USAISAMONSTER, THE Tasheyana Compost (Load) cd 13.98
Mathy, maddening, totally infectious protest rock from what's now the Brooklyn-based duo of Tom Hohmann (drums, keys, vocals) and Colin Matthews (guitar, vocals). We've had some of their hand-decorated LPs and cd-rs before, and were happy to see 'em show up on Load with this amazingly 'produced' effort. Their brand of post-hardcore art rock is hard to describe. Maybe a metallic (not metal, just metallic) Deerhoof? Their complexity and power remind us a bit of Ruins, and definitely Lightning Bolt and other Rhode Island spazz rock. Tasheyana Compost is all about rubbery spiraling grooves constructed with cheap keyboards, tinny, twangy, trebly guitar, and energetic drumming. 'Spoken' styled vocals and chants mostly accompany the music, but then in track 9 ("Pastures") some quasi-operatic by comparison vox surface -- cool. Their vibrant music is matched by the day glo pink cd cover with an American Indian drawn on it...they're down with Native Americans and other oppressed peoples, as near as we can tell from the cryptic lyrics. They kinda have a hippy punk political thing going on, I guess? Their great band name is of course a tip off. Allan says: this really freakin' grew on me. I thought it was gonna be all noisy and sloppy but instead, in it's own way, it's *tight* and catchy as heck. Recommended!
MPEG Stream: "Poison Snake"
MPEG Stream: "No More Forever"
MPEG Stream: "Love"

USAISAMONSTER, THE Tasheyana Compost (Load) lp 10.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Mathy, maddening, totally infectious protest rock from what's now the Brooklyn-based duo of Tom Hohmann (drums, keys, vocals) and Colin Matthews (guitar, vocals). We've had some of their hand-decorated LPs and cd-rs before, and were happy to see 'em show up on Load with this amazingly 'produced' effort. Their brand of post-hardcore art rock is hard to describe. Maybe a metallic (not metal, just metallic) Deerhoof? Their complexity and power remind us a bit of Ruins, and definitely Lightning Bolt and other Rhode Island spazz rock. Tasheyana Compost is all about rubbery spiraling grooves constructed with cheap keyboards, tinny, twangy, trebly guitar, and energetic drumming. 'Spoken' styled vocals and chants mostly accompany the music, but then in track 9 ("Pastures") some quasi-operatic by comparison vox surface -- cool. Their vibrant music is matched by the day glo pink cd cover with an American Indian drawn on it...they're down with Native Americans and other oppressed peoples, as near as we can tell from the cryptic lyrics. They kinda have a hippy punk political thing going on, I guess? Their great band name is of course a tip off. Allan says: this really freakin' grew on me. I thought it was gonna be all noisy and sloppy but instead, in it's own way, it's *tight* and catchy as heck. Recommended!

USAISAMONSTER, THE Wohaw (Load) cd 14.98
Always thought this band was called The Usaisamonster, one word like that, but on the cover of this there's spaces between the words, The Usa Is A Monster. In interest of being consistent in our catalog, though, we're gonna continue to run 'em together. And either way, it's a damn good, unfortunately true, bold-statement kind of name, perfectly matched to the radical political attitudes expressed in the songs of this weird Brooklyn art-spazz-core-folk duo. We've been fans of these guys since they first brought us a bunch of self-released cd-rs and LPs some years back, and really really loved their previous Load release, 2003's Tasheyana Compost. The brand new Wohaw, which unleashes more of their rather unique blend of prog, punk and folk, has a similar appeal. It's a bit like a weird combination of Lightning Bolt and Robbie Basho! Herky jerky heaviness (with the 'Bolt's brand of bug zapper distortion) meets what could be traditional folk songs. Children's folk songs even. And there's a definite Native American Indian obsession/appropriation still going on here as well. This is the kind of band that uses big amps and a gizillion effects pedals, but also likes to take off their shirts to play flutes and hand drums (as pictured on one side of the folding cd-insert). Partway through, this album maybe loses some steam for us, going a bit too far in the acoustic-folk direction (something their singing ability can't quite support, to be honest). Suddenly it's campfire sounds and poetry, with nothing electric to be heard. But when they're doing the unique Usaisamonster hybridization of folk and noisecore that we prefer, this is fantastic. Definitely check this out if Lightning Bolt, Deerhoof, Amps For Christ, and/or Thrones are bands you're into, as something about this reminds us of all of them.
MPEG Stream: "Clay People"
MPEG Stream: "The Hobokon"
MPEG Stream: "Poison Plant"

USAISAMONSTER, THE Wohaw (Load) lp 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Always thought this band was called The Usaisamonster, one word like that, but on the cover of this there's spaces between the words, The Usa Is A Monster. In interest of being consistent in our catalog, though, we're gonna continue to run 'em together. And either way, it's a damn good, unfortunately true, bold-statement kind of name, perfectly matched to the radical political attitudes expressed in the songs of this weird Brooklyn art-spazz-core-folk duo. We've been fans of these guys since they first brought us a bunch of self-released cd-rs and LPs some years back, and really really loved their previous Load release, 2003's Tasheyana Compost. The brand new Wohaw, which unleashes more of their rather unique blend of prog, punk and folk, has a similar appeal. It's a bit like a weird combination of Lightning Bolt and Robbie Basho! Herky jerky heaviness (with the 'Bolt's brand of bug zapper distortion) meets what could be traditional folk songs. Children's folk songs even. And there's a definite Native American Indian obsession/appropriation still going on here as well. This is the kind of band that uses big amps and a gizillion effects pedals, but also likes to take off their shirts to play flutes and hand drums (as pictured on one side of the folding cd-insert). Partway through, this album maybe loses some steam for us, going a bit too far in the acoustic-folk direction (something their singing ability can't quite support, to be honest). Suddenly it's campfire sounds and poetry, with nothing electric to be heard. But when they're doing the unique Usaisamonster hybridization of folk and noisecore that we prefer, this is fantastic. Definitely check this out if Lightning Bolt, Deerhoof, Amps For Christ, and/or Thrones are bands you're into, as something about this reminds us of all of them.
MPEG Stream: "Clay People"
MPEG Stream: "The Hobokon"
MPEG Stream: "Poison Plant"

USED, THE s/t (Reprise) cd 12.98
Rockin' the Ozzfest, the Warped Tour, and uh, I think some Blink 182 shows or something too, this emo/metal/pop/punk/hardcore act from Utah has hit the commercial big time already with their self-titled Reprise debut. Screamy but melodic, kinda like AQ faves Poison The Well or something I guess. Whiny emo guys and Slayer fans both will find something to like here. Well, not all Slayer fans. But whiny emo guys who *also* like metal should be happy. Presumably that's who's in the band as well. HUGE HUGE production and about the heaviest/catchiest thing you'll hear on modern rock radio. If this band was on an indie label (which might increase their chances of lasting more than one record) they would be HUGE and there'd be kids sitting outside 7-11's all over the country, sporting USED patches on their back packs.
RealAudio clip: "Maybe Memories"
RealAudio clip: "Poetic Tragedy"

USURP SYNAPSE Disinformation (Alone) cd 14.98

USX (AKA U.S. CHRISTMAS) Valley Path (Neurot) cd 14.98
Yay, it's Christmastime again. Well, US Xmas time that is. We don't know why they picked that odd name (abbreviated here to USX, dunno if that's an official change or what), but it doesn't matter now anyhow, since we've become firm fans of this band of Southern, psychedelic space rock, Hawkwind-worshipping, country-flecked heavies. Fans like us will be happy that they've got a new album out, and it's good, real good. However, The Valley Path may or may not be the best one for the uninitiated to start with, as it consists of but one long (38:53) song! A real doozy, obviously. Listening to this, we realize USX remind us of True Widow, if they stretched out and drew more on the majestic post-rock dynamics of the Neur-Isis contingent (USX are on Neurot after all), big and bombastic yet seriously moody and atmospheric at the same time. This album/song is replete with weary vocals, epic wailing psych guitar eruptions, wide open drone-twang, sweeping strings, martial drums, ambient field recordings, and sizzling synth FX... Yeah, we think you'll like it, if you dig anything/everything from latter-days Earth and Barn Owl to Godspeed You Black Emperor! to Six Organs Of Admittance to Grails to more recent Zoroaster. Merry USX everybody!
MPEG Stream: "The Valley Path excerpt 1"
MPEG Stream: "The Valley Path excerpt 2"
MPEG Stream: "The Valley Path excerpt 3"

UT Griller (Mute) cd 14.98
Ut's final recording Griller from 1989 fully demonstrates the radical shift that the band made after they emerged from the NYC No Wave scene in the late '70s. With a much more conventional approach to songwriting, the straight forward tracks and vocals have much more in common with the Riot Grrl movement that was still a couple years away. Even the jagged melodies matched with unnerving vocal trills from Ut's three rotating vocalists (Nina Canal, Jacqui Ham, and Sally Young) were the obvious precursors to what Sleater Kinney would be producing shortly thereafter. Griller is also punctuated by a handful of far more obtuse songs which reflect the earlier, grittier sound with choppy twin guitars, rolling bass, and drum plod paralleling those of Live Skull or early Sonic Youth. Originally released back in the day on Blast First, now reissued through Mute.
MPEG Stream: "How It Goes"
MPEG Stream: "Canker"

UT In Gut's House (Mute) cd 14.98
While the all-women trio Ut had their beginnings in New York back in 1978 coming out of the No Wave scene that spawned Mars, DNA, Sonic Youth, Swans, and many others, New York did not treat the ladies all that well. Their debut release was to come out on the influential Lust/Unlust label; however, the label folded before the record hit the streets. Shortly thereafter, Ut's Nina Canal, Jacqui Ham, and Sally Young packed up and moved to London, where the trio flourished and received considerable acclaim. In Gut's House was originally released as a double LP back in 1988 through Blast First, balancing their acerbic No Wave edge with a skewed pop-sensibility that would have found them in the company of the Slits or Liliput had they entertained more of a propulsive, groove sound. Instead, the rhythmic backbeat of Ut's sound is more of a morose plod acting as counterweight to the agitated, spiky guitars. When shifted further from a pop structuralism, Ut's narcoleptic nervousness was a gripping doppleganger for some of the great tracks produced by Mars back in the late '70s; but when their sound slipped in the other direction toward a more conventional songwriting approach, Ut's tunes foreshadowed the energy of Sleater Kinney. In Gut's House has long been heralded as a remarkable album and certainly enjoys some noble company due to their No Wave credentials, but is also an album that sparked many others who improved upon their template. Look no further than Erase Errata for the case in point.
MPEG Stream: "Swallow"
MPEG Stream: "Big Wing"

UTON Alitaja Ylimina (Dekorder) lp 22.00
For every band that manages a record every few months, there are bands who we like just as much, but who we don't hear from nearly enough. Such is the case with Finnish combo Uton. In the space of time it takes for us to get a new record from these guys, a band like Circle spit out 2 or 3 (even more if you count side projects). But with Uton it's well worth the wait.
Alitaju is another epic expanse of mysterious murk and long form ambience. A dizzying mix of Finnish free folk, and haunting dark ambience. Uton's sound is always both massive and cavernous, as well as intimate and highly detailed. This record is no different. Uton drags us along on a strange and wondrous journey through long muddy swirls of muted melody and wide open stretches of indistinct blur and shadow, almost festive percussion jams draped over wheezing accordions and distorted feedback, all wrapped in foggy swirls of fuzz, chaotic free jazz freakouts with mad drumming, and wildly fluttering flutes, and all stops in between.
The long tracks here tend to be slow moving glacial crawls, with all the instruments smeared into one blurry whole, a drifting stretch of warm muted soft sound, that just sort of envelops you with it's haunting mystery and dense creeping beauty, those tracks separated by the more rhythmic passages, almost like a rise in the road,where the fog clears and you can see for miles into the distance, before you dip back down under cover of the grey clouds and billowing fog. As always, gorgeous and mysterious.

UTON Echoes In The Wonderland (DNT) lp 17.98
It seems like in every Uton review, we inevitably mention both that they are mysterious, and that we don't get nearly enough music from them. And once again, it's been a while since we've heard from these mysterious Finnish forest freaks, who definitely rank way up their in our Finnish music pantheon, and the fact that their record seem to be rare occasions only makes us treasure them more.
This latest was in fact recorded two years ago, on a 4 track using only headphones as speakers ("no other speakers were used during recordings and mixing of this record", the liner notes proudly explain). It's also suggested that we "listen near midnight in a dark room (or with minimal light)" which is always good advice when it comes to Uton, whose music is haunting and ritualistic, and most definitely evokes some sort of nocturnal gathering, especially here, where processed voices chant over fluttering flutes and minimal percussion. Swirling squelchy effects drift in fields of deep sonorous rumbles and whirs, manufactured field recordings surround layers of malfunctioning synths, and dreamy melodic cacophonies, and lush swirling swaths of deep low end, this new record darkly restrained, meditative and hypnotic, heavy on the vocal driven drones and subterranean shimmer, with some almost throat singing woven into the woozy whirling thrum, everything driven by murky pulses and buried rhythms, might be the darkest, dreamiest Uton yet, and as always, WAY recommended. LIMITED TO 275 COPIES!!

UTON Mystery Revolution (Digitalis) cd 12.98
Part of the problem with having so many things to review and not nearly enough time, is that every once in a while certain things will slip through the cracks over and over again, until suddenly it's been a month, 6 months, even a year. With cd-r's it's an even bigger problem since they are often so limited that we might only have one chance to get all the copies we need, but even having procured those copies, that record might not get reviewed for ages.
These last few weeks we've been trying to get a bunch of kick ass cd's and cd-r's reviewed for no other reason than they have been sitting here way too long, when they should be spinning in someone's stereo or jammed into someone's iPod.
It's been a while, almost a year actually, since we last reviewed something by Finnish freedrone combo Uton, not counting these two discs that have been sitting here forever! Not because they're not great, they are actually, just because we dropped the ball. Anyway, these were both super limited, so odds are once we sell out of the small clutch we have of each, we won't be able to get more, so if these tickle your fancy, and hard to imagine they wouldn't, you better be quick.
Mystery Revolution is in fact a real cd, released on Digitalis last year, and comes in a gorgeous embossed black and metallic gold sleeve, very austere and mysterious, much like the sounds inside. Uton more often than not remind us of a slightly more twisted, definitely more druggy, and way less minimal Jewelled Antler. They weave dark brooding soundscapes, peppered with hum and whir, crackle and hum, the melodies are off kilter and atonal, piano drifts in and out, sounds are scraped and stretched, everything seems to be nestled in warm drifts and shimmery drones, woodwinds flit and flutter, field recordings (or faux field recordings) drift in and out, organs and harmoniums wheeze out warbly textures, childlike melodies are draped over strange rumbles and jagged shards of crunch and clatter, the sounds of music boxes tangle with whistling winds and warm swells, it's a fantastic and wondrous sonic journey as always.
And again, be warned, there is a good chance this is out of print, so if you want one, grab it fast!
MPEG Stream: "Aikavirta"
MPEG Stream: "Naurumme Hetken (Seuraava Otto)"
MPEG Stream: "Taivaan Sini Sokea (Soikea)"

UTON Pseudohumanoid (Pseudo Arcana) cd-r 12.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
From the wilds of Finland, via the wilds of New Zealand, comes this burbling cauldron of pagan-free-folk-noise from the mysterious outfit known as Uton. Jewelled Antler released a three inch cd a while back, but this full length really allows Uton to do what they do best, spread waaaaay out, and unfurl a thick spiky carpet of jangle and shimmer, amplifier grit and instrument buzz, clumsy primitive percussion, and creepy ambience. Finnophiles are probably already hip to these guys, but for all of you into No Neck, Thuja, Sunburned Hand and all things drone-y and Krautrocky, check this out!
MPEG Stream: "Pseudohuman I"
MPEG Stream: "Pseudohuman II"

UTON Zwuiji (Jewelled Antler) 3" cd-r 5.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
The Jewelled Antler collective offers another record outside their immediate ranks of Thuja and company. Although they've had a couple of CD-R releases popping up from tiny labels around the globe, this is our introduction to Uton. This anonymous, acoustic-noise-drone band hails from Finland, although they seem far more at home within the New Zealand community of Birchville Cat Motel, Anthony Milton, and Handful of Dust. "Zwuiji" is the 7th in the continuously impressive "Library Series" of 3" CD-Rs from Jewelled Antler, but is a bit more grating than most from the collective which typically opiates themselves with hazy improvised psychedelia and obtuse folk renderings. Rather Uton revels in mistreating their electric gear in order to fill up the audio specturm with buzzing drones that swarm out of their amplifiers like angry wasps. Scratchy violins and atonally shifting wind instruments hover behind these gritty walls of vibrating feedback which comes across more as a misaligned engine block rattling all of those tones inside your head than as a typical trick with a couple of effects boxes. Certainly the fans of cd-r labels Celebrate Psi Phenomenon or PseudoArcana will want to pick this one up.
MPEG Stream: "Zwuiji 02"
MPEG Stream: "Zwuiji 03"

UTTER BASTARD Slaves To The Grind (self-released) cd-r 7.98

UWAIFO, SIR VICTOR Guitar-Boy Superstar (Soundway) cd 17.98
The mighty Sound Way label (the fine folks who brought us the killer Nigeria Special compilations) is back with another fantastic reissue of classic West African popular music, this time documenting the mid-1970s output of the enigmatic and flamboyant Sir Victor Uwaifo, the guitar-boy superstar! You might recognize Uwaifo from his appearance on the Nigeria 70: Lagos Jump compilation where his track "Dododo (Ekassa 1)" was a real skirt blower. These days, when most of us have access to this kind of music only through curated compilations featuring dozens of performers, it's a rare treat to get a more well-rounded picture of a single artist; big ups to Sound Way for delivering the goods!
The majority of tracks on this collection are based around Uwaifo's unique hybrid of the traditional rhythm of the 'ekassa' coronation dance with highlife instrumentation. The result is something joyous, funky, and soulful that manages to maintain a laid-back, upbeat feel that is distinct from the frenetic rush of Afrobeat and the other scenes happening in mid-'70s Lagos. In fact, there's a sweet, classic pop element to Uwaifo's songwriting that has more in common with Buddy Holly and Richie Valens than it does with the American funk, soul and disco that inspired his contemporaries. Valens is actually a pretty good jumping off point for comparison, as the electrified version of the ekassa rhythm lends a Latin flourish to the music that recalls Valens' Chicano rock styles saturated with fuzz, wah and a distinctly Nigerian rhythmic sensibility.
Unsurprisingly, it's Uwaifo's guitar playing that stand out as the real centerpiece of the record as it skips from traditional highlife accompaniment to psych-tinged, fuzzed-out solos to primitive delay and wah-wah experimentalism, sometimes all within the same song! Uwaifo's jangling open-string solos, jarringly nimble riffing, and ability to switch effortlessly between rhythm and lead again recall Buddy Holly and also classic US surf rock (in fact, the track "Agho" goes so far as to quote parts of "Tequila" - weird, but fantastic!), but there's a lot more going on than that. Check out "Igboroho (Ekassa 24)" to hear Uwaifo pushing his guitar into fractured, no-wave territory; given that it still sounds completely freaked out now, it must've been thoroughly mind-expanding at the time.
As with all things from Sound Ways, this disc comes with lavish packaging; meticulously researched and compiled liner notes replete with archival photographs, album art; and song-by-song gloss by Uwaifo himself. It's a fantastic package highly recommended for anyone who's been enjoying the goldmine of reissues of African popular musics we've been seeing over the past year. So good!
MPEG Stream: "Igboroho (Ekassa 5)"
MPEG Stream: "Egbe Natete"
MPEG Stream: "Agho"

UZ JSME DOMA Caves (Cuneiform) cd 15.98
We highlighted this last time, but accidentally forgot to make the sound samples, here it is again with those links working!
How long has it been? Seven years? Well it's about time we had a new studio album from these old, old AQ faves. Hopefully they're old faves of yours too, but if not, we're very happy to introduce 'em to you, and this new album will do the job very very well! Hailing from the Czech Republic, this legendary band of radical arty rockers, whose name means "Now I Get It" and is pronounced ooje-May-Dome-uh, or Oozh Smeh Dough-Ma, depending on whom you ask, got their start back in the '80s Prague punk scene, and soon became the PROG punks to reckon with as well; we've described their musical approach as being a sort of "heavy and hyperkinetic ... horn-blasted punk/prog hoedown that mingles the folk melodies of Eastern Europe with the underground/avantgarde of the Rock In Opposition scene" and that's certainly still displayed with fervor on Caves, a spelunking themed album of majestic melodies and energetic pop in their trademark eccentric style.
The current UZD quartet, lead by vocalist Miroslav Wanek (and including as always non-musical member Martin Velisek, credited with "brushes, paints" for his distinctive art and design work) is augmented by several guests on accordion, trombone, violin, upright bass, acoustic guitar, and vocals. That's in addition to their usual guitar, piano, trumpet, drums, and bass. So it's no wonder that this ensemble can be such a powerful musical force, driven by their unique vision.
After a brief intro, "Cave", consisting of dripping water and spoken poetry (in Czech, as are all the songs, though English translations are provided in the cd booklet), the band launches into the album's first song proper, the brassy, bombastic "Droplet", which has a bit of a Hawaii Five-O gone Eastern European vibe. That's followed by the more somber "Abyss", and then 8 more varied, vibrant numbers, some tracks like punked-up Carl Stalling cartoon music, some getting almost metal in the guitar dep't., others slowing down for gorgeous, mournfully melodic parts... They also get into some quite complex, convoluted rockin' that kinda sounds like Japanese zeuhl heavyweights Hundred Sights Of Koenji with more horns! Fans of uber-insane prog should be pleased, as well as anyone who likes their pop music to sound both dramatic and deeply meaningful (even when you don't know the language). We'd further guess that fans of sundry such current indie acts as Deerhoof, Hidden Cameras, and USAisamonster (RIP) could be potential UZD converts, for various reasons, check 'em out.
MPEG Stream: "Droplet"
MPEG Stream: "Reel"
MPEG Stream: "Fascination"

UZ JSME DOMA Fairy Tales From Needland (Indies) cd 21.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
The Czech Republic's most wonderous export, masters of making complex pop sound unforced and natural, drawing influences from punk, classical, jazz and anywhere else they see fit.

UZ JSME DOMA Hollywood (Skoda) cd 21.00
Back in stock, an Aquarius staff favorite - meaning we love this band and so should you! Pronounced ooje-May-Dome-uh.

UZ JSME DOMA In The Middle of Words (Indies) cd 21.00
Their first album. Finally re-issued with English translations. Beautiful booklet is cut in the shape of a soldier... Yes, they just played here in San Francisco, that's why we have all this stuff. We also got an AMAZING new Uz Jsme Doma pop-up book plus cd (yes, a pop-up book!) but we've already sold out of that - however, watch this space, 'cause we'll be importing more when we can.

UZ JSME DOMA Live at Archa / Pudding Documentary (Indies MG Records) 2dvd 12.00
**SALE **SALE* *SALE**
WARNING: These are all-region PAL (not NTSC) dvds. That means they'll play just fine in your computer, but not on your TV set, unless you've got a PAL-capable dvd player.
Ah, Uz Jsme Doma! (Pronounced ooje-May-Dome-uh). Nobody else like them. Heavy and hyperkinetic "Wagnerian ska", a horn-blasted punk/prog hoedown that mingles the folk melodies of Eastern Europe with the underground/avantgarde of the Rock In Opposition scene. Yep, nobody else like 'em. We at AQ have been fans of this crazy Czech crew for years and years. And we can tell you, it's about time for a release like this! A double dvd featuring both a live concert and a "behind the music" style documentary, yes!! This is awesome for two basic reasons. Firstly, anyone who has ever seen 'em perform can tell you, as incredible as their records are, they're even more astounding live on stage. So a live dvd is of course essential to any fan, and should make new fans as well. Secondly, as big into Uz Jsme Doma as we are, we confess there's many nuances to the band, conceptually, that escape us, simply because we don't understand the Czech language. The documentary portion of this dvd set, which features English subtitles hallelujah, is quite enlightening as it delves deeply into what Uz Jsme Doma is all about. And it's more than just music and lyrics with these guys. Costumes and artwork are equally important. In fact, maybe you remember a Uz Jsme Doma artifact we once sold here (now long gone), that was a cd packaged in an elaborate pop-up book, shaped like a house? Well if not, you'll see it here, the documentary uses it to organize its varied investigations into UJD's history (one of the first rock bands out of Prague, considered "antisocial" by the Communist authorities then in control), meaning, and methods. Their politics and philosophies. You'll find out about the punk scene in '80s Prague. About the band's obsession with seminal San Francisco avant-act The Residents. About why the color yellow was chosen for so much of their artwork. And plenty more. Fascinating for any fan, and again, a good way to get converted into one if you're currently unfamiliar with the band.
The live dvd, entitled 20 Flyears, was recorded at their 20th anniversary show at the Theatre Archa, Prague, October 13th 2005 and features 35 songs or bits of songs, the first half an immense medley with ex-members joining in, the second half featuring UJD joined by something called the MIKROCHOR choir. The documentary dvd, entitled "Pudding", features interviews with former band members, critics, friends, etc. and incorporates photos and footage from the band's own archives as well as from various film appearances and stuff from Czech TV docs as well.

UZ JSME DOMA Rybi Tuk (Indies) cd 21.00
After three years of not a sound we were beginning to believe that our fave band from Prague had given up music and moved on to greener pastures. So it sure was exciting to have a new album land in our lap and Rybi Tuk does not disappoint. In one sense they're still the same Uz Jsme Doma: super heavy, high energy punk/prog rock, what's often been tagged 'Wagnerian ska' even though it's neither. What's maybe a little different from before is that on Rybi Tuk, Uz Jsme Doma seem to be experimenting with more open ended song structures, obtuse bridges and other unexpected twists & turns. Some of the songs even seem to hint at the majestic, folky metal melodies of bands like Hammers of Misfortune and Slough Feg! If anything, Rybi Tuk's more complex song structures merely lend to more repeated listens, as it's an album that really genuinely grows on you with every turn. Needless to say the core of what drives Uz Jsme Doma (and what excites us here at AQ), their consummate melodic wizardry, and their cleverly understated counterpoint is still very much here in spades. It's most evidenced of course in Miroslav Wanek's amazing vocal lines. Along with Frank Black (and, you know, they kind of look similar) Miroslav is one of those rare vocalists who can seamlessly slip from a croon to a scream like most professional vocalists slide into their falsetto.
Partly recorded in Oakland, CA in 2003, Rybi Tuk features some guest musicians from Bay Area's Idiot Flesh: Carla Kilhstedt, Dan Rathbun (who also recorded the album), Dawn McCarthy, Nils Frykdahl, Jewlia Eisenberg, et al. Being fans, we're glad to have Uz Jsme back and Rybi Tuk is one we'd recommend for the uninitiated as well.
MPEG Stream: "Triska"
MPEG Stream: "Rybi Tuk"
MPEG Stream: "Proud"

UZ JSME DOMA The Ears (Skoda) cd 21.00
Wow, a new studio disc, the first in several years from these amazing mad Czech musicians! As usual, a complex, clever combo of prog-pop and what we, for lack of a superior term, can only describe as "Wagnerian ska" (although it's much much better than that might sound, it's not really ska). A listen to this is likely to be the most energetic thing you'll do all day, even if you're just sitting there in front of the stereo. The horns, the vocals, the guitars (maybe heavier than before), the drums, etc. do their manic best, and the slow, gorgeous parts are there too. Uz Jsme Doma are one of our very favorite bands, both live and on record, and "The Ears" continues that trend! Recommended.

UZ JSME DOMA Unloved World (Skoda) cd 21.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Not only has this great Uz Jsme Doma (crafty Wagnerian Ska with cautious doses of Zappa and the Residents, sez Byram) disc been reissued domestically with English liner notes, they also re-recorded the vocals in English... But about half of the original Czech tracks are appended as a bonus. Either way, crazy and fun. Also, it's the only UJD album with a complete horn section.

UZ JSME DOMA Usi (Indies) cd 21.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Hailing from the Czech Republic, this legendary band of radical arty rockers, whose name means "Now I Get It" and is pronounced ooje-May-Dome-uh, or Oozh Smeh Dough-Ma, depending on whom you ask, got their start back in the '80s Prague punk scene, and soon became the PROG punks to reckon with as well; we've described their musical approach as being a sort of "heavy and hyperkinetic ... horn-blasted punk/prog hoedown that mingles the folk melodies of Eastern Europe with the underground/avantgarde of the Rock In Opposition scene". Released in 1999.

V/A Cambodian Rocks (original version on Parallel World) (Parallel World) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Previously issued a while back only on vinyl, "Cambodian Rocks" - now on CD - presents a handful of unknown (to the point that no artist names or track titles are given) Cambodian garage bands from the late 60s and early 70s. The liner notes explain that the compiler (s/he is also anonymous) picked up a bunch of random tapes while in Cambodia and put this together of the best tracks from those tapes. For those who are entranced by the psychedelic exotica found in the "Love, Peace, and Poetry" series, "Cambodian Rocks" makes an exceptional companion. For the most part this compilation is dominated by really good fuzzed out organ / guitar garage rich with understandably crappy production. But along with the garage cuts, there's a track of incredibly unfunky James Brown mimicry that make the Make Up's theatrical irony seem even more insincere than they really are. Appropriated dancehall groove/stomps with Cambodian instead of Jamaican overtones. But the highlight is the appearance of the female led garage band who were featured on the Asian Psychedelic chapter of the "Love, Peace, and Poetry" series. Greasy garage rock not far from the Count Five or the Seeds but with reverb drenched female vocals that hits high notes rarely found even on Bollywood sountracks. Totally essential.

V/A !Policia! (Militia Group) cd 15.98
We reviewed the totally amazing metal-pop-punk of Fallout Boy last list and casually mentioned one of the bonus tracks, a super revved up metallic version of the Police's "Roxanne" not knowing that right around the corner was this compilation of even more Police covers by other of-the-moment emo / metallic pop punk / indie rock outifts. With compilations like this, there is so much potential for suck, but thankfully this here disc is about 90 percent cream. It helps that the Police were an amazing band, and wrote totally brilliant songs. So it's nice to hear different (some drastically) versions of some of those classics. Obviously Fallout Boy's "Roxanne" is a killer, souped up and WAY heavier, but there's also Limbeck's gorgeous and twangy countrified version of "So Lonely", a killer version of "Truth Hits Everybody" by Motion City Soundtrack, and probably the coolest weirdest track on here, Maxeen doing the classic Police b-side "Murder By Numbers", turning it into a creepy new wave epic, with fuzzy synths, high Shellac like guitar parts, and lots of weird dynamics. So good. The rest of the comp is rounded out by bands doing fairly faithful renditions (usually a bit heavier or faster) with only a few cringeworthy 'ballads' to speak of. Been listening to this non stop. As good as it is, it did have us pulling out our old Police records too!
MPEG Stream: MAXEEN "Murder By Numbers"
MPEG Stream: LIMBECK "So Lonely"
MPEG Stream: MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK "Truth Hits Everybody"

V/A 'Twas The Night Before Hanukkah (Idelsohn Society) 2cd 16.98
This double cd set hits the shelves just in the Saint Nick of time for the Christmakuh holiday season. Thanks to the Idelsohn Society, a wonderful nonprofit dedicated to preserving and illuminating Jewish history through music (they also put out the Songs For The Jewish-American Jet Set comp), Jewish people can make peace with their love of Christmas music and their desire to tinsel a tree. And why shouldn't they? Set to the tune of Jingle Bells, "The Problem" by Ray Brenner and Berry E. Blitzer lays out the holiday conundrum with campy humor: "Jingle bells, jingle bells, it's tragic but it's true / There's joyous fun for everyone, but what's a Jew to do?" (Oy!) If you can't beat 'em, join 'em, it seems. As demonstrated on Disc 2: Merry Christmas, many of the most popular Yuletide songs have been performed by representatives of The Chosen People. Mitch Miller's rendition of "White Christmas", with its all-male chorus and big band swing, easily rivals Bing Crosby's. Mel Torme's beautifully melancholic "The Christmas Song" stands among the best of Christmas tunes and can get even the most devoted Israelite roasting chestnuts on an open fire. Then dreamy Eddie Fisher romantically croons "Christmas Eve in My Hometown" backed by a chorus of angels, Bob Dylan's nasal delivery of "Little Drummer Boy" manages to stir, and the Ramones "Merry Christmas (I Don't Wanna Fight Tonight)" conjures the all-too-common dysfunctional family Christmas that Gentiles have become so accustomed to. As the set's accompanying booklet explains, the production of Christmas music outpaced music for celebrating the Festival of Lights by 10,000 to 1. That's not too surprising, since Hanukkah is a minor Judaic holiday and only rose to prominence in Jewish American culture due to its proximity to Christ's birthday celebration, a national holiday in the US since 1870. As a result, what we have in way of musically commemorating those eight days of candle-lighting on the Happy Hanukkah disc, are not exactly Billboard-charters, but they are just as worthy a listen. Woody Guthrie's "Hanukkah Dance" has a doe-see-doe old-timey feel for dance-y party times. Klezmer ditties include "Hanukkah Tree" by the Klezmatics and "Klezzified" by Klezmar Conservator Band. "The Latke Song" by Debbie Friedman (the so-called Jewish Joan Baez) cleverly tells the story of Hanukkah celebration from the perspective of the latke itself and reminds young listeners that it's important to feed the hungry. Ella Jenkins "Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel" is the real deal while "Dreidel" by Don McLean (possibly this release's only non-Jewish contributor) is just, perhaps, an ill-chosen metaphor for his own '70s mid-life crisis. The most stirring piece on the Hanukkah disc is a barely preserved version of "Yevonim," sung by the Russian-immigrant sensation, Cantor Yossele Rosenblatt. Greil Marcus writes in an essay contained in the set's booklet : "...the sound is distant, the surviving cylinder worn and scratchy. All that adds to the sensation that something precious is being passed on." That's a lot for one little tune to express and worth the inclusion in your holiday music collection alone!
MPEG Stream: WOODY GUTHRIE "Hanukkah Dance"
MPEG Stream: CANTOR YOSSELE ROSENBLATT "Yevonim"
MPEG Stream: EDDIE FISHER "Christmas Eve In My Hometown"
MPEG Stream: THE RAMONES "Merry Christmas (I Don't Wanna Fight Tonight)"

V/A (Triskaidekaphobia) 13,000.00 Milliseconds (Ratskin Records) cd 4.00
**SALE **SALE* *SALE**
You know those Sublime Frequencies "Radio" compilations we love so much, the ones that just sound like someone sitting in a hotel room in another country flipping stations on the radio and recording the results. Well imagine a similar compilation, but in this case, the listener/recorder has an extreme case of ADD, and is flipping between some insane non existent all avant freaked out noise satellite radio station and all the strange little non-stations you discover when you're driving across the country, flipping through the dials at 4am. Little chunks of beautiful pastoral sound, bursts of ear gouging static, voices, snippets of speeches, some crazy guy testifying, some country or classical music that is just out of range so the sound is all skittery and blurred, delicate swaths of soft plinked piano, blasts of grinding deathmetal, talk radio, skittery rhythms, lots of textures and timbres, noises and melodies, most often swallowed up before they can develop into anything more than a fragment, than a partially formed musical thought, but that's sort of the point. This comp will definitely enrapturously engorge the ears of aural adventurers and noise devotees, but just might rattle the nerves of those less prepared. Despite the incredibly lengthy list of incredibly eclectic artists who participated in this brand new compilation titled (Triskaidekaphobia) 13,000.00 Milliseconds:
Venetian Snares, Matmos, Thrones, MGR, I Am Spoonbender, Wildildlife, David Scott Stone (Melvins), Blevin Blectum, Winters In Osaka, Leslie Keffer, Microwaves, Sword Heaven, To Live And Shave In L.A., Wobbly, The White Mice, Skozey Fetish, Brad Laner, Rubber O Cement, Bobb Bruno, Cock ESP, Panicsville, Otto Von Schirach, Crank Sturgeon, Deletist, Drums Like Machineguns, Valerio Cosi, Eats Tapes, Evil Moisture, No Doctors, Two Dead Sluts, One Good Fuck, Leslie Keffer and about a million more....
The nature of 215+ 13-second compositions strung together non-stop without room to take a breath pretty much ensures that this cd will be catalogued in most libraries and music shops in the experimental/noise section. Unfortunate really, since while it definitely has its share of earwax-dislodging aggressive assaults, it also has quite a few shining moments of artful sound design and subtle songcraft that defy genre-fication. And somehow, the bits of noise, and the bits of prettier sound, do balance out, almost seeming to play off one another, or at the very least, slowly seep into each other, helping form what is ultimately a constantly shifting somewhat schizophrenic sonic whole. It's an overwhelming and intense listening experience, another one for the iron eared, or at least the adventure eared, and while we just listened to the whole thing all the way through, for the third or fourth time, for some folks it might work better in smaller chunks, because admittedly for some tracks the 13 seconds seems like an eternity, while others fly by all too swiftly. That said, we just started it over again from the top...
MPEG Stream: "1 (Different Dentist / Beta CLoud / To Live And SHave In L.A.)"
MPEG Stream: "2 (Migrations In Rust / Deep Fried Radio Static / Rubber O Cement)"
MPEG Stream: "3 (I Am Spoonbender / I Think I Did Something Wrong)"
MPEG Stream: "4 (Neon Leather Drip / Big Epoch Feat. Bizzart)"
MPEG Stream: "5 (Cheap Machines / Animal Hospital / Beneya Vs. Clark Nova)"

V/A ...E Tu Vivrai Nel Terrore (Black Widow) 2cd + book 29.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Here's the weird Italian label Black Widow's massive double cd tribute to horror cinema (Italian and otherwise) featuring an international array of psych/prog acts: Ars Nova, Claudio Simonetti of Goblin, Humus, Northwinds, the Bevis Frond, Nekropolis, Morte Macabre, Tenebre, Malombra, Standarte, Sundial, and many many more. Some bands cover movie themes, others write songs *about* favorite films... An eerie and atmospheric homage to the likes of The Omen, Psychomania, Suspiria, The Devils, The Exorcist, etc. AND, to really make the mouth water, this comes with an really nice 80 page softcover book with essays about the horror movie genre (directors, films) and details on each band's contribution. It's an Italian import, and we don't have many...

V/A 12" / 80s (Family Recordings) 3cd 28.00
Back in the '80s there was an abundance of dance pop 12"s coming out of the UK. Seemed that any ol' song could be hoisted up to dancefloor hit heights via the wonders of the extended mix (or if you prefer: the long version, 12" mix, long mix, discotheque, mixe plurale, dancing remixes et al). Nothing like spending a little more time spinnin' around the dancefloor (or hoppin' about in your bedroom) with your fave songs, eh? This triple cd set corrals some of the most inescapable 12"s and shows just how much of a musical mixed bag the '80s were. If you were born anytime before 1979, most if not all of these tracks will ring a bell (perhaps for some a louder, more garrish bell than others). Each disc contains twelve tracks each, which if you do the math, adds up to thirty six different 12"s (or 432 inches)! Although that barely scratches the surface, the compilation does hit the '80s nostalgia button with alarming accuracy -- from the impossibly vapid (Stephen 'Tin Tin' Duffy's "Kiss Me", Curiosity Killed The Cat's "Down To Earth" and Animotion's "Obsession" ) to the absolutely delicious (Soft Cell's "Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go" and Fun Boy Three's "Our Lips Are Sealed") to the classic (Siouxsie And The Banshees' "Spellbound", Talk Talk's "It's My Life", The Cure's "A Forest" and Bauhaus' "She's In Parties"). You also get ABC, Spandau Ballet, Human League, Yazoo, Kid Creole & The Coconuts, Propaganda, Hipsway, Aztec Camera, Tom Tom Club, The Passions, Pete Wylie, Japan, Blow Monkeys, Simply Red, Simple Minds, Monsoon, The Icicle Works, Tears For Fears, Lloyd Cole, Visage, Echo & The Bunnymen, The Jam, Black, Man Parrish, Scritti Politti and Grace Jones... did we/they miss anybody? Hmmm, the only glaring omissions we've come up with are Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, Blancmange, Wang Chung... uh oh, maybe we should stop now. You'll probably find (as we did) that some of these songs that you adored so throughly back in the day have aged far less gracefully than others. Some are downright cringe-inducing (yikes, did I really like THAT!?). For one thing, there's enough of those whiteboy soul affectations here to sink a rather large teakettle. Nevertheless, sure to satisfy even your most insatiable '80s craving! (Pssst, as we write this, Deborah 'Debbie' Gibson is taking the stage at Cafe Du Nord here in SF!)
MPEG Stream: SOFT CELL "Tainted Love / Where Did Our Love Go"
MPEG Stream: JONES, GRACE "Pull Up To The Bumper"

V/A 135 Grand Street New York 1979 (Soul Jazz) cd 14.98

V/A 19 Ways To Avoid The Draft (Airborne Virus / Mar/ino) cd 14.98
A joint release between new labels Airborne Virus and Mar/ino, an imprint of Michigan's Elsie and Jack label (they released an Aube cd and the Tabata solo record some time ago). Features tracks by 555 artists Empress, Steward and Halkyn as well as many others including Electroscope, Gang Wizard, Minmae and cLOUDDEAD. An odd collection, for sure. Be sure to check out Mar/ino's new, limited-run releases by Kawabata Makoto and Outerdrive!

V/A 2000 Teenbeat Sampler (TeenBeat) cd 5.98
Teenbeat Records' sampler for the new millennium, featuring: Panax, The Rondelles, Flin Flon, Butch Willis & D Flat, Mark Borthwick/Holland, Versus, Phil Krauth and more. On each of the fifteen tracks here, you can definitely tell Teenbeat's kingpin Mark Robinson gave the thumbs up. Drifting laidback strumming (Versus), quirky-noisy lo-fi (Jonny Cohen & Co.), polished hook-laden pop (Panax). Indeed it may even be said that this compilation as a whole reflects Mr. Robinson's own extensive musical career. All this for a super low price.

V/A 25 Years of Rough Trade Shops (Rough Trade / Mute) 4cd 30.00
It should be noted that this is a compilation to celebrate 25 years of Rough Trade SHOPS and NOT a retrospective of Rough Trade, the label. Having said that, this is a fine collection of independent music from the past 25 years. Featuring some rare and exclusive material, these four CDs cover the wide spectrum of independent music. Bands contributing: Buzzcocks, The Congos, Subway Sect, Television Personalities, Stiff Little Fingers, The Normal, Throbbing Gristle (!), Cabaret Voltaire, Pixies, Swell Maps, Joy Division, The Fall, Scritti Politti, Lee Perry, Cocteau Twins, The Smiths, The Birthday Party, Einsturzende Neubauten, Nick Cave, Sonic Youth, Sugarcubes, Le Tigre, Mudhoney, Coil, Stereolab, Mazzy Star, Chills, Gescom, Cornershop, Chemical Brothers, I Am Kloot, Studio Pressure, Spacemen 3, Talking Heads, Boards of Canada, Gak, Jeb Loy Nichols, Clinic, Huggy Bear, Peaches, Lemon Jelly, Ryan Adams, Tindersticks, Pere Ubu, Native Hipsters, Echoboy, Lambchop, and Young Marble Giants!

V/A 7" Up (Crippled Dick Hot Wax) cd 16.98
Where would we be with out labels like Crippled Dick Hot Wax? We all think we're super obsessive music nerds, Don't we? Sure, we hunt down weird records, buy totally obscure 7"s, have a roomful of records in our house. But c'mon, compared to the guys who run Crippled Dick or Trunk, we're not even in the same record nerd league. These guys also have lots of records, scour cool record stores, and all that. But they also hunt in garage sales, estate sales, flea markets. Not looking for weird record reissues cuz they are the guys who MAKE those reissues happen. And they don't just track down records, they have to hunt down the folks who made those records. Take a look at your cd shelf at home, at take a gander at all the crazy obscure compilations. Someone had to dig up all those tracks, locate every band, sometimes track down out of business record labels. Phew. It's a hell of a lot of work. But it's so worth it!! And just in case we haven't said it enough, we are oh so grateful. These are the guys who fill our lives with insane South American psych rock, early eighties NY No Wave, seventies proto metal and of course rad super rare and long out of print UK post punk power pop singles from the late seventies and early eighties, like the tracks on 7" Up!
The cool thing about 7"s is that it was a super affordable way for bands to get a song recorded and distributed. The first real form of DIY promotion. Any band with a few hundred bucks and a couple of songs could have their very own 7" record just like their idols. The result was of course a lot of crappy singles, but amidst the hundreds and thousands of mediocre to downright terrible tracks, were handful of absolute killers. This comp collects a whole bunch of those. Of the thirteen bands on here we'd only ever heard of two (Monochrome Set and Glaxo Babies) but every track on here is amazing. Whether it's a blast of synth heavy robotic new wave ("Gerry & The Holograms" by Gerry & The Holograms), fuzzy garage rock stomp with weird chipmunk vocals ("Zip Nolah" by Cult Figures) or moody croony electronic post punk ("Private Plane" by Thomas Leer), every song is an absolute gem, some funny and funky, some totally bouncy and catchy, some completely bizarre.
Probably the most played track around here is "Don't Try To Cure Yourself" by They Must Be Russians, a bizarre song featuring a graphic description of different sexually transmitted diseases during each verse (complete with totally melodic backup vocals crooning "Pubic Hair..." or "Infected Person...") only to burst into a super aggro angular chorus. Funny, but completely catchy and kick ass. Other standouts are "Imposter" by the Moondogs, a completely catchy hard rocking perfect pop song, and the stripped down Elvis Costello worship of Mark Beer's "The Man Man Man" and then there's... heck, we could just go through the whole disc, cuz they're all totally great. Definitely one of the best comps we've heard in a while. Cool packaging with extensive liner notes and a bunch of info on each and every one of these obscure gems! So recommended.
MPEG Stream: GLAXO BABIES "This Is Your Life"
MPEG Stream: GERRY & THE HOLOGRAMS "Gerry & The Holograms"
MPEG Stream: THEY MUST BE RUSSIANS "Don't Try To Cure Yourself"

V/A 7" Up (Crippled Dick Hot Wax) lp 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Where would we be with out labels like Crippled Dick Hot Wax? We all think we're super obsessive music nerds, Don't we? Sure, we hunt down weird records, buy totally obscure 7"s, have a roomful of records in our house. But c'mon, compared to the guys who run Crippled Dick or Trunk, we're not even in the same record nerd league. These guys also have lots of records, scour cool record stores, and all that. But they also hunt in garage sales, estate sales, flea markets. Not looking for weird record reissues cuz they are the guys who MAKE those reissues happen. And they don't just track down records, they have to hunt down the folks who made those records. Take a look at your cd shelf at home, at take a gander at all the crazy obscure compilations. Someone had to dig up all those tracks, locate every band, sometimes track down out of business record labels. Phew. It's a hell of a lot of work. But it's so worth it!! And just in case we haven't said it enough, we are oh so grateful. These are the guys who fill our lives with insane South American psych rock, early eighties NY No Wave, seventies proto metal and of course rad super rare and long out of print UK post punk power pop singles from the late seventies and early eighties, like the tracks on 7" Up!
The cool thing about 7"s is that it was a super affordable way for bands to get a song recorded and distributed. The first real form of DIY promotion. Any band with a few hundred bucks and a couple of songs could have their very own 7" record just like their idols. The result was of course a lot of crappy singles, but amidst the hundreds and thousands of mediocre to downright terrible tracks, were handful of absolute killers. This comp collects a whole bunch of those. Of the thirteen bands on here we'd only ever heard of two (Monochrome Set and Glaxo Babies) but every track on here is amazing. Whether it's a blast of synth heavy robotic new wave ("Gerry & The Holograms" by Gerry & The Holograms), fuzzy garage rock stomp with weird chipmunk vocals ("Zip Nolah" by Cult Figures) or moody croony electronic post punk ("Private Plane" by Thomas Leer), every song is an absolute gem, some funny and funky, some totally bouncy and catchy, some completely bizarre.
Probably the most played track around here is "Don't Try To Cure Yourself" by They Must Be Russians, a bizarre song featuring a graphic description of different sexually transmitted diseases during each verse (complete with totally melodic backup vocals crooning "Pubic Hair..." or "Infected Person...") only to burst into a super aggro angular chorus. Funny, but completely catchy and kick ass. Other standouts are "Imposter" by the Moondogs, a completely catchy hard rocking perfect pop song, and the stripped down Elvis Costello worship of Mark Beer's "The Man Man Man" and then there's... heck, we could just go through the whole disc, cuz they're all totally great. Definitely one of the best comps we've heard in a while. Cool packaging with extensive liner notes and a bunch of info on each and every one of these obscure gems! So recommended.
MPEG Stream: GLAXO BABIES "This Is Your Life"
MPEG Stream: GERRY & THE HOLOGRAMS "Gerry & The Holograms"
MPEG Stream: THEY MUST BE RUSSIANS "Don't Try To Cure Yourself"

V/A A Benefit For Our Friends (DMBQ Benefit CD) cd-r 15.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
By now, we're sure most of you heard about the horrible accident that claimed the life of DMBQ drummer China, and left the rest of the band as well as their booker / tour manager (and AQ pal) Michelle injured and hospitalized. And as is always the case with situations like these, most musicians are uninsured, and need all the help they can get to help pay their medical bills and try to recover, regroup and make it home.
So this here comp is one way you can help. 100 percent of the proceeds goes direct to the band to help them get back on their feet. And as if helping out a bunch of cool folks and a kick ass band to boot wasn't enough, you also get this killer comp out of the deal. New and exclusive tracks from Comets On Fire. Paik, Trans Am, Lightning Bolt, Burmese, Fucking Champs, Ezeetiger, Ludicra, No Doctors, Nate Denver's Neck, and more!!! And if you want to do more, you can donate via Paypal to this address: dmbqpanache@lovepumpunited.com or by mail to this address: Lovepump United, PO BOX 3241, Poughkeepsie, NY 12603.
And again our condolences to the band and friends and family for the loss of China, and our best wishes for speedy recoveries all around.
MPEG Stream: COMETS ON FIRE "Wolf Eyes (Middle Version)"
MPEG Stream: LIGHTNING BOLT "Exitebike"

V/A A Mind Expansion Compilation (Mind Expansion) 2cd 16.98
This is definitely a strange compilation. Although all comps are sort of strange by their very nature. Gathering a bunch of different musicians to contribute one song each, usually relating to a theme. Well, the them here seems to be some sort of broadly defined psychedelic music. But the bands and the sounds are so all over the place, it seems to be a much less obviously definable thread that runs through the different artists (minus the fact that maybe they've all released something one Mind Expansion record label?).
Regardless, this is a pretty killer comp. A good intro to lots of psychedelic space rock bands, droney hypno-rock bands, haunting slowcore pop bands, and anything in between.
Sonically, all of these bands love FX, reverb, and delay and chorus and whatever other pedals they can get their hands on. Hence the psychrock angle. A lot of the bands on disc 2 lean toward some sort of Krautrock, minimal electronic vibe, but still with plenty of psychedelic overtones. A handful of these tracks are exclusive, the majority are not. But it functions quite well as a great psychrock / weird rock mix tape. Lots of AQ faves represented: Spacemen 3, Teenage Filmstars, Amp, Bardo Pond, Paik, Fuxa, Magnetaphone, Piano Magic, Landing, The Telescopes and more. But probably the most exciting part of this comp is how many bands there are we'd literally never heard of. We didn't necessarily love them all, but we did like most of 'em. And our ever growing list of bands to investigate further now includes Mazarin, Venture Lift, Elevator, LSD And The Search For God, Unknown Celebrities, Large Number, Kid Yahtzee and loads more!
MPEG Stream: SPACEMEN 3 "Transparent Radiation (Long)"
MPEG Stream: AMP "Fine Day"
MPEG Stream: THE TELESCOPES "Where The Sky Is Low"
MPEG Stream: TEENAGE FILMSTARS "Kiss Me"

V/A A Number Of Small Things (Morr Music) 2cd 21.00
Despite its title, there's nothing really small about this double cd Morr Music compilation! Sure it collects together a bunch of the label's 2001-2007 singles which I s'pose could be thought of as small, but only if you think seven inches is small. Whoops, was that Freud knockin' on the door? Totally unintentional, honest! Anyways, some of these songs are short and most are super sweet, but they're all big hearted and fully bearhug-able, dreamy indie pop. There's thirty six of 'em from Butcher The Bar (very reminiscent of the late Elliott Smith), Benni Hemm Hemm, Seavault, Seabear, Masha Qrella, Electric President (like a twee Weakerthans), John Yoko with Lali Puna (including a lovely cover of "Papa Was A Rodeo"... that song always makes Cup weep!) as well as the latter on their awesome own, Populous, B. Fleishmann (an old aQ fave), ISAN, Styrofoam, Teamforest, and Other People's Children. Most offer up two tunes, some four. Be forewarned though, some folks might find the instrumental numbers veering too much into the bank commercial-ish tepid docility. Downy and dewy eyed and definitely recommended if you need to mellow out with an aural snuggle!
MPEG Stream: BUTCHER THE BAR "Get Away"
MPEG Stream: ELECTRIC PRESIDENT "Good Ol' Boys"
MPEG Stream: JOHN YOKO / LALI PUNA "Papa Was A Rodeo"

V/A A Psychedelic Guide To Monsterism Island (Lo Recordings ) cd 14.98
For those of you not familiar with Monster Island, it's an imaginary land, created by artist Pete Fowler, filled with Technicolor cartoon monsters, bats, Yeti's, sea serpents, as well as a strange group of long haired residents, from grungy space rock musicians, to antlered rednecks, Fowler's art so dreamy and trippy and far out (and even sports some Fowler tattoos!!). A few years ago, there was another Monster Island compilation, that one was more focused on free folk and acid psych, perfectly complimenting Fowlers druggy land of wonder. Somehow, this second comp, is equally apt, exploring a whole different sound, and we can only assume, a whole different side of the island, and thus of course a bunch of new and fascinating beasts and mysterious folks...
Monsterism Island, at least sonically, is some imaginary haven of carefree, melty bliss and this is the freaky soundtrack to that wonderful world. The vibe this time around is some sort of really cool late '80s/early '90s video game soundtrack, lots of bloops and bleeps and skittery beats, imagine maybe a more tripped out, woozy and breezy soundtrack to Sonic The Hedgehog. The sound is all over the map, from colorful dreamy electronica, to groove heavy jazz to soft-psychedelic shimmer. Occasionally we're also reminded of Boards Of Canada as well as some obscure library music (makes sense that Johnny Trunk has a track on here!). We could have done without some of the 'goofy' spoken interludes and it does get a bit smooth sailin' in a party love boat kind of way, but still a nice fun ride for sure, then again, what would you expect a world of kaleidoscopic weirdness and wildly prismatic landscapes, groovy mystery bands and a wild array of wee beasties to sound like anyway?! Cool packaging too, featuring some of Fowlers gorgeous artwork.
So strap on the headphones, throw this in the stereo and head here:
http://www.monsterism.net/
And let yourself get WAY lost...
MPEG Stream: MONSTERS AT WORK "Magic Morning"
MPEG Stream: JONNY TRUNK "Nest We Forget"
MPEG Stream: LUKE VIBERT "Silver Snorse Hotel"

V/A A Raga For Peter Walker (Tompkins Square) cd 14.98
Yay! Peter Walker, one of the sixties best acoustic guitar players, comes out of hiding to bring us four new songs plus six new takes on his original compositions from current stars of the acoustic guitar scene including James Blackshaw, Steffan Basho-Junghans, and even Thurston Moore. While we would have much preferred a whole new album by Walker or better yet a reissue of his two seminal albums, including the all time classic "Rainy Day Ragas" released in 1966 on Vanguard, the performances by everyone involved, especially Walker's, are inspired and beautiful. For those who haven't heard of Peter Walker, he was the musical director for Timothy Leary's "Celebrations" gatherings at Harvard, and he brings that lysergic quality to his guitar playing fusing folk, flamenco, jazz, eastern and classical music into spiraling raga meditations. Walker hasn't enjoyed the same sort of revival as his contemporaries, Robbie Basho, Sandy Bull and John Fahey, but has clearly displayed his influence amongst the current "glitterati" of the acoustic guitar scene, as evidenced here. Hopefully we'll be hearing more of him real soon.
MPEG Stream: PETER WALKER "Day at the Fair"
MPEG Stream: THURSTON MOORE "Dirt Raga"
MPEG Stream: STEFFAN BASHO-JUNGHANS "Blue Mountain Raga"
MPEG Stream: PETER WALKER "Celebration"

V/A A Tribute To Will Oldham : I Am A Cold Rock, I Am Dull Grass (Tract) cd 13.98
Wow! Here's a terrific tribute to Will Oldham (aka Bonnie 'Prince' Billy aka Palace aka Palace Brothers aka Palace Music, etc). This homage comes in the form of a collection of cover versions performed by many familiar AQ faves and fine contemporaries of Mr. Oldham. Each of them brings his/her own distinct flair to the chosen tune, but we noticed that some come remarkably close to absolute replication of the original. Hmmm, what's that old saying about mimicry being the sincerest form of flattery? But is it mimicry when someone really does sound like someone else without even trying? No, of course not. Anyways, the highlights and notables include Calexico, Iron And Wine, Mark Kozelek, Scout Niblett, Rivulets, Court And Spark, Pinetop Seven, and Jolie Holland. Great for fans of one and all.
MPEG Stream: CALEXICO "I Send My Love To You"
MPEG Stream: HOLLAND, JOLIE "I Was Drunk At The Pulpit"
MPEG Stream: IRON AND WINE "We All, Us Three, Will Ride"

V/A A Visit To The Spaceship Factory (Psychic Circle) cd 16.98
Remember that rad White Lace And Strange compilation we highlighted not long ago? Some killer late sixties, early seventies psych rock from the USA, garage bands gettin' "heavy". Well this disc, on the same Nick Saloman-affiliated label Psychic Circle, is in some ways a sequel, featuring similar bands of the era from the UK (and one Israeli band that recorded in London, to be perfectly accurate). With the subtitle "20 Gems From The Early Years Of Prog", it's billed as a collection of obscure "progressive rock" tracks... but the stress is on the rock. After all, Black Sabbath was once considered a "prog" band too. Sure, there might be some keyboards, but there's lots of raw, raucous energy here, both singers and guitarists wailing away in full fuzzed-out psychedelic proto-metal glory, when they didn't know from headbanging but knew how to boogie! Being a comp, of course some of this is better 'n the rest, but quality control is pretty high. Some faves include the punkish Helter Skelter (ex-Crushed Butler), the powerful axe-action of Israel's Jericho, and the heavy blues thud of early UFO, among other treats here to be heard from these bands (some we already knew, some new to us): Treetops, Mousetrap, Deadwood, Fuzzy Duck, Incredible Hog, Mouse, Beggars Opera, Kingdom Come, Little Big Horn, Strange Fox, Onyx, Spontaneous Combustion, Sheephouse, Pussy, Axe, Sunchariot, and Kansas Hook. The liner notes provide interesting tidbits on each artist (ferinstance, if you're as much of a proto metal geek as Allan, you'll be excited to get the track by Pussy, a later incarnation of one-album wonders Jerusalem).
MPEG Stream: JERICHO "So Come On"
MPEG Stream: HELTER SKELTER "I Need You"
MPEG Stream: KANSAS HOOK "Nervous Shakin'"

V/A A Visit To The Spaceship Factory: 20 Gems From The Early Years Of Prog (Psychic Circle) 2lp 34.00
NOW ON VINYL!
Remember that rad White Lace And Strange compilation we highlighted not long ago? Some killer late sixties, early seventies psych rock from the USA, garage bands gettin' "heavy". Well this disc, on the same Nick Saloman-affiliated label Psychic Circle, is in some ways a sequel, featuring similar bands of the era from the UK (and one Israeli band that recorded in London, to be perfectly accurate). With the subtitle "20 Gems From The Early Years Of Prog", it's billed as a collection of obscure "progressive rock" tracks... but the stress is on the rock. After all, Black Sabbath was once considered a "prog" band too. Sure, there might be some keyboards, but there's lots of raw, raucous energy here, both singers and guitarists wailing away in full fuzzed-out psychedelic proto-metal glory, when they didn't know from headbanging but knew how to boogie! Being a comp, of course some of this is better 'n the rest, but quality control is pretty high. Some faves include the punkish Helter Skelter (ex-Crushed Butler), the powerful axe-action of Israel's Jericho, and the heavy blues thud of early UFO, among other treats here to be heard from these bands (some we already knew, some new to us): Treetops, Mousetrap, Deadwood, Fuzzy Duck, Incredible Hog, Mouse, Beggars Opera, Kingdom Come, Little Big Horn, Strange Fox, Onyx, Spontaneous Combustion, Sheephouse, Pussy, Axe, Sunchariot, and Kansas Hook.
MPEG Stream: JERICHO "So Come On"
MPEG Stream: HELTER SKELTER "I Need You"
MPEG Stream: KANSAS HOOK "Nervous Shakin'"

V/A A Whole Lot of Rainbows (Warner) cd 21.00

V/A Absolute Belter (B-Music / Finders Keepers) cd 17.98
B-Music / Finders Keepers are the masters of the mix, headed up by DJ / record collector extraordinaire Andy Votel, pretty much every compilation these guys put out is like getting a super far out mix tape from your weird music obsessed best friend who knows everything about ____ (Turkish psych, lost disco, weirdo proto metal, lost soundtracks, Pakistani film music, Hungarian psych prog, etc.). To that list, of music your imaginary best friend (aka Andy Votel and his B-Music gang) is well versed in, you can now add "Mid-Med-Mod-Rock & Spanish Psychsploitation From The 'Cradle Of Spanish Pop'". Phew. Absolute Belter collects a handful of classic jams from the Spanish label Belter, marking the label's 50th anniversary!! Lots of incredible stuff here, plenty of fuzzed out psych, groovy funk, and especially intriguing, weirdo covers of songs by The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Quincy Jones, and most excitingly, Curved Air's "Back Street Luv" done by a group called Control (which is also on that Radio Galaxia comp!). It's a fuzzy, but more poppy than proggy version, makes us wish someone would do a cool anthology of all Curved Air's stuff, so good! But we digress...
The highlights are too many to mention one by one, it's basically a whole record of highlights, but besides that killer Curved Air cover, there's Fusioon's, warm washed out wearily psychedelic "Tocata Y Fug", with its woozy organs, majestic melodies, and weirdo prog-isms, or Furia's theme song "Furia", a heavy psych groove burner, with some awesome harmony vocals, thick basslines, and a killer main hook. Or howabout Soledad Miranda, most famous for being nude in Vampyros Lesbos with some groovy, loungy exotica, all soaring strings and jazzy drums, very Bond theme sounding, and she actually has a great voice. There's Los Mismos' "Jefe Ironside", a sort of disco cop show theme meets hippy jam from the musical Hair, or Control's country flecked bass heavy psychedelia, Los Gritos' "Veo Visions" a sci-fi fuzz groove, with tons of out-there Joe Meek production weirdness, we could go on and on and on and on. Needless to say, but we shall anyway, if you're a fan of the label, and any of their collections, the BYG Deal, Well Hung, Pomegranates, The Sound Of Wonder, well then you're probably gonna want this, or if you're just into cool fuzzy freaky far out psychedelic sounds, this could very well be the mix tape of obscure stuff you've been hoping someone would make you!
MPEG Stream: FUSIOON "Tocata Y Fug"
MPEG Stream: FURIA "Furia"
MPEG Stream: CONTROL "Por Las Viejas Calles"
MPEG Stream: LOS MISMOS "Jefe Ironside"
MPEG Stream: SOLEDAD MIRANDA "La Verdad"

V/A AC/DC (Skin Graft) 2x7"+comic book 8.98
Shellac, Big'n, U.S. Maple, and Brise-Glace - all covering their favorite AC/DC compositions. What more needs be said.

V/A Ace Of Spades - Best of 2004/2005 (El4 Records) cd 13.98
For those of you who've been keepin' track of the Ace Of Spades limited edition cd-r series of monthly live acoustic performances at Oakland's Mama Buzz Cafe by various Bay Area rootsy folksy musicians, here's the final release! It's a limited edition 'best of' compilation cd (not a cd-r), and it features a single track each from seventeen different artists including Rogue Wave, The Moore Brothers, Sean Hayes, Black Bear, Dave Gleason's Wasted Days, Alela Menig, The Lonely Hearts, Jason Webley, Paul Panamarenko, Mandrake, Black Bird Stitches, Laura Weinbach, Audio Out Send, Etienne De Rocher, Brian Glaze, Bart Davenport, and Paula Frazer.
And for extra warm fuzzies, it's a benefit cd with for the Little Kids Rock Foundation supporting children's music education.
MPEG Stream: ROGUE WAVE "Be Kind & Remind"
MPEG Stream: FRAZER, PAULA "Waiting For You"

V/A Acid Dreams (Past & Present) cd 17.98
Here's a cool comp of rare vintage '60s garage psych gems, that itself is a reissue of a long lost album, Acid Dreams having first been released back in 1979 on vinyl in an edition of just 77 copies, we're told. Apparently that record was compiled by the owner of a record store in Berlin, who thought that the then-current crop of new wave punk rock fans needed a lesson about the original wave of snotty, freaky, DIY "punk" from the previous decade... And indeed the nameless compiler picked some killer cuts from his collection of U.S. '60s psych singles for inclusion here, full of distortion and attitude ready to go toe-to-toe with the class of '77. Loads of fuzzed out guitars, urgent drumming and trippy lyrics burst forth across the 18 tracks here, most of 'em energetic yet moody 2-3 minute blasts, including songs from Zakary Thaks, Faine Jade, Music Machine, Mystic Tide, Painted Faces, Balloon Farm, Outcasts, Beautiful Daze, Caretakers Of Deception, Teddy & His Patches, Minds Eye, White Light, Remaining Few, Stereo Shoestrings, Unrelated Segments, Velvet Illusions (who get not one but two tracks on here, both awesome), and Vejtables (who were from San Francisco - hmm, could the spelling of their name maybe have been an inspiration to Wooden Shjips?). As you can see, all acts for the most part pretty obscure outside the collectors' realm, really. Poppy stuff, but probably too freaky for the masses, though it's not all hard acid wah wah guitar frenzies here - when not stormin' and stompin', Acid Dreams provides plenty of pleasant psychedelic swirling jangle as well.
Reissued now on cd by the same label that brought us the Electric Asylum comp listed last time, the no frills design of the original private press LP has been augmented with photos and brief liner notes on each and every track in the cd booklet.
MPEG Stream: VELVET ILLUSIONS "Velvet Illusions"
MPEG Stream: WHITE LIGHT "William"
MPEG Stream: BEAUTIFUL DAZE "City Jungle"