Broadcast – “The Future Crayon” – [warp]

Zoltan   8/21/2006   A Library, CD

A collection of unreleased rarities, songs from EPs, and 3/4 finished sound pieces. Broadcast hails from Birmingham, England, they sound like Kim Deal (on the Amps record) meets Stereolab, with a heavy psychedelic, prog, fuzz influence. This is pretty typical of a B-sides style collection, with more polished sounding, almost poppy tracks mixed in with less ‘produced? soundscapes. Eighteen tracks total, there is something on here for anyone that likes candy coated switchblade Pop with a lil? fuzz-a-delia mixed in….many of the tracks with no vocals would make a nice bed. If you are a Broadcast fan, then this may disappoint you as a complete ‘album? but some good bits and pieces throughout.

50k / Zoltan

Nobody & Mystic Chords Of Memory – “tree colored see…” – [mush]

Zoltan   8/21/2006   A Library, CD

Groovy, laid back, folky, melow, atmospheric, with a pinch of psychedilia and country, you can tell there is something smart going on behind the smooth spacey earth ride, but it seems better not to think too much about this…just listen, smile and float. Overall a solid release that got better the more I listened to it. This project features from Los Angeles DJ Nobody (Elvin Estela) paired with Mystic Chords of Memory. Mystic Chords are Santa Cruz couple Chris Gunst (formerly of Beachwood Sparks) and Jennifer Cohen (Aisler’s Set)…we have an LP from Beachwood Sparks in the KFJC library, and Aisler’s Set appears on two separate compilations. High Fives to Nobody for his restraint on this project…he lays down a beat but acts more like a well behaved drummer, which, in this case, compliments the release. Trip hoppy, but psychedelic, plenty of Air (French Band) inspired harmonies, which is like appropriating appropriation…what comes around goes around, slightly different each time. Released on Mush records in the US and on Rough Trade in Europe, check out this California Super Goldrush of Kind Creeper Pop.

50k / Zoltan

Davka – “Lavy’s Dream” – [Tzadik Records]

Zoltan   8/21/2006   CD, Jazz

Produced by John Zorn, this album was originally recorded in 1996. This is newly remastered with some extra tracks. The sound is modern traditional, very listenable, festive even, like dancing at a Jewish wedding reception. Rabbi Levy (1513 – 1609) is a celebrated Jewish Mystic, not to mention the albums namesake. He once told of a Golem, a mute soulless man gifted with superhuman powers. There is a certain melancholy that ‘nomadic? peoples (much of Eastern Europe included in this group) have mastered in their traditional music…this goes far beyond melancholy and reaches passionate nobility. Lavy’s Dream is excellent. You really can’t go wrong with any of the tracks here, 100% meat and no filler…a great release. Check out Davka’s “The Golem” and a collection called “Voices In The Wilderness” both also part of the KFJC library.

50k / Zoltan

Detroit Underground vol. 4 – [coll] – [Detroit Underground]

Zoltan   7/11/2006   A Library

If you are a fan of German Urban Topography knocked out of
debossed EuroKlub Typography, finished with a clear
spot-varnish and off-center spyhole revealing Das System of Das
Record, then you are going to LOVE the cover of this LP. If you
just want to read who the artists are so you can play a track or
two, then you need to do some searching ’cause design elitism
will crush you, you ant.

This is actually a pretty decent release from “a German label who
dares to call themselves Detroit Underground” (-Goodwrench). Every
techno sound ever created is on this release–fuzz, glitch, drum and bass,
minimal, maximal, it’s all here and it is well done?
track 2 on side A and tracks 1 and 2 on side B are great, the
others are better than OK. Overall, these 5 tracks are Sehr Gut, the
vinyl is Der Union quality pressing, but really, the outer
sleeve is Das Superstar. Letterform download URL and designer
contact info also included.

Topography..Typography..Uma..Oprah.

Nalle – “By Chance Upon Waking” – [Pickled-egg Records]

Zoltan   7/11/2006   A Library, CD

Glasgow band on the Pickled Egg label (Daniel Padden, Volcano the Bear) This is their debut album released in 2005. Hanna Tuulikki (vocals, kantele, flutes, plus she’s from Finland), Aby Vulliamy (viola) and Chris Hladowski (bouzouki, clarinet). All three group members also perform with Scatter, and Vulliamy and Hladowski play in The One Ensemble of Daniel Padden, whose ‘Live at VPRO Radio? record was added to KFJC in spring of 2006.

Tuulikki’s voice sounds as dissonant as can be, you’ll love it or hate it. Imagine Bjork and Chan Marshall and Cyndi Lauper singing traditional Chinese opera. The listener is rarely given a vocal resting place, the stringed instruments keep the journey grounded as they pluck and drone and wander, dipping into sounds from Eastern Europe, Pakistan, and Scotland. Difficult first listen, I liked it better when I listened later…it gets more honest once you meet and greet it on its own terms.

Not Alone, Doctors Without Borders – [coll] – [JNANA Records]

Zoltan   6/7/2006   A Library, CD

A 5 CD collection conceived by Mark Logan and compiled by Mark Logan and David Tibet (Current 93) on the JNANA label. The idea to do this collection came after reading a book about the AIDS epidemic in Africa, wanting to do something about it, then picking the agency Doctors without Borders to receive all proceeds from sales. AIDS has been a reality for twenty five years, it hasn’t gone away, however, AIDS is no longer a death sentence, it is a strong reminder of the basic human condition?’My God we are on this planet and what the f**k are we going to do now?. This collection starts here.

NOT ALONE is excellent for so many reasons, there are so, so many interpretations of the subject of AIDS that go way beyond hospice and condolence. Fear, loneliness, regret, tenderness, celebration, knowledge of self, and appreciation of life, the title says it perfectly? simply, NOT ALONE. Organized by flow, not genre or style, each disc is a journey…many tracks were written by the artists for this compilation, many compiled ’cause they fit. You must play something from this collection, all marked tracks (see packaging) are recommended by the reviewer.

Artists include, but are not limited to Antony and the Johnsons, Baby Dee, Michael Yonkers, Faun Fables, Charlemagne Palestine, Current 93, Bill Fay, Simon Finn, Nurse With Wound, Six Organs of Admittance, John Contreras, Matmos, Little Annie, Allen Ginsberg, David Surkamp, Jarboe, Angels of Light, Thighpaulsandra, Alex Neilson & Richard Youngs, James William Hindle, Teenage Fanclub, NQ Arbuckle, Bonnie ‘Prince? Billy, Lynn Jackson, Nurse With Wound, 7 Year Rabbit Cycle, Thurston Moore, Marc Almond, Thee Majesty, Jim O’Rourke, Coil, and Ghost.