Grunions, The – “Shadow Breaker” – [Tiki Core]

carsonstreet   3/6/2024   12-inch, A Library

Grunions/Shadow Breaker

Shadow Breaker is the Grunions second LP.

The Grunions (from Montreal, Québec) are Andrew Joncas (guitar), Christian Ingelevics (drums & percussion), Jeremy Lear (bass), and Steph Sens (bari sax) and they play an exclusively instrumental music that draws from not only ‘60s spy themes, but also classic surf, early prog, jazz and experimental music. The album’s guest musicians flesh out this amalgamated sound with touches of French horn, trumpet, trombone, bassoon, bass clarinet, and flute. Every track on this album is different and stupendously cool.

“Shadow Breaker follows in the tradition of the classic instrumental psych LP in borrowing enough from the surreal and post-pop concepts to be pure, complete, and yet frankly unhinged when it matters the most. Top to bottom, this is a five-star effort.” – Jodi Marxbury (Daily Pop News)

Stevenson Proffitt – “Lets Go Have a Drink” – [Self Released]

carsonstreet   3/6/2024   Blues, CD

Local guy bartending to support his true love – music. Some blues, some punk, some country and a bit of rockabilly. High energy and fun to listen to. Stevenson on guitar, Pete Philis percussion and Chris Fraire bass. Chris Fraire is in the Sacramento Blues Society Hall of Fame. Stevenson Proffitt is his full name and the name of his band.

Haldeman, Tim – “Open Water as a Child” – [Woolgathering Records]

carsonstreet   3/21/2023   CD, Jazz

Open Water As a Child, by saxophonist Tim Haldemanwas originally conceived as a one-off concert for the Ann Arbor Jazz Festival. Tim says of the work, “The concert was a love letter to our friends and neighbors in Flint, who’ve been enduring the tragic results of the total failure by those ‘in power’. I needed a way to express my anger and sadness, so I reached out to some friends. The musical arrangements are loose, leaving space for the musicians to improvise. Recently my favorite thing about playing music is to explore how a piece can grow unpredictably into something new. What I wrote was a launching pad for the musicians. I wanted to hear what everyone would do with it.” Minimal, quiet with poetic readings on some tracks. You’ll feel as if you are in a beat cafe.

Noertker’s Moxie – “Pantomime In Billville” – [Edgetone Records]

carsonstreet   3/21/2023   CD, Jazz

In 2001, Bill Noertker formed Noertker’s Moxie as a vehicle for his thematic compositions. Since then he has composed over 150 pieces of music and has released sixteen CDs, including the soundtrack for Curious Worlds: the Art and Imagination of David Beck and the extended suites Sketches of Catalonia; The Blue Rider; The Druidh; and Tricycle. The pieces herein are Noertker’s reflections on his travels, his encounters with art, his penchant for poetry, his love of Catalonia, his sense of wonder at words, his fondness for the tritone, his fascination with film. Sweet – play it.

Galper, Hal – “Ivory Forest Redux” – [Origin Records]

carsonstreet   3/21/2023   CD, Jazz

Pianist Hal Galper and guitarist John Scofield have come together beautifully despite their differences. Scofield’s 1979 quartet release, Rough House featured Galper, along with bassist Stafford James and then young drummer, Adam Nussbaum. In essence, the groundbreaking pianist had found a partner who simply allowed him to be himself. Galper’s 1980 release, Ivory Forest was supposed to be Scofield’s next offering, but he was unable to release it in his name following his signing with a different label. Galper became the de facto leader of the date, an easy adjustment considering that he had composed all four original compositions on the album. Hal Galper along with John Scofield, Wayne Dockery and Adam Nussbaum – hard to beat.

Frankel, Danny w/ Cline, Nels and Goldings, Larry – “The Interplanetary Note/Beat Conference” – [Self-release]

carsonstreet   3/21/2023   CD, Jazz

Danny Frankel says of this album: “I want to talk about my new record, The Interplanetary Note/Beat Conference, with Nels Cline (Nels Cline Singers, Wilco) and Larry Goldings (who’s played with Jack DeJohnette and John Scofield). I started planning the recording a few years back. I was on a tour and spontaneously I’d write an idea in the back of the tour book on the blank pages. I’d write down an image real quick, like, “Let’s pretend we’re driving in a car in Israel in 1967.” (That became “Gypsy Cabster” with theatrical electric sitar, nutty ’60s drumbeat, and Teischord electric keyboard.) On that song I solo for eight bars towards the end, and I tried to capture the phrasing of a drunk poet. My friend Pablo calls this recording a psychedelic organ trio. Money Mark says he likes to clean his house while it’s on! It’s all good.” This is notes on the back of a napkin music. Jazz with some psych, some ambient and some experimental.

Bipolar Explorer – “In The Hours Left Until Dawn” – [Slugg Records]

carsonstreet   3/21/2023   A Library, CD

Bipolar Explorer are an NYC-based experimental dreampop trio featuring SummerSerafin (vocals, spoken word), Michael Serafin-Wells (guitars, vocals, bass, organ, synth,melodica, tape loops, percussion, spoken word) and Sylvia Solanas (backing vocals, spokenword – English/French). The band’s eclectic sound has continued to evolve as they began contributing to the UK’s storied experimental radio project, The Dark Outside. More experimental pieces began appearing on the band’s albums with compositions that folded in field recordings with new instrumentation and tape loops and woven together with their existing ambient, spoken word and shoegaze-y anthems resulted in recordings more thematic, or as the group has taken to calling them “dreamscapes”. In The Hours Left Until Dawn weaves together these strands of experimental, ambient, spoken word, field recordings sprinkled with instrumentation and shoegaze-y compositions.

Mr. Ho’s Orchestrotica Quartet – “Where Here Meets There” – [Self Release]

carsonstreet   3/21/2023   CD, Jazz

Mr. Ho’s Orchestrotica Quartet led by vibraphonist, percussionist Brian O’ Neil categorizes itself as travelling to a future moment where American music is as exotic as its past. Hence, a persuasive declaration as the band combines Eastern modalities with cool jazz grooves and world music. They also delve into the annals of American popular music by performing three Gershwin compositions and one comp by jazz vibraphonist Cal Tjader amid several group-penned originals.

Atlantics, The – “Flight of the Surf Guitar 21st Anniversary Edition” – [Atlantics Music]

carsonstreet   3/15/2023   A Library, CD

In 1963 The Atlantics were at the forefront of surf music in Australia, with their classic surf instrumental “Bombora” sitting for eight weeks at No. 1 in the Top 40 charts.
In 1999, in response to a growing demand from surf music enthusiasts around the world, The Atlantics – Peter, Jim, Bosco and new member Martin, got together in the studio for the first time in thirty years to recreate that surf pounding sound that made “Bombora” such a classic. The result was Flight of the Surf Guitar. Featuring seventeen tracks, comprising fourteen all new originals, together with brand new recorded versions of three of their most popular songs, “The Crusher”, “Rumble and Run” and of course, “Bombora.”

Oh Sees – “The Chapel SF 10.2.19” – [Silver Current]

carsonstreet   3/3/2023   12-inch, A Library

This is the Oh Sees at the peak of their prog obsession, super jammed out and totally dominating. “The Chapel, SF 10.2.19” is a 53 minute, beautifully recorded, hi-fidelity live explosion of kraut-gone-punk rock. There are two twelve inch vinyl discs but only three sides have music on them.

Psych-punk psychic warrior John Dwyer’s group Oh Sees (aka Thee Oh Sees, OCS, The Oh Sees, etc) have transformed from hushed druggy folk to groovy demonic pop chants to science fictional krautrock expanse and beyond. The Oh Sees have released twenty-six studio albums and two live albums. We have many Thee Oh Sees CDs & LPs in our library so check under “T” as well as “O” if you like this one.

James, Early – “Strange Time” – [Easy Eye Sound]

carsonstreet   3/3/2023   Blues, CD

Early James is a folk/blues musician based in Birmingham, Alabama. He attempts to spin what perhaps has not been spun before; a “fresh” take on folk, blues, jazz and country with dark, rusty, crooner stylings. Sometimes he sounds like he is channeling Bob Dylan but with a better voice than what is left of Dylan’s. We got a girl singer (Sierra Ferrell) popping in on track 6 (“Real Low Down Lonesome”) and she is very good. As Early points out it is a Strange Time To Be Alive.   

Himes, Matthew – “Hold Tight b/w My Ride” – [Home & Garden Music]

carsonstreet   3/3/2023   7-inch, A Library

Experimental loner folk from this mysterious Minnesotan, who writes intimate and melancholic tunes, that are nearly tone poems. Sometimes he trickles into expansive psychedelia. The lead single “Hold Tight” is a comforting promise of better times to come, one day at a time, while the flip side “My Ride” is a sort of pre-post mortem, speaking to lost friends and ashes unspread. Square record cut in MONO to clear polycarbonate with printed labels featuring hand-stamped pink ink detail. Made in a limited hand-numbered edition of 16 copies.

Big Yellow Wooly Trousers – “Wristrocket Seersucker” – [Self-release]

carsonstreet   3/3/2023   A Library, CD

Big Yellow Wooly trousers are from Amherst, Massachusetts. Haven’t been able to find out much about this band. They are a well-kept secret delivering contemporary country. A very nice listen throughout. All I can tell you is fun stuff and don’t be afraid of the country designation.

Harris, Mark / John 3:16 – “Procession” – [Alrealon Musique]

carsonstreet   3/3/2023   A Library, CD

JOHN 3:16 is Philippe Gerber, whose Heat From A DeadStar existed between 2004–09 and worked with Rick Harte/Ace Of Hearts Records in Boston. As JOHN 3:16, Gerber has released numerous works. He has collaborated with artists such as Pas Musique, TheUse, Rasplyn, Anthony Donovan, and Mark Harris. Mark Harris says of this album: When Philippe and I started work on the material that would become the Album “Procession” was in the fall of 2017 after the release of “Victory over the Sun” the year before. The only ground rule we set was we both felt “Victory” felt like a collaboration between two very different artists (which of course is exactly what it was!) we wanted the next album to feel more like a single unit or band / as on “Victory” we felt you could still hear my contribution and Philippe’s as individual elements… Philippe and I work on either side of the Atlantic Ocean so materials were shared online. Spacy, drone like and very moody.

Costa, Gal – “Fa-Tal Gal A Todo Vapor” – [Universal Records]

carsonstreet   12/19/2022   CD, International

A Todo Vapor (Portuguese for At Full Steam) is a fascinating live recording of Gal Costa from the early ’70s where she proved to be as exciting and diverse on-stage as she was in the studio. The first seven tracks feature Costa alone, accompanied by her acoustic guitar. These performances are dramatic, intimate, precise, emotional, and stunningly clear. These tracks display her voice perfectly, pushing up front Costa’s incredibly strong pipes with the urgent beauty one can only obtain from a live performance. The real treat comes in about halfway through the eight-minute epic, “Vapor Barato,” when her band joins in and turns the slow, intimate descending progression into a scorching lament with Costa wailing over the top. This intensity and incredible form continue throughout the rest of the recording; the band is tight, progressive, experimental and dynamic. Good quality recording with some poor editing between songs. If you want to hear more of Gal check out Gal (1969) in the international CDs and listen to her go totally psychedelic.

Organisation – “Tone Float” – [Inner Space]

carsonstreet   12/19/2022   A Library, CD

Tone Float is the only LP by the German band Organisation was a predecessor to Kraftwerk, which was formed by two members of the band (Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider-Esleben) after the album’s release. Of the album’s recording Hütter would later say: “The studio was in the middle of an oil refinery. When we came out of the door we could hear the sound of those big flames burning off the fumes – all kinds of industrial noises.” Sales were poor and RCA opted to drop the band, which then dissolved.  This CD includes a bonus track titled “Vor dem blauen Bock” which in fact is an instrumental track recorded at a May 1971 performance by Kraftwerk on the Bremen Beat-Club TV show. This song features the short-lived line-up of Florian Schneider, Michael Rother and Klaus Dinger (Ralf Hütter had left the group during this period to study architecture). Rother and Dinger left Kraftwerk shortly afterwards to form Neu!.  

Spiral Wave Nomads – “Magnetic Sky” – [Twin Lakes Records]

carsonstreet   12/19/2022   12-inch, A Library

This is the third LP by the New York/Connecticut duo, Spiral Wave Nomads. Magnetic Sky is a set of expanding improvisations. Employing the strings of Albany’s Eric Hardiman (Sky Furrows/Burnt Hills/Rambutan/Century Plants) and the drums of New Haven’s Michael Kiefer (More Klementines/Rivener/Drifting North), along with electronic tones generated by the both of them.
The duo creates massive sonic width and depth by piling up instrumental passages in layers. This allows the music to peel itself like a psychedelic onion spinning crazily in a forgotten pocket of deep space. Eric’s electric guitar parts are assembled to make him sound like a small orchestra at times, quietly blowing the lid off the notion that there are only two players creating these ceaseless swirls. Multiplied by tape (or the digital equivalent thereof), the strings, the drums and the keys refract everything like dark tone mirrors in a freaked out carnival funhouse.

Living Sky, The – “Enter the Sky” – [Home & Garden Music]

carsonstreet   12/19/2022   A Library, Cassette

Jason Millard and Matthew Himes explore the outer regions of psychedelic rock, ambient and drones on Enter the Sky. If you ever wondered what Pink Floyd might have sounded like if Syd Barrett had not lost his marbles, these two veterans from the Minneapolis may have finally answered that question. There is folk lurking in the background hiding from the howling guitar as if Jorma Kaukonen has joined The Velvet Underground. Lo-fi fans will love this. Swirling guitar with feedback and echo. Garage psych at it’s best.

Culto al Qondor – “Tannhauser Tor” – [Worst Bassist Records]

carsonstreet   11/28/2022   12-inch, A Library

In early 2003, four friends from Lima, Peru, formed Qondor to jam some tunes under a heavy influence of bands like Ash Ra Tempel, Neu! and Hawkwind. They never took it too seriously, but then a couple of local labels asked them to be part of some compilations. And with that came the opportunity to play live. They then they split to focus on their main bands (La Ira de Dios and Serpentina Satelite, two of the more popular and celebrated psych bands from Lima). In January 2017 Necio Records asked them for a reunion show at a festival (Undercaos Festival) in Lima. This time as a trio with a name change to Culto al Qondor. They started to jam again and the chemistry was still there, so they decided to record for real this time. On September 2nd they set up everything at the bass player’s bar and recorded the album. It’s raw, it’s cosmic and it’s dark… as Space.Culto al Qondor is Dolmo on guitars and delays, Aldo Castillejos on drums and loops (both from Serpentina Satelite) and Chino Burga on bass and drones (La Ira de Dios and 3AM). Peru has a long tradition in psychedelic music (since the 60’s) and this is a clear example of the Peruvian psychedelic sound of the new millenium. More delay, more rock! Drone on!!!

Century Plants – “Transmissions from the Outer Sun” – [Carbon Records]

carsonstreet   11/28/2022   A Library, CD

Century Plants is a shape-shifting drone and free improv duo featuring Ray Hare and Eric Hardiman. On the first track, recorded in 2011 in Albany NY, they are joined by Matt Weston on drums, and explore the free-improv corners of their sonic world with a combination of guitars, electronics, voice, and sparse percussion. The second track, recorded in 2022 in Troy NY, sees the duo expanding into a quartet with Mike Griffin on bass and Phil Donnelly on drums. This track builds into a mid-tempo psych-guitar-drenched epic with Ray’s echoing vocal wails. Albany’s (NY) Century Plants has deep roots in the noise, psych, improv, and hardcore scenes. The core group is Ray Hare (Deadline, Fossils from the Sun, Burnt Hills) and Eric Hardiman (Rambutan, Sky Furrows, Spiral Wave Nomads, Burnt Hills). The duo’s twin guitars + vocals are often augmented by a larger “sound system” of like-minded players for live actions, resulting in an intense mixture of noise, drone, dub, musique concrete, and blistering psych rock. If you need referents, recent gigs have conjured the ghosts of Hawkwind, Discharge and Suicide, all filtered through a unique prism. Hardiman and Hare have played together for over a decade as Century Plants and continue to play in Albany’s legendary psych rock unit Burnt Hills.