SILVER MT ZION MEMORIAL ORCHESTRA & TRA-LA-LA-BAND 13 Blues For Thirteen Moons (Constellation) lp 22.00

SILVER MT. ZION MEMORIAL ORCHESTRA & TRA-LA-LA BAND WITH CHOIR This Is Our Punk, Thee Rusted Satellites Gather + Sing (Constellation) cd 15.98
Newest effort from this Godspeed You Black Emperor offshoot, consisting of mainman Efrim and five other cohorts, plus a "tra-la-la band with choir."
Thankfully, Silver Mt Zion have chosen to actually move beyond aping the Godspeed mothership and crafted a pretty bizarre new sound. Pagan folk ala the Wicker Man, mixed with some of that patented Godspeed cinematic moodiness, and then some Polyphonic Spree-ish harmony. Sounds weird but it actually works pretty well. The first track sounds like it could very well have been from the Wicker Man soundtrack, with the choir chanting fa-so-la, fa-fa-fa, so-la-la-la over a simple tribal rhythms while all sorts of other instruments weave an ominous backdrop of strums and drones. The rest of the record follows a meandering path from those pagan freakouts, to rhythmic tribal jams, to strummy dreamy folk, layered scratchy electronics, to sweet violin/guitar serenity, to clangy clattery soundscapes, to wailing emotive almost-indie twang. Efrim's voice will be a stumbling block for some, his whiny upper register croon reminding us a lot of the Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne' but even more strained and whine-y. Think a mix of Souled American's Chris Grigoroff, Built To Spill's Doug Martsch, and Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst, stripped to the waist, all painted up and standing above a burning pyre, and howling to the heavens! A primal, incantatory hippie cathartic group ritual. Fans of the Wickerman and Comus and other hippie pagan folk, just may have found some modern kindred spirits.
As with all Godspeed and Constellation-label artifacts, the cd artwork is gorgeous, as is the double LP version, both with deluxe gatefold sleeve and booklet insert.
MPEG Stream: "Sow Some Lonesome Corner So Many Flowers Bloom"

SILVER MT. ZION MEMORIAL ORCHESTRA & TRA-LA-LA BAND WITH CHOIR This Is Our Punk, Thee Rusted Satellites Gather + Sing (Constellation) lp 17.98
Newest effort from this Godspeed You Black Emperor offshoot, consisting of mainman Efrim and five other cohorts, plus a "tra-la-la band with choir."
Thankfully, Silver Mt Zion have chosen to actually move beyond aping the Godspeed mothership and crafted a pretty bizarre new sound. Pagan folk ala the Wicker Man, mixed with some of that patented Godspeed cinematic moodiness, and then some Polyphonic Spree-ish harmony. Sounds weird but it actually works pretty well. The first track sounds like it could very well have been from the Wicker Man soundtrack, with the choir chanting fa-so-la, fa-fa-fa, so-la-la-la over a simple tribal rhythms while all sorts of other instruments weave an ominous backdrop of strums and drones. The rest of the record follows a meandering path from those pagan freakouts, to rhythmic tribal jams, to strummy dreamy folk, layered scratchy electronics, to sweet violin/guitar serenity, to clangy clattery soundscapes, to wailing emotive almost-indie twang. Efrim's voice will be a stumbling block for some, his whiny upper register croon reminding us a lot of the Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne' but even more strained and whine-y. Think a mix of Souled American's Chris Grigoroff, Built To Spill's Doug Martsch, and Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst, stripped to the waist, all painted up and standing above a burning pyre, and howling to the heavens! A primal, incantatory hippie cathartic group ritual. Fans of the Wickerman and Comus and other hippie pagan folk, just may have found some modern kindred spirits.
As with all Godspeed and Constellation-label artifacts, the cd artwork is gorgeous, as is the double LP version, both with deluxe gatefold sleeve and booklet insert.

SILVER MT. ZION MEMORIAL ORCHESTRA, THEE Horse In The Sky (Constellation) cd 14.98
Godspeed alumnus Efrim forges ahead with his third (or fourth if you include the tour ep Pretty Little Lightning Paw) album. Efrim and co. continue in the pagan drone folk style of the previous Silver Mt. Zion releases, but with even further emphasis on the vocals (which Andee insists sound like Brak from Space Ghost, which he also insists is a GOOD thing!). Ernest political lyrics are sung in a damaged, cracking voice. Fists clenched and thrust into the air, a chorus takes up the fight and brings the march to the shields of the riot police. Tear gas stings their eyes, batons bruise their arms, and cut their faces, but they continue forward, pushing the line of masked officers backward... I open my eyes and I'm sitting in front of a computer. As good a soundtrack to the next WTO demonstration as any, none the less Silver Mt Zion have matured musically with every release. Unlike their predecessor project Godspeed You Black Emperor, the compositions of Silver Mt. Zion are not constrained by the bombast of the ever increasing crescendo for every song. Horse In The Sky is more a collection of ballads and sing-a-longs, with dark and brooding piano, cello and violin which occasionally break out into rocking cathartic releases. As usual, comes gorgeously packaged in a printed bi-fold wallet with lyric booklet and drawings.
MPEG Stream: "God Bless Our Dead Marines"
MPEG Stream: "Ring Them Bells (Freedom Has Come And Gone)"

SILVER MT. ZION MEMORIAL ORCHESTRA, THEE Horse In The Sky (Constellation) 2lp 19.98
Godspeed alumnus Efrim forges ahead with his third (or fourth if you include the tour ep Pretty Little Lightning Paw) album. Efrim and co. continue in the pagan drone folk style of the previous Silver Mt. Zion releases, but with even further emphasis on the vocals (which Andee insists sound like Brak from Space Ghost, which he also insists is a GOOD thing!) Ernest political lyrics are sung in a damaged, cracking voice. Fists clenched and thrust into the air, a chorus takes up the fight and brings the march to the shields of the riot police. Tear gas stings their eyes, batons bruise their arms, and cut their faces, but they continue forward, pushing the line of masked officers backward... I open my eyes and I'm sitting in front of a computer. As good a soundtrack to the next WTO demonstration as any, none the less Silver Mt Zion have matured musically with every release. Unlike their predecessor project Godspeed You Black Emperor, the compositions of Silver Mt. Zion are not constrained by the bombast of the ever increasing crescendo for every song. Horse In The Sky is more a collection of ballads and sing-a-longs, with dark and brooding piano, cello and violin which occasionally break out into rocking cathartic releases.
MPEG Stream: "God Bless Our Dead Marines"
MPEG Stream: "Ring Them Bells (Freedom Has Come And Gone)"

SILVER MT. ZION, A He Has Left Us Alone, But Shafts of Light Sometimes Grace the Corner of Our Rooms... (Constellation) cd 14.98
Three members of Godspeed You Black Emperor sounding much like you'd think they would: delicate, dark instrumentals awash with mournful violin, epic drumming, radio broadcasts and lilting guitar. Though not every track is always as fully layered as Godspeed, A Silver Mt. Zion is EQUALLY beautiful albeit simpler. The fifth of the eight tracks, "13 Angels Standing Guard 'Round the Side of Your Bed," in particular features a weeping guitar effect that is so lovely it's itself worth the price of the record. The gorgeous packaging also deserves a mention: bright red foilstamping on matte brown cardstock. So nice!
RealAudio clip: "13 Angels..."

SILVER MT. ZION, A He Has Left Us Alone, But Shafts of Light Sometimes Grace the Corner of Our Rooms... (Constellation) lp 15.98
Three members of Godspeed You Black Emperor sounding much like you'd think they would: delicate, dark instrumentals awash with mournful violin, epic drumming, radio broadcasts and lilting guitar. Though their sound is not always as full as Godspeed, A Silver Mt. Zion is EQUALLY beautiful. The fifth of the eight tracks, "13 Angels Standing Guard 'Round the Side of Your Bed," in particular features a weeping guitar effect that is so lovely it's worth the price of the record. The gorgeous packaging also deserves a mention: bright red foilstamping on matte brown cardstock. So nice!

SILVER MT. ZION, THE Born Into Trouble As Sparks (Constellation) cd 14.98
Changing their name from A Silver Mt. Zion to The Silver Mt. Zion may not amount to much, but it certainly irks our propensity for neat-freak orderliness. While certain schools of thought disregard all articles in terms of alphabetization, Aquarius has always been charmed by the article "a." The obvious reasoning to this is that there are not very many bands who have choosen a name beginning with the article "a." Yet it can not be denied that Andee's former band was A Minor Forest and he never wanted his band filed in the "m" section right after Kylie Minogue. Thus, the previous release from this Godspeed! You Black Emperor side-project will remain filed as "A Silver Mt. Zion" and this album will be filed as "Silver Mt. Zion, The." Sometimes people can be confused when their world is thrown into a tizzy, and we wouldn't want that to happen, now would we?
Anyway, "Born Into Trouble As Sparks" is yet another outing of exactly what you would expect to come from the Godspeed! camps: soaring orchestrations for glide guitars and melodramatically inclined strings, tainted by the continued use of knee-jerkingly leftist spoken word snippets. While my initial reaction to this album was just plain bitchy, the accurate analysis was given by our beloved garrulous regular customer Forrest Norvell, who likened Silver Mt. Zion to the films of John Sayles, as earnest-to-a-fault anarcho-syndicalists rebelling with every single ounce of strength against the evils of capitalism, politics, money, greed, the system, the man, and anything else that makes for an easy target. Not every tale of hope in the face of despair makes for good art.
RealAudio clip: "Built Then Burnt (Hurrah! Hurrah!)"
RealAudio clip: "Take These Hands And Throw Them In The River"

SILVER MT. ZION, THE Born Into Trouble As Sparks (Constellation) 2x10" 15.98
Changing their name from A Silver Mt. Zion to The Silver Mt. Zion may not amount to much, but it certainly irks our propensity for neat-freak orderliness. While certain schools of thought disregard all articles in terms of alphabetization, Aquarius has always been charmed by the article "a." The obvious reasoning to this is that there are not very many bands who have choosen a name beginning with the article "a." Yet it can not be denied that Andee's former band was A Minor Forest and he never wanted his band filed in the "m" section right after Kylie Minogue. Thus, the previous release from this Godspeed! You Black Emperor side-project will remain filed as "A Silver Mt. Zion" and this album will be filed as "Silver Mt. Zion, The." Sometimes people can be confused when their world is thrown into a tizzy, and we wouldn't want that to happen, now would we?
Anyway, "Born Into Trouble As Sparks" is yet another outing of exactly what you would expect to come from the Godspeed! camps: soaring orchestrations for glide guitars and melodramatically inclined strings, tainted by the continued use of knee-jerkingly leftist spoken word snippets. While my initial reaction to this album was just plain bitchy, the accurate analysis was given by our beloved garrulous regular customer Forrest Norvell, who likened Silver Mt. Zion to the films of John Sayles, as earnest-to-a-fault anarcho-syndicalists rebelling with every single ounce of strength against the evils of capitalism, politics, money, greed, the system, the man, and anything else that makes for an easy target. Not every tale of hope in the face of despair makes for good art.

SILVER PINES Forces (Light Lodge) lp 14.98
Now On Vinyl!
We weren't sure what to expect of this, when one slow night we were going through a pile of cd submissions and it was the last thing we put on. But we were instantly floored! We didn't really know too much about this band except they were from San Marcos, TX and recently relocated to Austin, having dropped off the cd with us when they were on tour (we had mistakenly assumed at first they were local!).
Silver Pines revel in a sound that can be best described as shoegazey stoner country-rock. Thick, warm, slow-burning and gauzy with lots of reverbed slide guitar and heavy psych amp fuzz underscoring the female singer's pretty heavy-lidded drawled vocals, the songs on Forces remind us of smoky perfumed parlors from a forgotten age. The kind of music that instantly transports you to an a dreamy antiquated time but in a way that seems refreshingly unfamiliar and charmed. Reminiscent of a fuzzier more narcoleptic Mazzy Star or a more heavier slow-rocking Beach House, Silver Pines has taken us all quite by surprise by their majestic grace and atmospheric beauty. Soooo good!! Hopefully this won't be the last we hear from this band. Already assured a spot on our top ten lists for the year. Limited to 500 copies. Don't miss out!!!
MPEG Stream: "Timefather"
MPEG Stream: "Polar Bear"
MPEG Stream: "Old Sky"

SILVER PINES Forces (self-released) cd-r 9.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
BACK IN STOCK! LAST COPIES!!!!
When we first listed this we weren't sure we would get more than the last ten copies the band had, but then we had so many orders for it, the band kindly made another pressing. And after we sold out of those, we thought we would get one last batch from them for all the folks who may have saw the first review and wanted to buy one but didn't think they'd have a chance of ever getting it. Well here's your chance, albeit your last one!
We weren't sure what to expect of this, when one slow night we were going through a pile of cd submissions and it was the last thing we put on. But we were instantly floored! We didn't really know too much about this band except they were from San Marcos, TX and recently relocated to Austin, having dropped off the cd with us when they were on tour (we had mistakenly assumed at first they were local!).
Silver Pines revel in a sound that can be best described as shoegazey stoner country-rock. Thick, warm, slow-burning and gauzy with lots of reverbed slide guitar and heavy psych amp fuzz underscoring the female singer's pretty heavy-lidded drawled vocals, the songs on Forces remind us of smoky perfumed parlors from a forgotten age. The kind of music that instantly transports you to an a dreamy antiquated time but in a way that seems refreshingly unfamiliar and charmed. Reminiscent of a fuzzier more narcoleptic Mazzy Star or a more heavier slow-rocking Beach House, Silver Pines has taken us all quite by surprise by their majestic grace and atmospheric beauty. Soooo good!! Hopefully this won't be the last we hear from this band. Each cd-r hand silkscreened and colored. Already assured a spot on our top ten lists for the year. Don't miss out!!!
MPEG Stream: "Timefather"
MPEG Stream: "Polar Bear"
MPEG Stream: "Old Sky"

SILVER PINES Night Smoker (self-released) cassette 5.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Oh, how we miss the "cassingle". Those two or three songs and perhaps a dance remix that would play on both sides of a cassette over and over again, burning those couple of songs immediately into our heads. And with its cheap cardstock sleeve instead of a case, for the time, before we got so super concerned about the environment, it was so happily disposable.
That's not to say this new 4 song cassette release by aQ faves, Silver Pines is similarly throwaway, but their choice of packaging (a black cardstock sleeve with unique collage elements) and the brevity of its length, just takes us back to those (not really) good ol' days. Made for their recent tour, this is a more lo-fi and blown out take on their majestic shoegazey Americana than we saw on the Forces cd-r (oh, and btw vinyl of that is coming soon!). In fact side one starter, "You Came To My Door", starts off very in the red, with the vocals and drifting guitar soundscapes near clipping out, but the sound issues are pretty much corrected by the second track "(I Believe In) Magic Dreams", a more spacious and slow-burning instrumental. Yet it's the second side that holds the real gold. Both songs, "Glass Church" and "Baby Universe" are stunningly beautiful and druggy ballads that are more strung out and psychedelic than anything we've ever heard from Hope Sandoval or Mazzy Star, the Pines most recognizable sonic touchstones. These two songs alone are worth the price of admission, but act fast, because only 100 were made and we only got a handful. So freakin' lovely!

SILVER SCOOTER Orleans Parish (Peek-A-Boo) cd 13.98
Silver Scooter is a Texan trio whose best Smiths / James / late 80s Brit-pop interpolations within the context of Americana indie-rock makes us look much older than we really are.

SILVER SCOOTER The Blue Law (Peek A Boo) cd 13.98
The Blue Law marks the fourth full length batch of sweetness from this Austin, TX pop trio. Sort of like a hybrid between Go-Betweens (esp. when Grant McLennan is singing) and lo-fi kiddie-core Crayon / Tullycraft, but with each release leaning more and more towards the former than the latter. On Peek-a-Boo Records, home to sugary, fun pop a-plenty.

SILVER SUN Disappear Here (Invisible Hands) cd 10.98
WE LOVE THIS BAND!!! Those of you who have been with us since the beginning will no doubt be well aware of our love affair with these UK power poppers. They played one of the best instores we've ever had, Andee's old band P.E.E. toured with Silver Sun when they were here (Silver Sun's first US tour, P.E.E.'s last tour ever!), and we sold tons and tons of their other two records. And it's no surprise. Silver Sun write unbelivable songs, with super crunchy kick ass guitars, and maybe the best harmony vocals we've ever heard. It's been six or seven years since their last full length, the band even broke up for a while, until frontman James began recording a new Silver Sun record and realized that it wouldn't be the same without the rest of the band, so they got together and came up with Disappear Here. Their first record was a buzzsaw blast of Beach Boys, Queen, Supertramp, Jellyfish, Zumpano and the Posies. The second record, Neo Wave, appropriate to the title was was more angular and eighties and, well, new wave. But for Disappear Here, they've gone back to their power popping of old, maybe even going a bit farther, adding even more sugar and sweetness to their musclely pop. In fact they sound a lot like later Redd Kross (with maybe a bit less of RK's kitsch obsessed jaded hipster vibe) which is a VERY GOOD thing. So take the above list of bands, add Redd Kross, and maybe some Banana Splits, some Xanadu perhaps, even more harmonies, and still more big ultra catchy choruses, and you are looking at THE power pop record of the year. Can't figure out why these guys aren't HUGE!
MPEG Stream: "Bubblegum"
MPEG Stream: "Jody"
MPEG Stream: "Garlic"
MPEG Stream: "Pipsqueak"

SILVER SUN Golden Skin (Polydor) cdep 6.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

SILVER SUN I'll See You Around (Polydor) cdep 6.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

SILVER SUN Last Day (Polydor) cdep 4.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

SILVER SUN Neo Wave (Polydor UK) cd 24.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
At last, we actually have these back in stock again!! Unfortunately, the high import prices are still in effect. But, if you have ever loved the Zombies, Queen, Weezer, Cheap Trick, Jellyfish, Zumpano, the Beach Boys, etc. -- you will LOVE this band, and find these discs well worth the dough. The best take on kick ass power pop in years! Really loud and melodic, with amazing three part harmonies (this last element so beautifully displayed at their all-acoustic Aquarius instore performance). Both records rule! And still no word on a US release, goshdarnit. When will America get a clue?

SILVER SUN s/t (Polydor UK) cd 26.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
This is quite simply one of the most PERFECT, hook-filled 'power pop' records we've heard in forever. It manages to be ultra catchy but not too
cloying, completely tongue in cheek without being too inane, and the band totally kicks-ass without overwhelming the delicate and intricate 3-part
harmonies. They are super tight and their arrangements are both challenging and impeccable.
The Britpop-crazy UK press constantly refers to Silver Sun as the 'British Beach Boys', and while they do have a definite Beach Boys harmonic
flair, they seem to have more in common with the BIG HUGE sound of Queen and Supertramp and the songwriting chops of more recent bands like
Jellyfish, Zumpano or the Posies, with their over-the-top bombast, buzzsaw guitars, and absurdist lyrics. But the vocal stylings are the killer. 3 of the 4 band members sing, and sing like anyone of them could've fronted the band alone! You have NEVER heard harmonies of this quality on an indie rock record. Rarely does a 'pop' record manage to unite the varied AQ-staffers' peculiar tastes, but everyone here *loves* Silver Sun.
While this record isn't actually new, as of Tuesday this will be the first time we've had more than one or two copies in stock, and it's the first time we've had them for less than $20! We will also have two other titles by Silver Sun, 'Neo Wave' (a little
slower and less rocking but still amazing) and their all covers ep, featuring super kick ass versions of Rush's 'Xanadu' and My Bloody Valentine's 'You Made Me Realise'!

SILVER SUN Too Much, Too Little, Too Late (Polydor) cdep 9.99
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Yes, this is our favorite britpop band covering an REO Speedwagon song. Also covers of Rush's "Xanadu", My Bloody Valentine's "You Made Me Realize" and The Muffs' "I'm a Dick".

SILVERMAN, SARAH Jesus Is Magic (Interscope) cd 14.98

MPEG Stream: "Ron Jeremy"
MPEG Stream: "I Don't Need Two Reasons"
MPEG Stream: "I Love You More"

SILVERMAN, SARAH Jesus Is Magic (Interscope) dvd 24.00

SILVERSUN PICKUPS Carnavas (Dangerbird) cd 12.98
Worth it just for the song "Lazy Eye". The best song the Smashing Pumpkins never wrote. The rest of the record is pretty damn great as well.
Quiet / loud / quiet indie rock with thick roaring guitars, pounding drums, soft fey vocals and some killer hooks. Makes sense these guys are getting huge... They'd be a guilty pleasure if there were anything to be guilty about!
MPEG Stream: "Lazy Eye"
MPEG Stream: "Melatonin"

SILVERSUN PICKUPS Swoon (Dangerbird) cd 15.98
It's so easy to hate on these guys (and gal), they went from indie darlings to next big thing, to actual big thing in the blink of an eye. Plus they sound dangerously and criminally like Smashing Pumpkins, but, and this is a very very big BUT, they actually kind of rule.
If you haven't heard their big first single "Lazy Eye", look it up on YouTube. It's like the best Smashing Pumpkins song Billy Corgan never wrote. Or more accurately, it's like THAT Smashing Pumpkins song, you know the one, the only really great late period SP song, but made heavier and blissier and a little noisier. That whole first record was packed with similar jams, My Bloody Valentine meets the Smashing Pumpkins is the most obvious (and oft mentioned comparison), but heck if it isn't sort of accurate. And for what they lacks in originality, they make up for in sheer rad rockingness, hooks everywhere, the singer's Corgan-esque croon, some kick ass drumming, and guitars everywhere, supecharged, distorted, heavy, buzzy, blown out, but still warm and thick and billowy.
We never reviewed the first record, but for some of us, it was definitely a (not so) guilty pleasure. While Swoon doesn't have a hit quite as unbeatable as "Lazy Eye", it does manage to be more lush and expansive, a bit heavier, and after a few listens, some of these songs will be lodged in your head FOREVER. And the sad thing is, this stuff sounds so much better than 90 percent of the rock happening these days, and it's sad to realize they just don't make music like this so much anymore, so when someone does, and does it so well, we just have to sit back and let ourselves be transported right back to the good old days, those days being the nineties, so c'mon, close your eyes, let your hair down, turn up the stereo and rock the fuck out. Pop fiends, especially ones who grew up in the nineties, will go nuts for this. And if you can ignore all the hype and the bullshit and just enjoy the music for what it is, even the most jaded of hipsters might just find themselves unable to resist the blissy crunchy pop spell of Silversun Pickups.
MPEG Stream: "Panic Switch"
MPEG Stream: "There's No Secrets This Year"
MPEG Stream: "The Royal We"

SILVESTER ANFANG Echte Viaamse Geiten (Eclipse) lp 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Latest release from these purveyors of funeral folk avant ambient doom, Silvester Anfang. You may remember their last lp because of the very striking cover image, a sort of Mentors meets the Ku Klux Klan, shirtless men wearing hoods with goats in the middle of a forest. Very fucked up and creepy, which perfectly matched the music inside.
Not too much has changed sonically, if anything, they seem to have gotten even more abstract, a sound with definite nods to the Finnish folk contingent, trashcan percussion, lots of shakers and rattles, a distant keening buzz, far off swells of minor key rumble, creepy tin whistle melodies, bits of guitar, obtuse and angular. The sound is very heavily rhythm based, with various other instruments and sounds ebbing and flowing around the primal percussive chaos at Silvester Anfang's core. Every once in a while the group locks into simple rhythmic folk jams with buzzing guitar and insistent propulsive percussion, but it always seems to dissipate into blissed out clouds of drone and clatter, but the drums and shakers never waver, always there, often in the foreground but just as often lurking mysteriously below the surface.
Side two is a much rockier proposition, the band falling into some almost groovy krautrock territory, heavy fuzz bass unfurling a propulsive riff, beneath warbly seasick guitar and tons of swirly lo-fi fuzz. The disc winds down with a bit of traditional folkiness, almost like a jig, but looped into a repetitive groove, mesmerizing and hypnotic, buzzy and almost raga like, and like the rest of the record, beautiful, haunting and creepy.

SILVESTER ANFANG Kosmies Slachtafval (Aurora Borealis) cd 14.98
Belgian funeral folk avant ambient doom troop Silvester Anfang sure have a way with images. Their first full length featured the band in white hoods, shirtless, with sticks and clubs and axes and goats on chains, now this one, the band's first proper cd release, sports a foxy raven haired lass licking a skull, and elsewhere in the booklet and on the sleeve, posing with said licked skull, as well as plenty of goats still, upside down ladies in bikinis in the shape of an upside down crucifix, as well as a full color fold out poster of the babe-licking-skull album cover....
And while that all may seem a bit over the top, somehow, it suits Silvester Anfang's dark and demented music. They're like a grim, blackened, metallic version of all those freaky forest neo folkies. Imagine Avarus or Feathers or Kemialliset, just hanging out beneath the trees, weaving their stumbling free folk magic, when all of a sudden, they're pulled into some pit in the middle of the forest, only to emerge days later, with a blank dead eyed stare, emotionless, eyes black as obsidian, their hair tangled and matted, their skin covered in mysterious tattoos, and the sounds they make, like some some primitive musical ritual...
That's sort of what Silvester Anfang sound like. The parts are all familiar, the shuffling rhythms, the junkyard percussion, the haunting vocals, the detuned guitars, but somehow twisted, dark, and so black, and like they also somehow dragged some big ass amps as well as at least one full drum kit out into the woods, and the results are seriously scary (and amazing).
The first track unfurls a web of jagged distorted guitar melodies over a simple motorik pound, surrounded by all sorts of chants and distant drones, above a constantly shifting landscape of grinding whirs and swirling clouds of tinkling melodies, occasionally overtaken by thick washes of super distorted guitar buzz, everything culminating in an orgiastic musical free for all, with wild feral female vocals, dense tribal drumming, epic cinematic swells... an immense sonic squall the lights the black forest with some burnished red glow...
The second track, the nearly half hour long "Konfituur Voor De Satanjeugd" is much more subtle and stretched out, some sort of German Oak krautrock style slow burner, all shuffling drums and whirling ambience, spidery guitars and glistening barely there melodies, until about the 20 minute mark, when a riff finally coalesces, a killer riff, a sort of Viking dirge, a bit metallic, grinding away over thick sheets of blown out guitar drone, a dense wash of amp buzz and guitar growl, the riff looped and cyclical, while in the background lurk streaks of high end guitar and warm whirring synths, gorgeous and not a little bit frightening.
Magickal and mystickal, dark and diabolical, just the sort of musick that might very well have you too licking skulls after repeated listens, and there's certainly not a better recommendation than that...
MPEG Stream: "Mijn Vader Was Een Wolf En Mijn Moeder Was Een Hoer"
MPEG Stream: "Konfituur Voor De Satanjeugd"

SILVESTER ANFANG Levend Op DeBrandstapel (Skulls Of Heaven) cd-r 8.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Latest hellish musical missive from these Belgian funeral folk freeks, but where past releases have found the band wandering through twangy campfire lit forests, and offering up strummed pagan prayers to the gods, Levend Op De Brandstapel is Silvester Anfang at their most rocking, their most freaked out and psychedelic, blown out and tripped out heavy. But even then, the band still sound unhinged and abstract, stumbling and damaged. The guitars this time around are thick and distorted, the riffs are sharp edged and buzz drenched, but the band never actually ROCK, at least not in the traditional sense. The first half of this single 26 minute track, is an expanse of drone and clatter, big black riffs slowly unfurling and allowed to drift amidst a sea of whirs and shimmers, clangs and clatters, it's like the skeleton of some classic rock song, ensorcelled and brought back to life, lurching and lumbering through a landscape of distant drones and random percussion. The second half of the track, the noise quotient gets ratcheted up big time, and while the band still doesn't quite rock, it does get wilder and heavier, the sound transforming into a Sunroof! style high end ur-drone, but here, the drone is littered with howled voices, grinding shards of guitar, feedback everywhere, all tangled up into a corrosive noiserock loop that plays out right until the end. Woah.
Packaged in miniature dvd style case, with a tripped out, and very evil looking black and white cover insert. EXTREMELY LIMITED, we got about 25 copies and probably won't be able to get moreŠ
MPEG Stream: "Levend Op DeBrandstapel (Excerpt)"

SILVESTER ANFANG Satanische Vrede ((K-RAA-K)3) lp 17.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
After a load of limited tape and cd-r releases, this is the first proper full length from Belgian Funeral folk collective Silvester Anfang. Don't let the amazing cover art mislead you though. The band, all shirtless and pasty, in weird Elephant Man pillowcase hoods, with clubs and axes and goats on leashes in some mysterious forest. We sort of expected some black metal Mentors thing. But as the saying goes, you can't judge a band by their hoods and goats. Silvester Anfang travel a similar sonic path as Finnish outfit Avarus, clattery, dreamlike abstract primitive pagan free folk, with plenty of tribal percussion, strange chanted vocals, lots of shakers and rattles and hand drums, buzzing guitars, Eastern grooves and some alien Gypsy music vibes. A super abstract ambient folk krautrock, murky and lo-fi, dark and droney and funereal for sure. Really great!

SIM + OTOMO Monte Alto Estate (Doubtmusic) cd 17.98
The always interestin' Japanese label Doubtmusic has three new releases out, we'll get to the enka-sax-solos one by Kazutoki Umezu and the jazz-improv-with-flourescent-light-instrument one by the Kazuo Imai Trio on a upcoming list soon, but we picked this disc to highlight first, this time, 'cause we know how many eager Otomo Yoshihide fans there are out there, and this disc features Otomo teaming up with a hitherto unknown to us rhythmic progwave unit called Sim, a trio comprising Oshima Teruyuki on guitar, Ootani Yosio on electronics/computer, and Ground Zero drummer Uemura Mashiro. Together they encode an alien, mechanical glitch-funk, definitely something special for fans of This Heat, Starfuckers/Sinistri, Radian, and the like.
Fried and fractured, the mutant grooves of Sim are further gunked with grit and glitch spinning from the seemingly warped turntable action of maestro Otomo, who is also credited with the use (and abuse?) of a "self-made synthesizer". Otomo's turntables are also presumably the source of the cut-up vocal loops heard on this otherwise instrumental set, garbled transmissions of chatter and mumble from unknown entities.
But it's Uemura's percussive percolations that utterly underpin this futuristic FX laden fantasmagoria. With each frayed nerve beat seemingly counting down to some terminal fate for the listener, his drumming interlocks with chicken scratch guitar and throbbing (temple) low end pulsations, amidst a miasma of electronic noise textures: blips and bleeps, crackle and feedback, eerie squeak and creak. It's maddening and mesmerizing, music for some discombobulating no-wave-by-way-of-onkyo dance club. This Sim+Otomo network is dense and distorted, displaying staggered rhythmic freakishness that seems off, then on, speeding up and slowing down and phasing in and out of "grooves" with precise imprecision.
The packaging is perfect for this, a striking digipack design as is usual for Doubtmusic, featuring not one but two circular die cut holes, a big one offset on the front through which you can see the cd, a smaller one in the back right in the center of the clear cd-tray, both to go along with the artwork, elliptical orbits echoing the way the music on this disc syncs and spins.
MPEG Stream: "5.5mm"
MPEG Stream: "Am"
MPEG Stream: "Disk 1"

SIMIAN Chemistry Is What We Are (Astralwerks) cd 15.98
Trippy, psych-pop with textural electronic bloopy explorations flowing overtop which occasionally threaten to overwhelm the pretty spaced out melodies and wonderful falsetto harmonies. This Manchester quartet has drawn a few comparisons to Beta Band and Badly Drawn Boy, and it does have its share of lazy boy vocals, warm organ drones and programmed beats. However, overall they're actually more in line with labelmates Sweden's soothing popsters Kings of Convenience - only more quirksome- or perhaps Olivia Tremor Control. Includes two bonus tracks not available on the import version.
RealAudio clip: "Drop And Roll"
RealAudio clip: "One Dimension"

SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO Attack Decay Sustain Release (Interscope) cd 11.98
Attack Decay Sustain Release, is surprisingly the first full-length album released by London based production/ DJ duo, Simian Mobile Disco (James Ford and Jas Shaw), though a slew of SMD remixes and catchy dance fueled singles like "Hustler" and "I Believe" have been in heavy rotation throughout various DJ/dance internet blogs and mixed in night clubs far and wide for a few years now.
When considering the beginnings of SMD, one wouldn't assume they started as half of the psych/folk rock outfit, Simian, which saw considerable success though the two weren't exactly comfortable with the direction of the group. Seeking a more "electronic party music" approach the duo left Simian to delve into the DJ/production game, soon building a reputation with production and remixes for artists like AIR, The Klaxons, and Arctic Monkeys. We've all been anxious to see how a full album of SMD material would hold up against the numerous comparisons to the releases of French electro outfit Justice (listed a few lists back), and Kitsune's Digitalism. Basically, the question is, who will be the next Daft Punk!?
Well, we think it's safe to say there are similarities though A.D.S.R. definitely holds its own, being a bit more vocal and progressive. This is a brilliant collection of dance tunes, though not terribly long (10 songs all together), its a quality over quantity approach, with varied tracks that are constantly stimulating. Every song here is well crafted and instantly memorable with catchy synth choruses drowned in effects, every synth melody put in its right place. A lot of variation in this album. The more club oriented tracks like "Sleep Deprivation" are dense with randomly filtered bleeps, bloops, and dominant kicks, and "Tits & Acid" filled with quirky, burbling sequencer lines, ecstatic sweeps and washes, and the occasional chopped and filtered vocal edits.
Then there are the more poppy tunes (but good pop) like "I Believe" reminiscent of Kraftwerk with a crisp, wobbly bass and a super catchy synth chorus (a personal fave, minus the vocals) and, "It's The Beat" featuring vocals by Ninja from The Go! Team. Then there's "Scott", an amazing, dreamy, electronic composition, similar to that of early synth pioneers like Jean Michel Jarre or Teddy Lasry. Best yet, it's all recorded on analog machines, to steer clear of the more techy, programmed sound.
Overall, an electrifying album indeed!
MPEG Stream: "Tits And Acid"
MPEG Stream: "I Believe"
MPEG Stream: "Scott"

SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO Fabriclive 4.1 (Fabric) cd 17.98
While we love and appreciate the music of Simian Mobile Disco, created of course on all analog equipment with sights set on a flashing dancefloor, it's really the incredible DJ skills of Simian Mobile Disco that impresses us the most. A few of us have seen them play their sets before and it really was some of the best dancefloor/DJ action we've ever experienced. So we were super excited about their entry in the Fabriclive series.
This should really be used as a template/textbook for all aspiring dancefloor DJ's. SMD are masterful at mixing both the obvious and the obscure, the expected and the very UNexpected. From disco to four-on-the-floor techno, rife with great peaks and valleys with great twists and turns throughout, this is a mix made for playing loud or as the soundtrack to the kind of party that involves bodies moving with reckless abandon. Who else could somehow sneak in Raymond Scott, Moondog, and Moebius/Plank/Neumeier into a mix featuring Hercules & The Love Affair, Plastikman and Tomita and make it all flow so effortlessly? There is a danger sometimes with DJ's playing show-off with their record collections, but Simian Mobile Disco really utilize their great taste in music for maximum dance floor effect. They would be the perfect group to DJ a Daft Punk after party! Aspiring DJ's get out your notebooks cause school is in session!
MPEG Stream: "Sisters Of Transistors - The Don"
MPEG Stream: "Hercules And Love Affair - Blind (Serge Santiago Version)"
MPEG Stream: "Moondog - Suite Equestria"
MPEG Stream: "Plastikman - Spastik"

SIMINS, RUSSELL Public Places (Grand Royal) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Electric alt-funk a la the Chili Peppers, hip whiteboy blues like Beck, even guitar-filled arena rock... all that and more can be found on Jon Spencer Blues Explosion drummer Russell Simins solo debut. Here he writes all the songs, and performs not only on drums but also guitar, keyboards, and vocals. We didn't know he had it in him! Also making appearances: Vivian Trimble of Luscious Jackson, Miho Hatori of Cibo Matto, and the Beastie Boys' Mike D. This record is a big huge-sounding wake up slap, full of aggro energy and hip groove -- a little too obvious for some tastes but we think a lot of folks will like it all the same.
RealAudio clip: "I'm Not a Model"

SIMMONS, CARL Honeysuckle Tendrils (Sacred Bones) cd 11.98
We're huge fans of the Sacred Bones label. They're responsible for some of our favorite records lately, from space rock to cold wave to twisted garage pop. Gary War, Moon Duo, Blank Dogs, Zola Jesus, The Cultural Decay, 13th Chime, so we were definitely excited to check out this latest release, from a fella called Carl Simmons, and once again, SB has come up with something weird and cool and confounding.
Unlike the more gothic or cold wave or noisy leanings of much of the other stuff on the label, Simmons' record is a strange stripped down psychedelic folk missive, that sounds like it was broadcast from some other world, or other time.
Super spare and simple, mostly vocals and guitar, but fleshed out with layers of sound collage, and lots of effects. But unlike a lot of heavily effects laden music, Simmons manages to pile on the effects, without it becoming ABOUT the effects. Lots of reverb and multitracking results in a strange reedy, almost helium sounding main voice, often laid over Simmons' more natural gruff croon, the result is definitely magical, and mysterious, gorgeous druggy loner bedroom folk for sure, but infused with plenty of spaced out shimmer, and muted lysergic energy. If you can imagine a freaky, psychedelic, lost freak folk artifact, equal parts Sentridoh, Peter Grudzien and Ween (the latter mostly because of the processed helium vox), you might get a rough idea of what Honeysuckle Tendrils sounds like, but it's so much more than its influences or whatever references we can come up with. Recorded 10 years ago, and released in a micro edition of almost none, Honeysuckle Tendrils is definitely a lost gem, emotional, intimate, haunting, pretty and definitely a bit twisted.
Fantastic packaging as with all Sacred Bones stuff, cool hand screened arigato style cardstock sleeve, with multiple mini printed inserts.

SIMMONS, CARL Honeysuckle Tendrils (Sacred Bones) lp + 7" 26.00
Finally got this on vinyl, gorgeously packaged with a bonus 7" and a handful of homemade looking inserts (See the end of the review for more)...
We're huge fans of the Sacred Bones label. They're responsible for some of our favorite records lately, from space rock to cold wave to twisted garage pop. Gary War, Moon Duo, Blank Dogs, Zola Jesus, The Cultural Decay, 13th Chime, so we were definitely excited to check out this latest release, from a fella called Carl Simmons, and once again, SB has come up with something weird and cool and confounding.
Unlike the more gothic or cold wave or noisy leanings of much of the other stuff on the label, Simmons' record is a strange stripped down psychedelic folk missive, that sounds like it was broadcast from some other world, or other time.
Super spare and simple, mostly vocals and guitar, but fleshed out with layers of sound collage, and lots of effects. But unlike a lot of heavily effects laden music, Simmons manages to pile on the effects, without it becoming ABOUT the effects. Lots of reverb and multi tracking results in a strange reedy, almost helium sounding main voice, often laid over Simmons' more natural gruff croon, the result is definitely magical, and mysterious, gorgeous druggy loner bedroom folk for sure, but infused with plenty of spaced out shimmer, and muted lysergic energy. If you can imagine a freaky, psychedelic, lost freak folk artifact, equal parts Sentridoh, Peter Grudzien and Ween (mostly because of the processed helium vox), you might get a rough idea of what Honeysuckle Tendrils, but it's so much more than its influences or whatever references we can come up with. Recorded 10 years ago, and released in a micro edition of almost none, Honeysuckle Tendrils is definitely a lost gem, emotional, intimate, haunting, pretty and definitely a bit twisted.
The lp includes a bonus 7" with two alternate versions, and two songs exclusive to the vinyl version, the 7" comes in a wax sealed sleeve, and includes a special booklet, and this lp+7" vinyl version is limited to 400 copies...

SIMMONS, GENE Kiss and Make-Up (Crown) book 25.95
This is it. The autobiography. With tons of pictures, some in color, and lots of kiss-and-tell. You know you want it.

SIMMONS, SONNY Music From The Spheres (ESP Disk) cd 14.98

SIMMONS, SONNY Music From The Spheres (ESP Disk) lp 14.98

SIMMONS, SONNY Staying On The Watch (ESP / Aretina) cd 16.98
Finally another wave of ESP reissues and more completely essential and seminal sixties free jazz. This disc, recorded in 1966, Simmons' debut as a band leader, is an intense blast of aggresive melody with four extended tracks of raw and relentless skronk and skree with some inspired playing from Barbara Donald (trumpet), John Hicks (piano), Teddy Smith (bass), and Marvin Pattillo (drums). So nice.
RealAudio clip: "Metamorphosis"
RealAudio clip: "A Distant Voice"

SIMMONS, SONNY Staying On The Watch (ESP / Get Back) lp 14.98
Finally another wave of ESP reissues and more completely essential and seminal sixties free jazz. This disc, recorded in 1966, Simmons' debut as a band leader, is an intense blast of aggresive melody with four extended tracks of raw and relentless skronk and skree with some inspired playing from Barbara Donald (trumpet), John Hicks (piano), Teddy Smith (bass), and Marvin Pattillo (drums). So nice.

SIMMONS, SONNY The Complete ESP-Disk Recordings (ESP-Disk) 2cd 24.00

SIMONE, NINA ...Sings Duke Ellington / ...At Carnegie Hall (Collectables) cd 14.98

SIMONE, NINA Anthology: The Colpix Years (Rhino) 2cd 29.00
Fine new double disc collection, 40 tracks worth, from "the high priestess of soul" - wonderful.

SIMONE, NINA Emergency Ward! (Sony) lp 15.98
Nina Simone's vast and varied back catalog never ceases to thrill and amaze us. As we dig and dig into the deep vaults of her recorded material we keep running into records that demand full attention and grab us by our vitals and throw us right into the world she was inhabiting at that moment. This 1973 album, now reissued on vinyl, found Nina full of a crazy kind of energy, empowerment, rage, urgency and intensity. As the Vietnam War continued to linger, Emergency Ward! was Nina Simone's most pointed protest against the war, as well as one of her most fiery and commanding records, period. With arrangements by the great Weldon Irvine and a church junior choir from South Jamaica, New York backing her up, a strong foundation was laid for Nina to take those elements and bring them to life as only she could. Recorded live in a few different locations the record finds Simone at her most epic and emotionally charged. The first side is one long track that merges an adaptation of George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" with "Today Is A Killer", a poem by David Nelson, that Nina Simone transforms into an unforgettable gospel burner! The second side starts off with an irresistible version of "Poppies" and then the grand finale is an eleven minute emotionally poignant take on another George Harrison song, "Isn't It A Pity", that rings with so much truth and timeliness all these years later. Nina Simone fans, you must have this! Totally engaging and essential!

SIMONE, NINA Folksy Nina / Nina With Strings (Collectables) cd 14.98

SIMONE, NINA Forbidden Fruit / At Newport (Collectables) cd 14.98

SIMONE, NINA High Priestess Of Soul (Verve) cd 12.98
It can sometimes be daunting with some legendary artists, especially with ones who have left us so much great music, to figure out where to start in terms of really exploring their music. Truth be told, any time or any way you get to hear a Nina Simone song it's pretty damn special. Whether it's on a mix someone made you, or one of the many best-of collections, or even any of the great live recordings. But lately we've really wanted to spend some quality time with her albums, as they were created so meticulously and flow so amazingly, with perfect emotional peaks and valleys that take you on a spiritual sonic journey from start to finish.
We easily could list a handful of essential albums from Nina Simone (we reviewed the great Silk & Soul a couple years back and it's become a staple of the AQ soundsytem), but this time around, we'll focus on one of her true masterpieces, High Priestess Of Soul, recorded in 1966. With lush and tasteful arrangements by Hal Mooney, this is a record that definitely demonstrates Simones's dynamic range and magical touch. From sad and sultry to empowered and resilient, her songs have this magical way of cutting right to the truth. From the rich gospel of "Take Me To The Water/I'm Going Back Home" to one of the most amazing and minimal deep groove songs of all time!!! "Come Ye" and the strong and proud anthem "Don't You Pay Them No Mind", High Priestess of Soul is filled with songs that that are like mirrors that reflect all that is true and real.
One of our all time favorite records, and an album that if you don't already own, we know you will want to start spending some serious time with, as it will become one of those special records you turn to when you need the real deal to hit your soul just right!
MPEG Stream: "Come Ye"
MPEG Stream: "I'm Gonna Leave You"
MPEG Stream: "Keeper Of The Flame"

SIMONE, NINA In Concert / I Put A Spell On You (Mercury) cd 12.98

SIMONE, NINA Pastel Blues (Verve) cd 12.98
This is not newly reissued, it's just an old fave that gets played like crazy in the store but has never gotten reviewed, until NOW!
It's still astonishing to listen to records Nina Simone made over forty years ago and hear the kind of experimentation in song structure and delivery she used while transforming songs into creatures that became totally her own, all the while infusing so much soul and emotion into each note.
Pastel Blues came out in 1965 and fits so nicely into that mid to late '60s era of Nina that we are so in love with. The same era that produced High Priestess Of Soul, Let It All Out, Silk & Soul and Wild In The Wind. Bookend with two of her greatest musical moments, the leadoff track "Be My Husband" which has become a staple cover of Antony & The Johnsons and the ten minute closer "Sinnerman" which finds her at her most fiery, frantic and riveting. In between are so many more beautiful and sad sounds filled with her soft piano and distinctive vocals, a sound rich with such universal feelings of loss and sadness, yet burning with life and hope and passion.
We've said it before but we will keep saying it, this is an artist that demands a serious and deep relationship by music lovers of all varieties, 'best of' recordings are great but Simone's albums, especially in this era are so strong and carefully constructed from start to finish that they reward so richly, repeat listens. Without Nina so many of our modern day AQ favorites like Antony, Cat Power, White Magic, Devendra Banhart, etc. wouldn't exist as we know and love them. Another essential Nina Simone album!
MPEG Stream: "Be My Husband"
MPEG Stream: "Sinnerman"
MPEG Stream: "Trouble In Mind"