HIGH RISE Dispersion (Squealer) 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 unexpected domestic reissue of this classic PSF album of psychguitar overload from this Japanese combo. This one follows "II" and is also quite good. NB. "Dispersion retains its 8 page booklet, but much of the Japanese text has been replaced with an extensive interview with bassist Asahito Nanjo, which originally appeared in Opprobrium magazine."

HIGH RISE Dispersion (PSF) cd 16.98
Classic PSF album of psychguitar overload from this Japanese combo. This one follows "II" and is also quite good.

HIGH RISE Dispersion (Squealer) lp 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
The unexpected domestic reissues of this classic PSF albums of psychguitar overload from this Japanese combo. First time on vinyl, and although the incredibly bad job Squealer did on the packaging is already causing much horror/laughter among those that have seen it, the vinyl itself is quite nice.

HIGH RISE II (PSF) cd 16.98
The domestic Squealer reissue of this classic PSF album of psychguitar overload from this Japanese combo is out of print, so here's the PSF one, again - at a better price than we used to have it for, yay! One of the essential High Rise documents.

HIGH RISE II (Squealer) lp 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
The unexpected domestic reissues of this classic PSF album of psychguitar overload from this Japanese combo (on tour in the US for the first time ever right about now!). First time on vinyl, and although the incredibly bad job Squealer did on the packaging is already causing much horror/laughter among those that have seen it, the vinyl itself is quite nice.

HIGH RISE Live (Squealer) 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 unexpected domestic reissue of this classic PSF album of psychguitar overload from this Japanese combo. Another one of the essential High Rise documents.

HIGH RISE Live (PSF) cd 16.98
Another one of the essential High Rise documents.

HIGH RISE Psychedelic Speed Freaks '84-'85 (Time Bomb) cd 8.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Japanese mondo guitar fuzz legends High Rise offer up some stuff from the vaults, about a half hour of LOUD and DISTORTED rock at a bargain price.

HIGH RISE Psychedelic Speed Freaks '84-'85 (Time Bomb) 12" 8.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Japanese mondo guitar fuzz legends High Rise offer up some stuff from the vaults, about a half hour of LOUD and DISTORTED rock at a bargain price.

HIGH TIDE s/t (Eclectic Discs) cd 17.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
New, nice reissues -- in slip covers, with bonus tracks and all the fixin's -- of these two (the only two) original classic High Tide albums. Previous cd reissues were hard to come by so it's even nicer to have these readily available. High Tide were a band at the intersection of psych-pop, prog, and acid rock. A great mix of the proggy, folky -- and HEAVY. For 1969, when their debut Sea Shanties was released, they were one of the heaviest bands around. Heavy due to the monster FUZZ guitar slashings of ax hero Tony Hill (formerly a member of Ugly Things magazine's favorite band, The Misunderstood), who also contributed vocals, sounding a bit like a British Jim Morrison. And High Tide had something else to keep them from being just another English blues rock power trio (a la Cream) -- their music was given an extra edge by the impassioned violin playing of fourth member Simon Hill, who went on to play with the Third Ear Band, Hawkwind and David Bowie.
Both Sea Shanties and the band's self-titled 1970 follow-up feature sinuous side-length songs, shades of light and dark, melodies both regal and rustic, and awesome instrumental interplay betwixt guitar and violin. These two albums are about equally great, and come recommended to anyone into the heavier side of '60s/'70s psych who hasn't yet had the pleasure of hearing 'em! File with The Dark, T2, Groundhogs, Socrates Drank The Conium, Clear Blue Sky, Fraction, and other early-daze proto-metal of the more psych-prog persuasion.
These reissues have copious liner notes, vintage photos, and vast expanses of unreleased bonus tracks -- Sea Shanties featuring five of 'em (two demo cuts and three songs that didn't make the album, including the eleven and a half minute long "The Great Universal Protection Racket"), High Tide with four, again two alternate takes and two unreleased efforts (among them an even longer, nearly 16 minute take on "The Great Universal Protection Racket"), all well worth hearing.
MPEG Stream: "Blankman Cries Again"
MPEG Stream: "Saneonymous"

HIGH TIDE Sea Shanties (Eclectic Discs) cd 17.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
New, nice reissues -- in slip covers, with bonus tracks and all the fixin's -- of these two (the only two) original classic High Tide albums. Previous cd reissues were hard to come by so it's even nicer to have these readily available. High Tide were a band at the intersection of psych-pop, prog, and acid rock. A great mix of the proggy, folky -- and HEAVY. For 1969, when their debut Sea Shanties was released, they were one of the heaviest bands around. Heavy due to the monster FUZZ guitar slashings of ax hero Tony Hill (formerly a member of Ugly Things magazine's favorite band, The Misunderstood), who also contributed vocals, sounding a bit like a British Jim Morrison. And High Tide had something else to keep them from being just another English blues rock power trio (a la Cream) -- their music was given an extra edge by the impassioned violin playing of fourth member Simon Hill, who went on to play with the Third Ear Band, Hawkwind and David Bowie.
Both Sea Shanties and the band's self-titled 1970 follow-up feature sinuous side-length songs, shades of light and dark, melodies both regal and rustic, and awesome instrumental interplay betwixt guitar and violin. These two albums are about equally great, and come recommended to anyone into the heavier side of '60s/'70s psych who hasn't yet had the pleasure of hearing 'em! File with The Dark, T2, Groundhogs, Socrates Drank The Conium, Clear Blue Sky, Fraction, and other early-daze proto-metal of the more psych-prog persuasion.
These reissues have copious liner notes, vintage photos, and vast expanses of unreleased bonus tracks -- Sea Shanties featuring five of 'em (two demo cuts and three songs that didn't make the album, including the eleven and a half minute long "The Great Universal Protection Racket"), High Tide with four, again two alternate takes and two unreleased efforts (among them an even longer, nearly 16 minute take on "The Great Universal Protection Racket"), all well worth hearing.
MPEG Stream: " Futilist's Lament"
MPEG Stream: "Death Warmed Up"

HIJK The Pen And The Letter (HIJK Music) cd 10.98
The Brit band ABC started the alphabet monikering back in the 80s. Now, Bay Area young'uns HIJK pick it up a few letters down the line. This ain't no schoolhouse rock nor retro new wave business though. HIJK make emo indie pop that intially lures you in with their gentle boyish Death Cab Gibbard-y vocals, but then gives the proceedings a jolt when the tunes shatter into noise bursts. Cool stuff.

HILL, ZACH & HOLY SMOKES Masculine Drugs - Destroying Yourself Is Too Accessible (Suicide Squeeze) book + cd 17.98
Okay fans of Hella and their musical buddies, here's something a little different for y'all! Zach Hill (the drummer for that Sacramento math rock band as well as Nervous Cop and Team Sleep among others), has corralled the likes of Pinback's Rob Crow and the Flying Luttenbachers' Jonathon Hischke for his Zach Hill & The Holy Smokes album Masculine Drugs, on which much dissonant noise fuckery ensues. One of its highlights is certainly the fifth song "Getting In The Head Of Your Galaxy" which offers some trademark Crow vocals and melodicism amid the cacaphony. But Hill didn't stop there! He also wrote and illustrated a paperback book called Destroying Yourself Is Too Accessible: Old Children's Ramblings For The New And Improved Child And Hypocritically Desterous Hippy to accompany the cd. Each page (of which there are 138) features an abstract pen'n'ink drawing along with a brief (1-3 sentences) entry. The cd lives in a plastic pocket at the back of the book.
MPEG Stream: "Getting In The Head Of Your Galaxy"
MPEG Stream: "Bad Circulation"

HILL, ZACH & MICK BARR Shred Earthship (5RC) cd 14.98
Zach Hill is one busy man. Besides constantly touring and releasing records with his duo Hella he also somehow found time to make records with Greg from Deerhoof (Nervous Cop), Rob Crow (The Ladies) and now he's teamed up with the relentless guitar outbursts of Mick Barr (Orthrelm, Octis, Quixotic) for an album that never lets up, brutal intensity from start to finish. Hill's frantic drumming is the perfect backdrop for Barr's impossibly over the top guitar freakouts. Barr has become one of our favorite guitar players in recent years. His ability to full on rip and never let up has held us in thrall with a iron gloved grip. This is the kind of record that makes you want to drink 8000 cups of coffee and finish your life's to-do list in one fell swoop, no rest, no sleep, no mercy!!!! This is the sound of relentless spirit at its most triumphant. Like Glen Branca on a dirty diet of speed, teamed up with a scrappy drummer making the sort of sounds that put most math rock to shame. This is advanced calculus metal for unrelenting students. One of our customers said it best while listening to this "Whoa the Voltron of shredders!" We couldn't have said it better ourselves.
MPEG Stream: "Floats"
MPEG Stream: "Lakes In Space"

HILL, ZACH + MICK BARR ZH/MB Volume 2 (Rock Is Hell) lp 22.00
Who could possibly be a match for Mick Barr's (Crom-Tech, Orthrelm, Octis, Ocrilm) insane avant sci-fi guitar shredding? We would have thought no one... But it makes sense, that the only true match for Barr's fretboard wiggery would be Zach Hill, a sort of Yngwie Malmsteen of the drum kit. A spastic octopoidal drum freak, who can cram a million more beats into a song than the busiest drummer you can think of. Not sure why no one thought of getting these guys together sooner. Their first meeting took place on last year's Shred Earthship, and now we have ZH/MB Volume 2.
And the results, much like on Shred Earthship are just what you would have expected. A mind blowing, ear shredding, speaker melting squiggle and noodle shredfest. Dense squalls of wildly dueling drum splatter and guitar freakout. Often note for note. Is it free jazz? Is it avant metal? Is it outrageous instrumental wankery? Well yeah, it sort of is, ALL of those. Ultra complex, incredibly convoluted, might be a stretch to call these songs, instead they seem to be exercises in instrumental dexterity, each one an over the top psychedelic metal freakout that has the listener panting and about to pass out after only thirty seconds, lord knows how these guys can keep it up for a whole record. The opener is the jazziest, due in no small part to some surprisingly melodic sax, but after that, it's one on one, drums vs. guitar, each wrapped around the other in some sort of insane ultimate fighting chokehold, a non stop barrage of notes and beats... imagine that someone had been collecting every note ever played, and every drum beat, and just piling them up in a huge dumpster, they're tiny, they don't take up that much room, but a trillion, or a million billion trillion, have that dumpster just about full. Now imagine being strapped down to a huge slab of black concrete, with strange metallic implements holding your ears wide open, then imagine that entire dumpster being upended and all of those notes and beats showering down on you like some sort of musical avalanche or metallic hailstorm. Sound good? Well then, my friend, this is indeed the record for you...
Packaged in killer white cloud on bright yellow sleeves, most are on black vinyl, a few are on yellow, so you might just get lucky. But don't ask, we said: YOU. MIGHT. GET. LUCKY.
Limited to 303 copies!!! We got a handful, and will NOT be able to get more.

HIM 5/6 In Dub (After Hours / Bubblecore) cd 10.98
Percussionist / drummer Doug Scharin's talents are such that he's found equally comfortable homes with the sublime indie rock slow-core of Rex, and the twisted, weed-happy Brooklyn-based WordSound collective, hybrid home of forward-thinking hiphop, dub, 'n turntablism typified by Sensational, Spectre, Hawd Gangstuh Rappuhs, etc. And now it appears clear that Scharin has done his homework and listened to the entire Ethiopiques series of early-1970s recordings -- especially the jazz-tinged volume 4 -- 'cos two of the three lengthy tracks on this disc end up displaying Scharin's millenial take on the beloved Ethio-aesthetic, and on Afro-funk in general as typified by Fela Kuti and Tony Allen. The record's got groove. What's really nice is that each piece begins without a hint of the Afro-influence, instead displaying shimmering atmospherics and dubbed-out delicately croaking electronica that then subtly changes into something utterly different. It's the elegant transformations that make this record good. I have to say I'm pleasantly surprised. Recommended.
RealAudio clip: "five (excerpt 1)"
RealAudio clip: "five (excerpt 2)"

HIM Egg (Southern) cd 12.98
Doug Scharin, percussionist for Brooklyn's Rex. Comes in the most unimpressive Thingmaker sleeve yet. But wait, it's good! Groovy "dub" played on a wide variety of traditional "ethnic" instruments, percussion from S. Asia etc.

HIM Many In High Places Are Not Well (Bubblecore) cd 14.98
Have you ever opened a can of sliced pineapples, or tuna, and it smelled really bad? And you immediately knew something was terrible wrong? Well, clearly, things do not bode well for Him if there's an unpleasant olfactory metaphor to describe the "Many In High Places Are Not Well" album. Doug Scharin, once responsible for the mightly percussive pummel behind downer-core legends Codeine, has been orchestrating the post-rock ensemble Him during the past decade and unfortunately devolving into a sub-rate Bill Laswell. Now with "Many In High Places Are Not Well," Him emerges with an indeterminant "world music" feel: a dash of Afro-beat, a pinch of Brazillian jazz, and a Hawaiian slide guitar thrown in for the sake of diversity. The result is terminally bland music that has all of the global specificity of the Gypsy Kings. "Many In High Places Are Not Well" should go down as one the utter low points to the once vibrant Chicago post-rock community that spawned Tortoise and their ilk.
MPEG Stream: "Many In High Places"

HIM New Features (Bubble Core) cd 13.98
Very well executed, but somewhat bland contemporary jazz grooves from the seemingly relentless percussionist Doug Scharin (former member of Codeine, Rex, June of 44). While Him's previous effort 5/6 In Dub was a very good, short and sweet take on a sort of millenial Afro-funk sound (albeit filtered through a white guy in Brooklyn), this record stretches out the grooves into unneccessarily long (like 9 - 18 minutes!) wanky sessions that sound uninspired whereas the action coulda been packed into five interesting minutes. Still, fans of Miles Davis' really mellowed out fusion jazz material might like this. And fans of Tortoise' last album too.
RealAudio clip: "Sea Level"

HIM New Features (Bubble Core) lp 14.98
Very well executed, but somewhat bland contemporary jazz grooves from the seemingly relentless percussionist Doug Scharin (former member of Codeine, Rex, June of 44). While Him's previous effort 5/6 In Dub was a very good, short and sweet take on a sort of millenial Afro-funk sound (albeit filtered through a white guy in Brooklyn), this record stretches out the grooves into unneccessarily long (like 9 - 18 minutes!) wanky sessions that sound uninspired whereas the action coulda been packed into five interesting minutes. Still, fans of Miles Davis' really mellowed out fusion jazz material might like this. And fans of Tortoise' last album too.

HIM Our Point Of Departure (Perishable) cd 14.98
Doug Scharin.

HIM/THE DYLAN GROUP (Bubble Core) split cd 11.98
Dub/Tortoise-y stylings. Him is the drummer of Rex by the way.

HINDLE, JAMES WILLIAM s/t (Badman) cd 13.98
Dark and lilting acoustic pop ala Red House Painters. No surprise as he is a friend of Mark Kozelek's, plays Kozelek's guitars, the record is produced by the same guy who produced the last Red House Painters record, and Hindle made his debut on Kozelek's recent tribute to John Denver. But all that said, there are some differences. Hindle has a high, crystalline voice, almost fey at timesand the instrumentation is sparse, often just an acoustic guitar. There's a gorgeous cover of the Bee Gees' 'I Started A Joke' and a great vesrson of Glen Campbell's 'Less Of Me'. Guests include Paula Frazer from Tarnation and Tim Mooney from American Music Club. And features photography by bad boy filmmaker Harmony Korine. Really pretty nice.
RealAudio clip: "I Started A Joke"
RealAudio clip: "Remember My Markings"

HINT Wu Wei (Pandemonium) cd 13.98
This is one of the most amazing new bands we have heard in a while, and they're from France! This is Hint's second album and it's a bit more varied than last year's ultra pummeling and quite brilliant Dys. On Wu Wei, the punishing brute rock is stretched and twisted, advancing from huge thunderous dirges to sampler/turntable-heavy 'musique concrete' (hey, that's a french word) to soaring cinematic soundscapes. This band destroys so many other bands with their amazing versatility, musicianship and sheer breadth of scope.

HINT/UNSANE (Pandemonium) 7" 3.99
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
U: NY 'core noise rock/metal.
H: Hypnotic and rythmic drone rock ala Circle. Easily the best, perhaps the only, noise rock song featuring Tuvan throat singing.

HIROSHIGE, JOJO Kimi Ga Shinette Ieba Shinu Kara (Alchemy) cd 21.00
Solo album from Hijokaidan guitarist.

HIRSCH, BETH Early Days (Studio K7) cd 16.98
As the packaging notes, this is "the voice and co-writer behind the AIR classic "All I Need". Now, I'd agree that song is quite good, but how it got "classic" status is beyond me. Anyways, this album is much more in the territory of Kate Bush meets the mellower side of Alanis Morissette. If that piques your interest, check this out!

HIS NAME IS ALIVE Can't Always Be Loved (4AD) cd 9.99

HIS NAME IS ALIVE Detrola (Silver Mountain) cd 14.98
Wow, initially we thought His Name Is Alive had taken another huge shift in stylistic direction, but actually it's more of a bringing together of their past and recent selves. Detrola vacillates between their last album's path of soft lounge funk and their earlier angelic pop romps, and ends up coming across as a somewhat fucked-up Magnetic Fields. We've adamantly placed our votes for the lattermentioned sweetness. To be frank, we've tried, but can't help but find the funky fusion-y jaunts utterly cringeworthy. Yes, Lovetta Pippen has a breathtaking voice, but on the music side of things Warn Defever occasionally sounds a bit out of his element or at least a bit confused as he mashes together thick synthesizer blats into delicate acoustic guitar pluckery. That said, this stylistic jumble does seem to be what many fans dig about Defever and co., so perhaps you might not find it as problematic as we did. In a sense Detrola is a hit or miss H.N.I.A. musical grab bag, a sort of overview of all the little nuts and bolts that have made up the band's ever-evolving sound over the years. Some of the dreamier pop songs have a woozy feel as though someone's playing with the speed controls or as though the record's gotten warped at opportune moments. Nice. Those are the songs we've already gone back to a few times for repeat listens, and made us wanna dust off our almost ten year old Stars On E.S.P. album. Sigh.
MPEG Stream: "You Need A Heart"
MPEG Stream: "Seven Minutes"

HIS NAME IS ALIVE Early Music (Time Stereo) cd-r 11.98
Reissue of early His Name Is Alive tape releases from 1985 to 1989. Tracks are taken from the first four tapes, earlier versions of tracks that would appear on "Livonia", plus lots of previously unreleased tracks. Totalling in at over 70 minutes, you really get your money's worth here of His Name Is Alive. This is totally great, a lot like the "Livonia" era cuts with more of a raw 4-track, tape experiment feel to them.

HIS NAME IS ALIVE Emergency (Time Stereo) cd-r 11.98

HIS NAME IS ALIVE Last Night (4AD) cd 14.98
We've always loved His Name Is Alive, Warn DeFever and his rotating cast of likeminded musicmakers. For a while he's been moving in a direction away from the pristine pop confections of the Stars on ESP album and more towards a sort of "white soul" sound (you know Warn must be a r 'n b fan), and that transformation is completed here on Last Night. Like the cocktail torch singer "jazz" of Everything But the Girl and the simplistic pop of The Beautiful South, the tone is clean and unpretentious. The female lead singer's pleasant voice is double tracked for more lushness, and is accompanied simply by guitar, piano, bass, drums. I can't say it's the greatest thing I've ever heard, but it's inoffensive and you might like it. A couple songs feature some worrying funky whah guitar and a dreadful afro-groove, but their pale (ahem) experiments aren't as cringe-inducing as Yo La Tengo's ill advised recent foray (Nuclear War).
RealAudio clip: "Last Night"
RealAudio clip: "Someday My Prince Will Come"

HIS NAME IS ALIVE Nice Day (4AD) cdep 6.50
More mature pop from the talented Warren Defever and co., as opposed to the crystal sweetness of their earlier stuff. Detroit soul influenced...

HIS NAME IS ALIVE Radio LP (Time Stereo) cd-r 11.98
This is a cdr (not an LP!) jam-packed (19 tracks!) with recordings of HNIA live radio performances from 1992 to 1998. Leading into their radical shift into torchy soul jazz territory of the late '90s, the songs here are mostly of the raw, folky pop kind. Included in the array are some sessions at the BBC, WDET Detroit, REV105 Minneapolis, KCRW Los Angeles, and two Mexican radio ads.
RealAudio clip: "Sand"
RealAudio clip: "Mexico"

HIS NAME IS ALIVE Stars On E.S.P. (4AD) cd 14.98
Their new effort is gorgeous as usual, with those precious female vocals. You oughtn't be surprised there's a song called "Beech Boys" on here... As anticipated, Stars is 4AD-flavored sweet pop, yet more disonant at times and thus interesting than the last HNIA album. Warren Defever slices on some of the noisy layered stuff (his other band) Princess Dragon Mom likes to cook up.

HIS NAME IS ALIVE Sweet Earth Flower - A Tribute To Marion Brown (High Two Recording Co.) cd 16.98
Without knowing why or how, the idea of the recently more soulful, perpetually Beach Boys obsessed pop group His Name Is Alive tackling a record of tracks by legendary jazz saxophonist Marion Brown, seems not just unlikely but maybe even ill advised.
So we were pretty surprised and thrilled when we finally wrapped our ears around this disc. A dark smoldering expansive ambient jazz sprawl, His Name Is Alive, seriously channeling the spirit of Marion Brown, in such a way that is at once totally faithful but also, quite modern and radical.
Most of the tracks are languorous and laid back, and sometimes sound like a jazzier No Neck Blues Band, a sort of fluttering free folk, the sounds drifting like smoke, the percussion sizzling and shuffling, the horns moaning softly, lots of tinkling chimes and little flurries of piano, gorgeously soft focus and hypnotic.
There are a few live tracks, which is where the band really cut loose, and embrace the noisier side of Brown's oeuvre, "Capricorn Moon" the first live track, is much boppier, the drums and bass locked into a sort of muted exotica, while the horns bleat wildly over the top, the sound very African, and dipping into some serious Ethiopiques territory here and there. The next few songs return to the blissy jazzy tranquility of the first few, until "Bismillahi 'Rrahmani 'Rrahim", which starts off all dreamlike, but by the end, is a squall of thick distorted guitars and skronky saxes, a serious free jazz duel.
The two part "Geechee Recollections" is another slow burning jam, all exotic percussion and thick rubbery basslines, wailing sax, shuffling skittery drum lines, moody meandering piano, the second half a super minimal late night jazzy sprawl, like a less repetitive Necks, but the same sort of mysterious murky swirl.
The record finishes off with a live version of the opening track, sticking close to that same smoky late night shimmer, but with the horns more active and up in the mix, the drums a bit more propulsive, some wah guitar, managing to sound just a bit more fierce, but without losing that blurry blissy sultriness...
This is so good. We used to love love love His Name Is Alive. They even played an instore here, which was a blast. They sort of lost us though lately with their ever intensifying soul leanings, but this record is absolutely gorgeous, and has definitely restored our faith in Warn Defever and company, plus anyone so into Marion Brown is aces in our book.
A portion of the proceeds of the sale of this cd goes to the Nepalese Youth Opportunity Foundation, which is also quite cool...
MPEG Stream: "Sweet Earth Flying"
MPEG Stream: "Juba Lee Brown"
MPEG Stream: "Geechee Recollections I"

HIS NAME IS ALIVE Ten Years Long Time (Time Stereo) cd-r 11.98

HIS NAME IS ALIVE Ten Years Long Time (Time Stereo) cd-r 11.98
A HNIA ten year anniversary concert recorded on November 18, 2000. And of the many sounds that have come from the HNIA camp over the past decade- from swirling, ethereal, lush pop to lo-fi rootsy folk acoustic to gospel to loungey r'n'b balladry with Hendrix-y guitar macrame - it's the latter that marks this milestone for Warn Defever and co. with vocalist Lovetta Pippen's slinky soul-edged delivery dominating the proceedings. But come the 13th track the proceedings are abruptly disrupted as the stage is hijacked by the band called Whales whose ragged, feedback-laden guitar assault ends the performance.
RealAudio clip: "Last Affair Forever"
RealAudio clip: "Can't Hide"

HIS NAME IS ALIVE When the Stars Refuse to Shine (Time Stereo) cd-r 11.98
People have been waiting for what seems like forever for a new His Name Is Alive. Released as a cd-r on AQ favorite label Time Stereo (who released the absolutely brilliant Steps), this is to tide everyone over until their next 4AD full length. HNIA continue on their questionable path toward full on SOUL, due in no small part to vocalist Lovetta Pippen, who also sang on the last record. We all loved 'Stars on ESP' from a few years back, which was a completely inspired and magical pop record. Unfortunately HNIA haven't really been able to pull that off since. All the trademark weirdness is gone, super creative production, samples, all gone, and in it's place, a sort of watered down wannabe soul. If you liked the last record, you might dig this one, if you were waiting for another 'Stars On ESP', then I think you may be quite disappointed. Features an absolutely painful version of 'Moon Dance'.

HITCHCOCK, ROBYN Black Snake Diamond Role (Yep Roc) cd 13.98
Let's get straight to the heart of the matter, and it is exactly that! Robyn Hitchcock knows the inner workings of matters of the heart, but he never panders to valentine cliches to get the sentiments across. Nope, time and time again, he comes up with some crazily inventive turn of prose to express an observation of something commonplace. Then he backs his wizened delivery of wry wisdom with an equally quirksome crunchy guitar melodic twist -- a holdover from his Soft Boys days? Often so wonderfully obtuse and cryptic, but also somehow so clear and true! Genius songwriting.
Anyways, this is our longwinded way to let y'all know that we are super pleased as punch that the fine folks at Yep Roc Records have recently reissued three of this venerable troubadour's albums Black Snake Diamond Role, I Often Dream Of Trains and Eye, each complete with hella unreleased bonus tracks. The latter is perhaps our personal fave. If you have one Hitchcock album in your library, make it this one. Plus at the same time, they've released the three albums together in a retrospective box set titled I Wanna Go Backwards which also includes an exclusive pair of additional cdeps of odds'n'ends from 1981-88! Awesome and super recommended.
MPEG Stream: "Acid Bird"
MPEG Stream: "City Of Shame"

HITCHCOCK, ROBYN Eye (Yep Roc) cd 13.98
Let's get straight to the heart of the matter, and it is exactly that! Robyn Hitchcock knows the inner workings of matters of the heart, but he never panders to valentine cliches to get the sentiments across. Nope, time and time again, he comes up with some crazily inventive turn of prose to express an observation of something commonplace. Then he backs his wizened delivery of wry wisdom with an equally quirksome crunchy guitar melodic twist -- a holdover from his Soft Boys days? Often so wonderfully obtuse and cryptic, but also somehow so clear and true! Genius songwriting.
Anyways, this is our longwinded way to let y'all know that we are super pleased as punch that the fine folks at Yep Roc Records have recently reissued three of this venerable troubadour's albums Black Snake Diamond Role, I Often Dream Of Trains and Eye, each complete with hella unreleased bonus tracks. The latter is perhaps our personal fave. If you have one Hitchcock album in your library, make it this one. Plus at the same time, they've released the three albums together in a retrospective box set titled I Wanna Go Backwards which also includes an exclusive pair of additional cdeps of odds'n'ends from 1981-88! Awesome and super recommended.
MPEG Stream: "Cynthia Mask"
MPEG Stream: "Beautiful Girl"

HITCHCOCK, ROBYN I Often Dream of Trains (Yep Roc) cd 13.98
Let's get straight to the heart of the matter, and it is exactly that! Robyn Hitchcock knows the inner workings of matters of the heart, but he never panders to valentine cliches to get the sentiments across. Nope, time and time again, he comes up with some crazily inventive turn of prose to express an observation of something commonplace. Then he backs his wizened delivery of wry wisdom with an equally quirksome crunchy guitar melodic twist -- a holdover from his Soft Boys days? Often so wonderfully obtuse and cryptic, but also somehow so clear and true! Genius songwriting.
Anyways, this is our longwinded way to let y'all know that we are super pleased as punch that the fine folks at Yep Roc Records have recently reissued three of this venerable troubadour's albums Black Snake Diamond Role, I Often Dream Of Trains and Eye, each complete with hella unreleased bonus tracks. The latter is perhaps our personal fave. If you have one Hitchcock album in your library, make it this one. Plus at the same time, they've released the three albums together in a retrospective box set titled I Wanna Go Backwards which also includes an exclusive pair of additional cdeps of odds'n'ends from 1981-88! Awesome and super recommended.
MPEG Stream: "Uncorrected Personality Traits"
MPEG Stream: "Heart Full Of Leaves"

HITCHCOCK, ROBYN I Wanna Go Backwards (Yep Roc) 5cd 50.00
Let's get straight to the heart of the matter, and it is exactly that! Robyn Hitchcock knows the inner workings of matters of the heart, but he never panders to valentine cliches to get the sentiments across. Nope, time and time again, he comes up with some crazily inventive turn of prose to express an observation of something commonplace. Then he backs his wizened delivery of wry wisdom with an equally quirksome crunchy guitar melodic twist -- a holdover from his Soft Boys days? Often so wonderfully obtuse and cryptic, but also somehow so clear and true! Genius songwriting.
Anyways, this is our longwinded way to let y'all know that we are super pleased as punch that the fine folks at Yep Roc Records have recently reissued three of this venerable troubadour's albums Black Snake Diamond Role, I Often Dream Of Trains and Eye, each complete with hella unreleased bonus tracks. The latter is perhaps our personal fave. If you have one Hitchcock album in your library, make it this one. Plus at the same time, they've released the three albums together in a retrospective box set titled I Wanna Go Backwards which also includes an exclusive pair of additional cdeps of odds'n'ends from 1981-88! Awesome and super recommended.
MPEG Stream: "August Hair"
MPEG Stream: "I Wanna Go Backwards"

HITCHCOCK, ROBYN Robyn Sings (Editions PAF) 2cd 22.00
Robyn Hitchcock's remarkable body of work (both as a solo artist and with his band the Soft Boys) spans over a quarter of a century and is truly something to be cherished. Wry, witty, intelligent, eccentric, and definitely one of a kind. Now, he pays tribute to a fellow songwriting great - the one he credits as being his original musical inspiration. Robyn Sings is comprised of two cds full of Mr. Hitchcock performing the songs of Bob Dylan live in concert. In these sixteen renditions, he keeps relatively faithful to the originals but not without bringing his own unmistakable vocal inflections and personality to each. The first disc called "Stripes" (after Hitchcock's own trademark shirts) is mostly acoustic, just him singing and playing his guitar. It's graced with two versions of "Visions Of Johanna" - the one song that spurred him to become a musician - as well as "Desolation Row", "Not Dark Yet" and "Dignity". On the second entitled "Dots" (after Dylan's trademark shirts), he takes a fuller, more rocked-up approach presenting the songs in the running order of Dylan's Royal Albert Hall performance. It includes "Ballad Of A Thin Man", "Tell Me Mama" and yes... "Like A Rolling Stone". This entire collection is steeped with Hitchcock's immense respect and love for Dylan's work, very much like that which his own recordings have stirred from artists and fans alike.
RealAudio clip: "Visions Of Johanna"
RealAudio clip: "One Too Many Mornings"

HITCHCOCK, ROBYN Spooked (Yep Roc) cd 16.98

HITCHCOCK, ROBYN & THE VENUS 3 Ole! Tarantula (Yep Roc) cd 14.98
Robyn Hitchcock rules, doesn't he? Yes, he does. Never disappoints, never falters, just goes about his unerringly fine songsmithery with little or no regard for current trends. His wry, witty brain-twisting stories/lyrics, creative guitar lines, catchy choruses and singing voice are all unmistakable. And while his pop supremacy hasn't gone unnoticed -- he's definitely influenced legions of young artists over the years -- it sure deserves a whole lot more. Listening to Ole! Tarantula reminded us not only of how much we dig his music but also of how many more recent artists sound like him (The Decemberists and Jets To Brazil to name just a couple). These days there's precious few artists of this high caliber and staying power. Actually the only ones who immediately come to mind are The Minus Five's Scott McCaughey and the Go-Betweens (Grant McLennan RIP). The former is one of the musical luminaries that make up Hitchcock's backing band The Venus 3. The rest of the trio are Peter Buck and Bill Rieflin. Additional guests include The Soft Boys' Kimberley Rew, Morris Windsor (also of The Soft Boys and The Egyptians), Presidents Of The United States Of America's Chris Ballew, Harvey Danger's Sean Nelson and Ian McLagan of Faces. Stellar!
MPEG Stream: "Underground Sun"
MPEG Stream: "Museum Sex"

HIVE MIND Death Tone (Hanson) cd 14.98

HIVES, THE Barely Legal (Gearhead) cd 13.98
"Barely Legal," the debut album from Swedish garage rockers The Hives, gets its domestic release on none other than Gearhead Records, whose catalog includes numerous full-throttle punk rock bands including The Pattern and Red Planet. This cd was originally launched back in '97 on Swedish hardcore label Burning Heart Records (where it's still available in Europe). Have to admit though that the recorded Hives is nothing compared to the live Hives -- seriously raging! If you've been fortunate enough to witness their live rock action, then you know I'm not whistlin' dixie. If you haven't, then for the time being you'll just have to settle for their cd incarnation.
RealAudio clip: "Here We Go Again"

HIVES, THE The Black And White Album (A&M) cd 12.98
While The Hives definitely continue to fly the anthemic party rock flag on their latest album, it also seems like they took a silly pill while in the recording studio. The Black And White Album boasts one of the dorkiest songs we've heard in a long time! For one thing, it's self-congratulatory (the chorus features the line "We rule the world!"), it's got spelling ("H-I-V-E-S"), the vocals are delivered in an ultra nerd nasalness, plus the backing tracks are some uncharacteristic cheez-tronic synths and programmed rhythms. The latter three elements reappear on the second most dorky song "Giddy Up!" Weird and strangely endearing. Nonetheless, while the goofy songs are worth a couple of listens at most before they start to grate, the band's more familiar bombastic, blistering guitar pop rocks are still very much intact and gleefully make up the rest of the album. What's "Paaaarty!" in Swedish? "The Hives!"
MPEG Stream: "T.H.E.H.I.V.E.S."
MPEG Stream: "Return The Favour"

HIVES, THE Tyrannosaurus Hives (Interscope) cd 14.98
How can you not love the Hives?! They're Swedish to begin with. And they look great, matching suits and all that. Plus the bandmembers have names like Chris Dangerous, Nicholaus Arson, Vigilante Carlstroem, Dr. Matt Destruction. And Dr. Matt Destruction just happens to be the most rocking guy to ever sport a serious paunch, a big ol' moustache and a combover. And besides all that, they totally rock. And they write great songs. Obviously if you like the White Stripes and other sort-of-garage MTV bands (Von Bondies, the Kills, etc.) you'll love or already love the Hives. But don't let the hype put you off. All you Stooges / sixties / obscure psych reissue obsessives might find you actually dig something from 2004!
MPEG Stream: "Abra Cadaver"
MPEG Stream: "Walk Idiot Walk"