CLUSTER Zuckerzeit (Revisited / Brain) cd 17.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Finally! We can't even begin to tell you how long we have been waiting to list this. Forever going in and out of print and when available it was always super expensive, Cluster's 1974 album Zuckerzeit has finally been given the proper and readily available reissue (Thanks Revisited!) it absolutely deserves. Probably our favorite Cluster album, it is most notably famous for helming their transition from concrete synth dronescapers to their more well known persona as crafters of pastorally cosmic electronica. Adding crisp and propulsive drum programming to their haunting synth melodies, Moebius and Roedelius split the composing duties with Moebius leaning to the more experimental while Roedelius provides the melodic sheen. Zuckerzeit hailed a new direction and focus in German music of the early seventies, with groups like Kraftwerk, and Neu moving through similar reshapes in sound. Obviously, Boards of Canada and Aphex Twin have spent some time absorbing this album. Timeless and classic, we cannot recommend this album enough!
MPEG Stream: "Hollywood"
MPEG Stream: "Caramel"
MPEG Stream: "Heibe Lippen"

CLUSTER & ENO s/t (Water) cd 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
At last, this wonderful wonderful album is back in print on cd! Water gets a big AQ thank you for reissuing one of our favorite Krautrock, or heck, just plain ol' records ever, the first of two collaborations between art rock / "ambient" music pioneer n' generally acknowledged genius Brian Eno and Krautrock electronics legends Dieter Moebius and Hans-Joachim Roedelius aka Cluster! You know that's got to be good, and it is, paving the way for the likes of Aphex Twin so many years later. This self-titled disc (the one with the microphone stand silhouetted against a blue sky on the cover) dates originally from 1977. Water also just reissued the other Eno/Moebius/Roedelius album, 1978's After The Heat, which comes equally recommended (see our review elsewhere this list). On this one, they're joined by guests including Asmus Tietchens and Can's Holger Czukay, and construct warm, organic instrumentals utilizing both acoustic instruments and analog synths. This is soft and mellow and melodic but at the same time these songs are no push-overs, however gentle. To be honest, I (Allan) had never heard *anything* quite like Cluster before these got reissued on cd the last time that happened, on the Gyroscope label back in the mid '90s, but I very quickly fell in love with 'em (these Water reissues are much nicer, by the way, with liner notes and photos in the cd booklets -- the Gyroscope editions didn't even have booklets!). The discs with Eno are good starting places to get into the extensive Cluster and Cluster-related discography, and certainly they're Cluster's best-sellers... but anything with Moebius and/or Roedelius involved is worth hearing, we'd say. These new reissues haven't been accorded the fanfare of the Neu! discs on Astralwerks or the recent Can remasters, but we'd rate them just as highly.
MPEG Stream: "Ho Renomo"
MPEG Stream: "Schone Hande"

CLUSTER & ENO s/t (Bureau B) cd 15.98
With the band's blessing, Germany's Bureau B has taken over from the Water label, re-reissuing a bunch of crucial Cluster albums, on both cd and vinyl, including this one of our favorite Krautrock, or heck, just plain ol' records ever, the first of two collaborations between art rock / "ambient" music pioneer n' generally acknowledged genius Brian Eno and Krautrock electronics legends Dieter Moebius and Hans-Joachim Roedelius aka Cluster! You know that's got to be good, and it is, paving the way for the likes of Aphex Twin so many years later. This self-titled disc (the one with the microphone stand silhouetted against a blue sky on the cover) dates originally from 1977. On it, they're joined by guests including Asmus Tietchens and Can's Holger Czukay, and construct warm, organic instrumentals utilizing both acoustic instruments and analog synths. This is soft and mellow and melodic but at the same time these songs are no push-overs, however gentle. To be honest, I (Allan) had never heard *anything* quite like Cluster before these got reissued on cd by the Gyroscope label back in the mid '90s, but I very quickly fell in love with 'em. The discs with Eno are good starting places to get into the extensive Cluster and Cluster-related discography, and certainly they're Cluster's best-sellers... but anything with Moebius and/or Roedelius involved is worth hearing, we'd say. Another chance to get with the Cluster & Eno program, people!
MPEG Stream: "Ho Renomo"
MPEG Stream: "Schone Hande"

CLUSTER & ENO s/t (4 Men With Beards) lp 17.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Now On Vinyl!
One of our favorite Krautrock, or heck, just plain ol' records ever, the first of two collaborations between art rock / "ambient" music pioneer n' generally acknowledged genius Brian Eno and Krautrock electronics legends Dieter Moebius and Hans-Joachim Roedelius aka Cluster! You know that's got to be good, and it is, paving the way for the likes of Aphex Twin so many years later. This self-titled disc (the one with the microphone stand silhouetted against a blue sky on the cover) dates originally from 1977. On this one, they're joined by guests including Asmus Tietchens and Can's Holger Czukay, and construct warm, organic instrumentals utilizing both acoustic instruments and analog synths. This is soft and mellow and melodic but at the same time these songs are no push-overs, however gentle. To be honest, I (Allan) had never heard *anything* quite like Cluster before these got reissued on cd the last time that happened, on the Gyroscope label back in the mid '90s, but I very quickly fell in love with 'em. The discs with Eno are good starting places to get into the extensive Cluster and Cluster-related discography, and certainly they're Cluster's best-sellers... but anything with Moebius and/or Roedelius involved is worth hearing, we'd say.
MPEG Stream: "Ho Renomo"
MPEG Stream: "Schone Hande"

CLUSTER & ENO s/t (Bureau B) lp 17.98
With the band's blessing, Germany's Bureau B has taken over from the Water label, re-reissuing a bunch of crucial Cluster albums, on both cd and vinyl, including this one of our favorite Krautrock, or heck, just plain ol' records ever, the first of two collaborations between art rock / "ambient" music pioneer n' generally acknowledged genius Brian Eno and Krautrock electronics legends Dieter Moebius and Hans-Joachim Roedelius aka Cluster! You know that's got to be good, and it is, paving the way for the likes of Aphex Twin so many years later. This self-titled disc (the one with the microphone stand silhouetted against a blue sky on the cover) dates originally from 1977. On it, they're joined by guests including Asmus Tietchens and Can's Holger Czukay, and construct warm, organic instrumentals utilizing both acoustic instruments and analog synths. This is soft and mellow and melodic but at the same time these songs are no push-overs, however gentle. To be honest, I (Allan) had never heard *anything* quite like Cluster before these got reissued on cd by the Gyroscope label back in the mid '90s, but I very quickly fell in love with 'em. The discs with Eno are good starting places to get into the extensive Cluster and Cluster-related discography, and certainly they're Cluster's best-sellers... but anything with Moebius and/or Roedelius involved is worth hearing, we'd say. Another chance to get with the Cluster & Eno program, people!
MPEG Stream: "Ho Renomo"
MPEG Stream: "Schone Hande"

CLUSTER & FARNBAUER Live In Vienna 1980 (Important) 2cd 16.98

CLYDE-EVANS, JOHN Apetal Thunderfall (Digitalis) cd 11.98

CO LA Soft Power Momento (Hands In The Dark) cd 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
The oddly monikered Co La is the work of one Matthew Papich, who takes hundreds, if not thousands, of samples, and then snips, loops and recontextualizes those sounds into something surprisingly minimal and skeletal, a modern take on classic IDM rhythms, rife with subtle jazziness, sampled horns, warm swirling chordal swells and loping grooves. We had a lot of trouble figuring out a way to describe this stuff, which is always a good sign. It's jittery and skittery, but also jazzy, stuttering beats beneath sultry sax, bits of upright bass, very cinematic in places, the tracks spare and shuffly for the most part, with unexpected bursts of martial snare, or truncated vox, burst of white noise hiss, mournful horn bleats, the vibe woozy and dreamily warped, a bit like Boards Of Canada via Art Of Noise, using only jazz samples? Or something. One track features smatterings of applause as a beat, elsewhere the sound blurs into a Caretaker like ballroom music, a looped Jeck-like old timey rhythmscape, peppered with doorbell buzzes and jazzy basslines, one second a dizzying collage, the next a sort of woozy alien exotica. Some of the tracks are smooth and laid back, others are gristly and crunchy, although the best moments are both.
LIMITED TO 100 COPIES, already sold out at the label and thus out of print, which means these are the last copies we'll be able to get!
MPEG Stream: "No Burden"
MPEG Stream: "Love Nest"
MPEG Stream: "Dr. Oblivion Soundcheck"

COA Smell Me, Smell My Grandfather (Japan Overseas) cd 13.98
All female drums/bass duo from Japan who tend to rock out more than they prog out (i.e. closer to godheadSilo territory than Ruins). Super distorted bass, heavy drumming, very harsh vocals - it's no surprise that these girls cover an Unsane tune (or that they're named Eddie and Bill...?)

COACH FINGERS No Flies On Frank (Locust) lp 16.98

COACHWHIPS Bangers Vs. Fuckers (Narnack Records) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
The second you drop the needle (or if you prefer the cd format, press the play button) on this puppy it's full speed ahead trash garage rawk action Coachwhips-style. Live, this SF trio are known for sneering and spewing out the blistering basement party tunes with reckless abandon. PBR cans, furniture and limbs a-flailin'! Take this disc home for a sweaty, raw-knuckled, shimmy shakin' good time of your very own. Features a mighty sweet album cover to boot!
MPEG Stream: "You Gonna Get It"
MPEG Stream: "Purse Peekin"

COACHWHIPS Bangers Vs. Fuckers (Narnack Records) lp 11.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
The second you drop the needle (or if you prefer the cd format, press the play button) on this puppy it's full speed ahead trash garage rawk action Coachwhips-style. Live, this SF trio are known for sneering and spewing out the blistering basement party tunes with reckless abandon. PBR cans, furniture and limbs a-flailin'! Take this disc home for a sweaty, raw-knuckled, shimmy shakin' good time of your very own. Features a mighty sweet album cover to boot!
MPEG Stream: "You Gonna Get It"
MPEG Stream: "Purse Peekin"

COACHWHIPS Double Death (Narnack) cd+dvd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
God Bless the Coachwhips! The terminal primal garage rock psychotics of John Dwyer (Pink and Brown, OCS, and now Yikes!) receive a final epitaph in this double dose of unreleased songs and b-sides with a DVD of live house party insanity. The Coachwhips as a concept were a live fast die young kind of band (Dwyer's got many hands in many pots to keep Coachwhips going full time), but they were best experienced live. We still have fond memories of seeing Dwyer dance on the fire pit at The Eagle while nonchalantly ripping out some hellish Bo-Diddley style guitar licks and looking at us like "what, this? it ain't no thang". Alas that footage isn't on the DVD, but you do get to see an awesome bar brawl where a dude gets brained by Dwyer's guitar before he gets the Coachwhips beating of his life. If this was on YouTube, we'd watch it a million times. RIP Coachwhips!
MPEG Stream: "Brains Out"
MPEG Stream: "The Witch"

COACHWHIPS Double Death (Narnack) lp+dvd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Now on killer two-tone colored vinyl in a gatefold sleeve!
God Bless the Coachwhips! The terminal primal garage rock psychotics of John Dwyer (Pink and Brown, OCS, and now Yikes!) receive a final epitaph in this double dose of unreleased songs and b-sides with a DVD of live house party insanity. The Coachwhips as a concept were a live fast die young kind of band (Dwyer's got many hands in many pots to keep Coachwhips going full time), but they were best experienced live. We still have fond memories of seeing Dwyer dance on the fire pit at The Eagle while nonchalantly ripping out some hellish Bo-Diddley style guitar licks and looking at us like "what, this? it ain't no thang". Alas that footage isn't on the DVD, but you do get to see an awesome bar brawl where a dude gets brained by Dwyer's guitar before he gets the Coachwhips beating of his life. If this was on YouTube, we'd watch it a million times. RIP Coachwhips!
MPEG Stream: "Brains Out"
MPEG Stream: "The Witch"

COACHWHIPS Get Yer Body Next Ta Mine (Show & Tell Recordings) lp 8.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Our local troublemakin' party band dish out more lo-fi, stripped-down garage rawk at its trashy finest. Akin to the Gories, or Doo Rag or any of Billy Childish's incarnations. Tinny, distorted Pussy Galore / Jon Spencer-ish vocals issue from the wisecracking mouth of John Dwyer, Valencia Street's answer to Bart Simpson. They put on such a kickass show live, you have to see them if you ever get a chance. If not, you should of course hear them on record, but you won't get as wet with beer, soaked with sweat or kicked in the head with crowd surfers.

COACHWHIPS Get Yer Body Next To Mine (Narnack) cd 16.98
NOW AVAILABLE ON CD!!! Our local troublemakin' party band dish out more lo-fi, stripped-down garage rawk at its trashy finest. Akin to the Gories, or Doo Rag or any of Billy Childish's incarnations. Tinny, distorted Pussy Galore / Jon Spencer-ish vocals issue from the wisecracking mouth of John Dwyer, Valencia Street's answer to Bart Simpson. They put on such a kickass show live, you have to see them if you ever get a chance. If not, you should of course hear them on record, but you won't get as wet with beer, soaked with sweat or kicked in the head by crowd surfers.
RealAudio clip: "Hey Stiffie"

COACHWHIPS Hands On The Controls (Black Apple) cd 11.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Woo-hoo! Just in time for the week after Xmas -- you know, the week where you buy *yourself* some presents. And what nicer way than to give yourself the gift of John Dwyer. Yep, Rhode Island via SF scene fixture, daily AQ-visitor, roundly acknowledged wise ass, some people just know him as "Pink" (of Pink & Brown). As crazy hyper leader of garage-trash trio Coach Whips, he'll twist you around, sass you to your face, make you duck for cover, he'll jump on the tables in a frenzy of just wanting to wake up this town, this scene, our sorry mellow asses. He'll screech into a voicebox and wreak havoc with the guitar while the other John Harlow pounds the floor tom and MaryAnn wields the tambourine so hard she might break it. Like Pussy Galore and the Gories ran over the White Stripes in the middle of the road! Grimy three chord rockin' with energy to burn.
RealAudio clip: "Everybody Wants Some"
RealAudio clip: "The Ride"

COACHWHIPS Peanut Butter and Jelly : Live at the Ginger Minge (Narnack) cd 14.98
Who doesn't love the Coachwhips? All this recording makes me want to do is see them live. Right now! With it's noisy, Olneyville Sound System-infused, bluesish garage rock, PB&J : Live at the Ginger Minge sounds a bit like a well-behaved Zen Guerilla. At least on record, cuz it's hard to capture this sort of spit and spittle garage noise on wax! As the Coachwhips' fourth release, it seems to be way less of an all out heart-attack and much more a set of fully formed songs on a fully formed album. Still totally rockin', just a little more matured.
MPEG Stream: "Body And Brains"
MPEG Stream: "I Made A Bomb"

COACHWHIPS / A TENSION Ghost Of A Chance / Begin With The End In Mind (Kimosciotic) 7" 2.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

COALESCE Ox (Relapse) lp 24.00
Also on now vinyl! Super limited! We only have a few...
Who would have thought we'd ever see a new Coalesce album, ever again? After a spate of unbelievable records, and a fairly acrimonious breakup, we figured we'd have to make do with Give Them Rope and Revolution In Just Listening and Functioning on Impatience, which hell, is the sort of 'making do' most bands would kill to be able to offer their faithful. But this new Coalesce pretty much picks up right where the last one left off, after a 10 year break, the sound is immediately recognizable, churning chugging super complex mathy post hardcore metal fury, stop start arrangements, lurching mosh worthy blowouts, the guitars massive, the drumming relentless, and the vocals, how can Sean Ingram still sound like this ten years later? Actually how can he even speak after a decade of vitriolic bellowing. But for all that stayed the same, a lot has changed in the decade since Revolution. On "The Comedian In Question", the band break down into a sort of droned out lope, and the vocals slip into some clear crooning, the sound is definitely sort of Alice In Chains, but on Coalesce it sounds so good. Great in fact.
Then there's the beginning of "Wild Ox Moan", a total lo-fi distorted blues jam, again with clean vox, the guitar clangy and clean, some slippery slide slipped in as well, before the band erupts into another furious pounding anvil to the skull. Long stretches of reverbed nylon string guitar butt up against some of the heaviest punishment these guys have ever doled out, which is saying something considering they're old enough to be the parents of most of the kids in the crowd (not counting us old guys), cool angular Drive Like Jehu high end guitar melodies wind around bizarre vocals and spill over into a weirdly groovy churn that sounds as much like Pantera as it does Coalesce, some stripped down jazzy moodiness, and at least one track that is so awesomely off kilter and slippery and dizzy, the whirling woozy guitars constantly causing the listener's head to spin, and while all the weird shit sticks out the most, it's really not the most prevalent stuff going on here, although the weirdness does seep into most of the more classic Coalesce sounding riffage, even so, the majority of this record IS in fact classic sounding Coalesce, just a bit more twisted, still heavy as fuck, and still weirdly catchy, maybe more so then ever, the weird stuff only makes it cooler and more fun.
MPEG Stream: "The Plot Against My Love"
MPEG Stream: "The Comedian In Question"
MPEG Stream: "Wild Ox Moan"
MPEG Stream: "Designed To Break A Man"

COALESCE OXEP (Relapse) cd ep 11.98
The return of metalcore gods Coalesce was one of the coolest and most unexpected musical surprises in recent memory, and the band's mighty Ox record from earlier this year kicked our asses just like we were hoping it would. The 7 songs on this little bro ep pretty much bring things to their brutal as fuck yet melodic, catchy, and just plain rocking conclusion in a way that only this band could deliver. Never ones to keep it plain and simple, the boys from Kansas City, MO (I know, right?) spice things up with moments of thoughtful experimentation and beautiful acoustic ditties that exhibit the same sort of dark twang as current day Earth. It always helps when the musicians effortlessly ascend to the next level of musical ability and comprehension, and yeah, Coalesce are up for the task. The hardcore songs here are like the unholy lovechild of the Jesus Lizard and Converge, or maybe more appropriately, like, uh, Coalesce. They're pioneers for sure, and it's nice to have them back making pretty much everything else of this ilk irrelevant.
MPEG Stream: "The Blind Eye"
MPEG Stream: "Joyless In Life"
MPEG Stream: "Through Sparrows I Rest"

COALESCE There Is Nothing New Under The Sun + (Hydra Head) cd 14.98
Whoo-hoo, Led Zeppelin rules! Coalesce too. Together (sort of), look out. Coalesce are one of the best metalcore bands, standard bearers for that scene, next to Converge. Oddly enough, though, it's an all-covers album they did a few years back that's probably our favorite of theirs. And now Hydra Head has reissued it with tons of bonus tracks! Here's what we said about this originally:
A pummeling, ultra heavy take on the lumbering dinosaur that is Led Zeppelin. These Kansas City, Missouri, post hardcore kids are playing some of the heaviest and most brutal metal around and doing their short haired, Gap wearing brethren proud. Some will be disappointed by how *un*fucked up these covers are, at least by Coalesce standards, but man oh man, these versions still destroy the originals (said with just a smidgen of cheekiness on our part of course).
This reissue adds a bunch more rare/unreleased tracks, not more Zep, but stuff like their Black Sabbath cover "Supernaut" (a sop to those like Allan who prefer the Sabs over Zeppelin?), covers of Boy Sets Fire, The Get Up Kids, and more. Sweet. And it's been repackage in a striking deluxe miniature-lp style gatefold sleeve with psychedelic lookin' artwork as well.
MPEG Stream: "Whole Lotta Love"
MPEG Stream: "Heartbreaker"

COASTAL Winter (Dreams By Degrees) 10" 9.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Coastal comes from the slowcore / sadcore school of US bands who loved Creation Records (i.e. Ride, My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive), but didn't want to delve too much into the production aspects of sculpting sound through the processed guitar. Almost taking the opposite approach to their heroes, Coastal applies a very dry production to their already very spartan songs, leaving plenty of room for the notes to seek drama, theatricality, and tension. This is particularly true in their cover of "Primitive Heart" by the Cocteau Twins, in which all of Robin Guthrie's oceanic guitar has been completely removed in favor of a sparse piano and vocal melody. Certainly for those who need more Red House Painters or Codeine in their lives.

COBRA KILLER s/t (Digital Hardcore) cd 22.00
Either you'll love it or hate it, but that may be the case with most stuff from Digital Hardcore. Cobra Killer is the collaborative effort from Gina of EC8OR and Annika of Shizuo (whom you may remember as the woman from Shizuo's recent tour grinding relentlessly to Shizuo's music on stage and exposing herself to the audience). Taking 60's Blue Note soul records and purposefully arrhythmic beats, Cobra Killer does not groove in the least. Instead they take Throbbing Gristle's gleeful antagonism to rock & roll, electronica, whatever... and scream like Lydia Lunch (age 16) over top. A very stupid record.

COBRA KILLER s/t (Digital Hardcore) lp 18.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Either you'll love it or hate it, but that may be the case with most stuff from Digital Hardcore. Cobra Killer is the collaborative effort from Gina of EC8OR and Annika of Shizuo (whom you may remember as the woman from Shizuo's recent tour grinding relentlessly to Shizuo's music on stage and exposing herself to the audience). Taking 60's Blue Note soul records and purposefully arrhythmic beats, Cobra Killer does not groove in the least. Instead they take Throbbing Gristle's gleeful antagonism to rock & roll, electronica, whatever... and scream like Lydia Lunch (age 16) over top. A very stupid record.

COBRA KILLER Uppers And Downers (Monika 666) cd 15.98

COBRA VERDE Copycat Killers (Scat) cd 14.98
Not sure what happened to Cobra Verde, but whatever it is we like it. We always remembered Cobra Verde as being the Scat Records house band, just a pretty good rock band, not as popular as Guided By Voices, not as depressingly mysterious as My Dad Is Dead, just a pretty cool band (we also figured that a Scat employee was probably in CV as well). But it seems like at some point, the guys in Cobra Verde got weird, and we mean weird in a good way. Started taking lots of crazy drugs, practicing with only the black light on, trading in their jeans and t-shirts for leather pants and feather boas, cowboy hats and sequined shirts. Their midwest rock and roll started mutating into a druggy spacey fucked up glam rock and suddenly they are a super cool weirdly messed up band who are suddenly way more exciting than their labelmates. This here newest Cobra Verde record is all covers, and a bizarre selection of covers at that. Some of the choices make perfect sense, in light of CV's new drug-space-glam sound, but some make absolutely no sense at all, which makes them all the more perfect. How about a hazy, drone-y drugged out version of Pink's "Get The Party Started"? Sounds way better than it sounds if you know what we mean. Lurching and hypnotic, a jangle guitar loop, mumbled vocals and all sorts of spaced out guitar FX. Or how about a murky, fuzzed out propulsive take on Donna Summer's "I Feel Love", all distorted drums, surf guitar and squiggly synths? It's a dizzying ride from there on out. Messed up and messed with versions of tracks by New Order, Hawkwind, the Troggs, the Rolling Stones, the Undertones, the Flamin' Groovies, The Fall, Leonard Cohen, Mott The Hoople and the Easter Monkeys.
MPEG Stream: "Get The Party Started"
MPEG Stream: "I Feel Love"
MPEG Stream: "Play With Fire"

COCK ROBOT / KATZENMALLETS (Roger ) split 7" 2.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
A local no-wave gimp assault: two tracks from Cock Robot and seven (that's right, seven!!!) from Katzenmallets. Note: the sheet of plastic opti-bubbli-llusion stuff for the sleeve art is pretty neat all by itself.

COCKER, JARVIS Further Complications (Rough Trade) cd 13.98

COCKER, JARVIS Further Complications (Rough Trade) 2lp 16.98

COCKER, JARVIS Jarvis (Rough Trade) cd 15.98
When a front man steps away from his main band to go solo, his loner works will oftentimes resemble a single key facet of said band or conversely it will escape madly in a diametrically opposite direction. However, Pulp's Jarvis Cocker is infamous for not being one to go with the flow. Why start now? With Pulp on indefinite hiatus, he took full advantage of his footloose and fancy freedom tacklin' a little of everything for this solo album. Yet even despite this, as well as the fact that he's done plenty of guest and collaborative work in recent years with the likes of Charlotte Gainsbourg, Nancy Sinatra, Marianne Faithfull and Harry Potter (well, not really... he did do some songs for one of the HP movies), his voice is inextricably synonymous with Pulp.
That said, the overall results are a little odd even by the notoriously willful and eccentric Cocker standards. To be honest, we initially weren't sure what to think of this. What's particularly unexpected is just how 'normal' this usually outrageous, cocky and irrepressible gent comes across at times. He applies various mostly American '70s rock tropes -- from the all-out anthemic (the strangely uplifting refrain of "Don't Let Him Waste Your Time") to the solidly straightforward and straight laced ("I Will Kill Again" which features sober piano reminiscent of Carole King, Carly Simon or The Carpenters) to the voluptuously glammy (hey, is that the melody from "Crimson And Clover" in "Black Magic"?). However, we eventually came to the conclusion that this uncharacteristic normalcy seems to be Cocker's sly 'wolf in sheep's clothing' guise. His trademark enigmatic charisma, absurd braininess and glinting razor-sharp black humor (check out "Fat Children"... 'nuf said) make their presence felt throughout. Oh Jarvis, how could we have ever doubted you? Silly us! Give this one time, it'll surely lay down some roots, and prove itself to be a dear favorite. Recommended.
MPEG Stream: "Don't Let Him Waste Your Time"
MPEG Stream: "Black Magic"
MPEG Stream: "Fat Children"

COCONUT Coconuts (Land and Sea) lp 14.98
While this is not the first time we listed Bay Area based art-pop group Coconut, this is the first time the band has made a full length release on vinyl and with their new fully-formed incarnation as a four-piece band. Their cd debut was a sprawling 3 cd set of pop experiments between the two main men, Tomo Yasuda (Tussle, Hey Willpower) and artist and publisher Colter Jacobsen, which was originally intended to be one half of a boxed set that was designed to become an actual box when put together, but that second half never materialized. We guess they have been busy playing a lot more live shows and because of that had to enlist two more full time members, the Japanese keyboardist and vocalist, Keiko and bass player Justin Loney. But this development has given the songs more polish and more dynamic focus, while still keeping a loose and fun playfulness to the proceedings.
The sides of the record are split into day and night moods with the day side featuring covers of Leiber and Stoller's "Searchin' " and a slammin' version of Arthur Russell's post-disco classic "Is It All Over My Face". Like a folkier version of Deerhoof, but also channeling groups such as Young Marble Giants and Slapp Happy, the album is not without its experimental explorations, especially on the "night" side. Such a great and beautifully realized record. Released by Oakland-based art-publishing concern, Land And Sea on various colors of vinyl (we have purple and black swirl vinyl in stock). Limited to 300 copies, and highly recommended!

COCONUT Half Hoof / Sassafras (Land And Sea) 7" 9.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
The first Coconut release, Rain / Cocoanut / Hello Fruity, was a low-key handmade behemoth 3cd-r set that was the first of 2 parts of a planned box set (the idea being that both sets would form a cube. box set, get it?). That quickly sold out and went out of print and while the band tells us the second part is still planned, they are taking their sweet time. The core duo of visual artist Colter Jacobsen and multi-instrumentalist Tomo Yasuda, who also plays bass for Tussle, are busy folks after all, making both art and music, releasing hand-pressed books and exhibiting art or curating shows or touring and playing everywhere in various musical incarnations. They have recently expanded their line-up to a foursome, and released this vinyl debut for local artist-run production house Land and Sea, who make small runs of artist made books and records and plan art-centric gathering events in various places such as the Berkeley Art Museum, the mountains of Ukiah and most recently Grace Cathedral where this 7" was released. Coconut performed with a full choir for that event which was quite beautiful in the setting, with lit candles and a projection of a dark cove looking out toward the ocean behind them. They musically move in many directions from fragile folk songs to chamber pop to more rhythmically inspired mantras and experimental noise excursions, often pulling lyrics from found poems or pop songs that can be quite off the cuff and humorous. For this 7", the two songs are in a folk-pop vein sounding like the mesmerizing Latin-tinged folk of Jose Gonzalez mixed with the angular structures of Deerhoof, or comparable in style to the Tenniscoats and Tape collaborations for which Coconut share similar affinities. These are on "random-colored" vinyl (sort of a washy silvery grey with specks of pinks, blues and greens - each one different) and come in handsewn sleeves with a beautiful nest drawing by Jesse Schlesinger on the cover. Limited to 100, we have 10 and not sure we'll be able to get more. So Nice!

COCONUT Rain / Cocoanut / Hello Fruity (Allone Co.) 3cd-r 19.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Eschewing the "less is more" aesthetic of most DIY outfits, local SF-based duo Coconut has made an ambitiously beautiful lo-fi debut, comprising of not just one album but three. This would be a big gamble for most bands, but with Coconut, it seems to make sense. You see, Coconut has long been the side project of visual artist and drummer Colter Jacobsen, who also has played in bands Window Window and Steeple Chase and multi-instrumentalist, Tomo Yosuda who is a member of both Tussle and Hey Willpower. Recording at home over a period of three years, Coconut has been the kitchen sink for all the ideas they haven't been able to place in their various other projects: Deconstructed Appalachia guitar, melancholic pop, pretty long-form experimental electronic compositions, disembodied vocals, musique concrete, druggy rhythm excursions, and sprightly angular guitar anthems. It's all here but with a solid consistency throughout that doesn't seem like it's a bunch of one-off ideas. Sort of like Deerhoof meets Gastr Del Sol.
The first of the three discs, Rain, is about 29 minutes, and it's perfect for a rainy day with shimmering electronics, percolating percussive elements and acoustic guitar with far off drifting vocals. Cocoanut (note the added a) is the second disc and is the most far out experimentally especially with the nearly 13 minute electronic mindmelt centerpiece "Dubbud". Running at about an hour, it is also the longest of the three. While the third disc, Hello Fruity, is about 30 minutes and is the most song-oriented, featuring guest appearances from members of Tarentel and Deerhoof. Part overview and part artwork, this 3 cd set is housed in a handmade triple folded cardboard stock with spray painted stenciled images of clouds, crescent moon, and lemon drops and includes a folded insert of drawings and credits. Conceived as half a box set, with another 3 cd set in the works, so that both sets put together will comprise a hand painted cardboard cube. Odd, Sweet, Beautiful, and Totally Recommended!!!!
MPEG Stream: "P"
MPEG Stream: "Tide Sun 7th Generation"
MPEG Stream: "Dubbud"
MPEG Stream: "Human Nature"

COCONUTS s/t (No Quarter) cd 13.98
The quietly menacing, and curiously mesmeric, NYC-by-way-of-Australia trio Coconuts (that's plural, not to be confused with SF band Coconut, singular... nor should it be confused with what you probably THINK a band called Coconuts might sound like, either!) offer up what we'll assume to be their debut, on the always interestin' No Quarter label (home to Burning Star Core, Circle, Psychic Paramount, and many other faves). This self-titled disc comprises 5 tracks, mostly all but one of 'em pretty long (but not in the double digits or anything), 34 minutes or so total. When it's on, though, you'll sink pretty deep into their sounds, that it'll seem like it would take much longer to swim back to the surface, helplessly drifting with the wave-action of their heavy plodding rhythms, Coconuts' semi-skronked, but not un-melodic, keening guitars like the plaintive calls of homeless, strung-out whales...
We noticed they thank Blues Control, we can see how they'd fit in with those guys, this has got an abstract, similarly droned-out vibe, darker though, and more spare, maybe like void-travelling Moon Duo, stripped down and spooky, a downer-dosed slo-mo krauty psych groove, spacey and druggy. The vocals are hushed moans, drafty exhalations to go with the droney murk and mope of the music, which slowly throbs and buzzes, the percussion an echoing thud, the electric guitar an avant acid blues wash... The confusional element of all this is perhaps accentuated by the digipak packaging, which is oriented with the spine on the longer side, what's normally the top, or bottom... some of us here (ok, it was Allan) griped that this means when you file it on a standard cd shelf, you won't be able to fit it there with the spine facing out, you'll have to have it facing either up or down, so the name of the cd won't be visible, which is normally one of the functions of the spine, but whatever, not a big deal, at least it fits on a cd shelf at all unlike a lot of other cd packaging options. In any case, it's a cool disc!
MPEG Stream: "Lost Bitches"
MPEG Stream: "Dark World"
MPEG Stream: "Dean's Blues"

COCONUTS s/t (No Quarter) lp 15.98
The quietly menacing, and curiously mesmeric, NYC-by-way-of-Australia trio Coconuts (that's plural, not to be confused with SF band Coconut, singular... nor should it be confused with what you probably THINK a band called Coconuts might sound like, either!) offer up what we'll assume to be their debut, on the always interestin' No Quarter label (home to Burning Star Core, Circle, Psychic Paramount, and many other faves). This self-titled disc comprises 5 tracks, mostly all but one of 'em pretty long (but not in the double digits or anything), 34 minutes or so total. When it's on, though, you'll sink pretty deep into their sounds, that it'll seem like it would take much longer to swim back to the surface, helplessly drifting with the wave-action of their heavy plodding rhythms, Coconuts' semi-skronked, but not un-melodic, keening guitars like the plaintive calls of homeless, strung-out whales...
We noticed they thank Blues Control, we can see how they'd fit in with those guys, this has got an abstract, similarly droned-out vibe, darker though, and more spare, maybe like void-travelling Moon Duo, stripped down and spooky, a downer-dosed slo-mo krauty psych groove, spacey and druggy. The vocals are hushed moans, drafty exhalations to go with the droney murk and mope of the music, which slowly throbs and buzzes, the percussion an echoing thud, the electric guitar an avant acid blues wash... The confusional element of all this is perhaps accentuated by the digipak packaging, which is oriented with the spine on the longer side, what's normally the top, or bottom... some of us here (ok, it was Allan) griped that this means when you file it on a standard cd shelf, you won't be able to fit it there with the spine facing out, you'll have to have it facing either up or down, so the name of the cd won't be visible, which is normally one of the functions of the spine, but whatever, not a big deal, at least it fits on a cd shelf at all unlike a lot of other cd packaging options. In any case, it's a cool disc!
MPEG Stream: "Lost Bitches"
MPEG Stream: "Dark World"
MPEG Stream: "Dean's Blues"

COCOROSIE Adventures Of Ghosthorse And Stillborn (Touch And Go) cd 15.98
Incorporating more elements of Hip-Hop and even trip-hop on their third album, Cocorosie have found themselves a seriously dedicated and loyal following, as demonstrated by the amount of these we've already sold without even getting a chance to review it. So at this point you probably already know where you stand on Cocorosie as they tend to have quite a polarizing effect on folks. There is their growing by the minute fan base who are completely enamored with their fairytale like sparkling electronic tinged neo-folk, hip-hop moments, music box tenderness, and carnival weirdness all wrapped in dayglo colors and over the top quirkiness. And there are folks on the other side who are easily annoyed by their mishmashing of styles and delivery. On repeated listens we've found this to definitely be an interesting step in the evolution of this duo, who while seeming to grow in popularity each day, also tend to be even more difficult for lots of folks to get into. Listen to the sound samples and you make the call...
MPEG Stream: "Japan"
MPEG Stream: "Rainbow Warriors"

COCOROSIE Adventures Of Ghosthorse And Stillborn (Touch And Go) 2lp 14.98
Incorporating more elements of Hip-Hop and even trip-hop on their third album, Cocorosie have found themselves a seriously dedicated and loyal following, as demonstrated by the amount of these we've already sold without even getting a chance to review it. So at this point you probably already know where you stand on Cocorosie as they tend to have quite a polarizing effect on folks. There is their growing by the minute fan base who are completely enamored with their fairytale like sparkling electronic tinged neo-folk, hip-hop moments, music box tenderness, and carnival weirdness all wrapped in dayglo colors and over the top quirkiness. And there are folks on the other side who are easily annoyed by their mishmashing of styles and delivery. On repeated listens we've found this to definitely be an interesting step in the evolution of this duo, who while seeming to grow in popularity each day, also tend to be even more difficult for lots of folks to get into. Listen to the sound samples and you make the call...
MPEG Stream: "Japan"
MPEG Stream: "Rainbow Warriors"

COCOROSIE Grey Oceans (Sub Pop) cd 14.98
Much like Xiu Xiu, uttering the name CocoRosie will garner very extreme and polarizing reactions from people. They seem to be one of those bands that people either obsess over and love or are totally annoyed by and hate with equal passion. While the record cover will only fuel the fire for the latter, its the music that we should be talking about and while we're definitely equally split here at AQ, some of us are finding lots to like on Grey Oceans. Tender and delicate childlike tales with a vocal delivery that's kind of like the freak-folk equivalent to Billie Holiday. They do have a tendency to come off a bit forced in their desire to be 'weird' and 'haunting' but on lots of these songs they do really create a mood that's both chilling and playful. And as much as people have been freaking out about Gonjasufi as of late some of us here think that his voice is sort of similar to the women of CocoRosie. Probably not the record that's going to convert the CocoRosie haters, but fans will no doubt find Grey Oceans a perfectly imperfect addition to their canon.
MPEG Stream: "Lemonade"
MPEG Stream: "Trinity's Crying"
MPEG Stream: "Hopscotch"

COCOROSIE Grey Oceans (Sub Pop) lp 16.98
Much like Xiu Xiu, uttering the name CocoRosie will garner very extreme and polarizing reactions from people. They seem to be one of those bands that people either obsess over and love or are totally annoyed by and hate with equal passion. While the record cover will only fuel the fire for the latter, its the music that we should be talking about and while we're definitely equally split here at AQ, some of us are finding lots to like on Grey Oceans. Tender and delicate childlike tales with a vocal delivery that's kind of like the freak-folk equivalent to Billie Holiday. They do have a tendency to come off a bit forced in their desire to be 'weird' and 'haunting' but on lots of these songs they do really create a mood that's both chilling and playful. And as much as people have been freaking out about Gonjasufi as of late some of us here think that his voice is sort of similar to the women of CocoRosie. Probably not the record that's going to convert the CocoRosie haters, but fans will no doubt find Grey Oceans a perfectly imperfect addition to their canon.
MPEG Stream: "Lemonade"
MPEG Stream: "Trinity's Crying"
MPEG Stream: "Hopscotch"

COCOROSIE La Maison De Mon Reve (Touch & Go) cd 14.98
Our first listen brought one easy description immediately to mind: "the female Devendra Banhart". Wait, no make that "Devendra Banhart meets Macy Gray"! Or maybe Beth Gibbons of Portishead. Seriously. And we think a lot of people are gonna go googoo for this, actually. The two girls (sisters, actually: Bianca and Sierra Cassady) who make up CocoRosie are definitely onto something. It's a bit precious and twee, sure, but also very very lovely. Their sometimes mumbled, sometimes soulfully soaring vocals adorn music that's nicely sparse and understated... Murky (sampled?) beats. Wind and rain. Acoustic guitar folk-blues. Sleepy, lilting melodies. Add several layers of their fragile whispering and achingly sweet crooning, delivering cryptic lyrics that you hope they're singing to or about you, and you've got La Maison De Mon Reve (The House Of My Dream), quite a nice debut from these two, we have to say. Recommended.
MPEG Stream: "Terrible Angels"
MPEG Stream: "By Your Side"
MPEG Stream: "Good Friday"

COCOROSIE La Maison De Mon Reve (Touch & Go) lp 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
At last, here's the vinyl version of an album that's been selling pretty steadily here on cd since it came out practically a year ago. If you're one of the few folks who hasn't already picked up the digital version, now you've got an analog option! Here's what we said about this before:
Our first listen brought one easy description immediately to mind: "the female Devendra Banhart". Wait, no make that "Devendra Banhart meets Macy Gray"! Or maybe Beth Gibbons of Portishead. Seriously. And we think a lot of people are gonna go googoo for this, actually. The two girls (sisters, actually: Bianca and Sierra Cassady) who make up CocoRosie are definitely onto something. It's a bit precious and twee, sure, but also very very lovely. Their sometimes mumbled, sometimes soulfully soaring vocals adorn music that's nicely sparse and understated... Murky (sampled?) beats. Wind and rain. Acoustic guitar folk-blues. Sleepy, lilting melodies. Add several layers of their fragile whispering and achingly sweet crooning, delivering cryptic lyrics that you hope they're singing to or about you, and you've got La Maison De Mon Reve (The House Of My Dream), quite a nice debut from these two, we have to say. Recommended.
MPEG Stream: "Terrible Angels"
MPEG Stream: "By Your Side"
MPEG Stream: "Good Friday"

COCOROSIE Lemonade (Sub Pop) 7" 5.50
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

COCOROSIE Noah's Ark (Touch and Go) cd 14.98
Musically they're still developing their eccentric persona as the bastard child of Billie Holiday and Devendra Banhart (who incidentally shows up on this album, not surprising as one half of Cocrosie is Banhart's better half!), whereas appearance-wise they've groomed themselves into the bastard child of Indigo Girls and Kajagoogoo! That said, there is one song that stands head and shoulders above the rest, and it comes early in the album. It is the second song "Beautiful Boyz" featuring Antony (of And The Johnsons). Soooo good!
Like "La Maison De Mon Reve", "Noah's Ark" features little kid noises like what sounds like canned ["the rooster says..."] barnyard animals; maybe some of Noah's snuck into the studio along with the album's many guest stars? Some of the noises seem stuck on like band-aids without any real scrapes underneath but it all plays out with a charm that is as cute as it is smoky-old-theater dark. The sisters warble and whisper and coo creating a unique sound that is playful and bewitching. All in all, some quite impressive progressions have developed from their debut last year, made only more so by the well-chosen, adventurous and skilled cast of guests.
MPEG Stream: "Beautiful Boyz"
MPEG Stream: "Noah's Ark"

COCOROSIE Noah's Ark (Touch and Go) lp 14.98
Musically they're still developing their eccentric persona as the bastard child of Billie Holiday and Devendra Banhart (who incidentally shows up on this album, not surprising as one half of Cocrosie is Banhart's better half!), whereas appearance-wise they've groomed themselves into the bastard child of Indigo Girls and Kajagoogoo! That said, there is one song that stands head and shoulders above the rest, and it comes early in the album. It is the second song "Beautiful Boyz" featuring Antony (of And The Johnsons). Soooo good!
Like "La Maison De Mon Reve", "Noah's Ark" features little kid noises like what sounds like canned ["the rooster says..."] barnyard animals; maybe some of Noah's snuck into the studio along with the album's many guest stars? Some of the noises seem stuck on like band-aids without any real scrapes underneath but it all plays out with a charm that is as cute as it is smoky-old-theater dark. The sisters warble and whisper and coo creating a unique sound that is playful and bewitching. All in all, some quite impressive progressions have developed from their debut last year, made only more so by the well-chosen, adventurous and skilled cast of guests.
MPEG Stream: "Beautiful Boyz"
MPEG Stream: "Noah's Ark"

COCTAILS Let's Enjoy... (Presspop Music) 10" 15.98
Ultra limited Japanese tour 10" released by the Presspop gallery / label (the same folks that brought us the cool Bob Moog doll reviewed elsewhere on this list) with awesome cover art courtesy of Mr. Archer Prewitt. Eight tracks of that perfect Coctails pop, quirky and slightly off kilter, always with a slightly melancholy undercurrent. Lots of banjo, harmonica, warm warbly organs, occasional squelchy synths, simple shuffling rhythms and sweet vocal harmonies. The sound here is a bit more experimental, sort of Beach Boys meets Martin Denny, but it never strays far from that bouncy Summery pop we love so much. We only managed to get a handful of these so they will most likely be gone pretty quick.

COCTAILS Popcorn Box (Carrot Top) 3cd 42.00
We sort of forgot how much we loved indie rock, but recently, there've been a handful of re-issues that definitely remind us what was so fucking great about that whole early nineties / college rock / DIY / indie rock scene. Most importantly the bands were just amazing. And they actually wrote amazing songs. Pavement, Guided By Voices and of course the Coctails. The Coctails had all the makings of a joke band, goofy instrumentation, a definite love of all things kitsch, they even performed in the beginning in cheesy yellow tuxedos as if they were the house band in some Catskills resort. The sound was sort of jazz, sort of lounge, a little bit pop. But the Coctails were unbelievably talented songwriters AND players. So whatever type of music they tackled, it sounded great, and eventually sounded like the Coctails and nobody else. Their 'sound' definitely leaned heavily in the jazz direction, but as they progressed, they became quite the pop songsmiths, and not the sort of pop you would always expect from a goofy bunch of dudes in a band called the Coctails, no, more a moody, brooding, dark and warm pop. Not that they couldn't goof it up and whip out some of the funniest silliest stuff you've ever heard, but they were capable of bringing a room of jaded indie rockers to their emotional knees if the mood suited them. Those of you who have never heard the Coctails, might remember a handful of amazing records by a guy named Archer Prewitt. Well Mr. Prewitt just so happened to spend his formative years in those very same Coctails. His sweetly melancholic sunny pop definitely had its roots in the Coctails later years. This box set is really well done. Collecting loads of tracks from their out of print albums, as well as ALL of their singles, compliation tracks (of which there were many) and even their contribution to They Might Be Giants's monthly cd club from way back when. The Coctails tended to experiment more when they weren't making albums, so the singles tracks tend toward the more goofy and fun and flat out silly, but the album cuts balance those out perfectly, with their dark melancholia and sunny jazzy hopefulness. Plus the booklet is immense, with all sorts of amazing art and Coctails ephemera (they had to be one of the best merchandised bands ever, they even had cloth dolls of each band member! And purchasers of this here box are offered the chance to order the whole set!!) including extensive notes on each track from the band. Comes in a cool popcorn box like slip-cover.
MPEG Stream: "Steam"
MPEG Stream: "Monkeys And Seals"
MPEG Stream: "Penguin / Powerhouse"
MPEG Stream: "Woodbee"
MPEG Stream: "Working Holiday"

COCTEAU TWINS BBC Sessions (Ryko) 2cd 24.00
Almost all of the tracks from this massive collection of Cocteau Twins etherealism were recorded during their very prolific 1982 - 1984 period that produced three albums and four eps. As the best tracks ("Hearsay Please", "Dear Heart", "Blind Dumb Deaf", and "Hazel") on this collection are already featured on the 4AD import version of "Garlands", this is more of an historical document showcasing the giant leaps the band made in this two year period. The earliest tracks are a bit awkward as the limitations of John Peel's studios expose the primitive nature of their early songs, lacking the murky narcosis found on the aforementioned "Garlands" record. Yet these tracks also show the most variation from their album counterparts... As the progression from post-Siouxsie bleakness to their signature ethereal washes of guitars and vocals unveils itself, these BBC tracks shimmer with the meticulous detail of their early albums.
Unfortunately, there are seven tracks from 1996 which show how far in the wrong direction the Cocteau Twins have gone, veering dangerously close to Lilith Fair drudgery. But Cocteau Twins diehards (or those without the "Garlands" import) will still need this. If you are looking for new material by the Cocteau Twins, you might also listen to guitarist Robin Guthrie's mixed cd for the Drifting festival, or the production work that bassist Simon Raymonde brings to Rothko.
And no, Vaughn "4AD artist dude" Oliver didn't do the cover.

COCTEAU TWINS Blue Bell Knoll (Beggars Banquet) cd 10.98
To commemorate the reissue of this Cocteau Twins classic, we bring you word from former AQ resident goth Marc Kate:
Cocteau Twins' music creates the same bittersweet comfort as a feather stalk poking out of your pillow, candied anise, a scratchy wool sweater or the smell of your mother's hair. From any era, their sound is quite unmistakable. Their guitars issue luminous wires of platinum that reflect the singular sound of Elizabeth Fraser's vocals. Her vocals are unique, not only because of their their crystal clarity, but her lyrical style that drifts between glossolallia, a baby's earliest utterances and some elfin prayer. Blue Bell Knoll is by no means a departure from previous albums. Their career never involved any sharp turns, but rather a refinement of a sound. What's unique about Blue Bell Knoll is that previous albums were usually fairly dark, lit by dusk or moonlight whereas Blue Bell Knoll exists in a strange sort of joyous, daylight melancholy. The kind of joy that is so overwhelming that it spills into other emotions and brings tears to your eyes. At least that was my reaction the first time I heard this record when I was seventeen.
MPEG Stream: "Carolyn's Fingers"

COCTEAU TWINS Garlands (Beggars Banquet) cd 10.98