, say, The Ventures (though apparently earlier in the sixties they did, when they were called The Sunsets). It's total Nuggesty stuff (why "Mr. Strange" or one of the other 11 tracks on Evolution didn't appear on the Nuggets II box set is puzzling), with a "progressive", Sgt. Peppers bent, full of ripping wild FUZZ guitar soloing, stomping riffs, and catchy hooks. The Shud could do wigged out blues rock jamming, or they could do totally poppy vocal cuts...as long as there was plenty of freaky freeform fuzz action to go 'round, which, there was. Like we said, a classic, one any '60s psych lover will be happy to spin. This reish is of course presented with the usual deluxe-level of care and attention characteristic of EM Records, complete with lyrics, photos, graphics, movie stills, and extensive liner notes by both Aussie "surf music historian" Peter J. McParland and Evolution's director, Peter Witzig. And EM has also dug up three bonus tracks, from a 1972 ep called Bali Waters, material which appeared on the soundtrack to another surf move, Morning Of The Earth. Who knows, maybe there will be another "Under Water" series next year wherein EM will reissue The Shud's second album, 1970's Goolutionites And The Real People, which was a concept album against pollution... we can hope.
MPEG Stream: "Mr. Strange"
MPEG Stream: "Music Train"
MPEG Stream: "Too Many Life"

TAMAM SHUD Goolutionites And The Real People (Aztec Music) cd 24.00
Ready for an ecological concept album from an Australian psych/prog/pop act, circa 1970? We are, we've been waiting for a reissue ever since Tamam Shud's first album, Evolution, appeared on cd as part of EM Records' odd & enjoyable "Under Water Series" of psychedelic surf music last year. Released by the deluxe Aussie reissue imprint Aztec (who brought us Buffalo and Coloured Balls already), The Shud's wonderfully titled second album should charm all who loved the earlier one EM put out. And while we haven't really wrapped our brains around their whole Goolutionites concept, which probably is along the lines of "give a hoot, don't pollute!", we're certainly enjoying this groovy record.
The Shud's music here is mostly mellow and melodic, lazy and laidback and even loungey, but the album is littered (whoops) with sudden proggy shifts and somber mood swings (as befits the serious subject matter), and they are definitely capable of doin' some harder rockin' too, with the bluesy, fuzzy, acid-rock guitar leads getting whipped out often enough. It maybe reminds us of stuff like the Amboy Dukes, Cream, Vanilla Fudge, and (to cite another recently reviewed reissue) Mecki Mark Men. Plenty would qualify as Vertigo-esque "hairy funk" as Andy Votel would put it, like the loping riffery of "I Love You All".
This reish is handsomely digipacked, with a thick, info/photo packed booklet, and there's a whole bunch of bonus tracks too, weirdly some of 'em the SAME as the bonus tracks on EM's Evolution disc (the three cuts from the the Morning Of The Earth soundtrack, originally released as the Bali Waters ep) which you think someone would have realized was a bit redundant, but there's also four fairly rockin' (though sax-laced for some reason) numbers from a 1971 live performance, and a couple of especially sunny singles tracks too.
MPEG Stream: "I Love You All"
MPEG Stream: "Heaven Is Closed"
MPEG Stream: "Goolutionites Theme Part 2"

TAMARYN Led Astray Washed Ashore (Troubleman Unlimited) 12" 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Released almost two years before The Waves, Led Astray Washed Ashore is a different kind of (awesome) record. It's power lies in being direct and driving: the drums are tribal, the layers of sound are starker and sparser. Though there's still a lot of nice washy reverb in places, Tamaryn's vocals are recorded without a lot of doubling or many effects. Where The Waves makes you feel like you're floating in a dream, Led Astray Washed Ashore is grounded in the close and crisp dynamic of mostly clean vocals and tom-heavy drumming. The first song, "Return to Surrender," has echoes of the darker songs of the Eurythmics. "The Unknown" is all chanting, tribal drumming, and what sounds like an organ: a cacophonous interlude between the energy of the opening track and the colder, more stark "Sarah In The Aeadrone." "Golden Song" sounds like the best song Siouxsie and The Banshees never wrote, though the sparkly guitar work is pure Rex Shelverton. "Ashore" and "Metal Beasts" continue the lyrical themes of death and water and drowning present on the entire record (including the cover). Yes! Truly, there's nothing more nourishing for a blackened soul than beautiful music about death.

TAMARYN Led Astray, Washed Ashore (self-released) cd 9.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
NOW ON CD!!!
Released almost two years before The Waves, Led Astray Washed Ashore is a different kind of (awesome) record. It's power lies in being direct and driving: the drums are tribal, the layers of sound are starker and sparser. Though there's still a lot of nice washy reverb in places, Tamaryn's vocals are recorded without a lot of doubling or many effects. Where The Waves makes you feel like you're floating in a dream, Led Astray Washed Ashore is grounded in the close and crisp dynamic of mostly clean vocals and tom-heavy drumming. The first song, "Return to Surrender," has echoes of the darker songs of the Eurythmics. "The Unknown" is all chanting, tribal drumming, and what sounds like an organ: a cacophonous interlude between the energy of the opening track and the colder, more stark "Sarah In The Aeadrone." "Golden Song" sounds like the best song Siouxsie and The Banshees never wrote, though the sparkly guitar work is pure Rex Shelverton. "Ashore" and "Metal Beasts" continue the lyrical themes of death and water and drowning present on the entire record (including the cover). Yes! Truly, there's nothing more nourishing for a blackened soul than beautiful music about death.
MPEG Stream: "Return to Surrender"
MPEG Stream: "Sarah in the Aeadrone"
MPEG Stream: "Metal Beasts"

TAMARYN Mild Confusion (True Panther) 7" 5.98
This record is a must have for anyone who bought The Waves or anyone wanting an introduction to the shoegazey brilliance of Tamaryn. It features an alternate take of "Mild Confusion," one of the best tracks on The Waves, and an unreleased song, "Light Shadows" that could have stood with pride anywhere on the full length. There's only a few of these left floating around (we got these from the artist herself) and it's doubtful if we'll ever get any more. Limited to 1000 copies and pressed on white vinyl.

TAMARYN Tender New Signs (Mexican Summer) cd 10.98
Latest album of fuzzy, ethereal dreampop from this aQ beloved SF songstress, and like her past efforts, Tender New Signs is another glorious collection of lush retro pop loveliness, the sound a dreamy druggy pastiche of modern goth pop and classic shoegaze bliss out, all big chiming guitars, softly propulsive rhythms, low slung basslines, all the sounds doused in echo and reverb, and wreathed in big billowing clouds of crystalline 4AD shimmer, the sound this time around bolstered by a big eighties style drum sound on the more rocking tracks, but most of the record gloriously washed out and gauzey, due in no small part to a fantastically lush, layered production, all of this woven into a luxurious sonic backdrop for Tamaryn's gorgeous vox, breathy and sultry, settled way back in the mix for much of the record, existing more as another sonic layer, but on the slower numbers, slipping to the foreground, transforming those numbers into slowcore dreampop torch songs.
The record, while sonically cohesive, definitely lets Tamaryn and her band stretch out, unfurling an evershifting super varied songscape, slipping from soft focus slowcore dreaminess, to swoonsome jangle pop balladry, to driving, surprisingly rocking shoegaze crunch, to hushed haunting broodiness. So good. And as always, recommended for fans of Beach House, My Bloody Valentine, Mazzy Star, 4AD, etc.
MPEG Stream: "I'm Gone"
MPEG Stream: "While You're Sleeping, I'm Dreaming"
MPEG Stream: "Heavenly Bodies"
MPEG Stream: "No Exits"

TAMARYN Tender New Signs (Mexican Summer) lp 15.98
Latest album of fuzzy, ethereal dreampop from this aQ beloved SF songstress, and like her past efforts, Tender New Signs is another glorious collection of lush retro pop loveliness, the sound a dreamy druggy pastiche of modern goth pop and classic shoegaze bliss out, all big chiming guitars, softly propulsive rhythms, low slung basslines, all the sounds doused in echo and reverb, and wreathed in big billowing clouds of crystalline 4AD shimmer, the sound this time around bolstered by a big eighties style drum sound on the more rocking tracks, but most of the record gloriously washed out and gauzey, due in no small part to a fantastically lush, layered production, all of this woven into a luxurious sonic backdrop for Tamaryn's gorgeous vox, breathy and sultry, settled way back in the mix for much of the record, existing more as another sonic layer, but on the slower numbers, slipping to the foreground, transforming those numbers into slowcore dreampop torch songs.
The record, while sonically cohesive, definitely lets Tamaryn and her band stretch out, unfurling an evershifting super varied songscape, slipping from soft focus slowcore dreaminess, to swoonsome jangle pop balladry, to driving, surprisingly rocking shoegaze crunch, to hushed haunting broodiness. So good. And as always, recommended for fans of Beach House, My Bloody Valentine, Mazzy Star, 4AD, etc.
MPEG Stream: "I'm Gone"
MPEG Stream: "While You're Sleeping, I'm Dreaming"
MPEG Stream: "Heavenly Bodies"
MPEG Stream: "No Exits"

TAMARYN The Waves (Mexican Summer) cd 13.98
Sometimes a record can hit you in the face like a punch, other times the music can pierce you like a needle, sinking deep into a sensitive place without you even realizing it's still in your flesh. Tamaryn's debut album, The Waves, is like the latter. It's so light, pain and tension melt away while you listen, but also so sharp and brilliant, you can't get it out of your head. Strongly evoking the slowcore brilliance of My Bloody Valentine, the layered reverb on the guitars give the effect of distance while at the same time the dreamy vocals keep the listener close. A veteran of many outstanding bands (Vue, The Audience), Rex John Shelverton's guitar playing is tempered perfectly throughout the record, never seeking to override the vocals, filling in gaps and expanding outwards in huge planes of reverb wash. At times, like the song "Haze Interior," the atmosphere is hazy and slightly chilled, a frustrated plea for understanding from a loved one whose language you can't quite understand. The next song "Sandstone" builds from a punctuated guitar riff into a driving bass and drum beat that manages to make you nod your head while still leaving plenty of room in the mix for layers of vocals. If Beach House's Devotion and Mazzy Star's So Tonight That I Might See were to have some sort of precocious offspring, the result might very well be The Waves. Highly recommended.
MPEG Stream: "The Waves"
MPEG Stream: "Choirs of Winter"
MPEG Stream: "Haze Interior"

TAMARYN The Waves (Mexican Summer) lp 24.00
Now here on vinyl. Sorry, not cheap.
Sometimes a record can hit you in the face like a punch, other times the music can pierce you like a needle, sinking deep into a sensitive place without you even realizing it's still in your flesh. Tamaryn's debut album, The Waves, is like the latter. It's so light, pain and tension melt away while you listen, but also so sharp and brilliant, you can't get it out of your head. Strongly evoking the slowcore brilliance of My Bloody Valentine, the layered reverb on the guitars give the effect of distance while at the same time the dreamy vocals keep the listener close. A veteran of many outstanding bands (Vue, The Audience), Rex John Shelverton's guitar playing is tempered perfectly throughout the record, never seeking to override the vocals, filling in gaps and expanding outwards in huge planes of reverb wash. At times, like the song "Haze Interior," the atmosphere is hazy and slightly chilled, a frustrated plea for understading from a loved one whose language you can't quite understand. The next song "Sandstone" builds from a punctuated guitar riff into a driving bass and drum beat that manages to make you nod your head while still leaving plenty of room in the mix for layers of vocals. If Beach House's Devotion and Mazzy Star's So Tonight That I Might See were to have some sort of precocious offspring, the result might very well be The Waves. Highly recommended.
MPEG Stream: "The Waves"
MPEG Stream: "Choirs of Winter"
MPEG Stream: "Haze Interior"

TAMARYN Weather War (Hell Yes) 7" 8.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

TAMBURO, MIKE Beating of the Rewound Son (Music Fellowship) cd 14.98

TAME IMPALA Lonerism (Modular) cd 16.98
We really wanted to hate these guys. Another one of those bands who were nearly buried in blog hype and Pitchfork superlatives. But after about a million people came in looking for this record, we decided to give in, and we have to say, we're pretty glad we did. Hovering somewhere between classic psychedelic Beatles-esque pop (due in no small part to the vocalist's uncannily John Lennon like vox), and tripped out, studio-as-instrument experimental Flaming Lips style bombast, Lonerism is a pretty sweet slab of weirdo, electronic flecked avant pop, and one that we can easily see ourselves having discovered via some random cd-r sent to the shop. But as always, we're forced to re-learn the lesson, that just cuz it's popular, doesn't mean it sucks (although that IS what it means a lot of the time). It's easy to see why these guys blew up the way they did, they're the perfect mix of the Flaming Lips, Animal Collective and Phoenix, but grounded by some serious pop chops, some classic hooks that sound lifted straight out of some lost Beatles / Kinks / Queen B-side, and if that doesn't sound like a sweet combination, it should, cuz it IS. Opener "Be Above It" takes a looped sample of the title being spoken in a hushed whisper, adds a loping bombastic drum beats, swirls of sci-fi synths, everything doused in effects, so you're ready for some cosmic trip out, but then those Lennon-like vocals come in, and the song suddenly coalesces into a proper pop song, albeit an alien strain of strange mad scientist pop. And the cool thing is, it never gives into traditional song structure, instead, it's weirdly abstract and tranced out and mesmerizingly loop-y. The second track reins in the group's experimental proclivities, just a bit, bursting forth as a glimmering blast of prismatic fuzz pop, all swirling synths, and wild octopoidal drumming, very psychedelic, again heavy on the effects, and like the opening track, it plays like an intro transformed into a song, the Beatles vibe huge, as it is throughout, inevitable with that voice, but then out of nowhere, in swoop some seriously crunchy, crumblingly distorted guitars, the vibe suddenly Tropicalia via Elephant 6! Even at its pure poppiest, the sound seems to always (d)evolve into some warped FX heavy freakout, before inevitably making its way back again, which makes for a seriously lysergic listen.
And so it goes, the whole record, a pretty fantastic collection of fragmented avant experimental psych pop, that manages in equal measure to satisfy our classic pop music sweet tooth, while pushing all of our what the fuck outsider damaged freak pop buttons, which is a rare thing indeed. Even rarer that a fractured and fucked up sound like that would find such a wide audience, but we're thrilled when it does.
MPEG Stream: "Be Above It"
MPEG Stream: "Endors Toi"
MPEG Stream: "Apocalypse Dreams"

TAME IMPALA Lonerism (Modular) lp 21.00
We really wanted to hate these guys. Another one of those bands who were nearly buried in blog hype and Pitchfork superlatives. But after about a million people came in looking for this record, we decided to give in, and we have to say, we're pretty glad we did. Hovering somewhere between classic psychedelic Beatles-esque pop (due in no small part to the vocalist's uncannily John Lennon like vox), and tripped out, studio-as-instrument experimental Flaming Lips style bombast, Lonerism is a pretty sweet slab of weirdo, electronic flecked avant pop, and one that we can easily see ourselves having discovered via some random cd-r sent to the shop. But as always, we're forced to re-learn the lesson, that just cuz it's popular, doesn't mean it sucks (although that IS what it means a lot of the time). It's easy to see why these guys blew up the way they did, they're the perfect mix of the Flaming Lips, Animal Collective and Phoenix, but grounded by some serious pop chops, some classic hooks that sound lifted straight out of some lost Beatles / Kinks / Queen B-side, and if that doesn't sound like a sweet combination, it should, cuz it IS. Opener "Be Above It" takes a looped sample of the title being spoken in a hushed whisper, adds a loping bombastic drum beats, swirls of sci-fi synths, everything doused in effects, so you're ready for some cosmic trip out, but then those Lennon-like vocals come in, and the song suddenly coalesces into a proper pop song, albeit an alien strain of strange mad scientist pop. And the cool thing is, it never gives into traditional song structure, instead, it's weirdly abstract and tranced out and mesmerizingly loop-y. The second track reins in the group's experimental proclivities, just a bit, bursting forth as a glimmering blast of prismatic fuzz pop, all swirling synths, and wild octopoidal drumming, very psychedelic, again heavy on the effects, and like the opening track, it plays like an intro transformed into a song, the Beatles vibe huge, as it is throughout, inevitable with that voice, but then out of nowhere, in swoop some seriously crunchy, crumblingly distorted guitars, the vibe suddenly Tropicalia via Elephant 6! Even at its pure poppiest, the sound seems to always (d)evolve into some warped FX heavy freakout, before inevitably making its way back again, which makes for a seriously lysergic listen.
And so it goes, the whole record, a pretty fantastic collection of fragmented avant experimental psych pop, that manages in equal measure to satisfy our classic pop music sweet tooth, while pushing all of our what the fuck outsider damaged freak pop buttons, which is a rare thing indeed. Even rarer that a fractured and fucked up sound like that would find such a wide audience, but we're thrilled when it does.
MPEG Stream: "Be Above It"
MPEG Stream: "Endors Toi"
MPEG Stream: "Apocalypse Dreams"

TAMING THE OUTBACK 1986-1989 (Equation) cd 9.98
BACK IN STOCK, and at a super nice price!!
From the always amazing Equation Records, who in the past have brought us incredible records from groups like Fear Falls Burning, Bass Communion, Nadja, Landing, Organum, R.Y.N., Troum, Ultrabunny, Apse and more, comes this comprehensive collection of everything ever record by late Eighties UK new wavers Taming The Outback.
Never heard of these guys? Nor had we, but listening to this now, it's a little surprising they didn't make a bigger splash, the label describes them sounding like Killing Joke and Echo & The Bunnymen, which is not that far off.
The sound is dark and jangly, the guitars reverbed and chiming, the bass thick and gloomy, and the vocals, a super anguished dramatic delivery that's a dead ringer for Ian McCulloch, and a perfect match for the group's angular downer pop. We also hear plenty of old U2, back before they became stadium rock whores, that sort of brooding urgency they once trafficked in, and that seems to be the thing with TTO, their sound is dark, and a little bit sinister, a gloomy vibe that makes their sound that much more compelling, especially now, with so many bands looking back to that era to cop their sound, but ultimately unable to conjure up the same sort of passion and pathos. And while this isn't some earth shaking lost treasure discovery, it is pretty damn great, and for anyone into Eighties post punk, or who digs the current crop of retro Eighties rockers, but would rather hear the real thing, then this will definitely hit the spot. And where on first listen we were thinking this was just okay, repeated and frequent listening has found this to be a definite grower, and definitely revealed Taming The Outback as something special indeed.
The normal cd version comes in a gorgeous oversized Stoughton mini lp sleeve style gatefold jacket, with a big booklet, jammed with liner notes, pictures, interviews, articles and more. LIMITED TO 385 COPIES. The super deluxe version includes the same fancy cd version, but also an original copy of the band's only 7", a miniature reproduction of the Alive & Kicking fanzine, a sticker, a two sided mini poster, 4 badges and a special card insert designed by Organum's David Jackman, all housed in a super swank embossed box. LIMITED TO 75 COPIES!!
MPEG Stream: "Fire & Smoke"
MPEG Stream: "Blue Heart"
MPEG Stream: "Eight-Hour King"
MPEG Stream: "The Outback Theme"

TAMING THE OUTBACK 1986-1989 (Equation) cd + 7" + fanzine + sticker + badges + box 21.00
From the always amazing Equation Records, who in the past have brought us incredible records from groups like Fear Falls Burning, Bass Communion, Nadja, Landing, organum, R.Y.N., Troum, Ultrabunny, Apse and more, comes this comprehensive collection of everything ever record by late Eighties UK new wavers Taming The Outback.
Never heard of these guys? Nor had we, but listening to this now, it's a little surprising they didn't make a bigger splash, the label describes them sounding like Killing Joke and Echo & The Bunnymen, which is not that far off.
The sound is dark and jangly, the guitars reverbed and chiming, the bass thick and gloomy, and the vocals, a super anguished dramatic delivery that's a dead ringer for Ian McCulloch, and a perfect match for the group's angular downer pop. We also hear plenty of old U2, back before they became stadium rock whores, that sort of brooding urgency they once trafficked in, and that seems to be the thing with TTO, their sound is dark, and a little bit sinister, a gloomy vibe that makes their sound that much more compelling, especially now, with so many bands looking back to that era to cop their sound, but ultimately unable to conjure up the same sort of passion and pathos. And while this isn't some earth shaking lost treasure discovery, it is pretty damn great, and for anyone into Eighties post punk, or who digs the current crop of retro Eighties rockers, but would rather hear the real thing, then this will definitely hit the spot. And where on first listen we were thinking this was just okay, repeated and frequent listening has found this to be a definite grower, and definitely revealed Taming The Outback as something special indeed.
The normal cd version comes in a gorgeous oversized Stoughton mini lp sleeve style gatefold jacket, with a big booklet, jammed with liner notes, pictures, interviews, articles and more. LIMITED TO 385 COPIES. The super deluxe version includes the same fancy cd version, but also an original copy of the band's only 7", a miniature reproduction of the Alive & Kicking fanzine, a sticker, a two sided mini poster, 4 badges and a special card insert designed by Organum's David Jackman, all housed in a super swank embossed box. LIMITED TO 75 COPIES!!
MPEG Stream: "Fire & Smoke"
MPEG Stream: "Blue Heart"
MPEG Stream: "Eight-Hour King"
MPEG Stream: "The Outback Theme"

TANAKH Ardent Fevers (Alien8 Recordings) cd 14.98
Drowsy Americana-laced Indie rock from Jesse Poe and his revolving set of collaborators, this time including Isobel Campbell on cello and backing vocals. Less improvised, and more song-oriented than on previous efforts, Poe's voice recalls early Badly Drawn Boy or even Leonard Cohen at times. Soft but dusty, this set is best served with whiskey and a little heartache.
MPEG Stream: "5 am"
MPEG Stream: "Hit the Ground"
MPEG Stream: "Restless Hands"

TANAKH Dieu Deuil (Alien8 Recordings) cd 14.98

TANAKH Saunders Hollow (Camera Obscura) cd 15.98
Wow, we've gotten in three releases this week that starkly contrast with the sunny warm weather we've been having. Seemingly residing in the chilled shadows of dense forests and ancient stone chambers are the latest albums from Tanakh, Rothko and XXL (the collaboration between Xiu Xiu and Larsen). Dark, expansive beauties, all of them!
Go on, defy the sun or tuck these away for a suitably overcast autumn or winter eve.
Now based in Florence, Italy, former Virginians Tanakh are a musical collective whose somber folk rock in many ways draws easy comparisons to Montreal's Godspeed You Black Emperor family, Angels Of Light and Larsen. This is their sister album to last year's Ardent Fevers. Actually Saunders Hollow was recorded prior to that release, and is distinguished by the introspective yearning vocals of Michele Poulos. Those vocals make this album even more of a counterpart to Ardent Fevers as that disc featured mainman Jesse Poe's deep, weary tones. The final instrumental number "Illusions Of Separation" is well worth the price of admission alone.
Fans of all of the abovementioned will surely find a kindred spirit in Tanakh.
MPEG Stream: "Ladybird"
MPEG Stream: "Longer Than Sorrow"
MPEG Stream: "Illusions Of Separation"

TANAKH Villa Claustrophobia (Alien8 Recordings) cd 14.98
Tanakh are a new quintet (led by Jesse Poe from Richmond, VA) that just may pique the interest of those who've enjoyed the recent works of Michael Gira / Angels Of Light, Godspeed You Black Emperor and Larsen. Creating mysterious and expansive music with a rich earthiness and spiritual resonance. The complex, droning tones emitted from the various acoustic, electric and handmade instruments at times suggest the multi-layered sounds of throat singers. The raw, folky male vocals bring to mind those of the aforementioned Gira and the ghostly female voices drift across the soundscapes. A particular highlight is their rendition of the song "Gently Johnny" from The Wicker Man film soundtrack. The list of Villa Claustrophobia personnel is an impressive one with guest appearances by members of Palace, The Dirty Three, Lofty Pillars, Cracker and Ravi Shankar's band. Recorded and mixed by Joh Morand (Sparklehorse, Labradford) and Brian Paulson (Royal Trux, Slint).
RealAudio clip: "Devil's Interval"
RealAudio clip: "Gently Johnny"
RealAudio clip: "Tells"
RealAudio clip: "Mashah"

TANGERINE DREAM Alpha Centauri (Castle / Sanctuary) cd 14.98
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Tangerine Dream's second album from 1971. While it is a bit spacier and more synth-based than predecessor "Electronic Meditation", it's structurally much the same as the first, with lots of moody dark improv drones weaving and building into mad psychedelic rock jams. Mostly the change apparent here is that various synths and organs move to the fore while guitars, flute and drums hang out in the back, only dominating the sound in the loudest, rocking passages. This domestic reissue includes a bonus track, "Ultima Thule Part 1", an epic rocking single the group released in 1971. This one's also remastered, w/ slipcase, & liner notes from noted krauthead Julian Cope.
RealAudio clip: "Sunrise In The Third System"
RealAudio clip: "Ultima Thule Part 1"

TANGERINE DREAM Atem (Castle / Sanctuary) cd 14.98
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Armed with a Radio Shack's worth of new electronic toys, including the then new Mellotron, Tangerine Dream begins to sound a weensy bit closer to their eventual state of synthesizedness. But I stress the word "weensy" here, as Atem (1973) finds Tangerine Dream still well ensconced in the same psychedelic free-rock realm as their previous three albums (Electronic Meditation, Alpha Centauri, and Zeit). Bizzare vocal effects aside, a smattering of guitar and percussion are all that remain of the acoustic age of Tangerine Dream -- flute having been replaced by Edgar Froese's Mellotron replication of them. Along with Froese's new beast, the group's new artillery included a couple EMS VCS3 Synthesizers for Baumann and Franke. The resulting sound is even more atmospheric and whispy than ever. The title track, a twenty minute meandering opus, is perhaps the most similar to their earlier sound, with its pounding drums steadily increasing in volume and speed during the first part of the piece. But even there the percussion is no match for the enslaught of multiple organs and synthesizers with their ever building chords which drown out the drums before settling into a dark, ethereal soundscape. "Fauni-Gena" is almost like Tangerine Dream's take on Pink Floyd's "Several Species Of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together In A Cave And Grooving With A Pict", but heavier on the synths. The last track -- "Wahn" -- is probably the greatest anomaly in Tangerine Dream's ouvre, in which the trio practice their extended vocal techniques, laden with echo and accompanied by frenzied percussion and synths. This domestic reissue, like the others, comes remastered, with a slip case and liner-notes (though this time not by Julilan Cope, but by one Paul Russell.)
RealAudio clip: "Fauni-Gena"
RealAudio clip: "Wahn"

TANGERINE DREAM Electronic Meditation (Castle / Sanctuary) cd 14.98
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For those who still associate Tangerine Dream with sequencer dependent proto-nu-age music, here are a few domestic reissues of their crucial early albums which should dispel any further mistaken assumptions. Originally released in 1970, Tangerine Dream's first album "Electronic Meditation" is a totally way-out-there psychedelic tour de force featuring mainstay Edgar Froese, plus Klaus Schulze and Conrad Schnitzler -- kind of a krautrock supergroup though they didn't know it at the time! From improvised dark drones of amplified cello, electric guitar, flute, organ and drums to blasts of freak out noise to psychedelic fuzzed-out freak-out rock jams. Electronic Meditation is equal parts Algarnas Tradgrad and early Kraftwerk. Remastered, w/ slipcase, & liner notes from krauthead Julian Cope. Definitely a krautrock classic.
RealAudio clip: "Genesis"
RealAudio clip: "Ashes To Ashes"

TANGERINE DREAM Electronic Meditation (Earmark) lp 21.00
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Another in Earmark's awesome series of lp reissues, all in thick sleeves and on 180 gram virgin vinyl. Here's what we had to say about the cd reissue:
For those who still associate Tangerine Dream with sequencer dependent proto-nu-age music, here are a few domestic reissues of their crucial early albums which should dispel any further mistaken assumptions. Originally released in 1970, Tangerine Dream's first album "Electronic Meditation" is a totally way-out-there psychedelic tour de force featuring mainstay Edgar Froese, plus Klaus Schulze and Conrad Schnitzler -- kind of a krautrock supergroup though they didn't know it at the time! From improvised dark drones of amplified cello, electric guitar, flute, organ and drums to blasts of freak out noise to psychedelic fuzzed-out freak-out rock jams. Electronic Meditation is equal parts Algarnas Tradgrad and early Kraftwerk. Remastered, w/ slipcase, & liner notes from krauthead Julian Cope. Definitely a krautrock classic.

TANGERINE DREAM Ultima Thule: The Electronic Magic Of Tangerine Dream (Landmark) 2cd 9.98
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Fewer things could bring more delight for us kraut and space prog heads than a 2cd anthology of Tangerine Dream rarities compiled by Edgar Froese, and for such an affordable price! Froese, the one mainstay of the band through 13 different lineups (the band including in their ranks at one time both Conrad Schnitzler and Klaus Schulze), has provided a compelling overview of the musical evolution of the band from their psychedelic roots to their later period as electronic film score stalwarts and everywhere in between.
The double disc set begins way back before TD, with their 1967 pre-incarnation 7" single as The Ones, a band more rooted in the sixties psychedelic rock of Jefferson Airplane and The Grateful Dead than the spacey sounds they embraced later on. But the real highlight of this set is the inclusion of TD's rare first 7" single from 1971, "Ultima Thule", an epic two part space rock excursion that begins in stratospheric Hawkwind territory in part one, but in part two takes a Magma like instrumental prog trajectory, that prefigures the minimal electronic direction the band would take through records like Electronic Meditation, Zeit and Alpha Centauri. The rest of disc one explores these sci-fi themed gaseous realms of gorgeous brooding ambience.
Disc two covers the bands' later, mostly early eighties output, which saw the band more as composers of action film music with a definte increase in rhythms and sequencers, but still with a spacey electronic edge. While John Carpenter may get all the credit as progenitor of all the latter day eighties arpeggiated synth worshippers like Jonas Reinhardt, Majeure, James Ferraro, and Umberto, Tangerine Dream was equally influential in this regard. A lot of the later period Tangerine Dream output can be sometimes cheesy, but the careful curation of this compilation shows there were also plenty of gems as well. This may prove to rethink the general attitude that TD had completely lost the plot, when they started turning to film score commissions, and rhythmic dance music in the eighties and nineties.
With one or two exceptions, most of this music here, as far as we can tell, has not been released on any of their major records, but there is little information to tell if these tracks ever saw proper release at all. So this is a very worthy exploration for the newly curious as well as for seasoned fans. Highly Recommended!!!!
MPEG Stream: "Ultima Thule (part 1)"
MPEG Stream: "Sunset in the Fifth System"
MPEG Stream: "Mysterious Semblance at the Strand of Nightmare"
MPEG Stream: "Exit To Heaven"
MPEG Stream: "Rare Bird"

TANGERINE DREAM Zeit (Castle / Sanctuary) cd 14.98
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Tangerine Dream's third album, originally released as a double LP in 1972. Zeit is probably the most subdued album of Tangerine Dream's early career. Apparently Edgar Froese canned bandmate Steve Schroyder after the release of Alpha Centauri, citing one too many "freak outs" which apparently rubbed the mellow Froese's fur the wrong direction (according to the liner notes here, Schroyder ended up joining the much more freak out friendly Ash Ra Temple upon his departure from Tangerine Dream.) Not surprisingly, Zeit is a much MELLOWER album than the band's previous two releases -- and even mellower than their fourth album, Atem. The album begins with the slowly morphing droning of a cello quartet, augmented by Froese on moog. It's probably the single most non-God Speed You Black Emperor recording that we get people asking "Is this God Speed You Black Emperor?" when we play it. It just goes to show how, almost thirty years after its initial release, Zeit still sounds fresh as the day it was recorded. Even the bubbling moog synth centered "Origin Of Supernatural Probabilities" has none of the cheesy proto-nuage trappings of Tangerine Dream's later works. Heavy on atmosphere and almost devoid of melody, the four album side songs that make up Zeit are some of the darkest -- and arguably, best -- material recorded by Tangerine Dream. And, like all the others in thise reissue series, this one comes remastered with a handsome slip cover and liner notes (which mostly consist of a blow by blow account of the album's contents that you can read along to as you listen and either agree, disagree, or agree to disagree with the author over their accuracy) by Paul Russell.
RealAudio clip: "Birth of Liquid Plejades"
RealAudio clip: "Nebulous Dawn"

TANGO SALOON s/t (Ipecac) cd 14.98

TANLINES Mixed Emotions (True Panther) cd 14.98
We really didn't know what to expect from this Brooklyn duo, whose pedigree not only includes goofy dance pop combo Professor Murder, but also legendary post/math rock outfits Don Caballero and Storm & Stress, we might have been expecting the impossible, some strange mix of the two, but instead, Mixed Emotions ends up being a super fun, fuzzy, bouncy, hooky, and yeah danceable, pop record, lots of squelchy synths, programmed drums, groovy rhythms, soaring intertwined vocals, chiming guitars, fuzzy riffs, handclaps, it's hard to know who to compared these guys too, it seems like folks who dig groups like Animal Collective, and who aren't averse to the more electronic/dance pop side of things would love these guys, but also people into stuff like Phoenix and Miike Snow. And the band definitely are a proper rock band, with songs like "Green Grass" melding their more electronic side with a super hooky fuzz pop indie jangle that's pretty dang irresistible. Opener "Brothers" is all brooding stripped down electro pop, but it "All Of Me", the single, that really demonstrates just how good these guys are, and why it wouldn't be that weird to hear these guys on commercial pop radio, it's the kind of super hooky, synth heavy, big chorus. pop gem, that makes people want to get up and move, even grumpy wall flowers like us.
And so it goes for the rest of the record, electro pop meets groovy fuzzy indie jangle, majestic almost orchestral electronic epics meet woozy tropical dreampop, synthy strings meet crooned percussion heavy new wave pop, all those various strains of electronic pop and classic indie songsmithery melting into one gloriously dreamy whole.
MPEG Stream: "All Of Me"
MPEG Stream: "Green Grass"
MPEG Stream: "Lost Somewhere"

TANLINES Mixed Emotions (True Panther) lp 16.98
We really didn't know what to expect from this Brooklyn duo, whose pedigree not only includes goofy dance pop combo Professor Murder, but also legendary post/math rock outfits Don Caballero and Storm & Stress, we might have been expecting the impossible, some strange mix of the two, but instead, Mixed Emotions ends up being a super fun, fuzzy, bouncy, hooky, and yeah danceable, pop record, lots of squelchy synths, programmed drums, groovy rhythms, soaring intertwined vocals, chiming guitars, fuzzy riffs, handclaps, it's hard to know who to compared these guys too, it seems like folks who dig groups like Animal Collective, and who aren't averse to the more electronic/dance pop side of things would love these guys, but also people into stuff like Phoenix and Miike Snow. And the band definitely are a proper rock band, with songs like "Green Grass" melding their more electronic side with a super hooky fuzz pop indie jangle that's pretty dang irresistible. Opener "Brothers" is all brooding stripped down electro pop, but it "All Of Me", the single, that really demonstrates just how good these guys are, and why it wouldn't be that weird to hear these guys on commercial pop radio, it's the kind of super hooky, synth heavy, big chorus. pop gem, that makes people want to get up and move, even grumpy wall flowers like us.
And so it goes for the rest of the record, electro pop meets groovy fuzzy indie jangle, majestic almost orchestral electronic epics meet woozy tropical dreampop, synthy strings meet crooned percussion heavy new wave pop, all those various strains of electronic pop and classic indie songsmithery melting into one gloriously dreamy whole.
MPEG Stream: "All Of Me"
MPEG Stream: "Green Grass"
MPEG Stream: "Lost Somewhere"

TAPE Luminarium (Hapna) cd 16.98
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Some folks try really hard to create pretty sounds, but there are those special folks who just naturally have some preternatural ability to create majestic beauty without it ever sounding forced or contrived. The Swedish trio Tape are shining examples of just such a group, able to make lush and textured sounds that are as engaging as they are pleasing. After a couple recent reissues of older Tape recordings, we were really excited to find what their new record would sound like. And with the opener "Beams" we were greeted with what might be a contender for our favorite song of the year! A song that invites you in with warm swirling analog synths and takes you on such a dreamy ride that it feels like being on a tranquil slide up in the clouds as it takes delicious soft turns and dips through the sky. Luckily the rest of the record follows and flows with equal beauty and such a delicate touch. Tape really put to shame just about everyone else who try their hand at dreamy instrumental post-rock. Their songs aren't as simple as just being moody or melancholic instead they truly create their own world, one that glows with a cascading and illuminating vision. Highly recommended!
MPEG Stream: "Beams"
MPEG Stream: "Reperto"
MPEG Stream: "Mystery Mutiny"

TAPE Luminarium (Immune) 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 AVAILABLE ON VINYL!!! Some folks try really hard to create pretty sounds, but there are those special folks who just naturally have some preternatural ability to create majestic beauty without it ever sounding forced or contrived. The Swedish trio Tape are shining examples of just such a group, able to make lush and textured sounds that are as engaging as they are pleasing. After a couple recent reissues of older Tape recordings, we were really excited to find what their new record would sound like. And with the opener "Beams" we were greeted with what might be a contender for our favorite song of the year! A song that invites you in with warm swirling analog synths and takes you on such a dreamy ride that it feels like being on a tranquil slide up in the clouds as it takes delicious soft turns and dips through the sky. Luckily the rest of the record follows and flows with equal beauty and such a delicate touch. Tape really put to shame just about everyone else who try their hand at dreamy instrumental post-rock. Their songs aren't as simple as just being moody or melancholic instead they truly create their own world, one that glows with a cascading and illuminating vision. Highly recommended!
MPEG Stream: "Beams"
MPEG Stream: "Reperto"
MPEG Stream: "Mystery Mutiny"

TAPE Milieu (Hapna) cd 16.98
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For some reason the first album from this Swedish trio didn't excite us nearly this much -- we didn't even get around to reviewing it -- but this one is simply great, gorgeous. Theirs is a melodic yet abstract soundworld, very Jewelled Antler in approach, and very delicate. Field recordings + instruments in a calming, semi-improvised setting of simple song-sketches. Acoustic guitar, harmonium, trumpet, electronics, tapes... Hushed, droned, very pretty but not precious. A most pleasant half-hour indeed! From the Hapna label, who previously brought us Tape member Johan Berthling's marvelous drone collaboration with Oren Ambarchi, My Days Are Darker Than Your Nights. (Hapna is also the home to AQ-faves Sagor & Swing as well).
MPEG Stream: "Oak Player"
MPEG Stream: "Edisto"

TAPE Mort Aux Vaches (Staalplaat) cd 21.00
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TAPE Revelationes (Hapna) cd 16.98
We knew after their breathtaking collaboration with Bill Wells last year that Tape were really reaching a zenith in their career. With a back catalog rich with so many beautiful records, it's so nice to see them continue to reveal subtle shifts in their sound and sonic scope. Revelations flows with such melancholic grace. Instrumental songs that are filled with rich tones and warm melody, taking you to some perfect place, evoking that feeling of staring out the window on a long drive, late at night when there is nothing left to say to the person in the seat beside you.
Other bands that have tried to create a sound like this end up falling so short, coming off as nothing more then post rock band with more moody intentions, but lacking the means or depth to make something really substantial. Tape exist on a totally different level, absolute masters of their craft. Nothing ever feels forced or contrived in their songs. There is an integrity in their compositions that allows you to sway back and forth and get lost in swirls of musical memory and long lost images of other times and places... An utterly gorgeous record.
MPEG Stream: "Dust And Light"
MPEG Stream: "Gone Gone"
MPEG Stream: "Byhalia"

TAPE Revelationes (Immune) lp 16.98
Now we've also got enough of Immune's vinyl version to list, here's what we said about the cd on Hapna a couple weeks ago:
We knew after their breathtaking collaboration with Bill Wells last year that Tape were really reaching a zenith in their career. With a back catalog rich with so many beautiful records, it's so nice to see them continue to reveal subtle shifts in their sound and sonic scope. Revelations flows with such melancholic grace. Instrumental songs that are filled with rich tones and warm melody, taking you to some perfect place, evoking that feeling of staring out the window on a long drive, late at night when there is nothing left to say to the person in the seat beside you.
Other bands that have tried to create a sound like this end up falling so short, coming off as nothing more then post rock band with more moody intentions, but lacking the means or depth to make something really substantial. Tape exist on a totally different level, absolute masters of their craft. Nothing ever feels forced or contrived in their songs. There is an integrity in their compositions that allows you to sway back and forth and get lost in swirls of musical memory and long lost images of other times and places... An utterly gorgeous record.
MPEG Stream: "Dust And Light"
MPEG Stream: "Gone Gone"
MPEG Stream: "Byhalia"

TAPE Rideau (Hapna) cd 15.98
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TAPE & BILL WELLS Fugue (Immune) 12" 16.98
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Vinyl only release of an ultra dreamy collaboration between Swedish daydream instrumentalists Tape and the seemingly always collaborating Bill Wells, who has worked with a long list of bands we love including, The Pastels, Isobel Campbell, Maher Shalal Hash Baz, and loads more. The meeting of worlds between Tape and Wells is so perfect. Tape have long mastered the ability to create such lush and varied sounds yet maintain a lovely level of understatement. Wells does such a nice job of keeping his piano, Fender Rhodes and melodica as restrained as possible, perfectly blending with the gorgeous dreamlike accompaniment. The four songs on Fugue unravel with such sparse yet evocative and moving energy. Tapping into such longing feelings of melancholy and memory. Like some of our favorite classic Eno/Budd collaborations this is beyond perfect for those chilly mornings or rainy nights when all you want to do is stay inside and drift away into some sonic warmth. So nice!

TAPES 'N TAPES The Loon (Ibid Records) cd 14.98
In the last month or so we've been bombarded with folks walking in the store with one question at the tip of their tounges: "Do you have Tapes 'N Tapes?" Unfortunately the buzz has meant it was kinda tough to get copies of this in stock. The excitement and buzz around this band rivals past years' anticipation for Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Broken Social Scene. Due to some big exposure on Myspace and a performance at the 2006 SXSW that got everyone talking. We're not averse to turning frowns upside down so now we finally have this in stock and those of you who've been craving this can get your fix. What you'll be fixing on is some off kilter catchy guitar rock with vocals that got us thinking lots about Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes. Think: the all out rocking moments of Bright Eyes, deep admiration for The Pixies and Modest Mouse and you can get a rough idea of what Tapes 'N Tapes is all about. Maybe not the most original new band to hit the scene but for sure they can get your head bouncing and your foot tapping. Ain't nothing wrong with that.
MPEG Stream: "Just Drums"
MPEG Stream: "Jakov's Suite"

TAPES 'N TAPES Walk It Off (XL) cd 13.98

TAPES 'N TAPES Walk It Off (XL) 2lp 15.98

TAPIMAN s/t (Guerssen Records) cd 21.00
First things first: yes, this album IS every bit as cool as the cover looks, the cover being a photo of a pink skull! There's no relation to Glenn Donaldson's Pink Skulls cd-r label, of course, these guys thought of it first, way back in 1971!
So yeah, here's another vintage '71 gem for all of you into hard progressive bluesy psych rockin' action. Last list we had Japan's Strawberry Path, this time around, from the fertile underground of Franco's Spain, we've got the power trio Tapiman, which features the burning electric guitar heroics of one Max Sunyer, later of Spanish jazz rock outfit Iceberg. He'll definitely make hard rock guitar fans happy, though -- Tapiman is riffy, heavy rock, full of psychedelic poppiness.
The main riff of storming opener "Wrong World" is sorta "Sunshine Of Your Love" mixed with "Lord Of This World", and the track is full of energetic, impressive guitar soloing and wild vocals. Some subsequent songs are more gentle and moody, though you're never far from some wailin', cranked-up amplifier worship on this disc. It's a groover, and a grower, too, from a classy band who knew what the heck they were doing. For all of you who dig the obscure '70s sounds of stuff like Blues Creation, Buffalo, Eduardo Bort, and other things along those lines we've recommended before...
Newly remastered for this reissue, with four bonus tracks and detailed liner notes in both English and Spanish.
MPEG Stream: "Jenny"
MPEG Stream: "Gosseberry Park"

TAPIO, JORMA & TERJE ISUNGSET Aihki (Ektro) cd 14.98
BACK IN STOCK! While the name Jorma Tapio may not be familiar to you, the name Terje Isungset sure as heck should. He's the man responsible for the Igloo record, a past record of the week, recorded entirely on instruments made from ice. We've been selling that like CRAZY, when all of a sudden we got an email from Jussi (Circle, Pharaoh Overlord, etc.) letting us know that his label Ektro was releasing a brand new record by Isungset, teamed up with some guy names Tapio. We were of course intrigued, but had no idea what to expect. And had we actually expected something, we probably never would have guessed how weird and wonderful this record would be. No ice instruments sad to say, but armed with flutes, bells, voices, kantele, percussion, Jew's harp and lots and lots of drums, these two whip up a super wild and wooly, ultra dense blast of what we can only describe as tribal forest folk free jazz. Or something like that.
Free jazz is probably the closest comparison, the first few tracks are dense psychedelic percussive freak outs, lots of splattery spastic free jazz drumming all over the place, deep bowed bass, steel string zings, and super creepy strangled and howled vocalizations. Everything sounds very primal and tribal, thick swaths of rhythmic throb underpinned by shimmering washes of cymbal sizzle and warbly mumbled melodies. Isungset proves to be a pretty bad ass drummer, whipping up some seriously wild squalls of spastic skitter, and octopoidal crash and bang. The vocals grunt and chant, sort of yodel, and hoot and holler, very festive and just a little nuts sounding. When the drums recede a bit, the band sort of wonders through some ancient forest, fluttering flutes, simple subtle percussion, distant drones. A bit reminiscent of Avarus or Anaksimandros for sure. The 20+ minute centerpiece, the track "Selainin Tuli / Sacred Fire" lets the duo spread way out, and lay out an expansive tribal soundscape, like the earlier 'free jazz' tracks but stripped way down. Hints of No Neck Blues Band and Sunburned Hand definitely surface now and then, the track eventually building to a howling shrieking psych drone freakout before settling back to almost complete silence. then a gentle lilting smudge of soft flutes and abstract clatter. That smeared clatter sort of drifts into the next two songs, disembodied scrapes and creaks, random bits of percussion, thick washes of low end thrum, quite dark an lovely.
The final track is a flittering flutescape, a spare landscape of woodwinds and distant shimmer, which is soon joined by a buzzing Jew's harp, and the harp and flutes get all tangled up into a strangely propulsive groove, some sort of skeletal prog laced with primal psych rock primitivism and festive Renn Faire revelry, like stumbling into some clearing in the woods and finding some strange open air market, with a very strange duo performing before a crowd of rapt onlookers. Weird, but pretty darn cool as well. Finnish music obsessives need this no matter what. Lovers of that modern free folk new weird America thing might just find that this pushes all their buttons, and REALLY REALLY open minded jazz heads might also want to give this a try.
Highly recommended!
MPEG Stream: "Seita"
MPEG Stream: "Nocturnal Wind From The Lake"
MPEG Stream: "Alone In Public"

TAR BABIES Face the Music / Respect Your Nightmares (Lexicon Devil) cd 14.98


MPEG Stream: "Be Humble"
MPEG Stream: "Punch"
MPEG Stream: "The Word"
MPEG Stream: "Native Son"

TAR PET The Artist Revealed Is Taralie Dawn (Eclipse) lp 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Tar Pet is the solo project of Miss Taralie Dawn, who you might know as a member of the Spires That In The Sunset Rise, and Tar Pet does indeed sound quite a bit like her group proper. Old timey piano, recorded all scratchy in a wash of reverb like some dusty old 78, mournful flutes and damaged atonal guitar, creaking scraping steel strings, buzzing frets, and all sorts of hiss and static. A fuzzy blissful ambient dream world of fractured folk and bedroom recorded psychfolk nursery rhymes, with Dawn's creepy, almost spoken vocals, occasionally building to a Diamanda Galas like wail, but more often groaned and whispered, barely a croak. Truly haunting and intense. LIMITED TO 500 COPIES!

TARANTELLA Esqueletos (Alternative Tentacles) cd 14.98
From the same deep dark part of Colorado (umm... Denver!) that brought us the dark swampy dirge folk of the mighty Sixteen Horsepower, comes the mysterious and lovely Tarantella. Featuring an unlikely pedigree (Slim Cessna's Auto Club, Blood Axis) Tarantella, are equal parts Calexico's desert mariachi twang, 16HP's creepy Biblical swampfolk with a bit of bolero, a touch of tango and just a pinch of that Decemberists-y Victrorian shuffle. A dark and swoonsome swirl of mournful strings, shuffling rhythms, warm washed out guitars, plenty of twang and the torch song vocals of Kal Cahoone, who you might recognize from her contributions to the gorgeous Short Stories record, from 16HP side project Lilium, her vocals a raw mix of PJ Harvey swagger and Cat Power moody mumble. Here, her vocals are the focal point, rich and warm and dripping with emotion, occasionally singing in Spanish, a deep sultry croon, wrapping you in its deliriously dangerous embrace. Definitely for fans of Calexico, Howe Gelb, Friends Of Dean Martinez, 16 Horsepower, M. Ward, Cat Power, PJ Harvey and all that smolders and twangs.
MPEG Stream: "Esqueletos"
MPEG Stream: "A Chi Sa Dove Sara"

TARANTULA A.D. Book Of Sand (Kemado Records) cd 14.98
Not sure what it was exactly, but something kept us from checking these guys out before now. Ultimately it might have been the band's penchant for dressing up in period costumes for their record covers. Who knows. Whatever it was, we're sure kicking ourselves now, this record is a killer. And it sounds nothing like we would have imagined from the name and the album cover and the label. Yeah, we know, book, cover, book cover. We're sorry. We were wrong. We love this record. Penance? All we can do now is try to convince you all how great it is. And it is. Some impossible hybrid of classical chamber music, post rock and sludge metal. Sort of. Or if you can imagine the Rachels, or maybe Godspeed You Black Emperor in their practice space, and every few minutes when someone opens the door, the sound of Corrupted, who practice right across the hall and leave their door open all the time, comes rushing in. Big riffs battle keening strings, huge pummeling waves of downtuned guitar, segue into near pastoral stretches of moody meandering post rock, or occasional bits of moody psychedelic folks, with lilting vocals and gentle guitars, or long passages of classical guitar, or gorgeously abstract ambient interludes constructed from subtle vocals and Eastern tinged drones but they eventually always return to the RIFF, exploding in a frenzy of guitar versus string section, like a heavy metal Dirty 3 or Apocalyptica jamming with Boris, or... heck we don't know, it's just so perfectly schizophrenic, veering wildly from heaviness to melancholy moodiness and back again over and over and over. Epic and dreamy and heavy and darn near perfect. We love discovering new music, sort of why we do this, but there's definitely a special satisfaction and secret joy in realizing a band you thought sucked actually completely kills! Being wrong never felt so right!
MPEG Stream: "The Century Trilogy I: Conquest"
MPEG Stream: "Who Took Berlin (Part I)"

TARENTEL Big Black Square (Temporary Residence Ltd.) cd 9.98
Tarentel's 2004 album We Move Through Weather found the San Francisco's sonic journeymen balancing their penchant for moody atmospheres and a new found spirit of improvisation, which hurtled them somewhere near Jackie-O Motherfucker meets This Heat territory. In constructing that record, Tarentel had to sift through hours and hours of recordings in order to pare down to a mere 72 minutes. Well, they could have done a Supersilent or Necks and released a massive 3 or 4 cd set of material; but instead they chose to wait and release two EPs (which both clock in well above 30 minutes each) of material that was not included on the We Move Through Weather album.
The companion to Paper White, Big Black Square is a 43 minute sprawling epic recorded at the very end of the We Move Through Weather sessions. Opening with a lengthy passage of humid drones from amplifier buzz, aqueous flutterings, organ tones, and somnambulant field recordings, Big Black Square lumbers into action after some 20 minutes as drummer Jim Redd slowly transforms an indifferent textural clatter across his drum kit into a complex elliptical groove. Multi-instrumentalists Jefre Cantu-Ledesma and Danny Grodinski flesh out the skeletal rhythms with a spindly duel between their two guitars crumpled through tons of effects both high and low tech, making for a beautiful, dark, and evocative EP.
MPEG Stream: "Excerpt 1"
MPEG Stream: "Excerpt 2"