DJ Shadow - ?Mashin? On The Motorway/Walkie Talkie? - [Island] - (33 rpm)

This is a double 12″ single released in June 2003 and consisting mostly of remixes of tracks by DJ Shadow. Oddly enough the title tracks (and the only two radio edits) are on sides B and D.

This is turntable-ing, MC-ing, and remix-ing at its finest. If you like hip-hop even a little, then you will find something to like about this release.

Be sure to check out the Soulwax remix of Six Days (D1), which is almost a DJ Shadow/B-52s mash up, and D4, which is a fast and funny track that would work well on a drive shift.

C1 stretches out a bit, starting with a sample of DJ Shadow from the excellent Scratch documentary, then taking a detour into techno, then back to the turntables. For a more dark, techno vibe, check out B1.

Language: A1 (Check the title), B2 (Though it is a ‘radio edit,? the word motherfucking is barely concealed. I had to listen carefully to hear that the word was scrubbed.)
–Hunter Gatherer

James White - ?Flaming Demonics? - [Ze Records] - (33 rpm)

James White (a.k.a. James Chance n’e James Siegfried) has great taste in suits and oh, by the way, is one of the main characters associated with the late 70’s/early 80’s No Wave scene in NYC.

This album, released in 1983, is his last studio release of five (if you count his LP with the Contortions and the 4 tracks on the No New York compilation, which we have in A on 12″). Ze Records was recently revived and moved to France by label co-founder Michel Esteban, who provides excellent liner notes that are definitely worth a read.

The music is demented, cacophonous, and chaotic. Most tracks find the rhythm and horn section working a minimal funk riff, while Mr. White wails away on his tenor sax frenetically. He sings too.

This is an incredibly energetic album. At least one track will have you dancing around like a maniac. Like he shouts in another song: ‘Try being stupid instead of smart.’ Good advice for us and advice he takes as well.

Three word review: VOODOO DISCO JAZZ
–Hunter Gatherer

Hood - ?Outside Closer? - [Domino Recording] - (33 rpm)

This is Hood’s sixth full-length release and their first one in four years. But the Leeds, UK-based quartet have released some singles and EPs in that period.

The music is beautiful and smart indie pop, equal parts natural sounds (guitar, vocals, drums, violin, piano) and electronic sounds (sampled vocal loops, beats, synth). It sounds like it has less electronics than it really does.

It may take a few listens to get through the shiny finish. Though each song is it’s own creation and has its own sound, the entire album hangs together.

Each side starts off with an upbeat track and then unwinds into an introspective vibe. I really like this album.

Language: B1 (’fuck’)
–Hunter Gatherer

Underground Resistance - “Return of Acid Rain Ii, the ” - [Underground Resistance]

By the time this EP was released Underground Resistance was just ‘Mad? Mike Banks, the two other co-founders, Jeff Mills and Robert ‘Noise? Hood, having gone off to explore other opportunities. It was released in 1994.

UR, always the political group, is warning us about the perils of acid rain, a particular problem in Detroit it seems. You need to read actual album to find this out, for it is impossible to deduce this from the music.

And the music is Detroit techno. The versatile Roland 303 is the primary instrument, and it is being put to good use creating lots of good acid-y sounds. The tracks are short-ish — for techno anyway — ranging from 2:20 to 4:19.

My only complaint is that the tracks seem to end just when they are getting a groove. Maybe the acid rain got them.

–Hunter Gatherer

Rewind! 4 [coll] - [Ubiquity Records]

This is the 4th in the excellent Rewind series put out by California label Ubiquity. The Rewind series has new artists and bands covering and updating (and sometimes completely changing the genres of) classic songs.

There are some amazing remakes covering a wide range of genres covered on this CD. There is soul/R&B (1,4,6,12), world/Afro/Latin-beat (2,5,6), spacey electronica (7,9), and folkish (3,11).

There are several tracks that simply must be heard:

(1)An impossibly funky cover of This Land Is Your Land by Sharon Jones & The Daptones, which I’ve reviewed on the 7″ release.

(2)The folky cover of Cameo’s Word Up!

(4)Alice Russell belting out her version of 7 Nation Army by The White Stripes. It sounds like this is the original and the White Stripes cover it, and the liner notes agree with me on this point.

The Joni Mitchell cover doesn’t really add anything to the original, though it is beautifully sung. Burt Bacharach’s Look Of Love gets slowed down and sung through a vocoder.
–Hunter Gatherer

Phonophani - “Oak or Rock ” - [Rune Grammafon]

Phonophani is Norwegian programmer/composer/studio engineer Espen Sommer Eide. He is also - of Alog and 1/5 of Boiling Fjords. This is his third release as Phonophani and his 2nd on Rune Grammofon. It was released 8/2004.

Mr. Eide writes his own computer software for manipulating sound samples, and helpfully includes a sample program that you can download from his website. The sounds on this CD are either entirely synthesized or high processed organic sounds. Rhythms and melodies are spare. The emphasis is squarely on the timbre of the sounds, which are somewhere in the space between natural and processed sounds (Oak or Rock?).

The songs have an icy and austere feel. The piano, organ, string, and vocal samples sound like they are refracted through ice.

All songs are instrumental, though 9 contains vocal samples that make it unsuitable for a bed.
–Hunter Gatherer

Transformer Lootbag s/t [Science of Sound]

ebut from Madison, Wisconsin trio on the guitarist’s
(Ricky Rheimer’s) label. Punchy guitarwork carmelizes
this sugar crunchy pop. I hear XTC, Bob Mould, Pixies,
Woozy Helmet, Kaito. Shouty vocals are very condensed,
(with effects) Rheimer and bassist Steven Riches trade
duties, often firing lyrics that overlap each other.
That helps give this music an insistent feel, along w/
Matt Abplanalp’s racy drums. Actually what Abplanalp
does well is to drop out a beat or two sometimes and
let Rheimer’s guitar whiplash a bit. That’s especially
vivid on the last track, which has some sort of nice
whammy on that guitar too…and then the faux runout
groove to boot. Shake your Lootbag.

Narrator, the “Youth City Fire” ep [Flameshovel]

Banks of klanking guitar and some nice whiplash drumming are
at the point where the needle strikes the heart of the manic
panic churned out by this Chicago fourpiece. Yeah, the vocals
at their best are exasperating, probably from years of trying
to sing over stacks of amps without a PA? But the rock here
is as real as a blood blister, and drummer Nate Heneghan just
slaps the skin around a lot. The guitars occasionally get into
some see-saw stereophonic slash versus slash work, and do a
good job of sharing the spotlight, playing off each other.
Flameshovel tends to bring out some of the crispier guitar
torched rock, trebly Fender-fried, finger-licking stuff. As
such it almost is important that the vocals be a little weak
as if to say, “oh yeah we gotta sing something.” Weird little
keyboard interlude on “Horse with Blinders” gets eaten alive.
This ep, is definitely an Emphatic Play and promising for
the hinterlands where rock is still spoken.

[coll] The Lab - 20 Year Anniversary [self]

We are lucky to live in an area with such a high weirdo
percentage…indeed we help in our way to boost that number.
But these LAB rats make their own mazes and draw new, wilder,
weirder rats from all over the world. The Bay Area may lack
some of New York’s notoriety, but I think that pays off with
an atmosphere that really let’s anything go. Encourages it
to do so, which I imagine is what the Lab is all about. I’ll
have to talk to Beth Custer who is the chief cheese these
days…if she curated this CD, she gets extra kudos as the
pieces connect from one to another like a relay race from
outer space. Really well done…unabashed brainiac waves
emanate from each piece. A familiar rock ditty from Zmrzlina,
some spoken choked works (Robair’s opera!!), you got vampy
camp from Amy X, drone, jazz and plenty of what-the-hell
is that and why-the-hell-do-I-care-it’s amazing. Each time
through something different leaps out at me, as I write
this Toychestra and the Opera Califas and Jin Hi Kim’s
Korean avant-soul and…hell it really is all mind-bowling,
sticks three fingers in your head and tosses it down the
lane in style! Shoulda been a 10-CPU box set!

Kickass, the “Death Metal is for Pussies” [BiFocal]

The album title says it, I believe it, that settles it.
No…no…no…but if you are like me and sadly cannot
stomach any more throat core vocals you may enjoy this
album of grisly riffage. I know that hyper-technical
guitar work can leave some cold, but don’t the pink
work-out outfits warm you up a bit. Titles namecheck
Led Zep, and Living Color but in addition to guitar
swagger-slash-solipsism, the Kickass do bring in some
trumpet (end of #2) and a little piano (end of #6)
which was a nice surprise for me. More in that vein
would be welcomed. This debut from Greenville, NC may
not prove that pink is the new black but at least
Tyrannosaurus Rock isn’t extinict yet.

Books, the “Thought for Food” [Tomlab]

An emblematic drop of laptop pop…whether it has much
shelf life bears to be seen. On first listen this is a
very engaging release, the samples instead of slapped
heavy like gags across the mouth of music, are instead
more nimbly suspended into the actual songs. Along with
said samples the Books have Paul de Jong, a cellist, &
Nick Zammuto on guitar. Check “All Bad Ends All” that’s
infectious and done extremely well. It tap dances up the
keyboard and down your spinal column. There’s a clean,
well-lighted craziness to the conections created here.
And a sort of Eugene Chadbourne bounce to their fruity
lutery. The cleverness that fuels much of the Books
may oddly be their greatest threat…whether they can
scratch a deeper itch than kitsch. In the meantime,
have fun and gentlemen good luck. -Thurston Hopeful

[coll] Molam : Thai Country Groove from Isan [Sublime Frequencies]

Wham bam thank you Molam…by way of Sublimers
Bishop and Gergis. The inviting splashisness
of the package exceeded only by the sounds on
this. “Husband Drunk, Wife Drunk” is amazingly
intoxicating, the first time I heard it, felt
like a 20 min track, I just dove into it. It
has the short of hypnotic shuffle of reggae,
with banks of secret-spy keyboards and the
spousal vocal interplay works towards a great
yet brief harmony. “khaen” appears throughout
(#1,4,5,10,12-4) like a call to a coronation.
That and the crazy soap opera shout-abouts
were both featured in the most recent Neung
Phak/Sun City Girl “event” The shout-abouts
are #2,8,11. #11 has an accidental hiphop
intro giving way to brittle flying guitar that
has the energy of a classic garage legend.
This is music spawned of the crossroads but
having taken its own true root. You can listen
and hear: ska, ethiopian funk, bachelor pad
keys, driving psych… This may just be the
sublimest of them all (so far…).

We Acediasts “Pre Acediasts” [Mesh Key]

We Acediasts — Pre Acediasts A-Library {Mesh Key}

Acedia is a solitary psychological condition of spiritual indifference. Acediasts feel alienated from nature and view mainstream culture and public morality as being spiritually empty. Yet, they exhibit optimism for social change. Wow! The perfect description of egregious urbanized living is also the inspiration for We Acediasts’ clever moniker. From the sound of it, their music is a colorfully rebellious statement galvanized by their stagnant industrial hometown of Saitama, Japan. Like the band, this album is superb, spastic, strange and sadly short-lived. As Pre Acediasts, Justin Simon and the eccentric Takamoto Masaki made simple but catchy electro tunes with a drum machine, sampler, bass, and Takamoto’s disturbed vocals. As We Acediasts, guitars, live drums, and new members were added, resulting in a tensely developed rock sound. Yearning for substance and fulfillment beyond the mundane? Look no further.

Nurse With Wound “Shipwreck Radio Volume One” [ICR]

Nurse With Wound - Shipwreck Radio Volume One A-Library (ICR}

Steve Stapleton and NWW cohort, Colin Potter, explores the Lofoten Islands, just off the Norwegian coastline and above the Arctic Circle, in an attempt to sonically recreate the wayward journey of medieval Italian merchant, Pietro Querini. After being caught in a violent and mortally perilous sea storm, Querini became shipwrecked on the island chain. After narrowly escaping the storm’s fury by the graces of God, the unscathed crew was warmly received by the native inhabitants. All sounds featured on the aptly titled Shipwreck Radio Volume 1, were recorded on these various islands, culling Querini’s tale of survival. Occasionally distorted but never harsh, NWW’s sonic wraith vessel exhale frigid whispers of nautical nostalgia using bare bones equipment. Disc A, Track 2 is long but has an amazing segue of sound when coastal rains are faded into applause from a local island festival. Disc B feels extremely cold and empty, like a paranormal night alone on Alcatraz. After 26 years, NWW still wield the ability to mystify and amaze!

Crack: We Are Rock “Strawberries” [333 Recrodings]

Ahhh, quirky low fidelity electronica. Its simplistic delivery is seemingly disposable and y’know, it may very well be. Yet inexplicably, I can’t get those addictive beats, dual female vocals, and nonsensically fun lyrics (How many strawberries grew in the sea AND Terrific power over me, I feel your energy, UH-HUH, NO-NO!) out of my mind. The relentless DUNT, dunt-dunt, DUNT, dunt-dunt rhythm enslaves me under its hypnotic trance and urges me, DANCE! What a fantastic 7″ from Crack: We Are Rock, but it’s a tricky little bastard! Depending on what side you play, make sure you have the correct speed set on your turntable. ‘THIS? Strawberries is 33 RPM, while ‘THAT? Mount Shine is 45 RPM. Enjoy!

F-Space “Preliminary Impact Report” [Mobilization]

Conceptual / visual artist Scot Jenerik and ex-Savage Republic guitarist Ethan Port are the proficiently preternatural, prodigiously provocative, and pungently primal pyro-perpetrators who primarily manifest F-Space’s seething sepulchral sound of post Industrial-Punk. Densely subterranean tribal percussion, resonating Middle Eastern guitar, atmospheric ambience, and dissonant metallic clanging reminiscent of Einsturzende Neubauten and Throbbing Gristle immerse you into a cataclysmic realm of subtle beauty and extreme chaos. As the consummate performance artists, F-Space is the mastermind behind the optically enchanting and aurally subversive How To Destroy the Universe Festival (as co-presented by KFJC)! The self-proclaimed ‘Led Zeppelin of Noise? is a violent sacrificial escapade well worth the adventure.

[coll] Homework #103 [Hyped 2 Death]

This is Hyped 2 Death’s third installment of rare and unreleased material compiled from the Golden Era of U.S. ‘D.I.Y.’ (’79-84). An eclectic collection of ‘V to Z? named post punk, punk wave, new wave, no wave, art punk, & art wave bands from all over the map! Whether it was the East Coast, West Coast, Midwest, or the South, these genre-defying bands were springing into action and releasing high quality music despite their low grade recording capabilities. Like the Screamers? early L.A. demos, Homework #103 captures an indispensable epoch, when do-it-yourself bands refused to sit around and wait for their big break. Hell, what you’re holding in your hand is a veritable D.I.Y. compilation on a CD-R with photo-copied liner notes! Each group carries its own unique charm, but consider YO, XXOO (Jad & David Fair), VELVET MONKEYS, ZYKLON, WILD STARES, V, and X-blank-X to get you started

Kaada - Patton “Romances” [Ipecac]

Traversing the fathomless vortex of cinematic cartoon dementia is awfully perplexing and frightful, but fear not! Norwegian sound manipulator, John Kaada (Cloroform) and the ever-eclectic Mike Patton (Mr.Bungle, Faith No More, Fantomas, Tomahawk, Lovage) will guide you through Romances harrowing murky depths. Patton’s versatile vocal inflections mesmerize as the tuneful tenor shrills & trills in haunting falsetto. Kaada’s arrangements astound with the hypnotic sway of dazzlingly deadly jellyfish, simultaneously channeling the thematic splendor of early sci-fi & horror films. Not surprising since both men share an unwavering affinity for eerie soundtracks (Patton’s band Fantomas on The Director’s Cut and Kaada’s scoring of numerous Scandinavian flicks). This alluring album sounds like what might have occurred if Disneyland had integrated Toon Town and the Haunted Mansion into a single attraction and then Tim Burton revamped the whole thing. Whereas Kaada’s debut record on Patton’s Ipecac Label, Thank You For Giving Me Your Valuable Time, spliced modern electronic music with samples of 60’s soul, R&B, and Doo-Wop, Romances reveals his aptitude for rhythmically creepy experimentation and crawling transitions. A chillingly beautiful juxtaposition of diversely emotive sounds & suspense. Combined with Patton’s melodiously wicked contributions, this is incredibly strange and delightfully spooky stuff, guaranteed!

Sun City Girls “Carnival Folklore Resurrection Radio” [Abduction]

Time travel back to November 2nd, 2002…hijack city by
the trinity of heresy and nowsy known as the Sun City
Girls. “Uncle Jim” spills his mic skills all over the
second CD in a three-part Kahnversation. If he’s too hip
on the lip for the hip-hop squad, then it’s their loss.
This here is firewater and every other oxymoron you can
muster. Reconstituted radio and odd rareties including a
Bat-blister TV rendition. It’s not the I-IV-V chords that
gave that theme life, it’s the screaming harmonies! The
Twilight Zone theme gets twangled, Anthony Fremont gets
namechecked, Bison makes a “Dele” and WFMU station ID.
Madness reigns from the tuning wash to Yamantaka chant
at the beginning through to the end wherein Alan Bishop’s
daughter shows that unflinching pinching of the funny
bone is genetic. Laird Henn is egged on by an answering
machine. Insurance blues are rued. Brian Turner offered
his show up like a sacrifice to the gods, but rather than
just a live set, they created this. Life.

Andersen, Steindor “Rimur” [Naxos World]

Centuries old Viking-style old skull rap…or “rime.”
Instead of braggadiccio, the Nordic tack is to denigrate
one’s skills (poetic and amorous) before launching into
the tale. See liner notes for more details. To today’s
American ear, these vocalizings will sound vaguely like
gregorian chants, but with more “wobble” to ‘em (maybe
the rhyming?) Tracks 16 and 18 are softened by strands
of harp. #12 floes over an icy bed of subdued (subzero?)
digeridoo. #14 is the only duet, sure wish there more
it was my favorite. One for the ages…and Sigur Ros
fans as well (that group has helped revive interest
in these form of expression.