SHANKAR, ANANDA, EXPERIENCE, THE & STATE OF BENGAL Walking On (Real World) cd 16.98
Ananda Shankar (RIP) met up in '99 with British "Asian Underground" DJ State of Bengal for this sitar-funk-electronica session. Indeed an "illustrious cult figure in the secret history of pop culture", Shankar was famed for his East-meets-West psychedelic pop experiments decades ago, and this is a fun and fitting finale to his career. If you were into the "Untouchable Outcaste Beats" comp (which featured an old Shankar track alongside folks from the new Asian/UK DJ scene) and/or are a fan of the likes of Talvin Singh, you should check this out.

SHANKAR, RAVI Flowers Of India (Cherry Red) cd 17.98

SHANKAR, RAVI Transmigration Macabre (Cherry Red) cd 16.98
Without a doubt one of the most psychedelic and experimental sounding records in the amazing recorded legacy of Ravi Shankar. Composed as a score for the British art film Viola, this finds Shankar experimenting and traveling with sounds that one might not always associate with him. Of course it's still his playing and several tracks have his unmistakable and totally influential sitar sounds, exactly the way you're familiar hearing them, but what's so nice about -this- record is that there are also moments where if you were listening without knowing it was Shankar you might guess it was any of a handful of psychedelic experimental bands from the last quarter century. Apparently the film is about a possessed man's belief that his dead wife has returned to life in the form of a cat that pursues him. Wow trippy stuff...and Ravi knew just the sounds to convey those otherworldly feelings. Really nice!
MPEG Stream: "Anxiety"
MPEG Stream: "Death"

SHANKAR, RAVI & ALI AKBAR KHAN More Flowers of India (El Records) cd 17.98

SHANNON AND THE CLAMS I Wanna Go Home (1-2-3-4 GO! Records) cd 13.98
After totally loving their 7" from last year we were so excited to get a full serving of this Oakland band's awesome, raw, reverb soaked garage pop. And as much as we did dig that 7", this full length is really taking it to new levels with greater urgency and intensity. I Wanna Go Home definitely demonstrates that Shannon And The Clams possess the ability to inject so many damn hooks in to a smoking brew of haunted and infectious down and dirty garage pop. At times the vocal delivery makes us think of the first Strokes album if it was stripped of its major label polish and doused with the magical aura of Billy Childish/Thee Headcoatees. Or like if Wanda Jackson somehow magically collaborated with The Cramps or The Crystals, and was the covered by The Gits. Shannon And The Clams perfectly meld their love of old school rock 'n' roll / RnB and girl groups with their appreciation of crustier punk and garage rock influences, and the result is so kick ass. Makes perfect sense that they often play with Thee Oh Sees and Ty Segall, cuz while they don't sound exactly like those other bands, they do share the same undeniably true sonic soul that makes the great garage sound makers stick out from the legion of dabblers. None of those wannabees have the true punch and fire in their sound to pull it off like Shannon And The Clams do. So damn good!
MPEG Stream: "Troublemaker"
MPEG Stream: "You Can Come Over"
MPEG Stream: "I Wanna Go Home"

SHANNON AND THE CLAMS Hunk Hunt (Weird Hug) 7" 4.50
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
San Francisco has a rich history when it comes to raw garage punk rock. But we have to say so much of that scene in the past had a bit too much of a dudes n' beer n' bar vibe for us. It's not until the last few years with a whole new new wave of garage peddlers that we've really been swept up in the raw and rocking fun of a scene that seems to have evolved for the better.
Shannon And The Clams have been making quite a name for themselves here in the Bay with their super fun live shows where they usually play on bills with their pals like Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall and Hunx and His Punx. The four songs on Hunk Hunt really show off the range of their sound. From '50s inspired girl group classics corrupted by angular art punk to a more rocking garage sound more in the tradition of The Headcoats/Headcoatees or what The Husbands might have sounded like drenched in more of a Cramps influence. If you live in town or they come to yours by all means see this group live, but for now, this 7" serves as a pretty awesome introduction to their world.

SHANNON AND THE CLAMS Paddy's Birthday (South Paw) 7" 7.98
Oakland's Shannon And The Clams are quickly becoming one of our favorite Bay Area bands. Their live shows are so fun filled and thrilling and their full length debut totally won us over the way it channeled old school rock n' roll, girl groups, garage rock, and RnB, all wrapped into a singular charismatic punk rock aesthetic. Recently Shannon joined the live incarnation of Hunx & His Punx or as they call it now Hunx & His Punkettes, and when you see them live you realize how much Shannon's vocals and playing really help make Hunx's live shows so much more satisfying.
Paddy's Birthday continues to show us why we love this group so much. Shannon is possessed with one of the strongest and moving voices of any vocalist around, she really owns every single note and word she sings. Like some awesome combination of Etta James, The Shirelles, and The Gits, this is a 7" that shows off a band that really is creating their own sound and doing it so damn well.

SHANNON AND THE CLAMS Ruin Christmas (1-2-3-4 Go! ) 7" 6.98
The holidays are behind us (or way in front of us) but we couldn't just ignore this great Christmas 7" from Oakland's Shannon & The Clams, showing they aren't too cool to have a soft spot for the holidays. Covering four of their favorite holiday tracks by a range of folks including Paul 'Fat Daddy' Johnson and Mariah Carey. The A side features the more punkish garage-y Cramps like side of the band, while the B side shows off Shannon's awesome vocals and much more of their affinity for girl groups and early rock n' roll music. Never too late for a little stocking stuffer.

SHANNON AND THE CLAMS Sleep Talk (1-2-3-4 Go!) cd 14.98
Hot damn, this band just keeps getting better and better. While their name and image can sometimes lead you to believe Shannon And The Clams are just a campy band who wanna have fun, the real truth is that they are some of the best songwriters to emerge out of the great garage pop scene in San Francisco over the last few years. Channeling the best elements of girl groups, haunting punk rock, fired up garage rock, and early rock n' roll, Shannon and her Clams fit right at home alongside local pals like Ty Segall, Hunx & His Punx, and Thee Oh Sees.
There is something totally unique about how they are able to merge all of their different sides and styles and influences into a cohesive force that grabs your attention and never lets go. Imagine The Cramps covering Richie Valens or Ronnie Spector covering The Gun Club. We've dug everything they have released so far, but this new full length is maybe their finest moment yet!
MPEG Stream: "Baby Don't Do It"
MPEG Stream: "Done With You"
MPEG Stream: "Half Rat"

SHANNON AND THE CLAMS Sleep Talk (1-2-3-4 Go!) lp 14.98
Hot damn, this band just keeps getting better and better. While their name and image can sometimes lead you to believe Shannon And The Clams are just a campy band who wanna have fun, the real truth is that they are some of the best songwriters to emerge out of the great garage pop scene in San Francisco over the last few years. Channeling the best elements of girl groups, haunting punk rock, fired up garage rock, and early rock n' roll, Shannon and her Clams fit right at home alongside local pals like Ty Segall, Hunx & His Punx, and Thee Oh Sees.
There is something totally unique about how they are able to merge all of their different sides and styles and influences into a cohesive force that grabs your attention and never lets go. Imagine The Cramps covering Richie Valens or Ronnie Spector covering The Gun Club. We've dug everything they have released so far, but this new full length is maybe their finest moment yet!
MPEG Stream: "Baby Don't Do It"
MPEG Stream: "Done With You"
MPEG Stream: "Half Rat"

SHANNON, SARAH City Morning Song (Minty Fresh) cd 13.98
Whoa, how many reviews do you think have already been written about this release that make some dorky statement like "hey, this former Velocity Girl's all grown up!" Ahem, guess you can add this one to the bunch. The former lead singer for that above mentioned beloved '90s indie pop band, Ms Sarah Shannon has slipped into something a little less immediately comfortable... a little more adult contemporary to be exact. Drawing ample influences from '70s AM radio soft jazz pop a la Burt Bacharach, City Morning Song swoons with dulcet arrangements of Fender Rhodes electric piano, Hammond organ, flugelhorn, and strings, but along the way the affair loses its fizz just a bit. Shannon's voice is sweet and clear all right, but it doesn't possess the expressive body of the genre's foremothers Carly Simon and Carole King. Likewise as a performer she lacks the personality of those ladies, relying heavily on the very well performed instrumental backdrop to carry the proceedings. A faceless vanilla disappointment.
MPEG Stream: "City Morning Song"
MPEG Stream: "Hey Heartache"

SHANTE, ROXANNE The Best Of Cold Chillin' (Cold Chillin') cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Yay! Here's a nice best-of disc dedicated to Roxanne Shante , the Queens teenager who recorded "Roxanne's Revenge", the legendary answer track to UTFO's "Roxanne, Roxanne", and which itself spawned so many answer tracks. Shante's voice is young and bratty as she crisply enunciates various slyly worded insults and boasts. As the one and only female member of Marley Marl's Juice Crew, she teamed up with producers Marl, Kool G Rap, Large Professor, Eric B, etc., all of whom kept the music spotlessly clean and spare, the better to showcase her voice right out front.
RealAudio clip: "Def Fresh Crew (feat. Biz Markie)"
RealAudio clip: "Have a Nice Day (Original 12" Version)"

SHAPE OF DESPAIR Angels of Distress (Spikefarm) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Album number two from these Finnish doom merchants and man does it make me want to just end it all. This music is dismal and bleak and totally hopelessly perfect. So slow and miserable and heavy and dark. Take the lo-fi doom of Skepticism, and beef up the guitars a bit, add some meldoic almost chantlike vocals. Or take AQ faves Katatonia and slow them down, waaaay down.
Shape of Despair deftly mix haunting funereal dirges with ultra crushing doom, but add gentle folk melodies and subtle but soaring strings. This is the sort of stuff that should be on the soundtrack to the new Lord of the Rings. You can just imagine being lost and alone in the forest, just waiting to die. So good.
RealAudio clip: "Angels of Distress"
RealAudio clip: "Fallen"

SHAPE OF DESPAIR Illusion's Play (Spikefarm) cd 16.98

SHAPE OF DESPAIR s/t (Spikefarm) cd 14.98
One new song and a bunch of rarities from these Finnish depresso-doom metal masters.

SHAPE OF DESPAIR Shades Of... (Spikefarm) cd 14.98
Wow, people must sure get depressed up in Finland, with that long winter and all. That would explain the strain of bands like Thergothon, Skepticism, and now Shape of Despair, that are so good at moulding melancholic funeral dirge doom metal. Basically, if you like the suicidal heavy dirge of Skepticism, and the ever-so-slightly melodic misery of fellow Scandinavians Katatonia, you'll like Shape of Despair.

SHAPES AND SIZES Split Lips, Winning Hips, A Shiner (Asthmatic Kitty) cd 14.98
Okay folks, bear with us for these first few sentences, but we really need to get it out of our system. This album just happened to be the straw that broke this camel's back...
We really gotta wonder if the world's finally run out of good band names -- with monikers like Shapes And Sizes and Parts And Labor? What's next? Gluestick And The Mighty Tapegun? No wait, is that a good one?! And what's with all the (mostly Canadian) young pop bands lately sounding like they're yodellers-in-training up on the Swiss Alps? Don't know about you, but our fill of yelping puppy vocals is getting pretty close to overload.
Whoa, first impressions can be pretty powerful, can't they? What a way to get off to a less than good start, huh? Gave 'em what amounts to a verbal shiner! FORTUNATELY, once the second song kicked in our second impression took a remarkable turn for the better! Sooo... some may quickly call this band quirky, but that adjective might sell them short. This is an adventure playground of loopy, dizzying eccentric sugary pop twists... that deserves a better moniker than Shapes And Sizes! Ahh, but we digress. The female vocal melodies soar and swoop like a bird in flight -- reminiscent of fellow Canadian veteran artist Jane Siberry's wistful, imaginative vision. The boy sung eighth song slips into the well-schooled pop path of Pinback, Modest Mouse, Built To Spill, and Destroyer. Done very well all right, but personally we lean more in favour of the female sung tunes though, as they're much more distinct and sparklingly engaging. So after a downright awkward introduction, Split Lips, Winning Hips, A Shiner ended up injury-free smooth sailing the rest of the way.
MPEG Stream: "Head Movin'"
MPEG Stream: "Can't Stop That (Sinking) Feeling"

SHAPES AND SIZES / THE WEIRD WEEDS Unusual Animals Vol. 1 (Asthmatic Kitty) 7" 4.50
Back room find! Discovered a few more of these little gems...
Continuing their eastward migration, former Victoria, BC natives Shapes And Sizes make a bigger leap from Vancouver to Montreal, and have a new split 7" with their Austin, TX buddies Weird Weeds to boot. The charming Canadian foursome offer up the peculiarly titled, mildly eccentric and invigorating "Junker / That Fat Hand", while WW presents a more low-key, stripped down and subtly uneasy art-folk number "Hold In The Light". Kewl!

SHAPESHIFTER Reticulum Flux (Schematic) cd 13.98

SHARK MOVE Ghede Chokra's (Shadoks Music) cd 15.98
Reissues of pretty good obscure '70s prog-psych albums, while not a dime a dozen, aren't exactly hard to find (at a shop like ours, anyway). But when the band's from Jakarta, Indonesia, and they're called SHARK MOVE we get extra excited. Just look at the colorful mythology of the cover art. How could this not be cool? And it is. Originally released in 1970, the sole album from Shark Move is a treat for anyone into the long-haired hippy prog excesses of the day, spiced with an extra special something due to being from a non-Western land, where these guys were REALLY freaks for making this music... UK prog stylings derived from the likes of Genesis and Deep Purple are mixed with some more traditional Indonesian musical motifs, and not all the lyrics are in English. Also the results are further warped away from normalcy by the third-world production quality, which we'd say is a good thing.
With serious songs, complex arrangements (keyboards, flute!), and melodramatic doses of both thee gently melodic and thee instrumentally bombastic, Shark Move were certainly musically ambitious. A trait perhaps best exemplified by the sweeping nine-minute opener "My Life". Meanwhile, the fuzz-heavy shambolic riff-tumble of "Evil War" with its exotic coloration via keyboard and guitar soling is another of Shark Move's selling points. The sweeter stuff (often on the tracks sung in their native tongue) is nice too, and definitely sets them apart from their European and American contemporaries.
Thanks to Shadoks we get to hear this, which has been remastered and has new liner notes for this reissue, all done with the participation of Shark Move's leader, founder, and only surviving member, Benny Soebardja (lead guitar/vocals). Shortly after recording this album, the band's keyboardist was tragically killed in a traffic accident, and Shark Move came to an end, although Benny has continued to rock on with some other groups, including one called Giant Step that may also get a Shadoks reissue we're told.
MPEG Stream: "My Life"
MPEG Stream: "Evil War"

SHARK QUEST Gods And Devils (Merge) cd 14.98
Shark Quest -- nope, that's not one of those big animated movies coming out this fall for which you've probably seen a preview. It's the instrumental band from Chapel Hill whose third album Gods And Devils is under review here. Although, apparently a bunch of the music on this disc was recorded to accompany an indie animation project. But no visuals are needed to enjoy this quite delightful album. Shark Quest's music is evocative and intricate and eclectic, blending the Western Spaghetti-scapes of Calexico with Eastern atmospheres, touching on such genres as lounge and surf and chamber prog, balancing the light and snazzy with the more intense or melancholic. Nicely woven. Now featuring a member of Idyll Swords, by the way.
MPEG Stream: "The Rosetta Barrage"
MPEG Stream: "Furies On Fire"

SHARK QUEST Man on Stilts (Merge) cd 14.98
New instrumental record on Merge (home of Superchunk and Magnetic Fields), equal parts chamber ensemble and surf outfit -- drenched in southern twang (read: banjo). For fans of Rex's "C".

SHARKBAIT Feed Our Frenzy (Gladys Pearce) cassette 3.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Some of you who were living in San Francisco a while back, might just remember these guys. Sharkbait. It's been a long time since we'd heard, or even really thought about these guys. The way we remember it, was they were a sort of industrial post punk rock band, maybe like a West Coast version of Cop Shoot Cop, all junkyard percussion, howled vocals, crunchy guitars, skeletal, noisy and slightly funky. And the truth is pretty close to that.
So a customer of ours discovered a box of Sharkbait tapes, still sealed, stashed and covered in dust, and thought that since folks were digging cassettes so much lately around here, and that Sharkbait were a seminal eighties SF outfit, that he would bequeath them to us, so we could disseminate them to hungry ears that might want a little taste of what the SF scene was like back in 1988. For some of us, it was all about funk metal, bands like Mordred tearing it up, or thrash, but there was a whole 'nother thing going on in the underground. Bands like Bomb, Tragic Mulatto, the Skatenigs, and of course Sharkbait. And Sharkbait were indeed a sort of proto industrial punk rock band. Lots of samples. Lots of tribal percussion, some Crash Worship going on here and there, throbbing basslines, crunchy guitars, and howled sloganeering vocals, sort of political, definitely punk rock. It sounds dated sure, but it still sounds pretty cool. There's some art of Noise percussion, some weird spoken word, slabs of feedback, droning ambience, but all wrapped up in a pounding churning post punk caterwaul.

SHARKS KEEP MOVING Pause And Clause (Status) cd 9.98
I've listened to this a few times, and each time all I've been left with is... zzzzzzzzzzz! Sounds like so-so, mellow post rock to me a la Tortoise, Tristeza, etc. It's well-performed and all, but it just fails to break any new ground in an already over-crowded field. I don't know, am I missing something? What!? What!?!? I've wondered if there happen to be some notable members from other bands on the Sharks' roster, but then realize that knowing that wouldn't make this any more appealing, and it might even make things worse. There's only three tracks on this cd, but as per the post rock tradition of long jams, they're lengthy ones as their combined running time totals 22 minutes.
RealAudio clip: "Pause And Clause"

SHARP, ELLIOT Figure Ground (Tzadik) cd 15.98
"Sharp's most eclectic album to date. Using guitars, saxophones, computers, analog synthesizers and kitchen sink, Sharp performs powerful scores for four films including Daddy & the Muscle Academy (a documentary on the life of pioneering gay fetish cartoonist Tom Of Finland) and The Salt Mines (a documentary about transvestite prostitutes living in salt warehouses in NYC). Sharp's music is as varied and eccentric as the films he writes for."

SHARROCK, SONNY Ask The Ages (Axiom) cd 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

SHARROCK, SONNY Black Woman (4 Men With Beards) lp 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Deluxe vinyl reissue of this until-recently-not-even-on-cd free jazz guitar holy grail! Originally released in 1969 on the Vortex label, this documents both Sonny Sharrock's pioneering guitar skronk and his then-wife Linda's equally out vocalizations, a la Yoko Ono or Patty Waters. Also appearing: Dave Burrell (piano), Milford Graves (drums), and others -- quite a cast of NYC ESP-era free jazzers. Some tracks are lively and melodic, others gratingly anguished. Gatefold sleeve, 180 gram vinyl, audiophile remastering, Byron Coley liner notes, the works! And it's now on a label called "4 Men With Beards" so take a look in the mirror and see if you fit in with that crowd...

SHARROCK, SONNY Monkey-Pockie-Boo (Actuel / Sunspots) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Now available on CD for a limited time! The amazing Sonny Sharrock cranks out three lengthy tracks for the BYG/Actuel label, accompanied by his lovely shrieking wife Linda, bassist Bob Guerin, and drummer Jacques Thollot. "27th Day" is a seventeen minute free psych epic that begins with minimal abstraction (and Sharrock on a slide whistle!) and slowly builds into a massive freakout fireball. "Soon", written by Linda Sharrock, is another ferocious jam that doesn't let up for its eight heart-stopping minutes. Finally, the closing "Monkey-Pockie-Boo" is more abstract and mellowed out, with Sonny and Linda chanting back and forth in an indecipherable, unconventional vocal style. The combination of Sonny's guitar playing and the voice of wife Linda on tracks like "27th Day" and "Soon" (speculation here) could almost definitely be a major influence on Japan's free noise guitar god Keiji Haino. If not, the Sharrocks and Haino were certainly treading the same cosmic terrain. Very psychedelic at times, totally out there and so intensely exhilarating. Like most releases in the BYG/Actuel catalogue, recorded in the legendary Studio Sarawah in Paris, on June 22 of 1970. Very highly recommended to those seeking out the best in free improvisation and "fire music".
RealAudio clip: "27th Day"
RealAudio clip: "Soon"

SHARROCK, SONNY Monkey-Pockie-Boo (BYG) lp 14.98
This legendary slab of classic psychedelic free jazz, available on vinyl once again. Here's our review from when we first listed this way back in 2001:
The amazing Sonny Sharrock cranks out three lengthy tracks for the BYG/Actuel label, accompanied by his lovely wife Linda, bassist Bob Guerin, and drummer Jacques Thollot. "27th Day" is a seventeen minute free psych epic that begins with minimal abstraction (and Sharrock on a slide whistle!) and slowly builds into a massive freakout fireball. "Soon", written by Linda Sharrock, is another ferocious jam that doesn't let up for its eight heart-stopping minutes. Finally, the closing "Monkey-Pockie-Boo" is more abstract and mellowed out, with Sonny and Linda chanting back and forth in an indecipherable, unconventional vocal style. The combination of Sonny's guitar playing and the voice of wife Linda on tracks like "27th Day" and "Soon", could definitely be a major influence on Japan's free noise guitar god Keiji Haino. Very psychedelic at times, totally out there and intense. Like most releases in the BYG/Actuel catalogue, recorded in the legendary Studio Sarawah in Paris, this one laid to tape on June 22, 1970. Like other reissues in this series, pressed on heavy 180 gram wax and housed in a swank full color old school gatefold jacket which faithfully reproduces the original BYG / Actuel cover art.

SHARROCK, SONNY & LINDA Paradise (Water) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Paradise was released in 1975, well after Sharrocks' first two, more experimental solo album excursions showcasing his avant jazz guitar, and it was the last record to be heard from him before his Laswell-nursed resurrection in the late '80s (Last Exit etc). Sharrock and wife Linda (yes, that's her lookin' beauteous on the cover) wanted this album to sound very R&B / funk, and thus it's a lot more accessible than Black Woman and Monkey Pockie Boo. There are these breathtakingly lovely pastoral passages where Linda vocalizes like an angel -- rarely pronouncing words, just *emitting* -- as Sharrock lays down a lush field to sink into as he gently plies pretty phrases from his guitar in the background. These parts are my favorite, and there's a good deal of it here. Other instrumental workouts feature Sharrock's trademark delightfully pling plong, bouncy, thrown-around guitar sounds, and then sometimes he tames it all down into honest to gosh R&B licks, with the rest of the band right there gettin' down boogie woogie with 'im. The combination is a little headscratchy at first but ultimately you may, as I did, fall in love with it. Well written liner notes by Byron Coley. Windy gives this the thumbs up.
RealAudio clip: "Apollo"
RealAudio clip: "1953 Blue Boogie Children"

SHARROCK, SONNY & PETER BROTZMANN Fragments (Okka Disc) lp 16.98

SHATNER, WILLIAM Has Been (Shout! Factory) cd 16.98
Shatner and the Ben Folds Five...huh!

SHATNER, WILLIAM The Transformed Man (Varese Sarabande/BMG) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Finally (legally) reissued.

SHATNER, WILLIAM The Transformed Man (Geffen) cd 10.98
Who doesn't love the smooth thespian vocal stylings of William Shatner? The Transformed Man is an album he recorded while still filling the role of Captain Kirk on Star Trek and is now reissued for modern audiences to enjoy in utter bewilderment. For further description, I defer to original notes from the producer: "The idea of grouping the numbers together in pairs is to unfold multiple perspectives of the same subject, like the two sides of a coin, tension and resolution. For example, in 'King Henry The Fifth' (track one), the intense speech inciting the soldiers to battle is contrasted with the quiet and poignant aftermath of war in 'Elegy For The Brave' The other pairs follow a similar design. Track 2: confident self-assuranceÑtotal psychopathic subservience; Track 3: a desire for deathÑthe joy of living; Track 4: fresh young loveÑinsensitivity; Track 5: utter dejectionÑsuper elation; Track 6: stands alone because of its contrasting three-movement form: earthly unreality-transitional awareness-contact with divinity." Um ok. I can't tell if these guys completely obliterated their minds with drugs or never ever ever did any at all. The cd booklet features Shatner's amazing diatribe about the recording of this album as well as several telling head shots from his time as Captain Kirk. A novelty item perhaps, but a total must-have all the same.
MPEG Stream: "King Henry The Fifth / Elegy For The Brave"
MPEG Stream: "Theme From Cyrano / Mr. Tamborine Man"

SHAW, MATTHEW Ghosts In The Concrete (Burning Buildings) cd 9.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

SHAW, VIRGIL Quad Cities (Boxkite) cd 11.98
When we were roommates a few years ago, Virgil used to come home dead tired from carpentering and construction all the whole day. There'd be paint on his jeans and crumbs of chalky sheetrock in his hair. He'd pop a beer, sit in our kitchen lit by only a bare bulb, and he'd play guitar, yowling in his crackly heart-tugging voice. Most of the time he was working out new Dieselhed songs -- he's an integral member of the San Francisco-via-Eureka band, who you should all know by now are one of my favorite bands in the world and it's simply criminal that they haven't been able to quit their day jobs yet cos they RULE. Anyway, I would never say it to his face but I think Virgil's pretty grade-A brilliant, and have always loved the rickety, stark 'kitchen versions' of Virgil's songs, and I hoped he'd record them. Wishes do come true. So lovely! Some of Virgil's lyrics: He had a big mouth of crooked teeth Like china leaning by the sink So clean they were almost blue So blue they were almost see through. She has a jacket she hangs outside Smoke sticks to the fake hide So fake you can almost see through So see through you wouldn't know what to do.

SHAW, VIRGIL Still Falling (Future Farmer) cd 13.98
Ex-Dieselhed frontman and perennial Aquarius favorite Virgil Shaw returns at last with a new collection of songs. Virgil's songwriting is at the top of its form; painting vivid pictures, recollecting grainy memories, faded epics and otherwise expressing the most heart rending lyrics he's ever written. The melodic hooks are so kindly and accessible without deepening into sappiness -- a difficult feat to pull off but with Virg it seems effortless. In terms of musical accompaniment, Still Falling is perhaps the most lush and varied in its arrangements with horns, organs, pianos, oodles of percussion and even -- for a couple seconds between two tracks -- the remnants of the dixieland jazz band from the recycled tape that they used to record the album on. Along with regular Shaw cohorts Danny Heifetz and Atom Ellis (also ex-Dieselhed), Virgil is joined by a cadre of musicians including American Music Club's Mark Eitzel (who sings vocals on a couple tracks), percussionist Willie Winant and regular salts Marc Capelle (playing just about every keyboard invented to within an inch of its life), Jeff Palmer, Matt Hall and more. Eight new originals, a Terry Allen cover ("Wilderness of This World") and a version of Merle Haggard's "Sing Me Back Home".
Those who've been long time fans of Dieselhed are acutely aware of the limitations that the recording studio had in capturing the Dieselhed everyone knew and loved as a fantastic live band. The same, fortunately, does not apply to what Virgil has been doing since Dieselhed decided to call it quits. In fact, if anything, this newest album from Shaw and his back up band The Killer Views is closer to capturing the spirit of what Dieselhed was -- at least during their ballads -- than ever before. This is probably due in part to the presence of the above mentioned Dieselhed alumni. So nice!
RealAudio clip: "The Drawing"
RealAudio clip: "Clock On the Wall"
RealAudio clip: "Still Falling"

SHE & HIM A Very She & Him Christmas (Merge) cd 15.98
Whatta ya know, it's a Christmas album from She & Him, the superstar duo of M. Ward, and actress Zooey Deschanel (Almost Famous, 500 Days Of Summer, New Girl). If you've heard She & Him's previous outings then you know the idea of a record of Christmas songs is not so far fetched, as their trademark is making really sweet and cuddly indie pop. So now they've given us a sweet and cuddly indie pop version of holiday classics. Could be the perfect gift for that aunt, coworker, cousin, who has proven particularly hard to shop for...
MPEG Stream: "The Christmas Waltz"
MPEG Stream: "Baby, It's Cold Outside"
MPEG Stream: "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas"

SHE & HIM A Very She & Him Christmas (Merge) lp 17.98
Whatta ya know, it's a Christmas album from She & Him, the superstar duo of M. Ward, and actress Zooey Deschanel (Almost Famous, 500 Days Of Summer, New Girl). If you've heard She & Him's previous outings then you know the idea of a record of Christmas songs is not so far fetched, as their trademark is making really sweet and cuddly indie pop. So now they've given us a sweet and cuddly indie pop version of holiday classics. Could be the perfect gift for that aunt, coworker, cousin, who has proven particularly hard to shop for...
MPEG Stream: "The Christmas Waltz"
MPEG Stream: "Baby, It's Cold Outside"
MPEG Stream: "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas"

SHE & HIM Thieves (Merge) 7" 5.98

SHE & HIM Volume One (Merge) cd 14.98
Yeah, you've no doubt already heard all the hype about this new duo: She & Him aka Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward. A knee-jerk reaction would be to dismiss this as another actress-turned-songstress hipster move, but we'd be so dumb to do so in this case! Besides the folks at Merge Records have a pretty darn solid track record for releasing awesome artists and for having the best music-lovin' intentions. Y'all know we adore Mr. Ward's music something fierce! And where Deschanel's concerned we can only speak about her acting for which she ain't no slouch. As it happens, she's got a decent set of pipes and graceful songwriting pen too -- nothing fancy or particularly distinct, simply soft, sweet and pleasant. The two definitely make a good pairing -- if not a grammatically sound one! The could easily take up duo-residency at the Grand Ol' Opry and the Brill Building. Volme One features ten country tinged pop Deschanel originals as well as three covers recalling bygone era (Smokey Robinson's "You Really Got A Hold On Me", The Beatles' "I Should Have KNown Better", and the traditional number "Swing Low Sweet Chariot").
MPEG Stream: "Sentimental Heart "
MPEG Stream: "This Is Not A Test"

SHE & HIM Volume One (Merge) lp 16.98
Also now on vinyl... Yeah, you've no doubt already heard all the hype about this new duo: She & Him aka Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward. A knee-jerk reaction would be to dismiss this as another actress-turned-songstress hipster move, but we'd be so dumb to do so in this case! Besides the folks at Merge Records have a pretty darn solid track record for releasing awesome artists and for having the best music-lovin' intentions. Y'all know we adore Mr. Ward's music something fierce! And where Deschanel's concerned we can only speak about her acting for which she ain't no slouch. As it happens, she's got a decent set of pipes and graceful songwriting pen too -- nothing fancy or particularly distinct, simply soft, sweet and pleasant. The two definitely make a good pairing -- if not a grammatically sound one! The could easily take up duo-residency at the Grand Ol' Opry and the Brill Building. Volme One features ten country tinged pop Deschanel originals as well as three covers recalling bygone era (Smokey Robinson's "You Really Got A Hold On Me", The Beatles' "I Should Have KNown Better", and the traditional number "Swing Low Sweet Chariot").
MPEG Stream: "Sentimental Heart "
MPEG Stream: "This Is Not A Test"

SHE & HIM Volume Two (Merge) cd 15.98
Most people probably already have an opinion on She & Him before they even hear a note of music. That's fair enough, after all, it would be easy to automatically hate the musical project of doe eyed actress Zooey Deschanel and her collaborator M. Ward. But if you actually take a few minutes to give this a chance, the less cynical of you might be pleasantly surprised, provided you aren't expecting a drastic redefinition of the sonic landscape. She & Him make easygoing, upbeat pop music with lushly orchestrated production (courtesy of Ward, who clearly knows a thing or two about makin' music) and a sunny vibe that will no doubt bring up thoughts of worry free summers and young love. Deschanel's voice is girlish and innocent, never forceful or attempting to wander beyond her range, instead just keeping things sweet and simple, and she certainly has a knack for crafting songs that are catchy, heartwarming, and fun. While there isn't too much stylistic variety on display here, the songs do flow together as a whole quite well, with plenty of acoustic guitar leads, sweet sounding string accompaniment, and lots of dreamy, layered vocals. This should definitely appeal to fans of Camera Obscura, Velocity Girl, and other similar sounding outfits, and hopefully people can overcome whatever hangups they might have and just enjoy this for what it is, a totally likable sweet and sunshiney pop record.
MPEG Stream: "Thieves"
MPEG Stream: "Ridin' In My Car"
MPEG Stream: "Home"

SHE & HIM Volume Two (Merge) lp 17.98
ALSO ON VINYL!!!
Most people probably already have an opinion on She & Him before they even hear a note of music. That's fair enough, after all, it would be easy to automatically hate the musical project of doe eyed actress Zooey Deschanel and her collaborator M. Ward. But if you actually take a few minutes to give this a chance, the less cynical of you might be pleasantly surprised, provided you aren't expecting a drastic redefinition of the sonic landscape. She & Him make easygoing, upbeat pop music with lushly orchestrated production (courtesy of Ward, who clearly knows a thing or two about makin' music) and a sunny vibe that will no doubt bring up thoughts of worry free summers and young love. Deschanel's voice is girlish and innocent, never forceful or attempting to wander beyond her range, instead just keeping things sweet and simple, and she certainly has a knack for crafting songs that are catchy, heartwarming, and fun. While there isn't too much stylistic variety on display here, the songs do flow together as a whole quite well, with plenty of acoustic guitar leads, sweet sounding string accompaniment, and lots of dreamy, layered vocals. This should definitely appeal to fans of Camera Obscura, Velocity Girl, and other similar sounding outfits, and hopefully people can overcome whatever hangups they might have and just enjoy this for what it is, a totally likable seet and sunshiney pop record.
MPEG Stream: "Thieves"
MPEG Stream: "Ridin' In My Car"
MPEG Stream: "Home"

SHE MOB Cancel the Wedding (self-released) cd 9.98
A very cool local trio making a joyous feminine racket a la The Raincoats. Recommended.

SHE MOB Not In My World (self-released) cd 9.98
Here's the latest album from AQ friend Alan Korn's band She Mob. Not In My World is filled with intelligent punky pop that gives hearty nods to its cerebral post-punk and quirky art rock ancestors such as The Slits, The Raincoats, Au Pairs, Delta 5, Talking Heads and The Residents. Crafty, topical and engaging. Features cover art by Matt Waldron aka Irr.App.(Ext.).

SHE WANTS REVENGE s/t (Geffen ) cd 11.98
If you've been hooked into myspace.com, either the name She Wants Revenge will seem painfully passe to you by now or you might be riding the wave of anticipation to hold in your hands an actual cd of this band's up-until-now-only-digitally-available-online music. A brief synopsis for those of you to whom this all seems like Greek... She Wants Revenge is an LA duo who (along with another internet buzz-band, the UK's Arctic Monkeys) have been all the rage on the abovementioned phenomenal hipster/hype-machine community (but now Rupert Murdoch-owned) website for months. All that said, what does it sound like? Well, it's pretty much summed up with the phrase: She Wants Revenge totally 'out-Joy Divisions' Interpol. They've got a song titled "Tear You Apart"... ok. They've formulated their sound to drive into utter ecstacy the aural taste buds of everyone who likes that dour yet danceable sound, but with a few distinctions. Really, the aural resemblance is nothing short of shocking, but unlike Joy Division's tone of bleaker than bleak self-loathing and Interpol's romanticization of it, the two male djs-turned-band-members instead define and fetishize SWR's dour angular new wave dance punk with imagery of girls in panties with butcher knives. Your cup of tea?
MPEG Stream: "Tear You Apart"
MPEG Stream: "These Things"

SHE WANTS REVENGE This Is Forever (Geffen) cd 12.98

SHE'S, THE Then It Starts To Feel Like Summer (self-released) cd 9.98
We'd been hearing about this new San Francisco band The She's for a while now, friends who have seen them live have been totally raving to us about 'em. We can see why now, as this is full on bright colored, punchy pop bliss!
While we are in the crisp and cold time of winter right now, these songs are bringing us the hope of warmth and sunshine that springtime and summer will surely bring. Such an awesome feeling when the first time you ever hear a band you immediately feel the same way you did when you heard bands that have become all-time favorites. Think of some awesome version of Best Coast stripping away the lo-fi vibes and going on a road trip in a red convertible with the first Weezer album and The Breeders' Last Splash, and you start to get an idea of what kind of pop perfection The She's have created with this debut.
While lots of other new bands have been great at tapping into a sound or era with their aesthetic, The She's are a refreshing reminder of how great it is to hear a new band that believes in SONGS. Pretty much every song on here is filled with such inciting hooks and melodies. We have a strong feeling that The She's could be the next San Francisco band who could make it kinda big, this is awesome!
MPEG Stream: "Running"
MPEG Stream: "Then It Starts To Feel Like Summer"
MPEG Stream: "Put It All Together"

SHE'S, THE Then It Starts To Feel Like Summer (self-released) lp 15.98
NOW ON LP!
We'd been hearing about this new San Francisco band The She's for a while now, friends who have seen them live have been totally raving to us about 'em. We can see why now, as this is full on bright colored, punchy pop bliss!
While we are in the crisp and cold time of winter right now, these songs are bringing us the hope of warmth and sunshine that springtime and summer will surely bring. Such an awesome feeling when the first time you ever hear a band you immediately feel the same way you did when you heard bands that have become all-time favorites. Think of some awesome version of Best Coast stripping away the lo-fi vibes and going on a road trip in a red convertible with the first Weezer album and The Breeders' Last Splash, and you start to get an idea of what kind of pop perfection The She's have created with this debut.
While lots of other new bands have been great at tapping into a sound or era with their aesthetic, The She's are a refreshing reminder of how great it is to hear a new band that believes in SONGS. Pretty much every song on here is filled with such inciting hooks and melodies. We have a strong feeling that The She's could be the next San Francisco band who could make it kinda big, this is awesome!
MPEG Stream: "Running"
MPEG Stream: "Then It Starts To Feel Like Summer"
MPEG Stream: "Put It All Together"