howdy all,
well, i had a ton of orders out and hoped for them to come in this week, but apparently getting the boxes out the door was difficult for everyone this week. so this list is a bit shorter, and next week will be a whopper!
…..pick of the week…..
*laurie spiegel – expanding universe – unseen worlds – lp/2cd
– in tomorrow… one of last year’s best reissues has finally been repressed so we’ve got a wee bit of stock of this amazing album again… “the lp reissue mirrors the original track-listing, but adds ‘a folk study’ to the end of side a to further even out the sides. a download code for lossless or lossy download of the entire 2cd version is included. the expanding universe is the classic 1980 debut album by composer and computer music pioneer laurie spiegel. the pieces comprising the expanding universe combine slowly evolving textures with the emotional richness of intricate counterpoint, harmony, and complex rhythms (john fahey and j.s. bach are both cited as major influences in the original cover’s notes), all built of electronic sounds. these works, often grouped with those of terry riley, phil glass, steve reich, differ in their much shorter, clear forms. composed and realized between 1974 and 1977 on the groove system developed by max mathews and f.r. moore at bell laboratories, the pieces on this album were far ahead of their time both in musical content and in how they were made. each of the included works broke new ground, pioneering completely new methods of live interaction with computer-based logic – ways of creating music that are now reaching the heights of their popularity with ableton live, max/msp and other interactive music software entering mainstream music production.”
…..new arrivals…..
acid mothers temple – cometary orbital drive to 2199 – nod & smile – lp
– in tomorrow… acid mothers temple revisit some of their older sounds for this new album, their first on nod and smile records. “cometary orbital drive to 2199” contains 3 new versions of the amt live staple “cometary orbital drive” all of which maintain the same deceptively simple riff, but each version takes the song to new stretches of space, including as close as amt ever got to dance/trance music!
karl bartos – off the record – bureau b – lp+cd
– in tomorrow… well-known as one-quarter of the “classic” kraftwerk line-up, karl bartos’ new album is an audio-visual sensation. lost for many years, some of his early music has been re-conceived and re-contextualized in a thrilling modern setting. here’s the story: during kraftwerk’s heyday, karl bartos wrote — off the record — a secret acoustic diary. based on his musical jottings (rhythms, riffs, hooks, sounds, chords, and melodies) this is what he has come up with today — 12 brand-new, exciting, timeless songs. many of kraftwerk’s most influential rhythms and memorable melodies were actually conceived in his home studio. they would later be used on an unstoppable succession of hits from the düsseldorf band as they ascended to the lofty heights of popular music culture. as a major contributor to the man-machine (1978) and computer world (1981), bartos has had a decisive influence on kraftwerk’s music.
b/b/s/ – brick mask – miasmah – lp
– in tomorrow… berlin might be known as the home of modernist minimal techno, but beneath the teutonic shuffle of berghain and the panorama bar, there’s something darker happening in the continental artistic hot-bed. here is where miasmah boss erik skodvin (svarte greiner) came in contact with experimental don andrea belfi and drone metal stalwart aidan baker (of nadja), and before long, they were holed up in a studio, distilling their influences into one dense cloud of instrumental bleakness. with skodvin manning the guitar, belfi on percussion, and baker on bass and guitar, we have the makings of a traditional band, but the result is anything but. brick mask is the sound of each artist pushing each other past their regular comfort zones; skodvin’s signature bowed guitar sounds perfectly matched against baker’s rolling basses and belfi’s unpredictable, collapsing percussion. the best comparison might be supersilent, but where the norwegian super-group hinge their sound on the fringes of jazz, b/b/s/ is rooted in metal, and baker’s doom expertise is occasionally allowed to reveal itself as his distorted guitar and bass tones erupt over the wrangled clatter of his two companions. dark and gleefully theatrical, brick mask is an album that revels in its influences and never gets bogged down in the past, and in that never ceases to be captivating.
black keys & rza – the baddest man alive – soul temple – 7″
– in tomorrow… “the baddest man alive comes courtesy of the wu-tang clan’s rza and akron’s hottest export since rubber, the black keys. the lead-off and stand out track from the man with the iron fists soundtrack combines stomping hip hop rhythms and flow with fuzzy blues guitars and solid yet somehow unhinged drum beats. this truly epic coming together of a hip hop legend and a pair of reigning rock royalty is now available on seven-inch vinyl, featuring the unreleased (until now) instrumental version of the track as a b-side. the special vinyl offering is must-have companion piece for any fan of the film; it’s equally potent soundtrack and film score, or the die-hard wu-tang or black keys completionist.”
*book of am – parts iii & iv – wah wah – 2lp
– in tomorrow… “juan arkotxa, leslie mckenzie, and carmeta mansilla have joined forces with will z (of cosmic trip machine fame) to finish the great project that was the book of am. as you may know, a few years ago wah wah released the book including the only lp that was originally released back in the seventies (part I) plus adding an extra lp (part II) which had been recorded in the same era while the book was being created, but the book itself hadn’t been previously released. now, thanks to the help of will z, original can am des puig residents leslie and juan, plus original contributor carmeta have joined forces again to finish what was left unfinished. the main body of parts III and IV is formed by those songs written back in 1970’s ibiza and mallorca that never reached the recording stage. will z has also written part of the music, and has helped with all arrangements having in mind the sound of the original sessions and respecting the musical feel and spirit of the original book of am recordings. it sounds amazing and will not disappoint fans of parts I and II. lovers of the previous book of am know what to expect and will not be disappointed! comes in a gatefold sleeve with cloth-like stamped spine that includes the lyrics to the songs and some photos and reproductions of original engravings by leslie and juan.”
john coltrane & cecil taylor – coltrane time – dol – lp
– in tomorrow… recorded in nyc on oct 13, 1958, this album was originally released as hard driving jazz (mono version) / stereo drive (stereo version) and the then 29-year-old pianist cecil taylor (not john coltrane) originally got top billing on this date. this session is interesting because it is the only one taylor ever did with coltrane, and considering taylor’s status as one of the true founders of free jazz and coltrane’s status as jazz legend it is a kind of missing link in the history of jazz.”
deathfix – s/t – dischord – lp
– deathfix formed in 2009 after brendan canty (fugazi) and rich morel (morel, blowoff) met while touring in bob mould’s band. having discovered a shared affinity for the sounds of 1972 – particularly glam and progressive rock – they started getting together to work on music at canty’s warehouse studio space. two years later, hoping to graduate the band from its studio-shut-in phase to its live ensemble phase, they recruited devin ocampo (faraquet, medications) and mark cisneros (medications) to hold down the rhythm section. both talented multi-instrumentalists and producers in their own right, cisneros and ocampo quickly started contributing their own riffs and arrangement ideas. the band’s self-titled debut includes seven songs that were recorded throughout 2012 at canty’s studio. during that time, morel and canty’s demos were torn up and expanded through extensive improv sessions alongside ocampo and cisneros.
julie doiron – so many days – aporia – lp
– finally available on vinyl, only 6 months later…
allen ginsberg – first blues – allen ginsberg recordings – lp
– limited edition of 500 vinyl, contains digital download of 17 bonus tracks. this 7 track vinyl release, missing in action since the mid 80s/early 90s, has returned complete with a recreation of the original newsprint insert of lyrics & liner notes. original track arrangements by bob dylan, arthur russell, david amram, the clash, anne waldman & of course, allen ginsberg himself. this is a perfect combo for music & poetry lovers.
kavinsky – outrun – record makers – lp
– in tomorrow… nicolas winding refn’s film, drive (2011) operates on a level of cool that’s hard to articulate with just words; it takes a snippet from the movie — take the opening credits backed by kavinsky’s “nightcall” — to really grasp its effortless debonair. since the film’s release, this single’s youtube video has climbed to over 30 million views, and has been on repeat across an expanse of playlists, always fueling the after-after party with the slow burn of glossed synth echoes. kavinsky is not all about “nightcall.” he died in a car crash in 1986, while driving his beloved testarossa. he re-appeared as a zombie in 2005, with his 12″, teddy boy. since then, he has shown up all around the globe, playing his music to fellow humans. crowds gathered to witness the miracle: despite being dead, kavinsky was still alive. in 2007, he released his second 12″, “1986.” this is when his french robot-mates in daft punk invited him to join their “alive tour,” and a-trak put together an american tour. after discovering the world with his red eyes, kavinsky retreated to his base camp to release “nightcall’ in 2011. kavinsky now presents his long-awaited debut album outrun produced by sebastian, including appearances by havoc (mobb deep), tyson & sebastian.
*leven signs – hemp is here – digitalis – lp
– in tomorrow…leven signs’ hemp is here came and went in 1985, as both a cassette release (unlikely records) and vinyl release (cordelia) in the blink of an eye. the duo of peter karkut and maggie turner managed to craft one of the strangest, most affecting albums of new wave experimentalism of the era, but due to the album’s impossible-to-find status, it’s been largely forgotten and continuously overlooked ever since. a chance encounter with the cassette version of hemp is here led brad rose of digitalis on an internet scavenger hunt before tracking karkut down. through the years he has continued developing his various artistic pursuits, recently having his short film sunflower supermodel shown at the london short film festival. turner’s path is a bit foggier, though her collaboration with karkut continues. but what is it about hemp is here that makes it such a special record? at times it feels like a modern, electronic take on gamelan music with crashing rhythms and modal melodies corrupted via bewildering sonic processes. karkut layers organ sequences over and over, constructing songs that have more in common tonally with music you’d hear in gothic cathedrals than any sort of school of electronic music. think of a more diverse, eastern-tinged flaming tunes and you might be getting close. on the surface, karkut’s complex compositions seem at odds with turner’s often-detached, stunning vocals, but it’s the dichotomy of those two disparate elements that latch on and don’t let go..
the men – new moon – sacred bones – cd
– no lps yet, hopefully soon… with their fourth full-length album to be released in as many years, the men proudly present the sweeping new moon, their most intensely personal and immersive installment yet.
snooky pryor – and the country blues – today records – lp
– in tomorrow… chicago blues harpist snooky pryor with fred below (drums), homesick james (lead slide guitar), dave myers (bass) and joe young (rhythm guitar). tracks include “stop teasing me,” “can be your friend,” “break it on down,” “dirty news,” “wrapped in sin” and “call the doctor.”
youth lagoon – wonderous bughouse – fat possum – lp/cd
– hotly anticipated new album… youth lagoon follows his heartfelt 2011 debut the year of hibernation with an album that is bigger, bolder, and more emotionally resonant, thanks to production from ben allen. trevor powers’ project is firmly in the lineage of bands like mercury rev, sparklehorse, and modest mouse.
*various – kassidat: raw 45s from morocco – dust-to-digital – lp
– in tomorrow… kassidat: raw 45s from morocco is a full-length lp that features six extended tracks from the golden age of the moroccan record industry. after morocco gained its independence in 1956, moroccan-owned record labels sprouted and flourished in casablanca. the inexpensive 45 rpm format allowed the record companies to release thousands of songs during the 1960s, creating a snapshot of the raw and hypnotic berber music that thrived throughout morocco. powerful traditional styles were still alive and well at this time and untouched by international pop influences. kassidat looks back at this era and presents it anew for audiences hungry for intense and authentic folk music. david murray is the curator of haji maji (www.hajimaji.com) a blog dedicated to the exploration of 78 rpm asian music, as well as www.shellachead.com, a blog featuring 78s from around the world. he previously produced dust-to-digital’s luk thung: classic & obscure 78s from the thai countryside, as well as the forthcoming longing for the past, a 4cd set of southeast asian 78s. in addition to collecting and researching old records, he is a musician and graphic designer in oakland, california.
*various – sorrow come pass me around: a survey of rural religious black music – dust-to-digital – lp – in tomorrow… a collection of spiritual and gospel songs performed in informal non-church settings between 1965 and 1973. most are guitar-accompanied and performed by active or former blues artists. “most records of black religious music contain some form of gospel singing or congregational singing recorded at a church service. this album, though, tries to present a broader range of performance styles and contexts with the hope of showing the important role that religious music plays in the southern black communities and in the daily lives of individuals.” –david evans, from the liner notes. lp, 16-page 11″x11″ booklet, tip-on sleeve, 16 photographs. david evans is an ethnomusicologist and director of the ethnomusicology/regional studies program at the rudi e. scheidt school of music in the university of memphis, where he’s worked since 1978.
…..restocks…..
*13th floor elevators – albums box – snapper – 4cd
*agitation free – malesch – made in germany – lp
alabama shakes – boys & girls – ato – lp
beach boys – pet sounds – emi – lp
beach fossils – clash the truth – captured tracks – lp
*beak – >> – invada – lp
black sabbath – paranoid – nems – lp
brian jonestown massacre – and this is our music – a – lp
broken social scene – you forgot it in people – arts & crafts – lp
*chrome – half machine lip moves – cleopatra – lp
john coltrane – coltrane – amazing jazz – lp
john coltrane – sunship – impulse – lp
daft punk – homework – emi – lp
daphni – jiaolong – merge – lp
j dilla – 48 hours instrumentals – delicious vinyl – lp
dinosaur jr – beyond – fat possum – lp
julie doiron & the wooden stars – s/t – jagjaguwar – lp
*brian eno – lux – warp – lp
father john misty – fear fun – sub pop – lp
lee gamble – dutch tvashar – pan – lp
grimes – visions – arbutus – cd
grinderman – s/t – anti – lp
a lovo – la gigantona – numero – lp
lumineers – s/t – dine alone – lp
nas – illmatic – get on down – lp
new order – power, corruption, lies – rhino – lp
n.w.a. – straight outta compton – capitol – lp
*princess flower – dreaming – wah wah – lp
queens of the stone age – lullabies to paralize – music on vinyl – lp
lou ragland – i travel… – numero – 4lp
ramones – acid eaters – let them eat vinyl – lp
ramones – mondo bizarro – let them eat vinyl – lp
residents – eskimo – mvd – lp
rhythm machine – s/t – now again – lp
*terry riley – in c – columbia – lp
nina simone – at town hall – 4 men with beards – lp
spacecraft – paradoxe – wah wah – lp
andy stott – luxury problems – modern love – lp
talk talk – spirit of eden – emi – lp
time – s/t – prog temple – lp
*twinsistermoon – bogy – handmade birds – cd
renny wilson – sugarglider – mint – lp
yellow swans – going – type – lp
*various – african scream contest – analog africa – lp
various – 30 years & counting – touch – lp
various – disco love 3 – bbe – lp
*various – pop yeh yeh – sublime frequencies – cd
various – soul spectrum 3 – jazzman – lp
thanks for listening…
listen records
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