CASIOTONE FOR THE PAINFULLY ALONE / FOX PAUSE split (Stationary (Heart)) 7" 5.25
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
We just got these brand new Casiotone For The Painfully Alone 7" records straight from the man himself! It's a split 7" with his pal Sara Han aka Fox Pause. His side has three of his wonderfully doleful heartache tunes with his trademark deep boyish near-spoken delivery and his comparatively spritely percolating Casiotone rhythms and melodies.
Her side has four much more peppy twee songs. She sings in the opposite end of the octave range from him. High, sugary sweetness.

CASIOTONE FOR THE PAINFULLY ALONE / YOUNG SHIELDS Young Shields (Tomlab) 7" 6.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Hot on the heels of the split 7" Casiotone For The Painfully Alone did with Fox Pause comes another short'n'sweet C.F.T.P.A. release (this one's available on 2-song vinyl and 4-song cd)... And just in time for Valentine's Day, no less! This one man band (aka Owen Ashworth) seems to have a bottomless heart-shaped box of schoolboy lo-fi pop-tronic bonbons. On the first two tunes of this cd (the two that make up the 7" version), his trademark rudimentarily programmed drumbeats and perky Casiotone keyboard melodies once again make us muse as to whether or not Ashworth and Stephin Merritt might be long lost brothers. That said, in more ways that one, the standout track is definitely the somber finale on the cd version. An alternate version of his song "The Subway Home", its plucked cello strings bring to mind the final droplets of rain that fall from leaves after a stormy night. Moody loveliness.
MPEG Stream: "When You Were Mine"

CASKET LOTTERY Survival Is For Cowards (Second Nature) cd 12.98
The Casket Lottery was borne of the mighty Coalesce, but their sound is far removed from Coalesce's pummelling metalcore. More a bizarre hybrid of emo, power pop, weird almost-prog, new wave and just balls-out rock. Huge emotive swells of thick rich chords, gorgeous harmonies (thanks to the two vocalists with similarly keening, whiny sad boy vocals, but whose voices are different enough to give the music some extra breadth), and an amazingly inventive rhythm section. Imagine a mix of Death Cab For Cutie, Appleseed Cast, Heavy Vegetable, Built To Spill, and Joy Division. Or something like that. Heartbreakingly catchy songs with heavily chorused wandering bass lines, huge, booming drum lines (with occasional dubbed out snares and clattery percussion), and guitars that wander freely between metallic crunch and wispy post rock strum, offering up delicate, chiming harmonics and driving riffage in between. This is sooooo good. Everyone who flipped for those Appleseed Cast records should definitely check this out. The Casket Lottery are like Appleseed Cast's older brother, still innocent and optimistic, but a little more well travelled and with a few more broken hearts under his belt. This record is driving in your shitty old van across country, mix tape for that girl you like, laying in the tall grass thinking about the future, getting lost in your feelings, bobbing your head and air guitaring without meaning to, finding solace for that hole in your heart, perfect pop/rock/punk/emo/whatever-you-want-to-call-it record.
RealAudio clip: "Code Red"
RealAudio clip: "The Bridge"
RealAudio clip: "Searchlights"
RealAudio clip: "Since You"

CASKET LOTTERY Survival Is For Cowards (Second Nature) lp 10.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
The Casket Lottery was borne of the mighty Coalesce, but their sound is far removed from Coalesce's pummelling metalcore. More a bizarre hybrid of emo, power pop, weird almost-prog, new wave and just balls-out rock. Huge emotive swells of thick rich chords, gorgeous harmonies (thanks to the two vocalists with similarly keening, whiny sad boy vocals, but whose voices are different enough to give the music some extra breadth), and an amazingly inventive rhythm section. Imagine a mix of Death Cab For Cutie, Appleseed Cast, Heavy Vegetable, Built To Spill, and Joy Division. Or something like that. Heartbreakingly catchy songs with heavily chorused wandering bass lines, huge, booming drum lines (with occasional dubbed out snares and clattery percussion), and guitars that wander freely between metallic crunch and wispy post rock strum, offering up delicate, chiming harmonics and driving riffage in between. This is sooooo good. Everyone who flipped for those Appleseed Cast records should definitely check this out. The Casket Lottery are like Appleseed Cast's older brother, still innocent and optimistic, but a little more well travelled and with a few more broken hearts under his belt. This record is driving in your shitty old van across country, mix tape for that girl you like, laying in the tall grass thinking about the future, getting lost in your feelings, bobbing your head and air guitaring without meaning to, finding solace for that hole in your heart, perfect pop/rock/punk/emo/whatever-you-want-to-call-it record.

CASKET LOTTERY, THE Possiblies and Maybes (Second Nature) cd 14.98
A little odds and ends collection from one of our favorite emo bands. Lots of soaring, sad boy vocals, BIG guitars, almost-metal riffery, melancholy melodies, and catchy punky pop. Think Sunny Day Real Estate, the Get Up Kids, and that sort of thing. This disc collects all the Casket Lottery's tracks from comps and splits, a handful of unreleased tracks, some demos, and lots of wicked covers, the Cure, the Police, Government Issue, Kill Creek, Shudder To Think and a brutal spot-on cover of Helmet's In The Meantime with vocals courtesy of Coalesce's Sean Ingram. Nice.
MPEG Stream: "In The Meantime"
MPEG Stream: "Synchronicity II"
MPEG Stream: "A Priest Walks Into A Bar"

CASSLE s/t (Shadow Kingdom) cd 13.98
While some reissue labels specialize in digging up the obscure '60s garage or '70s psych of collector's dreams, Shadow Kingdom's idea of a long lost gem is something like this, a pretty much unknown quasi-metal American rock act from the early '80s that went precisely nowhere with their strange brand of theatrical, "magickal", poppy, proggy hard rock / metal, despite a lot of spunk and even some talent too. This disc contains Cassle's 1983 ep plus a bunch of unreleased songs from the era filling it out to full-length cd status.
We say quasi-metal 'cause while they've got the medieval name of Cassle (i.e. Castle - it seems they liked to spell things differently, they were originally called Miraaj), and do indeed sport some fairly heavy, gritty guitars and fantasy/horror themes, they're really much more Rush than Maiden. And they've got keyboards. Yup, so '70s prog/pomp rock outfits like Rush, Styx, and Kansas were probably as big or bigger influences on 'em than the then-contemporary riffage of the NWOBHM. It's also a set of influences they share with another Shadow Kingdom band, Manilla Road.
But that's what gives this a lot of its charm, some kids from LA trying to do the pomp thing on a budget and without worrying much about being "cool". Well actually, they probably did think this was cool. And if you're like us, you might think it's cool too. How can you not love it when they actually sing "A dungeon, a dragon..." in one of their songs here, "Revenge (Cassle Walls)"?!
They're no Manilla Road but this is still pretty fun, it kinda reminds us of Sorcery's Stunt Rock soundtrack, and Legend US (From The Fjords), a bit. Cd booklet includes new liner notes, full lyrics, and color photos of the band back in the day.
MPEG Stream: "Midnight Fantasy "
MPEG Stream: "Revenge (Cassle Walls) "
MPEG Stream: "The Ringmaster "

CASTANETS Cathedral (Asthmatic Kitty) cd 14.98
Castanets bring us gentle slightly-jangly psych-country all the way from San Diego with, technically, their second album, Cathedral. Fans of the Gris Gris, The Dirty Three, and Six Organs of Admittance will love this. Castanets' leader, Ray Raposa, reigns in some of San Diego's favorites, members of Tristeza, Pinback and Rocket From The Crypt to create music that's pretty darn epic in its simplicity and sensitivity. We look forward to hear the first album, previously a cd-r only given out to friends and at live shows, which should be out on Asthmatic Kitty soon.
MPEG Stream: "You Are The Blood"
MPEG Stream: "The Smallest Bones"

CASTANETS City Of Refuge (Asthmatic Kitty) cd 14.98
This one somehow slipped by us back in October... actually right around the same time that another seemingly likeminded album was haunting our ears - Dark Developments by Vic Chesnutt, Elf Power & Amorphous Strums. We're really sorry it did because it's a fine companion! If you've dug the recent collaborations that Mr. Chesnutt has been up to with various artists on the Constellation Records roster (aka Godspeed You Black Emperor, Hangedup, A Silver Mt. Zion, et al), the Castanets' latest full length will surely please! No, there's no sign of the Chesnutt, but main man Ray Raposa's vocal delivery is quite often a deadringer for him or maybe somewhere between that and Carla Bozulich whose Evangelista band is also very much a kin!
An overriding sense of despair permeated City Of Refuge. The lonesome ghostly twang and looming gloomy atmospheres offer a gravity unheard on any other Castanets recordings that have come before. An ultra bleak beauty!
MPEG Stream: "Refuge 1"
MPEG Stream: "Shadow Valley"

CASTANETS First Light's Freeze (Asthmatic Kitty) cd 14.98
Shhhh! The subdued hush of San Diego's Castanets' latest contemplative folk album can be ever so easily drowned out by the sounds of the city, but if you can find yourself a quiet time and place to listen to First Light's Freeze you'll be pleasantly rewarded. In songs such as "A Song Is Not The Song Of The World", the sensitive boy vocals at times bring to mind those of Modest Mouse's Isaac Brock, Built To Spill's Doug Martsch or Mountain Goats' John Darnielle. Now imagine those vocals atop some slightly off-kilter and psych-tinged which brings them into company with current abstract folk groups such as Wooden Wand & The Vanishing Voice. Nice!
MPEG Stream: "A Song Is Not The Song Of The World"
MPEG Stream: "Good Friend, Yr. Hunger"

CASTANETS In The Vines (Asthmatic Kitty) cd 14.98
Castanets' new album warms our cockles with its brothy aural stew. Soft bristling hazes of electrified dissonance and icy slide guitar drift across their woozily weaving acoustic melodies with the kind of mumble-murmurred woebegone emotive singing that lets flow once your defenses are down after a shot or two of hard liquor and weed. As In The Vines progresses it settled into a more traditional indie country twangy comfiness. A bit withered, a bit ghostly, a lot lovely!
MPEG Stream: "Rain Will Come"
MPEG Stream: "Sway"

CASTANETS / OHIOAN / GHOST TO FALCO / DRAGGING AN OX THROUGH WATER ftamar (Infinite Front) 7" 7.50
Well, this is a weird one! A four-way split of Portland bands with two of the bands playing at the same time on each side(?!) You have to pan hard right or left to hear each band alone. I guess it sort of makes sense when all the bands seem to traffic in a kind of ramshackle mumbly Americana with a bent towards the freaky. It just builds an added layer of bizarre disorientation to the proceedings when you play them at the same time. Pretty cool but super weird and really limited!

CASTLE PROJECT Diaries Of A Broken Heart (White Whale) cd 15.98
Another Canadian delight! Imagine a meeting between Broken Social Scene, Built To Spill and Coldplay, and you just might discover The Castle Project. Their fine debut album Diaries Of A Broken Heart more than holds its own alongside the recent works of those mighty musical forces. Main man Ryan Ostiguy's richly emotive vocals slouch and soar in all the right places. He's struck a well executed balance of lush chamber pop stylings, gentle acoustic strummery and big rock guitars. Really gorgeous. Really good. Really recommended!
MPEG Stream: "Celebrate The End"
MPEG Stream: "Hearts At The Door"

CASTRO, NICK In The House Of God (Records Of Gauhd) cd 14.98

CASUAL DOTS, THE s/t (Kill Rock Stars) cd 14.98
I've been a fan of Christina Billotte ever since her days in all-girl Dischord act Slant 6. Previous to that she was in Autoclave, and after that, Quix*o*tic. Now here she comes with a new project. The Casual Dots are a carefully quirky garage rock trio, playing sorta punkish '60s-ish pop, with clomping drums and two guitars -- one's twangy and surfy, the other all bumblebee fuzzed. And of course a big facet of their sound are the distinctive and (to my ears) enchanting vocals of Ms. Billotte, whose singing is showcased especially on the Etta James cover they do, "I'll Dry My Tears". '50s rock diva LaVern Baker also gets covered, while the rest are Dots originals, including an instrumental or two. Catchy, cool, retro fun.
MPEG Stream: "Derailing "
MPEG Stream: "Flowers"

CAT POWER Could We (Matador UK) 7" 3.98
Cat Power completists! Here's two lil' ditties from Ms Chan Marshall released by the UK wind of Matador Records (hence the slightly more hefty price tag). One is the languid "Could We" taken straight from her latest album The Greatest, and the other is a dreamy cover of the Everly Brothers' "All I Have To Do Is Dream" (mysteriously titled "Dreams" here). Sigh-inducing. but all too short! That's right Matador, just keep us wanting more...
MPEG Stream: "Dreams"

CAT POWER Could We (Matador UK) cd single 9.98
Cat Power completists! Here's two lil' ditties from Ms Chan Marshall released by the UK wing of Matador Records (hence the slightly more hefty price tag). One is the languid "Could We" taken straight from her latest album The Greatest, and the other is a dreamy cover of the Everly Brothers' "All I Have To Do Is Dream" (mysteriously titled "Dreams" here). Sigh-inducing. but all too short! That's right Matador, just keep us wanting more...
MPEG Stream: "Dreams"

CAT POWER Dark End Of The Street (Matador) 2x10" 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Chan Marshall & co. give us -another- batch of cover songs from the Jukebox sessions on this special vinyl-only release. She interprets Otis, Aretha, Credence, Fairport Convention and The Pogues, some ("Fortunate Son") more convincingly than others ("It Ain't Fair"). The further she moves away from the song's original mood, it seems, the stronger the outcome. Those of you who have followed Chan's career to this point know that she has forgone the trappings of indie rock for what this reviewer would call "indie soul." None of these songs have quite the pull of, say, "Satisfaction" on the first covers record, but "Fortunate Son" comes close, due in no small part to Jim White's minimal drumming and the undeniable smoky appeal of Chan's voice.

CAT POWER Dear Sir (Plain Recordings) cd 14.98
Ms Chan Marshall's debut album!

CAT POWER Jukebox (Deluxe) (Matador) 2cd 15.98
It's easy to jump on the Cat Power backlash train but once you invest some time with the newer incarnation of Chan Marshall you start to really appreciate her new sound, which is a marked change from the visceral, emotive, heart on her sleeve Chan of old.
It's understandable to initially miss the outward intensity of her prior work, but she continues to prove herself one of those very special songwriters who understand a wide array of song styles and approaches. While some of us here were initially turned off by The Greatest, her last full length, eventually revealed itself as something very special with repeated listens. No longer was she grabbing us by the neck but instead seductively cradling us in her arms. The Greatest seemed to alienate some of her earlier steadfast "indie" fans in the same way that Dylan upset his folk followers when he decided to plug in and not subscribe to any one sound, style or doctrine.
Her first album of covers in 2000, a stunning and simple collection, was not only a fantastic record, but also helped open the gates for many others to jump on the covers record bandwagon. Those covers have become as much Marshall's as they were the original performers', again helping begin a movement in indie rock of covering old classics, and much like Devo before her, she managed to make the Stones' "Satisfaction" all her own.
Jukebox is kind of like the follow up to The Covers Record with another batch of Chan's favorite songs, songs she loves enough to want to take a stab at: Hank Williams, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Billie Holiday, Joni Mitchell, James Brown, etc. She also radically reinterprets one of her own songs ("Metal Heart") and offers up one brand new original. We do kind of wish she had used the same old-time Memphis greats that backed her up on The Greatest, as her new band on Jukebox (featuring members of the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Dirty Three, Chavez) can sound a bit bloated and not quite as smooth and soulful.
All that said this is still another fine chapter in the ever evolving and engaging musical odyssey of one of the most gifted singer / songwriters around today.
Oh and we think if you're going to get Jukebox, now is the time as the deluxe initial pressing comes with a 5 song bonus disc (feat. songs by the Hot Boys, Moby Grape, Nick Cave, Roberta Flack, and Patsy Cline) that we think we might even like more the record proper!
MPEG Stream: "Silver Stallion"
MPEG Stream: "Don't Explain"
MPEG Stream: "I Feel"

CAT POWER Jukebox (Deluxe) (Matador) 2lp 26.00
It's easy to jump on the Cat Power backlash train but once you invest some time with the newer incarnation of Chan Marshall you start to really appreciate her new sound, which is a marked change from the visceral, emotive, heart on her sleeve Chan of old.
It's understandable to initially miss the outward intensity of her prior work, but she continues to prove herself one of those very special songwriters who understand a wide array of song styles and approaches. While some of us here were initially turned off by The Greatest, her last full length, eventually revealed itself as something very special with repeated listens. No longer was she grabbing us by the neck but instead seductively cradling us in her arms. The Greatest seemed to alienate some of her earlier steadfast "indie" fans in the same way that Dylan upset his folk followers when he decided to plug in and not subscribe to any one sound, style or doctrine.
Her first album of covers in 2000, a stunning and simple collection, was not only a fantastic record, but also helped open the gates for many others to jump on the covers record bandwagon. Those covers have become as much Marshall's as they were the original performers', again helping begin a movement in indie rock of covering old classics, and much like Devo before her, she managed to make the Stones' "Satisfaction" all her own.
Jukebox is kind of like the follow up to The Covers Record with another batch of Chan's favorite songs, songs she loves enough to want to take a stab at: Hank Williams, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Billie Holiday, Joni Mitchell, James Brown, etc. She also radically reinterprets one of her own songs ("Metal Heart") and offers up one brand new original. We do kind of wish she had used the same old-time Memphis greats that backed her up on The Greatest, as her new band on Jukebox (featuring members of the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Dirty Three, Chavez) can sound a bit bloated and not quite as smooth and soulful.
All that said this is still another fine chapter in the ever evolving and engaging musical odyssey of one of the most gifted singer / songwriters around today.
Oh and we think if you're going to get Jukebox, now is the time as the deluxe initial pressing comes with a 5 song bonus disc (feat. songs by the Hot Boys, Moby Grape, Nick Cave, Roberta Flack, and Patsy Cline) that we think we might even like more the record proper!
MPEG Stream: "Silver Stallion"
MPEG Stream: "Don't Explain"
MPEG Stream: "I Feel"

CAT POWER Moon Pix (Matador) cd 10.98
Perhaps her best (and definitely most beloved) full length to date, Chan Marshall's fourth album shows a definite maturation of her voice. This is not to say that there's not a distinct charm to hearing her voice crack on every other song, however, she is far more confident in her ability to generate the sad harmonies of her songs. Heavy on the beautiful heartbreak. As a bonus, Jim White and Mick Turner (both of the Dirty Three) are Chan's backing band on this album. Be prepared to get all misty-eyed.
MPEG Stream: "Metal Heart"
MPEG Stream: "Cross Bones Style"

CAT POWER Moon Pix (Matador) lp 14.98
Perhaps her best (and definitely most beloved) full length to date, Chan Marshall's fourth album shows a definite maturation of her voice. This is not to say that there's not a distinct charm to hearing her voice crack on every other song, however, she is far more confident in her ability to generate the sad harmonies of her songs. Heavy on the beautiful heartbreak. As a bonus, Jim White and Mick Turner (both of the Dirty Three) are Chan's backing band on this album. Be prepared to get all misty-eyed.

CAT POWER Myra Lee (Smells Like) cd 13.98

CAT POWER Nude As The News (Matador) cd 7.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
2 tracks, one previously released and the other a conflation of songs by Moby Grape's Skip Spence and Thurston Moore.

CAT POWER Nude As The News (Matador) 7" 2.99
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
2 tracks, one previously released and the other a conflation of songs by Moby Grape's Skip Spence and Thurston Moore.

CAT POWER Speaking For Trees (Matador) dvd + cd 22.00
A Chan Marshall and Cat Power fan's super deluxe tandem treat!
The dvd contains four works by filmmaker Mark Borthwick: three short films set to Cat Power songs and a two hour long outdoor performance. If you've seen the You Are Free album art then you're already acquainted with the look and feel of some of this gent's work 'cause those are stills from the film shoot. This hazy, dreamy film was shot at a distance with a static camera. It's as if we the viewers were just taking a stroll through the forest, and heard some faint music drifting through the leaves. Drawn towards the voice and guitar, we stumble into a grassy clearing. Not wanting to disturb this wonderful impromptu performance, we stay many yards away, warmed gently by the sun and the song.
The cd contains one 18 minute long song... no, that is not a typo. We said EIGHTEEN MINUTES! Prior to hearing it we were guessing just how she could have a song thaaaat long. Perhaps she was gonna just repeat the chorus a few extra times or maybe hold some notes for a few extra bars. Anyways, the song does not disappoint. Co-written by Marshall and M. Ward, it keeps the listener enchanted from start to finish. It was recorded during the You Are Free sessions, and is definitely closeknit in mood and sound. A fine album epilogue.
MPEG Stream: "Willie Deadwilder"

CAT POWER The Covers Record (Matador) cd 10.98
About as self-explanatory as you can get... Chan Marshall (sans backing band) sits in a dimly lit studio with a guitar or a piano and covers The Rolling Stones, Velvet Underground, Bob Dylan, Smog, Nina Simone, Moby Grape, Michael Hurley, Phil Philips, and even an older Cat Power song. Some have found this to be somewhat boring, while others have found it utterly beautiful and captivating... we'll leave it up to you.

CAT POWER The Greatest (Matador) cd 11.98
First things first, be it known that the title does not mean that this is a Cat Power greatest hits album, nor do we think that it's really an adjective to be applied to the album itself. Okay, before all you Cat Power fans starts freakin' out on us for that comment, let us say that yes, The Greatest is a really good record, but (dare we say?) her last full length You Are Free and her earlier Moon Pix still occupy that place of honor in Chan Marshall's discography (in our opinion anyways!). Each of those two albums really captured a soaring height of Cat Power magic. Pretty hard to beat. Perhaps part of the distinction with this album lies in that while still wholly heartbaringly intimate in her songwriting, Chan Marshall's shed the endearing fragile timidness of her early recordings -- that quiver of youthful uncertainty replaced by a combination of defiance and vulnerability. Indeed, this is perhaps her most worldly and womanly album to date, and definitely one with a far broader appeal (perhaps adult contemporary even). You could *almost* imagine her taking the Lilith Fair stage! Although there's one concrete element in particular that definitely sets The Greatest apart from past Cat Power albums -- namely the addition of saxophone on a number of the songs -- there's something much more intangible that distinguishes it from those of her contemporaries. Precious few dare to come anywhere near capturing the pure, potent simplicity of her compositions. This is perhaps her greatest strength.
MPEG Stream: "The Greatest"
MPEG Stream: " Empty Shell"

CAT POWER The Greatest (Matador) lp 16.98
First things first, be it known that the title does not mean that this is a Cat Power greatest hits album, nor do we think that it's really an adjective to be applied to the album itself. Okay, before all you Cat Power fans starts freakin' out on us for that comment, let us say that yes, The Greatest is a really good record, but (dare we say?) her last full length You Are Free and her earlier Moon Pix still occupy that place of honor in Chan Marshall's discography (in our opinion anyways!). Each of those two albums really captured a soaring height of Cat Power magic. Pretty hard to beat. Perhaps part of the distinction with this album lies in that while still wholly heartbaringly intimate in her songwriting, Chan Marshall's shed the endearing fragile timidness of her early recordings -- that quiver of youthful uncertainty replaced by a combination of defiance and vulnerability. Indeed, this is perhaps her most worldly and womanly album to date, and definitely one with a far broader appeal (perhaps adult contemporary even). You could *almost* imagine her taking the Lilith Fair stage! Although there's one concrete element in particular that definitely sets The Greatest apart from past Cat Power albums -- namely the addition of saxophone on a number of the songs -- there's something much more intangible that distinguishes it from those of her contemporaries. Precious few dare to come anywhere near capturing the pure, potent simplicity of her compositions. This is perhaps her greatest strength.
MPEG Stream: "The Greatest"
MPEG Stream: " Empty Shell"

CAT POWER The Greatest b/w Hate (Matador) 7" 0.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Been waiting with baited breath for the new Cat Power album? Yup, so have we! Psst, it's due out in late January. Her label, Matador Records have kindly presented us with a glimpse of what's to come... for less than a dollar... and if these two songs are any indication, it's gonna be an absolutely wonderful doozy. She's picked right up from where her achingly gorgeous last album You Are Free left off. Wow!

CAT POWER What Would The Community Think (Matador) cd 10.98

CAT POWER You Are Free (Matador) cd 12.98
Simply gorgeous, and so well worth the nearly five year wait! Yes, it has been that long since the last Cat Power album (not including her Covers Record), but Chan Marshall's songwriting is so rich and lingering, that an album like 1998's Moon Pix just lasts and lasts. You certainly may have been craving more new CP songs, but at the same time found you were not yet done with what was on your plate. Timeless and deeply personal, hers is music you revisit again and again. So it comes as no surprise that You Are Free is no exception. Absolutely compelling and gorgeously assembled, this is an album that you could easily lose yourself in. Although it's as emotionally weighted as any of her past albums (or perhaps even more so), this doesn't solely focus (or dwell) on themes of sorrow and pain as those did. Introducing the earthy intimacy of the album, the lead off song trails offs with a handful of casual piano notes as if it were being performed in an impromptu setting - perhaps in front of just her closest friends. The third song "Good Woman" is a prime example of how strength, frailty, hope and despair are all entwined in Marshall's music. This deeply moving highlight of the album acutely conveys crushing heartbreak, survival and renewal. With backing vocals sung by two young girls and an enveloping string arrangement, you'll surely wish it continued past its four minutes. Marshall does kick up some dust on a few numbers, singing with such white-knuckled conviction on songs like "He War", only to return within her next breath to a ghostly whisper on "Fool". Quite something to behold. You Are Free comes to a close just as it began - subdued, yearning with just her voice and piano. Highly recommended.
RealAudio clip: "Good Woman"
RealAudio clip: "He War"

CAT POWER You Are Free (Matador) lp 16.98
Simply gorgeous, and so well worth the nearly five year wait! Yes, it has been that long since the last Cat Power album (not including her Covers Record), but Chan Marshall's songwriting is so rich and lingering, that an album like 1998's Moon Pix just lasts and lasts. You certainly may have been craving more new CP songs, but at the same time found you were not yet done with what was on your plate. Timeless and deeply personal, hers is music you revisit again and again. So it comes as no surprise that You Are Free is no exception. Absolutely compelling and gorgeously assembled, this is an album that you could easily lose yourself in. Although it's as emotionally weighted as any of her past albums (or perhaps even more so), this doesn't solely focus (or dwell) on themes of sorrow and pain as those did. Introducing the earthy intimacy of the album, the lead off song trails offs with a handful of casual piano notes as if it were being performed in an impromptu setting - perhaps in front of just her closest friends. The third song "Good Woman" is a prime example of how strength, frailty, hope and despair are all entwined in Marshall's music. This deeply moving highlight of the album acutely conveys crushing heartbreak, survival and renewal. With backing vocals sung by two young girls and an enveloping string arrangement, you'll surely wish it continued past its four minutes. Marshall does kick up some dust on a few numbers, singing with such white-knuckled conviction on songs like "He War", only to return within her next breath to a ghostly whisper on "Fool". Quite something to behold. You Are Free comes to a close just as it began - subdued, yearning with just her voice and piano. Highly recommended.

CATALPA BOYS s/t (Anyway) cd 9.98
... are brothers Jake and Josh Housh. Jake can also be heard in the band Moviola, while Josh can also be heard in Our Lady Of The Highway. They took some time out from their respective bands to get together for a little acoustic family gathering. The result? A baker's dozen of rough-hewn gentle twang tunes full of brotherly love. Very homespun, earthy and warm. Oh and they thank their folks and family in the liner notes too. Awww! Note: prior to February 2004, this album was available as a self-released cd-r.
MPEG Stream: "Cat Autry"
MPEG Stream: "Money in The Bank"

CATALPA BOYS s/t (self-released) cd-r 6.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY. ... are brothers Jake and Josh Housh. Jake can also be heard in the band Moviola, while Josh can also be heard in Our Lady Of The Highway. They took some time out from their respective bands to get together for a little acoustic family gathering. The result? A baker's dozen of rough-hewn gentle twang tunes full of brotherly love. Very homespun, earthy and warm which extends to the packaging too - a delicately hand-printed white cardboard jacket. Oh and they thank their folks and family in the liner notes too. Awww! Note: as of February 2004, this album has been repackaged and re-released on cd by Anyday Records. Hurrah!
MPEG Stream: "Cat Autry"
MPEG Stream: "Money in The Bank"

CATALYST Swallow Your Teeth (The Perpetual Motion Machine) cd 9.98
This killer slab of blown out noise rock ferocity, NOW ON CD!!
These guys must destroy live. Check out the picture on the sleeve, wild frenzied sweaty kids mid-mosh, a bloodied microphone, and then of course there's the music, a fucking skull crushing unholy post punk noise rock racket that manages to take all the stuff we loved about Sub Pop and AmRep and nineties noise rock and amp it all up two thousands style. A little bit of screamo, a bit of post hardcore, but really, these guys could have come straight out of 1995, cuz they just don't make shit like this anymore. Only, they do. Catalyst does, and it sounds as good as it ever did.
Heavy as fuck, catchy as fuck, wild tribal drumming, buzz drenched super distorted riffage, howled vocals, soaring choruses, plenty of mathy breakdowns, a little bit off groove, hooks galore, warped woozy guitar harmonies all tangled and melodic reminding us big time of Drive Like Jehu, and heck, they even have a song called "Lars Ulrich's 1986 Funeral (It Should Have Been You)".
We raved about their previous record Marianas Trench, which we still have a few copies of, but this one is even better, heavier, catchier... We often lament the lack of actual BANDS, y'know, bands that write songs, there's so much dronemusic, and experimental ambience, and free folk improv, and blackend buzz, and we do love all that, but sometimes nothing hits the spot like an actual rock band, pounding away on actual instruments, sweating, bleeding, leaping off the stage, rolling around on the floor, and spitting out actual songs. Of course it helps when the band is this bad ass and the songs rule this hard, so if you've been hankering for some seriously heavy post punk noise rock in your life, and who amongst us HASN'T? Well, then these guys should definitely hit the spot.
MPEG Stream: "I Hate The Future"
MPEG Stream: "Lars Ulrich's 1986 Funeral (It Should Have Been You)"
MPEG Stream: "Assholier Than Thou"

CATALYST, THE Marianas Trench (The Perpetual Motion Machine) 12" 7.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Killer one sided slab of crushing, heavy post hardcore stoner grunge screamo heaviness from these Richmond Virginia noisemakers. Grinding, pummeling, super distorted and angular post punk, but with some serious groove, and vocals that go from howled to screeched to crooned (well almost), killer riffs, filthy and heavy, pounding drums, mathy and chaotic, think Jesus Lizard, Scratch Acid, Mudhoney, Halo Of Flies, the Melvins, lots of Amrep, some Sub Pop, and here and there, Nirvana at their noisiest and heaviest.Ê
Definitely old school, and can't help but remind us of the good old grunge days, but it's hyped up, and filtered through a more modern take on post screamo hardcore, some seriously heavy, hooky ass kicking stuff.Ê
Limited to 700 copies, these are on clear vinyl with the flipside sporting an awesome tripped out, psychedelic blue ink silkscreen. All housed in an amazing full color sleeve. Way recommended.Ê

CATALYST, THE Marianas Trench + 9 (The Perpetual Motion Machine) cd 5.00
**SALE **SALE* *SALE**
We had the one sided 12" version of this here disc a while back, but now it's been reissued with those 4 songs, as well as a whopping 9 more from an earlier lp and a split with fellow noisemakers Mass Movement Of The Moth. So all you record impaired folks can finally dig in to this monstrously noisy slab of post punk rrroooaaar.
This is some seriously crushing, heavy, post hardcore stoner grunge screamo heaviness coming at you straight from Richmond Virginia. Grinding, pummeling, super distorted and angular post punk, but with some serious groove, and vocals that go from howled to screeched to crooned (well almost), killer riffs, filthy and heavy, pounding drums, mathy and chaotic, think Jesus Lizard, Scratch Acid, Mudhoney, Halo Of Flies, the Melvins, lots of AmRep, some Sub Pop, and here and there, Nirvana at their noisiest and heaviest.Ê
Definitely old school, and can't help but remind us of the good old grunge days, but it's hyped up, and filtered through a more modern take on post screamo hardcore, some seriously heavy, hooky ass kicking stuff.Ê
Way recommended.
MPEG Stream: "This Bike Is A Gravity Bong"
MPEG Stream: "Kyle Vs. Robocop"
MPEG Stream: "Proceed With Caution"

CATALYST, THE Swallow Your Teeth (The Perpetual Motion Machine) lp 11.98
These guys must destroy live. Check out the picture on the sleeve, wild frenzied sweaty kids mid-mosh, a bloodied microphone, and then of course there's the music, a fucking skull crushing unholy post punk noise rock racket that manages to take all the stuff we loved about Sub Pop and AmRep and nineties noise rock and amp it all up two thousands style. A little bit of screamo, a bit of post hardcore, but really, these guys could have come straight out of 1995, cuz they just don't make shit like this anymore. Only, they do. Catalyst does, and it sounds as good as it ever did.
Heavy as fuck, catchy as fuck, wild tribal drumming, buzz drenched super distorted riffage, howled vocals, soaring choruses, plenty of mathy breakdowns, a little bit off groove, hooks galore, warped woozy guitar harmonies all tangled and melodic reminding us big time of Drive Like Jehu, and heck, they even have a song called "Lars Ulrich's 1986 Funeral (It Should Have Been You)".
We raved about their previous record Marianas Trench, which we still have a few copies of, but this one is even better, heavier, catchier... We often lament the lack of actual BANDS, y'know, bands that write songs, there's so much dronemusic, and experimental ambience, and free folk improv, and blackend buzz, and we do love all that, but sometimes nothing hits the spot like an actual rock band, pounding away on actual instruments, sweating, bleeding, leaping off the stage, rolling around on the floor, and spitting out actual songs. Of course it helps when the band is this bad ass and the songs rule this hard, so if you've been hankering for some seriously heavy post punk noise rock in your life, and who amongst us HASN'T? Well, then these guys should definitely hit the spot.
MPEG Stream: "I Hate The Future"
MPEG Stream: "Lars Ulrich's 1986 Funeral (It Should Have Been You)"
MPEG Stream: "Assholier Than Thou"

CATAPILLA Changes (Akarma) cd 15.98

CATAPILLA s/t (Akarma) cd 15.98

CATHARS Amorpheus (Miau Miau International) cd 12.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
The project of Kurt Ralske from old timey 4AD faves Ultravivid Scene. Pretty, clicky swoonscapes for fans of Main.

CATHEDRAL The Guessing Game (Nuclear Blast) 2cd 15.98
The UK's Cathedral, a band who first appeared back at the dawn of the nineties, should be well known to a lot of AQ customer types for their undisputed significance to the doom metal scene. Back when they first started dooming it up, doom metal wasn't exactly the happening subgenre it is today, and they were one of the proud few carrying on so blatantly the Black Sabbath tradition. While contemporaries Eyehategod (and before them, Saint Vitus) adapted a slowed-down version of the Sabbath sound and went in a more punk, feedback filled direction with it, Cathedral took Sabbath, slowed it down even more, but also progged it up (flute!) to make at least one majestic, melancholic masterpiece of slo-mo sludge, Forest Of Equilibrium, their debut full length. After that, their long career to date has seen 'em pass through a more commercial, stoner rockin' phase (with unfortunate extra lashings of '70s disco kitsch), several albums worth of that, after which they got a bit more serious and heavied it up for a couple comeback discs (Endtyme in particular) that sounded something like their earlier stuff, before again allowing their innate British silliness (and love of indulgent '70s progressive rock) to take over for the wonderfully WTF? album The Garden Of Unearthly Delights in 2005. At that point, it became clear that Cathedral had been around long enough to get to do indeed whatever the fuck they liked, and what they liked, and still like, is that aforementioned '70s prog! So now, five years later we have their newest opus, and in grand prog tradition it's a double album, that's right, two discs all a-sprawl with progged-out quasi doom eccentricity unlike ANYTHING else (not even Solar Anus). Aptly titled, The Guessing Game.
Disc one (dis) eases us into things with an intro instrumental entitled "Immaculate Misconception", all Hammer Horror Hammond organ, malevolent and pounding, heralding (along with the sounds of a crying baby) this latest Cathedral conundrum, the remaining tracks confusionally consisting of, among other things, herky jerky bits, sudden metal riff-storms, folky motifs, cowbell rockin', and characteristically curious vocals from the gruff gargley throat of mainman Lee Dorrian - probably the weak link here for some, his singing never really being Cathedral's strong suit anyway. No offense meant, he's the heart and soul of Cathedral as well as the excellent Rise Above label, but we'd imagine he doesn't ever win any karaoke contests. However, what you ALSO always get with Cathedral are heavy as heck guitars, and yes their axes are still wielded weightily and have THAT tone (recently borrowed by hotly tipped Finnish doomdeath act Hooded Menace, fellow fans of the '70s Spanish "Blind Dead" movies). And, in addition, they unfurl wild psych solos in quite satisfying fashion. So, amidst everything else, purist doom fans should enjoy the heaviosity of such cuts as "Painting In The Dark" and "Death Of An Anarchist", though they'll also have to deal with the headspinning circusy prog with which this album is rife, especially on tracks like "Funeral Of Dreams". Not to mention the almost post-punk-funk of "Cats, Incense, Candles & Wine"!! That'd be the first disc's most weird-ass one, wrapping up with acoustic guitar and whistling, believe it or not. Works for us, though. Forgetting that it's Cathedral you're listening to (not hard) might help, though that realization also adds to the insanity.
While we needn't go through it in detail, disc two is equally out there of course, another idiosyncratic melange, full of Sabbathisms and silliness, with surprises (?) ranging from King Crimson-y dramatics to to grinding doompunk to Goblin inspired hairy wah-funk. They get their groove on, all right, sometimes to taste-defying effect... Also we gotta mention the final track, "Journey Into Jade", with lyrics that recount Cathedral's own history/discography, discussing each album of theirs in turn! Even Darkthrone has never done that, yet. Though less open-minded listeners might not hear the forest (of equilibrium) for the trees, devoted Cathedral fans (those who like ALL their stuff, even the most outre) shouldn't be disappointed, and non-doom, non-metal prog peeps might want to give this a spin as well.
MPEG Stream: "Painting In The Dark"
MPEG Stream: "Cats, Incense, Candles & Wine"
MPEG Stream: "La Noche Del Buque Maldito (Aka Ghost Ship Of The Blind Dead)"
MPEG Stream: "The Running Man"

CATHETERS Howling... It Grows and Grows!!! (Sub Pop) cd 13.98
Record number three from these Northwestern grunge/punk rockers. We loved their last record and this one is just as good. Snarling, strutting, glammy, sloppy, druggy, sweaty, swaggering, foot stomping, head banging, fist pumping RAWK. An unholy union of the Stooges, Mudhoney, classic rock, punk rock and all stops in between. This is the kind of band that rocks so hard, that when they disappear with your girlfriend in the club's bathroom you almost don't even care. You do of course end up kicking their scrawny little rock and roll asses that night in the parking lot anyway, but you still listen to their whole record on the drive home 'cause it just KICKS SO MUCH ASS!
MPEG Stream: "No Natural Law"
MPEG Stream: "Reaction"

CATHETERS Static Delusions and Stone-Still Days (Sub Pop) cd 13.98
Falling somewhere between AQ faves the Burning Brides and other AQ faves the Electric Eels or Rocket From The Tombs, the Catheters are about as close as anyone's come to being a modern day Stooges. Big praise, but this record smokes. It's heavy and noisy and sloppy and catchy as fuck. Garage-y punk rock with sexy screechy boy vocals equal parts Mudhoney, Stooges, 70's rawk, and burned out, hyper-distorted garage with songs that kill, razor sharp guitars, and a fucking damaged superstar vocalist. Nice packaging too. Super fucked up, with all the registration off, the booklet folded wrong and mangled, crooked tray card, misprinted disc (all on purpose, of course). So fucked up in fact that they were forced to put a sticker on it so people wouldn't return it.
RealAudio clip: "Been There Before"
RealAudio clip: "I Fall Easy"
RealAudio clip: "3000 Ways"

CATTLE DECAPITATION / CANINUS split (War Torn) 7" 4.50
Okay, they may not have a non-human vocalist, but they do have a gross animal name, and gross animal artwork and they do support animal rights, so we can't really think of another band more suited to take on the pitbull grindcore of Caninus than San Diego's Cattle Decapitation. For those of you unfamiliar with Caninus, imagine a furious grinding metalcore band, with two pitbulls on vocals. 'Cause that's exactly what this is, for real. Seems daft maybe but it works, Budgie and Basil growl and bark and make some seriously pants-shittingly scary sounds, way scarier than any death metal vocalist grunting and burping out his vocals. Maybe it's also just knowing that these two vocalists could literally rip you to shreds! Caninus's canine fronted death metal grind is matched perfectly by the new and improved Cattle Decapitation, whose new drummer and steady intake of black metal (especially Leviathan) has turned their death metal into an ultra technical blackened grind metal, impossibly complex and so so brutal.
Packaged in the most amazing die cut sleeve we've seen in a long time. Cartoonish and creepy and sick! Cool colored vinyl too!

CATTLE PRESS Hordes To Abolish The Divine (Hydra Head) cd 12.98
Another quality release from Hydrahead, this time from Cattle Press whose brutal post-hardcore metal recalls the likes of Coalesce, Today Is The Day, and even the heavier elements of Refused. Cattle Press combine blazing grind with slower, heavier moments.

CATWALK (Please) Don't Break Me (Captured Tracks) 7" 6.98
The eighties, aka a decade of shameful sounds and fashions (at least to people our age) continues to be mined for musical inspiration, the latest coming from Catwalk, who make no bones about where their inspiration lies, Big Country, Style Council, The Smiths, and especially, to these ears at least, Icicle Works (remember "Whisper To A Scream"?), Big strummed reverby guitars, a bit sunshiney, a little bit melancholy, held down by some loping fuzz bass, and the vocals drifting in clouds of echo and reverb over the top, both songs here super catchy, hooks galore, but more than that, effortlessly evoking that other era, even more so on the B side, which is slower and more broody and ballady and is laced with big dramatic Breakfast Club choruses. Pretty dang good. Even for those of us who grew up during the real thing.
MPEG Stream: "(Please) Don't Break Me"

CAUSE CO-MOTION! It's Time! (Slumberland Records) cd 9.98
It's so cool that Slumberland Records has been resurrected and is now based right across the bay in Oakland. We love so many of the seminal indie rock records they released over the years from bands like Boyracer, Aislers Set, Beatnik Film Stars, The Softies, Swirlies, etc. Now with bands like Crystal Stilts on their roster they're showing they still have a golden touch for catchy lo-fi greatness filled with irresistible pop hooks.
Cause Co-Motion! (exclamation point required!) fit with the label's new direction so perfectly. Borrowing heavily from the scrappier side of Beat Happening or the more lo-fi DIY sound of early Pastels. Short songs that sound like they're coming right out of a dusty garage, filled to the brim with catchy hooks, and played with reckless abandon. Fans of recent outings by folks like Vivian Girls, the aforementioned Crystal Stilts and the great Shop Assistants reissue we've been digging so much will find lots to love about Cause Co-Motion!
MPEG Stream: "Only Fades Away"
MPEG Stream: "Say What You Feel"

CAUSEY WAY, THE With Loving and Open Arms (Alternative Tentacles) cd 10.98
The mutant offspring of Devo's ironic neo-traditionalism and Dead Kennedys' dogmatic punk. Like hymns played by members of the Church of the Subgenius or better yet by Branch Davidians. Members of Man or Astroman!