Hurley, Michael – “Back Home With Driting Woods” – [Mississippi Records]

Old timey folks songs from Michael Hurley, cohort of the Holy Modal Rounders. Originally recorded in 1965 as part of “First Sessions,” his freshman release. These are tracks released for the first time from the same session recorded by Fred Ramsey Jr. (same as the one who recorded Leadbelly’s last session, used the same reel to reel to record Hurley, too)

Feels like old time, early sixties folk music, solo acoustic, sweet and soft vocals at times. A little yodelling on Intersoular Blues. I guess The Tea Song, was one of his hits. Mississippi Records love….

Fleshpress – “Pillars” – [Rusty Crowbar]

Flesspress is some amount of folks out of Finland, I think. There’s only 6 tracks here on 4 sides, so you know there’s a couple sidelong treats here. Sometimes heady, spacey ambience, until a heavy, stoney electric guitar creeps in, with occasional throaty vox.

A side starts with quiet cloud jangles and goes into a super slow doom, which fits appropriately for the title I Am Your Sacrifice. Second track is a bit more spacey, and wprks with the cloudey space dream from before.

The B and C sides are the sidelongs and take you through a few different emotions and speeds, B being the slower of the two, and a little bit scarier, and creepier. Feels swampy and mucky, whereas the C side is a little more spacey, more stoney and fades in and out with different jams.

D-side is a little anxious in how slow it gets, like molasses gaining speed as it heats up, the last track is like being stuck in the electric train tunnel and hearing all the wind in the distance, until it seems to sound like it’s in reverse.

Cool stoney doom metal, ambient and spacey also, Rock ‘n’ Roll dreamscapes…

Ceramic Dog – “Your Turn” – [Northern Spy]

Guitarist Marc Ribot teams up with Shahzad Ismaily and Secret Chiefs 3 drummer Ches Smith to make Ceramic Dog, releasing here their second album, Your Turn. Thirteen tracks of mostly raw crunchy guitar free-rock, but there are a few tracks sprinkled throughout that certainly make it more of an eclectic album.

7 instrumentals, and 6 tracks with vocals (of which come the different tracks). Third track is a social commentary on the Internet. Track 6 is a little reggae tune, track 7 is an old protest song with a killer guitar solo riffage after the vocals till the end. Track 11 is a rockin’ cover of Take 5, and 12 is hip-hopy reminiscent of the Beastie Boys. The rest are mostly rockin guitar instrumentals good for any show. Take your time with this, theres something different in every?? track.

Intrumentals: 2,4,5,8,9,11,13

Favorites: 1,4,7,8,12

FCC: 12

Time Will Make a Change [coll] – [Mississippi Records]

Mississippi relases another selection of obscure and unknown gospel tunes, this time running in the blues vein. First side is more of gospelish R&B singing groups. There’s acool version of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot that’s super slow. And a cool vesion of Amazing Grace by the whirlwinds, who twist up their own rockin’ version of this otherwise somber tune.

More solo acts on the flip side, including a killer, grity song by Ethel Prift called What time Is It? Also, a couple tracks by reverends and their congregation, the first of which sounds more Delta bluesish with the use of guitar. The second one is just clapping and call and response signing. Favorite is the last track, which is super lo fi, garagey blues, as another version of Swing Low, I call it a Punk sea shanty. Dig in…

Kouyate, Bassekou & Ngoni Ba – “Jama Ko” – [Out Here Rec]

Thirteen track album of respected ngoni player Bassekou Kouyate and his band Ngoni Ba, with a plethora of other musicians sprinkled in on different tracks. Bassekou’s two son’s play in the band, and there’s even a collaboration with Taj Mahal (track 12).

All tracks are seemingly feelgood songs, but more deal with the harsh reality of an overthrown government (which literally happened right before they sat down to record, a half mile from the studio), and ask for peace in Mali. They are well recorded, and well mastered, but still have a jammy feeling, you can tell they’re just chilling playing their music in a living room.

Detailed liner notes, there’s an explanation for every track, of which I dug: 1,2,4,7,8,11 and 12. Check it out for yourself, first.

and On and On [coll] – [Relapse Records]

Split CD with Despise You and Agoraphobic Nosebleed, came out in 2011. Despise You hits the first 18 tracks; they’re about :30 to 1:30 of hardcore punk power violence (a scene they helped pioneer) Formed in ’94 in LA, they remained relatively unknown through the ’90s because they never played live (which was later revealed to be because of a timid lead vocalist, Chris Elder). Vocals about being depressing and self hatred and being a low down Chicano living in LA. Guitarist Phil Vera calls it “The perfect soundtrack to hating your life.” Indeed.

Agoraphobic Nosebleed has seen more light of day than Despise You, but are much darker than their compatriots on this album. Formed the same year (1994) across the U.S. in beautiful Springfield, MA. Their 7 tracks range from :30 to 4:40, and slowy sludge stoney sounds through sand. When all of a sudden a sleeper wave come in and everything’s fast and hectic, and back to the grudgey grindcore and skin peeling vocals. Last track ends with about a minute of mellow ambience.

Putrid, rank, offensive, grimey..

Haino, Keiji/o’rourke, Jim/ Ambarchi, Oren – “Now While It’s Still Warm Let Us Pour In All The Mystery” – [Black Truffle]

Out on Black Truffle records comes the fourth album with the lineup of Haino/O’Rourke/Ambarchi, with help from Charlemagne Palestine and Eiko Ishibashi on the wineglass drone on track one. Recorded as part of a live festival in Japan 2012.

6 tracks here, with two different styles. The first two and sixth tracks are kind of spacey droney thinkscapes, with a chorus of wineglasses on track 1, with the bass and flute more predominant in track 2. The album takes a turn here where you get three “caveman” rock tracks, peaking on a super high energy psych explosion on the fourth track, before slowly edging out of it and back into the ambience and quirky vocals. No one really leading the group. Wandering the hillside smoking quietly before finding a secret rock ‘n’ roll commune where there’s no holds barred psych jams. Dose, and enjoy..

a Short Life of Trouble [coll] – [Mississippi Records]

At it again, Mississippi Records releases a collection of gems from big names like The Carter Family and Woody Guthrie, to the obscure Shortbuckle Roark or Buell Kazee. Ol’ time folk tracks recorded between ’27 and ’43, dealing with murder and lost loves. Slide guitar, banjoes, fiddles, harmonies, and no percussion of any kind on the whole album. Most of the tracks are traditional ballads, and have no real author, much like “John Henry.”

“Pretty Polly” is a banjo murder balled. “Why I’m Grieving” is a yodeling sister duo, and there’s a bitchin’ version of “Man of Constant Sorrow” on the B-side. Mississippi John Hurt’s “Louise Collins” is about the murder of a girl, originally about a male victim. Rare recording of solo Jimmie Tarlton who almost exclusively recorded with a guy named Tom Darby. A couple Delta bluesy song find their way in there, too. Check it out, drop that needle like its hot…

Foot Village – “Make Memories” – [Northern-spy]

Brutal, haunting drum rampage invades yer brain with screaming onslaught of the merciless dead.

LA-based drum quartet. Hyper Rock ‘n’ Roll from these four screamers: Citizen Kinsman, Citizen Lee, Citizen Taylor-Fantastic, and Citizen Rowan. Self-described as “the first city after the foreseeable Apocalypse,” but sounds a lot more like jammy noisy rock music to me. This is their first album after a trilogy about their post-apocalyptic world, so enjoy!

6 tracks altogether, starting off with an epic 12-minuter that gets a little redundant by the end, but still a solid track with everyone kinda screaming together at points with that chugga-chugga drum line. The female vocals that sneak in are haunting, while the male vocals are more raw and guttural. I like the shorter tracks, which seem to be more fast paced, kinda get you going/pumped tracks (2,3,4). The last two are a bit slower, more drawn out, both with the addition of another instrument (tuba on 5 and vibraphone on 6). Play to your hearts content.

Trapist – “Golden Years, The” – [Staubgold]

Four very different track here on this 12″ record from Vienna-based Trapist; Martin Siewert on guitar and electronix, Joe Williamson on the bass, and Martin Brandlmayr on drums/percussion. Each track is a spacious, yet restrictive improv, implemented with sincere precision.

Track 1 is very quiet in the beginning, slowly forming a soft, slow beat. Shimmery cymbals mix with melodic guitar and slow bass runs creating relaxing, contemplative atmosphere.

Track 2 intimidates with a building hum, like an electronic storm cloud. Screeching, scratching tones in space.

Track 3 is over too fast. Explorative and emotional, becomes bipolar with moments of ecstatic insanity.

Track 4 is all anxious-like in the beginning of this 14-minute epic. Depressing, like you’re walking down the grey street, passing ignorant cars shuffle slowly by as twisted thoughts eat away at you, leaving the wind howling with a glitchy guttural growl. Meditative meanderings, into the forest, dull hums, small nighttime animals creeping. Dusk turns to night and you realize you’re lost…

Jacobs, Henry – “Around The World With Henry Jacobs” – [Important Records]

Interesting album to say the least, basically it sounds like they sat down in someone’s living room, smoked a bunch of weed, and started talking about things, backed with music occasionally. That is to say, it’s pretty fucking cool, and any proper mixologist’s important tool. The tracks range from 8 seconds to 5 minutes, and one living room banter session for 20 minutes. There’s an insert I put in here with a breakdown of each track, if you’re interested.

The second CD is for the spoken word fanatics, Henry Jacobs recorded Kenneth Rexroth and Lawrence Ferlighetti (City Lights co-founder) on the first night of a poetry/jazz series at The Cellar in SF’s North Beach in ’57. All track on second disc are awesome, Rexroth and Ferlinghetti kill it, and so does the Cellar Jazz Quintet.

Play…

Ultra Flat Black – “Ultra Flat Black” – [Self-released]

V. Gorian (rapper/writer, and CEO of a marijuana dispensary in Palm Springs) teams up with producer Horrible Him to become Ultra Flat Black (a spray paint color). What they create on this album is pretty fucking cool, each songs starts with a somple of some kind of sound or song or noise, as you wait for the beat to drop.

There’s international string samples in the intro to tracks 1&;, one just starts with the sound of running water (3), vocal samples on track 4, some jazz tracks (5, 7, 8) and one KILLER blues sample throughout track 6!?? The lyrics are somewhat political, but basically he just has a general disgust for the system and how people work, etc.

I made a clean CD which is playable during daytime, but the original is in there for the Safe Harbor folks. Unique, fun samplage and real, clever lyrics.

Ohio Penitentiary 511 Jazz Ensemble – “Hard Luck Soul” – [Jazzman]

Large ensemble hardbop recordings made at the Ohio Penitentiary… A conflicting story??exists here: the Ohio State University Band allegedly visited the penitentiary and met with Logan Rollins (nephew of Sonny) and Reynard Birtha, after which they immediately invited the two to make a record, which would make sense listening to the music. But… looking at the back, and seeing the 12 solemn dudes there all wearing the same clothes, and, on top of that, having instruments tied to their names, I’m thinking it may just be a bunch of convicts jamming their hearts out… at least that’s more interesting, anyway.

Straightahead bluesy bop music, I can already tell Psych City will be a KFJC favorite, ??but I’m hitting Mantra Dance on the blues show… enjoy!

Hayden, Bridget – “a Siren Blares In an Indifferent Ocean” – [Kraak]

Bridget Hayden first solo release (she was in the Vibracathedral Quartet) from 2011 is a mellow sound symphony, including electronics and guitar, and what sounds like a bass and drums at times. The electronic and feedback manipulation grab the growly helm and take the guitar (and the rest of the music) for a wild ride, losing rhythm and control of everything.

Most tracks are peaceful and serene, and have a meditative quality to them as they fluctuate, with only a few things going on at once (kind of quiet and subtle), it makes you anxious. The track Thrashing Momentoes is the black sheep , with a crunching guitar riff that wants to go somewhere (I had to check the vinyl at one point; I thought it might be skipping or stuck on a locked groove) as the electronics sneak in, almost guitar-like. Check out the haunting vocals on the last track, creepy. Like kicking back in your boat on an all black lake, fishing on a cloudy day.

All the tracks are super tight together on the vinyl with essentially no gaps between tracks.

Reality Crisis – “Not Bound By The Past, We Live In The Present” – [Prank]

Fast, hardcore punk music de Japan. There’s 6 dudes in the band; there’s dual vocals, dual guitar, bass and drums (and a guest guitarist). The songs are in English, minus one song (I think), but they’re doing some strange screaming harmonies at times, other times one is yelling while the other works on the lyrics, using their voice as it’s own instrument, really. A lot of the time there are little spoken interludes between songs, with samples of commercials and shit, but remember, it all tracks together… Nonstop hardcore fun!

FCC on last song (5) on A-side and first song on B-side.

Apocalypse Now [coll] – [Elektra/ Asyum/ Nonesuch Records]

We already have the Apocolypse Now! Redux soundstrack CD, but this has almost double the amount of tracks, and all the tracks on the Vinyl are considerably longer too. Another great soundtrack from a glorious movie, and this is the original double LP released for the movie.

There’s a lot of dialouge on the vinyl (watch for FCCs) that seems like a narration or an aside, with the background riddled with helicopter noise, gunfire, yelling, or just stompin’ through the jungle. The background music is subtle, almost electronic sounding with waves of whistles and growls, from loud to quiet, maybe the dialouge softens to a whisper, BEFORE THEY”RE ATTACKED! More gunshots and explosions. Sometimes it becoomes more musical, oboes and violins, drumstick beats, cello. It keeps mostly quiet with an attitude, from ominous to downright scary. Everthing tracks together! Enjoy this new peice of music, with some of the classics already in the library. Just play the dialouge, dammit!

“The bullshit piled up so fast in Vietnam you needed wings to stay above it.”

Kaiser, Jeff and Skaller, Phil – “Endless Pie” – [Pfmentum]

Two Strange dudes from UCSD, they’re both getting their Master’s degree from their right now. This was recorded at UC San Diego in November 2010. Skaller makes all kinds of sounds out of the prepared piano, sounds I’ve never heard before, while Kaiser plays a mix of trumpet, vocals, electronics and the flugelhorn.

Both CDs start with 14-15 minute epics that fade you in and out of concentration, it’s weird, but it’s also fun, you can tell they’re having a good time fucking with each other’s brains. Pretty storm sounds, a little salsa at one point, leaking faucet, creaking swings on haunted playground, jangling chime drone, broken children’s show theme song.

The flugelhorn, at times, made me feel like waking up to the horn after getting dosed in my sleep during Basic Training for the military. No favorites here, all gold! Put it in, make it feel good…

Holley, Lonnie – “Just Before Music” – [Dust-To-Digital]

L. Holley (aka The Sand Man) is an artist based in Alabama who works with soft sandstone to create abstract shapes and uses recycled found objects to create small to large scale sculptures. He started making art carving tombstones after his sister’s daughters died when their house burned down… and it probably went uphill from there. Apparently this guy’s house and yard is littered (pun intended) with all the found object sculptures and his neighbors weren’t particularly happy when he moved in. Check out some of his work in the liner notes.

The music, on the other hand, is a politically inspired, completely improvised, hallucinagenic dream that takes you through passages of your morphing mind. The lyrics, being totally made up on the spot, are sometimes repeated several times giving it a chantlike sound, and he isn’t particularly eloquent. The music in the background is kind of ambient organ sounds; fluid and ethereal, imaginative, creative, and active. Sucks you in and won’t let go, almost to the point where it feels like you’re creating it with him. Some of the lyrics are silly, but it’ll just be another Morris Minor fav

Drumm, Kevin – “Relief” – [Editions Mego]

Noisician Kevin Drumm, based in Chicago (who works with the likes of Daniel Menche, Jim O’Rourke, and Mats Gustaffson) bring us a new album, a little bit more noisy and experimental than other releases, but harmonious nonetheless. Electronic manipulations over organ or synth, Both sides start off right in the middle (oxymoronic?) of the hazy electronic ramblings. Here’s a list of phrases I came up with listening to this:

Sonic adventure

Aural abduction

Auditory seduction

Neurological gestation

Sensatory hallucination

Thwerps, thwarps, blips and clang. I hallucinated the sounds of motorcycles, helicopters, electric guitar feedback, voices, racecars, a jet engine, geese, freeway traffic. Felt like going through an endless underground BART tunnel, with all the lights off and everyone’s got a candle, chanting. Oh, and the conductor is passing around peyote buttons. Harsh and cozy, comforting and bludgeoning, soft and sharp, lay down tired on a bed of nails and R-E-L-A-X…

Protestant – “Reclamation” – [Halo of Flies]

Dark, doomy, daring, dynamic, and many other words starting with the letter “D.”

Seriously hardcore straight from the depths of Lake Michigan, or at least the Milwaukee area… Brian?? Morrison on drums, Chris Ellis on guitar, Jesse Smith on bass and Cory VonBohlen on vocals and other guitar. Self proclaimed as “dark hardcore punk,” they start with fast drum beats, and melodic distortion f rom the guitars almost to the point of sounding pretty. Vocals sounds like Howlin’ Wolf singing metal… Check out the liner notes for the story behind the track Jan Palach (or look it up online, pretty cool) but don’t read the rest of it (kinda lame.)

PGM: short transitions between tracks, FCC on A2 (but it’s unintelligible, so, go ahead, I’m not listening to your show….)

brought to you by the letter “D”