Noise International WK45499. 1990
Back in my tape trading days (yes kids, it wasn't all mp3 and download ratios back then - padded envelopes, postage stamps and a shit load of flyers falling out of packages), this was one of the most requested recordings. Well, the original '84 demo anyway.
In its fuzzy 15th-generation tape-to-tape copy form it had a certain mystique about it. It sounded evil, as if Satan himself had shat it onto the tape and smeared his ass up and down it like a dog with worms.
Fast forward a few years and we have a nice, clean copy, and some of the magic dies along with the stench of Beelzebub's turd and iron-oxide mixture.
It's badly recorded (probably not their fault really), weakly produced (the bass drum sounds like someone blinking slightly too hard), and they can't really play their instruments. That said, I'll always have a soft spot for this, especially the poptastic catchiness of Horus/Aggressor.
Thursday, 26 March 2009
Hellhammer - Apocalyptic Raids 1990 A.D.
PJ Harvey - 4-Track Demos
Island IMCD 170/518 450-2. 1993
It's like a whole different album to Rid Of Me, though it's mostly the same songs. These raw takes show what a true talent she is.
I'm starting to kind of fancy her after all.
PJ Harvey - Rid Of Me
Island CID8002/514 696-2. 1993
Even better than the last.
PJH and Albini are a studio match made in heaven.
PJ Harvey - Dry
Too Pure CD010. 1992
I wish I was feeling a tad more verbose today, as this is outstandingly super. However, I'm not, so may come back to talk about it later.
I'll just say, she has one of the few female voices I really like. (She may also have other voices, but I don't know.)
Just buy it. It's a classic.
Never did fancy her though.
Peter Hammill - Fool's Mate
Charisma CASCD1037. 1971
Another NF introduction - cheers buddy.
He sounds a bit posh, but has a pleasant voice none the less. I heard this long before I'd heard any VdGG, so had no idea who he was.
It was the crazy drums at the start of Imperial Zeppelin that grabbed me from the off. Unfortunately, a lot of the rest of the album shifts into much more straight-forward singer-songwriter territory after the, frankly, crackers start.
I don't have a great deal to compare this to, as there's not much else on my shelves that sound quite like it.
The only real low-point is the dreadful Vikings. Cack.
"Aaaaah - it's so imperial!"
"And I don't feel quite like dying......"
Home - XIV
Arena ARE00012-2. 1999
All the best bits from good-era Flaming Lips, less-angular aspects of Pavement, a smattering of Mercury Rev pomp, and a Grandaddy chaser.
Excellent, and I'd kind of forgotten about it. I'll immediately get everything else I can by them.
Wednesday, 25 March 2009
Hurricane #1 - Step Into My World EP
Starts with a ghastly mix by Paul Oakenfold & Steve Osborne that we can just forget about, thank you very much.
The normal version of the title track comes over a bit Oasis-y if you ask me, but I don't know a great deal about mainstream, dull guitar-based indie.
So it goes for the rest of this ep. Neither nowt-nor-summat bland guitar-based indie nothingness that doesn't even annoy me - it would have to have some kind of impact on my senses to do that. In one ear, out the other, response-free.
I suppose I tried it at the time as I quite liked Ride.
Hecker - IT ISO161975
There's not enough going on here to comment, as I don't want to crank up the amp and potentially damage the speakers to get the full effect of the sub-bass rumblings. I'll give this another go with headphones, or play it at the office on my floorstanding tannoys.
Interesting technical note: this has a track before track 1, only accessible by playing track 1 and rewinding into the stuff before it. Very clever, though it means I've not heard a large chunk of this before now.
I met Peter Rehberg (main Mego man) in France a few years ago, and he was flashing his new iPod around (they'd just come out, and he'd bought one in either America or Japan, I can't remember. He predicted that in a few years from then, people like himself (laptop twiddlers) would carry their whole set-up on iPods and spec the relevant hardware on their technical rider. Not as daft as he looks eh? (No, he really does look daft, trying to look cool in photos with Stephen O'Malley). One of the few noise performers I've seen live (under the name Pita) that actually made any kind of sense though.
Not that any of that has anything to do with Hecker, but I've typed it now, so tough.
Herbie Hancock - Man-Child
That's just too much funk for one album.
Starts off at a blistering pace with the crazy Hang Up Your Hangups, gets all slinky (and, eventually, a bit samey), then cracks on nicely again on the last track, Heartbeat.
I prefer this over Headhunters.
Tuesday, 24 March 2009
Herbie Hancock - Head Hunters
Columbia/Legacy CD6512. 1973 (1997)
That shit is the funk, right there.
Though the jazz-improv-freakout gets a bit much towards the end of track 3, Sly, there isn't much to complain about here.
Just look at the cover!
Laurel and Hardy - Trail of the Lonesome Pine
Plenty of oldey-timey music on here, most of which is very canny, but it's the classics that stand out.
I could listen to Dance of the Cuckoos, Trail of the Lonesome Pine, and Honolulu Baby all day.
But the highlight is the eternally sublime At The Ball, That's All. Understated brilliance, even without the visual delight of watching the pair dancing to it.
The Hives - Your New Favourite Band
Telstar Records MC5055CD. 2002
I'm currently enjoying a renewed enthusiasm for garagey rock type stuff, so this is timely.
And rawkously good fun. Might even stick it on the 'pod for gym listening.
Brings back memories of a splendid summer in my big new office, nicely settled in, doing bits and pieces of layout for Get Rhythm music magazine based upstairs.
Horizon 222 - The Three of Swans
Though the restraint issue had been addressed by now, this still shifts dramatically from light to dark, cheery to brooding.
The opener proper (after a minute of seagull samples mixed with the Birmingham Six on the steps of the Old Bailey upon release), Walking On The Air, could be top of the list for feel-good, summer barbeque soundtrack, with its jolly Lee Perry vocal sample and bouncing beats.
Most of the rest of this concentrates on atmosphere rather than bouncy niceness, and slips into frowny mode most of the time. Not that it isn't good, it just doesn't logically follow the opener. I'll mention The Orb again (second time today), as One Small Dot could sit on Ultraworld and not feel out of place. See David Holmes post regarding too much speechy sample stuff in between tunes.
I certain I had something to do with putting the sleeve artwork together. The CD itself looks very familiar. 'Tis entirely feasible, as I'm sure it was around this time I helped with some CD reissues of some :z*f: stuff, as well as Ingleton Falls (nice artwork, shite tunes) and the Off The Map compilation.
Overall, canny. Still never liked one of the Andys though.
Horizon 222 - Through The Round Window
Careful now, that's a friend of mine. Watch your mouth babe, you're outta line.
When I first forced my presence up the :zoviet*france: chaps all those years ago, probably my second or third visit to the large house in the West End of Newcastle, they were busy scrutinising the films of the artwork for this album. I remember it was only spot colour separations, and didn't include the photos, which were to be added later, somewhere, somehow.
Not all that interesting, I know, but true.
A lot of this stands the test of time quite nicely. Though overly-festooned with layer upon layer of sampled hooks in places, when the tunes are allowed to speak for themselves they're enjoyable and stand up to repeated listening. I remember being very taken with the slowly building, eventually intense rhythms of the epic opener, Touch, with its belching, baritone throat-singing samples and chirpy synth licks. Into mellow dub territory on Heart, then off into trance-ville on Spirit Level, possibly their stab (though I'm certain they'd deny it) at commercial success (and possibly the best use of the sound of the Tardis outside the Dr Who titles).
I only have two problems with this album. I can't think of an occasion when I'd want to listen to it in its entirity. There's so much variation in pace and mood from track to track that something isn't going to sit right, depending how you feel. And restraint, or lack of. In many places less could have been so much more.
And for the record, I never did like one of the Andys - can't remember which one now, but he was a twat.
David Holmes - This Films Crap Lets Slash The Seats
To insistant to be background music, too dull to be listened to in its own right.
Let's keep the film soundtracks for the films, eh?
"The Atom And You" threatens to be an early The Orb track for 3 minutes, then fails.
Ho Hum etc.
David Holmes - Lets Get Killed
Nicely crafted funky shit. Still, when I put on some music I want to hear music, not a minute, possibly two, of someone talking before the tunes kick in. The street recordings etc on here do fit in nicely with the music at times, but there's just too much of it and it just isn't necessary. The guy can makes tunes.
Thursday, 19 March 2009
David Holmes - Bow Down To The Exit Sign
I'm just not in the mood; this is getting on my nerves. Bobby Gillespie's tuneless warbling contributions are grating at my earwax, redeemed only by Martina (that bird on some Tricky records) getting all sultry on my ass, and the super-sweet tune 69 Police.
Enough for today, I think, otherwise I may start being unfair.
David Holmes - Don't Die Just Yet (single)
Entirely reasonable track, with those damn pointless remixes. And we all know what I think of pointless remixes.
Hüsker Dü - Candy Apple Grey
Warner Bros 7599-25385-2. 1986
Still shouty in places, which is nice. Suffers from that damn Mould/Hart 'we know best' production and that bloody shite snare.
Quite lovely poppy punkishness, with some real variation in the songs, whereas some of their stuff could dispense with the gaps between the tracks and just call it mush (see 'Warehouse'). We even get some acoustic and piano work. Think they must have had serious girlfriends by now.
No lowpoints!
Hüsker Dü - Zen Arcade
Much better. They were still in hardcore mode when they recorded this, though it branches out into previously unexplored skies and keeps things a bit more interesting than another record of 2 minute, full speed thrash and yellers.
Highlights: great instrumental Dreams Reoccurring, Hare Krshna, Reoccurring Dreams (another great instrumental)
Hüsker Dü - Warehouse: Songs and Stories
Maybe they should have got a producer in. This is weak and, at times, annoying. The guitar sits on its own over there, the drums, with that ever-present bloody innapropriate snare reverb, yonder, and the bass flaps into the mix only briefly here and there.
It does have moments when everything comes together nicely, but for me it's only the combination of Mould and Harts vocals that keep me interested. Most of the songs seem rushed and throw-away.
Highlights (or the only bits worth skipping on to): Ice Cold Ice, Could You Be The One, She Floated Away
The Human League - Travelogue
What a treat. One of the defining moments in pop-electronic history, and one which brings back many happy memories.
I was lucky enough to have slightly older cousins I spent a lot of time with as a youngster, and they were kind of into music, so I was exposed to some stuff a 10 year old may not normally have heard in 1980/81. So this was one of the coolest records I owned before I'd even started secondary school. I do remember having nightmares about being boiled alive.
The original album was utter perfection, but this CD release has extra tracks, some of which suck, and shows the direction they'd take once Ware and Marsh left and those two boilers came on board. Nice version of Rock 'n' Roll though.
Too many highlights to mention.
John Lee Hooker - The Best Of
Music Club MCCD020. 1991
Now I'm really sick. Not really his fault, but why have I got three 'best of's?
John Lee Hooker - Boogie Chillum
Tring GRF023.
And 28 tracks on top of the previous 16, a lot of them the same, is just stupid.
John Lee Hooker - 16 Greatest Hits
Route 16 CD9004. 1988
I mean, it's alright and all, but it gets a bit samey.
Ok in small doses.
Mark Hollis - Mark Hollis
[ choked silence ]
Recovered.
One of my favourite albums, from one of my favourite artists. Seven years after Talk Talk's magnificent swansong, Laughing Stock, Hollis continued into ever starker, fragmented, melacholic mode and created an album of stripped-down beautiful sadness that gets me every listen.
Being one of the most unique vocalists ever to grace my ears helps, but the guys ability to work with silence is astounding. The bits with sound are pretty good too.
Be kind, and play 'Colour Of Spring' at my funeral. Hopefully on some futursic space-laser-powered sound system, as it'll be 3012.
Hollyfaith - Purrr
Unremarkable, but inoffensive, guitary pop-rock from some American chaps that didn't last very long and spent too much time analysing the My Bloody Valentine strumming while holding your trem bar technique and not quite pulling it off.
This must have been a quid somewhere, as there's no way I'd have paid real money for it.
Rolf Harris - Sun Arise (single)
EMI CDEM210. 1991.
No record of this on allmusic or discogs. Does what it says on the tin really, it's early Rolf.. Includes Two Little Boys, Six White Boomers, and I've Lost My Mummy, which makes me want to kill stuff.
Interesting-ish fact - there's a typo on the cover (of which there is no record on't interweb - I had to scan it) - "Iv'e lost my mummy". Idiots.
The Heads - The Time Is Now!
Just goes to show you should take everything written at allmusic.com with a pinch of cynicism. Ed Rivadavia says of this 'it'll probably bore you to tears'. What a prick.
This collection of 7" and compilation tracks is absolutely outstanding, and a fine addition to the shelves of anyone even vaguely interested in stoner, psychedelic garage rock. It kicks mighty ass, and rather than apologise afterwards it'll fuck your girlfriend.
Wednesday, 31 December 2008
He Said Omala - Matching Crosses
World Domination Recordings WDM10095-2. 1998
Not nearly as good as I remember. Starts off a cross between Jimi Tenor and Barry Adamson, goes a bit mainstream and dull, peaks with the brilliant Troubled Mind (consisting mostly of a sample from Roy Orbison's Blue Bayou), ending with a couple of electronic drone tracks, the last of which is pretty damn good.
Not much more to say really, other than I forgot to type up the last couple of Heads albums.
And my head hurts from all the wine.
Thursday, 6 November 2008
The Heads - Under Sided
Relentless psychedelic sonic onslaught from Bristol's finest underrated acid freaks. Heavy as a bad trip, sweet as a good one.
I don't know where they find the energy, though Simon Price doesn't expend too much with his spoken vocals. Lazy, but they fit nicely.
I'm worn out.
The Handsome Family - Through The Trees
They're still midway between the country sound of later work and the backwoods alt-twang of the earlier stuff. This is pretty much the perfect balance, and for me their best album.
Weightless Again was the first HF track I heard, and you'll know why I dug out their other stuff when you hear it.
"That's why people OD on pills, or jump from the Golden Gate bridge - anything to feel weightless again"
The Handsome Family - Milk and Scissors
See below. Earlier, not as country, but still tiptop.
"Sometimes I can't wait to come down with cancer, at least then I get to watch TV all day"
The Handsome Family - In The Air
There's nothing at all wrong with this. A brilliant slice of what would appear, on a casual listen, to be fairly straight-up country. A more intent ear reveals a twisted, dark humour throughout. Brett Sparks has an amazingly smooth baritone, and the pair of them (wife Rennie makes two) are pretty damn fine musicians. Buy this now.
"Listen to me, butterfly. There's only so much wine you can drink in one life, but it will never be enough to save you from the bottom of your glass."
(Sounds better in a baritone country twang than it looks on screen).
Wednesday, 5 November 2008
The Hafler Trio - A Thirsty Fish
More of the good stuff.
I'm kind of glad this is the last THT disk on the shelf though. Some music would be nice.
The Hafler Trio and The Sons Of God - Resurrection
Might have been a bit more interesting to have been at the performance this was recorded at - 2 actors, 6 cookers, 6 baths. Where have all the Dada-ists gone?
After a slowish start it gets cracking and is a worthwhile listen, though don't bother to dust off the dancing pumps.
I saw Zbigniew Karkowski play in France a few years back, at a venue in Mulhouse. I'd been drinking wheat beer. The PA caught fire due to the extreme frequencies he was pumping through it at high volume. I'd not witnessed that before. Most amusing.
The Hafler Trio - All That Rises Must Converge
At the more interesting end of THT spectrum. A reissue of 1986's The Sea Org and Brain Song eps. Familiar territory, with treated field recordings, cut-ups and drones, but this is the McKenzie I like. Lots of slowly building soundscapes, sudden loud bursts and flipping instantly between seemingly unrelated material which eventually makes some kind of sense.
Luverlee stuff.
Thursday, 30 October 2008
The Hafler Trio - Intoutof
More dark (even though the first half of it is clearly made with those whirly tube doofers) drone delight. Second half is harsh.
This is slower than the original vinyl, as they had to speed the tapes up to make it fit on each side of a record. Those crazy cats.
Lock the doors.
The Hafler Trio - Four Ways Of Saying Five
First track is a lengthy (48min) edit of lectures given in the Netherlands in the 80s, on the theories and writings of Robert Spridgeon. Though embelished with Hafler Trio drones and clickety-clacks, not exactly recreational listening. The subject matter is a bit too indepth to really grasp by listening, so I don't really see the point.
Second and final track is a montage of snippets of installation soundtracks and performances, and is easier (????) on the ear.
Difficult.
The Hafler Trio - Play The Hafler Trio
I've always had a lot of time for the work of Andrew McKenzie, though I'd stop short of the hero worship and labelling of 'genius' that some arseholes bestow all too lightly.
That was until he let myself and a colleague down badly by pulling out of a performance at the 11th hour, making us look shit and costing us a four-figure sum on non-refundable airfares, hotel bookings and publicity material. For no good reason. Twat.
This is THT in typical slow-building drone loop mode. No surprises, but very listenable.
Heligoland - Heligoland
Calcium Chloride CaCl003CD. 2000
My favourite band of all time was Talk Talk. Oh, what a sad day it was when they eventually split.
They couldn't have gone in much further directions than they did. While Mark Hollis stuck with the overall minimalistic, bleak feel of their last album, Laughing Stock, for his solo effort, Tim Friese-Green has picked up a guitar or two and some cheap keyboards, setting free his alt-rock alter-ego.
This is a beautiful record. Understated, seemingly effort-free. It sounds home-recorded, which it was, and has an honesty about it that would be hard to emulate in the studio. It sticks with the melancholia and general doom of Talk Talk's final foray ('We're all here to die. Put your head on the altar. Can you swear you've lived enough?'), but who needs happy-happy-joy-joy all the time?
Remind me a lot of The Auteurs, and his voice is often a bit John Lennon-ish - all good. There's a pointless version of Purple Haze hidden at the end which isn't worth waiting for. Other than that (and we probably can't count that since it isn't on the track list), 9 out of 10. Gold star.
Not to be mixed up with the Aussies who've nicked the name.
Holger Hiller - Demixed
Mute CDSTUMM102. 1992
All the greatness of the original tracks, shoved through a mangle and given a bit of a squeeze. I wouldn't say any of these are better than the starting material, but nothing comes across as too tragic, though track 8, XXX remixed by A.J. is a bit annoying and unnecessary.
I just noticed a sample from World Destruction by Timezone on this listen, which I've not made out before. There you go - I've achieved something today.
For fans of squeaky door samples.
Holger Hiller - As Is
Coming on like the bastard offspring of The Art of Noise and Coldcut. Twisted, but funny rather than bitter. Lots of interesting sample use and groovy throughout.
Andrew Hodson - In Your Heart You Will Find Your Dreams
(No label info) TR00001. 2005
More masterful musicality from the Shandy. This was the result of a project at Royal Bolton Hospital's mental health unit, using found sound and recordings of performances of 'service users' and staff.
The result is quite diverse, but always enjoyable. So much so I considered releasing it myself to give it exposure beyond the 1000 copies produced for press, funders, friends and hospital use. It seemed to be getting a bit complicated with all the money people involved, so it never happened. Shame.
Andrew Hodson - Map Music
A soundtrack to a journey on the Tyne and Wear Metro system by Newcastle-based nice guy and all round musical wunderkind Mr Andy H (also responsible for The Matinee Orchestra).
Lots of manipulated field recordings, squeeky bleeps and all round pleasantness. Worth digging out, though I haven't made the train journey with the headphones on yet.
Tuesday, 14 October 2008
Sex For Ollie / Random Felch - tracks from 'Killed By The Machinery Of Sorrow' compilation CD
MORE OF MY MUSICAL MAYHEM.
Ecocentric Records ER103CD. 1991This German label asked me for some tracks to go on this comp, and I obliged.
This was very early Sex For Ollie. In fact, the first track is a re-recording of the very first SFO track ever. Once again, this was all a bit hurried as he needed them straight away. Pretty simplistic stuff with very obvious sample sources, but I wasn't trying to be clever. Just mucking about really.
The Random Felch tracks were recorded in NF's bedroom, with 6 of us plugged into various devices, trying to be very quiet so's not to disturb his downstairs neighbour. We played both tracks live in one take each. It shows. We were more of a live band really, bordering on cabaret. I loved my CryBaby wah wah pedal.
Sex For Ollie
01 Faucal Dirge Re-revisited (3) (no longer death - almost - not quite)
02 Sex Crash (orgasmic destruction)
03 Plastic Structure Convention (entering the homogenous zones)
Random Felch
01 13
02 Butter
Download. Enjoy. Please comment.
Yin and yang live next door, they're mentally ill and very poor
SFO - Raan (from Sky Flowers and Horse Eggs compilation CD)
ANOTHER BURST OF MY AURAL EMMISSIONS.
T'was early 1992. I'd recently become acquainted with BP. He mentioned he was helping put together a compilation CD, and asked if I wanted to be on it. Fine says I. I need the track tomorrow says he. Oh.
A quick phone call to NF, and I'm round his house the following lunch time. I've got an hour for lunch, including the 20 minutes travel there and back. Here's a cassette loop I made earlier (take it apart, slice it, stick the ends together with sellotape, re-assemble, cross fingers). Into NF's four track deck. A tone generator goes into one of the insert channels on the back, as well as the output from a turntable. One shot straight into DAT and I'm on the bus back to work.
I quite like the roughness of this. I deliberately didn't filter the bass-heavy loop so it would fuck up and distort.
I'm sitting on the track list in fine company - Blackhouse, Étant Donnés, Nocturnal Emmissions, :zoviet-france:, to name but four. A proud moment for me.
Download my track here. Mind your speakers though.
Spoonfed Venusian Sex Organs - Fuck Mollusk
YET MORE OF MY PAST MUSICAL MERRY MAKING. DOWNLOAD AND ENJOY.
(unreleased). 1995
The dream team behind Projectile Afterbirth joined forces once again on this full length album. 70 minutes of rather eclectic noisy nonsense, mostly guitar based. The whole thing was written and recorded over two evenings at NF's house. Mostly live, straight to four-track or DAT. All first takes.
We thought this was going to be released by Fellatio Productions, along with the second Projectile Afterbirth 7", but nothing ever came of it. We couldn't be bothered to tout it around to anyone else.
We originally planned for it to be chopped into 99 tracks of equal length on the CD to make for some mad listening on random play. This copy is chopped into the actual tracks instead.
No track list - just make it up as you go along. If I remember rightly, the first track was called Nihil, the third was Terminal Flesh Addict.
Download our slab of madness. Let me know if you like it, thanks.
Terminal flesh addict - wear your sins with pride.
( seksvirOlli ) - vandag se waarheid?190498
COMPILATION OF SOME OF MY EARLY 90'S EXPERIMENTAL/AMBIENT STUFF, REVISITED IN 1998 - DOWNLOAD AND ENJOY
(unreleased). 1998 (1992-3)
I've no idea why I named it in afrikaans. I used to record under the name Sex For Ollie, but must have decided on a slight name change when I revisited these earlyish tracks back in 1998. Who knows why...? Man, what a crazy kid. I think the title roughly translates as 'Today's value?"
All these tracks were recorded on my Fostex X30 four track cassette deck, using nothing more sophisticated than a cd player, 2 cassette decks, locked vinyl grooves (2p coins placed onto records to knock the stylus back on every revolution), a reverb box of some sort and a 1.2 second guitar digital delay pedal. I was making cassette loops at the time as well, and I think I use a couple on lisscom. That involved taking a cassette apart, chopping little bits of the tape and sticking the ends together to form a loop, and some kind of spring with cotton wool to keep it tensioned so it wouldn't just slip on the spools. Quite a haphazard, messy business, but I think they turned out alright.
I was always more creative when faced with the challenge of having so little kit to play with.
01 dphemst (18:26) - recorded 28.02.93
02 lisscom (23:43) - recorded 10.11.92
03 eleth (19:03) - recorded 26.11.92
04 exfremx (4:24) - recorded 18.11.92
Download it here if you so desire. If you like it, please say so. Thanks.
Tokyo Sex Wail - Scatalogically Obsessed 7" EP
ONE OF MY EARLY NINETIES EFFORTS - DOWNLOAD AND ENJOY
(unreleased) 1994.
Thankfully I've not got a copy of the planned cover art. This followed my earlier noisy guitar thrashings, shifting more into electronic noise. I can't remember exactly what I used for the non-guitar based tracks on this, but I'm positive it was acoustic sources which I looped and processed. Sorry about the rather nasty elements of this - there was a market for it! I'm a nice guy really.
I had hoped this would be released on Fellatio Productions, but the guy who ran it just stopped getting in touch so it was shelved.
Recorded on a Fostex X-30 four track cassette deck in Newcastle upon Tyne.
Side A
01 Digital Arse
02 Rectal Mucus
03 Balls (Run-out groove loop)
Side B
04 Bitch 1
05 Enema Rape
06 Bitch 2
07 Arse (Run-out groove loop)
Download it here, and send the kids out of the room.
I've got a digital arse full of digital shit. I don't need to think 'cos my arse does it.
NEW FUN-FILLED FEATURE
Just to keep it interesting I'm going to gradually upload a lot of my own musical endeavours from over the years. It spans many musical(????) styles, and varies greatly in quality.
If you fancy a laugh, give it a go. I ain't chargin'!
Wednesday, 8 October 2008
A Hawk And A Hacksaw - Darkness At Noon
Leaf BAY43CD. 2005
An altogether more satisfying listen than their first outing. Although there's a phenomenal amount of instrumentation on this, it does have more of a feel of their live presence. I've seen them at least twice, maybe more (once in a tiny room in the tower of a city wall which holds perhaps 40 people, once in the hull of an ex-fishing factory ship). Jeremy on accordian and percussion (playing cymbals with a stick attached to his hat) with Heather Trost on violin. They're great. Very passionate, talented and entertaining. As is this.
Incredible version of Portland Town. Pass the hankies.
A Hawk And A Hacksaw - A Hawk And A Hacksaw
Leaf BAY35CD. 2004
Did anyone survive Neutral Milk Hotel intact? It become apparent after mere moments of pressing play that this album is the fermented fruit of a slightly rotten mind.
I will qualify that. Jeremy Barnes sports, or at least has every time I've seen him, a full beard. As we all know, anyone that favours so much facial fluff is as mad as several fishcakes.
This is an exhausting collection of frenetic masterpieces of the bizarre. It's difficult to keep up with the instrumentation and field recording jammed together in 40 odd minutes, and I can't say it's a pleasant experience.
Interesting enough to hang on to.
Tuesday, 7 October 2008
Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Lift Yr. Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven!
Kranky KRANK043. 2000
A great big dose of epic.
There's a few bits where it gets a bit dramatic (I prefer the slow building loveliness rather than the in-your-face onslaught bits), but on the whole jolly super.
I seem to remember they were good live.
Monday, 6 October 2008
Gultskra Artikler - Kasha Iz Topora
I wouldn't know where to start describing this. Erm....
If Steve Stapleton met a band of mushroom-tripping eastern european gypsies in a creaky lift, and dropped the resulting soundscape in a bath of milk poured by Brian Eno in 1980.
Any help?
I had this playing when JK's aunt popped round a few months ago. As she was leaving she said 'What would you call this kind of music?'. I had no reasonable response to offer.
Proof that the proliferation of download culture doesn't necessarily have to be damaging to the industry: This was a random online snatch that lay dormant on my ipod for weeks, if not months, before I accidently clicked on it. I listened intently once, twice, thrice, then ordered the CD the next day. I'll eventually get around to ordering this chap's entire back catalogue, though I'd never heard of him before that fate-click.
My album of the year 2007. Please, please buy this.
Wednesday, 1 October 2008
Gold Chains - Straight From Your Radio EP
Big improvement on the GC ep. Turn it up!
Get that coochie over here I want to fuck it (oh yeah!), get that coochie looking tight I want to lick it all night. (ad infinitum)
Gold Chains - Gold Chains EP
Play It Again Sam PIASB078CD. 2001
I'd never heard of him. I was off to see Kid606 play at the Buddle in Wallsend, and Gold Chains was playing too. He's a mad little fella. Cool as fuck.
After the gig we all went back to BP's, ate take-away curry and watched the continuing footage of 9/11 - neither K606 or GC had seen any of it until after the gig. On seeing the planes doing their smashy thing, K606 - "fuck it, that's east coast shit".
File under hispanic bass-party rap. Check out the album Young Miss America, especially the epic Break Or Be Broken.
"Everybody rocks at a Gold Chains party"
Grandaddy - The Sophtware Slump
I probably give this album too much of a hard time. It's ok. I was just disappointed with it after the glory of ...Freeway.
It isn't as dull and one-tempo'd as everything that came after it, but nothing really jumps out.
Grandaddy - Under The Western Freeway
A.M. 180 has to be a contender for the best keyboard riff ever committed to tape. That track is a work of genius that Mr Lytle has yet to better, or even match. I can't remember where I first heard it, but I knew it was something special immediately.
The rest of the album is good too. Probably the most varied effort they've put out. Not a single filler.
I've just been to yet another funeral, and this sits snuggly between happy and melancholy. Nice.
If you're only going to own one Grandaddy record, make it this one.
Tuesday, 30 September 2008
Grandaddy - The Broken Down Comforter Collection
Comprising the Machines Are Not She and A Pretty Mess By This One Band eps.
I prefer early Grandaddy like this and ...Freeway. It can't be just me that thinks everything they've done in the last five years sounds like one long boring record.
Nothing much to say really. Sorry. Not in a writing mood. Too much to do. I'll stop now.
Girls Against Boys - Nineties vs Eighties
First three are canny (side A of orig. 12"). 4-6 suffer from eighties-itis. Annoying crappy samples. Could be deliberate (hence the name?), but why spoil what could have been perfectly decent songs?
Monday, 29 September 2008
Genesis - Nursery Cryme
Charisma CASCD1052. 1985 (1971)
WHAT?!?!?!?!
It's Peter Gabriel era, right, so just fuck off.
Actually, scrub that. Gabriel or not, it's shite.
Grasshopper and the Golden Crickets - The Orbit of Eternal Grace
Beggars Banquet BBQCD 201. 1998
Decent effort from the Mercury Rev guitar chap. It's mosty MR-esque, apart from a few of moments of madness (the twisted head-nodder Univac Bug Track particularly).
Worthwhile.
Highlights: opener Silver Balloons, Univac Bug Track
Goldie - Angel (Single)
The dreaded ad-nauseum female vocal sample.
The multiple 'mixes' of the same tune that all sound the same.
Not very good at all. Next.
Steve Gibbons - Short Stories / Stained Glass (2xCD)
Road Goes On Forever Records. RGF/SGDCD048. 2001
This is the first time I've listened to either of these disks. I only have this as I did the artwork for the CD reissue.
Short Stories - 1971. I wouldn't know what to describe this as. Dull. Mainstream. Nondescript RnB. Early seventies twaddle. There's nothing actually wrong with it, it just doesn't have anything at all on here that grabs my attention. Albert Lee plays on it, if that's any help.
Stained Glass - 1996. More mainstream nothingness. All of the above. His voice veers between Man Who Sold The World-era Bowie and seventies Dylan. I don't know how you can fail with Tom Waits' Looking for the heart of Saturday night, but he does.
Not for me. Sorry Steve. Cracking artwork though!
Vince Guaraldi Trio - A Boy Named Charlie Brown
Fantasy FCD-8430-2. 1989
Pure brilliance. This is (mostly) lounge jazz perfection. VG has an exquisite touch on the piano. It sounds casual and effortless.
I defy anyone to suppress a smile during Linus and Lucy. All that's missing is Snoopy doing his mad little jig.
This is labelled as Children's Jazz on discogs.com, but forget the Charlie Brown thing and listen to this for what it is - great tunes.
Finished off with an out-there version of Fly Me To The Moon.
I
LOVE
IT
Groove Armada - Vertigo
Zomba Records 0523782. 1999
Not nearly so good as my memory would have it. Pleasant enough in the car but I wouldn't play it at home again. A couple of classic funky tunes (I see you baby / If everybody looked the same) and the mellow groove of At the river stand out.
Monday, 22 September 2008
Godflesh - Slavestate
Earache MOSH30CD. 1991
Just different enough to get away with it in a world that already had Big Black, Swans, Cop Shoot Cop, Skinny Puppy et al. Though if they weren't from the UK I doubt they'd have even raised an eyebrow with this.
Should have put a bit more thought into the shoddy synth bass bits though.
Godflesh - Pure
Earache MOSH32CD. 1992
The first 20 seconds of Avalance Master Song on Godflesh (1988) won me over. I saw them tour with God shortly after, and they were great. (I'm pretty sure Kevin Martin spent the entire God set cupping one hand to his ear and furiously pointing to a monitor. Really, the entire set.) I was inspired to buy a drum machine. I wish I could remember what kind it was. I stood in the tiny electronics department of (I think) Rock City in Newcastle, where I'd previously bought myself a Charvel Model 1 pointy headstock rock guitar, and said to the guy 'Will it go 'du-dum, du-dum, du-dum-du.... du... du'', mimicking those first few bars. He assured me it would, so I spent my cash. I think I sold it to NF a few years later, who it turned out had owned it before me. Bizarre.
I digress. I lost interest in GF with this release. Instead of the relentless, sludgy dirge they'd spewed out previously, they got a bit melodic here. Some of the riffs even sound a bit bluesy-rock. I'd put that down to the new presence of Robert Hampson (Loop) in the line-up, but a quick look at the track-list would indicate otherwise. He doesn't play on the rockity ones.
The production sounds a bit weak to me. Doesn't hurt the head like it should. Never mind.
Gwar - Scumdogs of the Universe
Master MAS CD001. 1990
My copy pre-dates the 'explicit lyrics' gumph on the cover.
This is, frankly, fucking dreadful.
I think my ex must have bought it after the first time we saw them live. It was an outstandingly brilliant spectacle, which left us coloured pink for weeks from the torrent of fake blood. I remember walking around town the following weekend, you could tell who'd been to the gig. They weren't so good the second time around, but that could be down to us knowing what to expect. I had the hots for Slymentra Hymen pretty bad.
How do you hide money from a hippy? Hide it under the soap!
Genius/GZA featuring D'Angelo - Cold World (single)
Geffen GFSTD22114. 1995
I swear to whatever the atheist equivalent of god happens to be, I've NEVER heard this. Where do these things come from?
Again with the disk full of remixes of the same damn track. Three versions of the title track on here, when one would actually be too many.
The guy obviously is a genius if he's managing to get people to buy shit like this. Including me, apparently.
Rubén González - Introducing....
World Circuit WCD049. 1997
Oh, what the hell. I need something to take the taste of Diamanda Galas away...
Part of that whole Buena Vista Social Club thing that made Cuban music reet popular a few years back. This chap is pretty damn good with his joanna.
I was in Havana in November 2003 to look at some artsy stuff, and while wandering the back streets at night the air is heaving with music like this. Literally every other bar has a live band belting out Cumbanchero.
Hang on, I've been through this in the BVSC entry. Sorry.
Back to Rubén. Good stuff, but nothing to make it stand out from everything else BVSC-related.
Diamanda Galás - Plague Mass
Mute CDSTUMM83. 1991
Did I ever really like Diamanda Galas? Or did I just want to appear strange?
Recorded live in NYC, 1990, this is all about the Aids n that. I'm not sure it could possibly be any more miserable and depressing to listen to. I was quite cheery earlier on. Now I'm on edge, have a headache and just want to go to the pub.
That's put me off listening to stuff for the rest of the day now.
Check it out!
The Goats - Tricks of the Shade
Columbia/Ruffhouse CK53027. 1992
Damn funky intelligent hip-hop.
I programmed a 'favourites' setting on my old CD player for this to cut out every other track, as they've got an annoying story thing going on through the album in between the toons. Don't people listen to their records before releasing them? Surely they'd have realised it would boil the piss of even the most patient hippity-hopster to have to skip the skits every listen.
Just to reiterate - this is really, really good. And that's from a chap who wears clothes that actually fit.
Grooverider - Mysteries of Funk (2 x cd)
Higher Ground/Sony HIGH06CD. 1998
I used to love this, but I prefer my DnB a bit more straight forward. Less of the annoying 'atmospherics' samples, more.... well, drums and bass really.
This also suffers that cancer on the spleen of many a potentially good DnB record - those damn spurious female vocal snippets. Honestly chaps, leave them out!
It'll go on again, but with a finger poised on the FF button on the remote.
10 months in a Saudi jail is a bit much for a bit of dope the size of a mouse's tit in your pocket, mind you. Welcome home Groove. Hope you get your job back at the BBC.
The Go's (Genbaku Onanies) - On Time, Live At Open House
Alchemy ARCD019. 1991
Bought at Volume Records, Newcastle upon tyne, £8.49 (sale price).
Very playable three chord punk. Glitchy live recording, but fun enough to get past that. I haven't got a clue what they're singing as it's all in Japanese.
According to a scribbled note stuck in the case by one of the kindly staff of Volume (I'd imagine, being the kind of music this is, it'd be Lee or Has), the name translates as 'A-bomb Masturbations'. Fancy that. Come to think of it, I'd say this is the first time I've actually seen the front cover, as I'd never removed the note.
One of the more obscure items on my shelves, and there it shall stay.
Wednesday, 3 September 2008
That'll have to do for the moment....
.... as next in the queue is Grooverider, The Go's, The Goats and Diamanda Galas. Can't cope with any of that right now.
Back when my head is better.
In the meantime, here's some music.........................
Galaxie 500 - On Fire
Rykodisc RCD10357. 1989
Recorded the year after Today (1989), again by Kramer at Noise New York, this follows the same basic formula of its predecessor. They've obviously been practising a bit, and they seem to be a little more forthright and confident in their delivery, especially the vocals.
I must say I prefer the more delicate, almost apologetic presence of the first album, but this is still an absolute peach.
I really don't like people squawking away on harmonicas when they can't play them though. It ruins the start of Leave The Planet.
Includes a nice version of Red Krayola's Victory Garden, a nice simple version of George Harrison's Isn't It A Pity, and shoegazing stroll through New Order's Ceremony that's most agreeable.
Galaxie 500 - Today
Ryko RCD10356. 1988
What a fortuitous spot to be at on the shelves, considering the state my head is in.
Some of the mellowest 3-chord jangle strum this side of Yo La Tengo. They can barely play their instruments, Dean Wareham can't sing, and it's lovely. This is where Kramer's production shows what it's worth. Ah, the late 80s.
I don't wanna go to your party, I don't wanna talk to your friends..... I wanna be a tugboat captain.
Yet another hefty break from the music....
I got a nasty concussion (amongst other ow-ies) in a car crash a few weeks ago, which meant I wasn't really up for listening to much music. The constant headache and fuzziness kind of takes the edge off the pleasure. Hence the break. It isn't fixed yet, but comes and goes, and it's mellow enough right now to play a few tunes. There's always something....
Friday, 15 August 2008
Various Artists - Filter... killing music
Inoffensive collection of DnB-ish technosity.
I think I'll start adding links to allmusic for entries from now on. Why not eh? From now on the catalogue no. and date will link to allmusic.com.
4hero - Creating Patterns
Talkin Loud. 2001
I kept hearing Les Fleur on the pub jukebox, and eventually got off my lazy arse to see what it was. So I went out and bought this (no, I didn't just download it! We're not all like that).
I wish I had. Apart from LF this doesn't do much for me. Nu-jazzsoul electronica in a similar style to some earlier mentioned Cinematic Orchestra.
I'm just not bothered.
NUMPTY
I accidently deleted a comment left on the Milestones entry instead of publishing it, but the general theme of it was that I'm obviously not a musician, I know nothing about music, and I should revist Miles Davis in 10 years when I grow up.
I'm pushing 40, I've played guitar for 22 years, I've had several records released (albeit noisy ones). I can appreciate talent and artistry. Doesn't mean I have to like it.
I just don't really like much Miles Davis. Get over it.
I may be a dilettante (is that supposed to be an insult??!) but you, Mr Comment, are a prick.
Louis and Bebe Barron - Forbidden Planet (Original MGM Soundtrack)
GNP Crescendo GNP01. 1956
Super space sounds, but hard work in one sitting.
French Frith Kaiser Thompson - Live, Love, Larf & Loaf
Demon Records FIENDCD102. 1988
Diverse collection of controlled madness. Very listenable supergroup. A bit like Beefheart meet Primus fighting with Stump in a room full of Peter Hammill lookalikes.
Highlight: Fred Frith's frantic Where's The Money?
Tuesday, 12 August 2008
Four Tet - My Angel Rocks Back And Forth (CD and DVD pack) (Single)
Domino RUG169DVD. 2004
Probably my favourite Four Tet moment. A gentle lullaby to sooth my blackened soul.
Track 2 is anything but soothing, but still amongst his better efforts.
The rest is a bit ho-hum, even as a background to making roast sweet potato and squash soup.
F-Space - Preliminary Impact Report
Mobilization MOB501. 2003
I was camping with these guys at the 2004 Burning Man festival. They did a set every night, and were pretty good. Scot plays a self-built instrument called Volatile that shoots flames from each end and sounds like children screaming in a tin box, but you don't get any of that on CD.
It's pretty good though. Veers from dronescapesville to clanking guitar (thanks Ethan - Mr Savage Republic) and tribal drums (courtesy of Aleph).
Buy it here: mobilization.com
Hey Scot J, hope you're well and all's cool in San Fran.
I just realised I'm wearing the same Vans polo shirt right now as I had on in some photos I was looking at the other day, taken in Death Valley just before heading up to Burning Man. Well whadayaknow?
Funkadelic - Standing On The Verge Of Getting It On
Westbound Records CDSEW040. 1974
...and the continued the good work here. Back to basics funk.
Great stuff.
Hey baby won't you be my dog and I'll be your tree and you can pee on me.
Funkadelic - Cosmic Slop
Westbound Records CDSEW035. 1973
They ditched all that string and horn shit for this one, and made their best album since Funkadelic.
Funkadelic - Free Your Mind... And Your Ass Will Follow
Westbound Records WBOXPD1 (4 CD box set). 1970
Once they get the noisy shite out of the way for the first couple of minutes this funks.
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