Some Lost, Some Found

The Whitest Boy Alive

2011-12-13T20:42:00.001-08:00

No Stopping Fatoumata Diawara

2011-10-29T16:17:00.000-07:00

Mali's Fatoumata Diawara is one of those voices that should garner more respect from music aficionados. At the moment, she is picking up popularity among "world" music types, but fuck all that jazz. The "World Music" tag is a kiss of death, and for many, brings forth an image of a balding Yoga instructor who shops at Whole Foods and votes for Dennis Kucinich. Diawara's style and confidence should be enjoyed outside of that limiting genre, and the following track and video should make my case. The song is free to download, so what do you have to lose? Well, bandwidth and time, but trust me, it is still worthy of your time."Kanou" by Fatoumata Diawara by Fatoumata Diawara

The Last Years rock out in San Diego

2011-10-27T14:09:00.000-07:00

The Last Years is a punk act made by a friend of ours. I remember going to a show with their frontman, but never making it inside the actual venue. Rather, we got wasted in the alley outside the joint, watching people fight and argue. Twas good times.

Playing fast and furious punk rock, the Last Years are one of those acts that make San Diego a place worth being. &amp;lt;a href="http://thelastyears.bandcamp.com/track/brain-dead"&amp;gt;Brain Dead by The Last Years&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;

Oakland's Mara Hruby

2011-10-26T13:50:00.000-07:00

I came across Mara Hruby on accident: I was looking for a recent mixtape from a vocalist from Oakland, and I ended up stumbling upon Mara and her newest record. Playing cool, breezy soul music, I will definitely be on the lookout for her future releases.

<a href="http://marahruby.bandcamp.com/album/from-her-eyes">From Her Eyes by Mara Hruby</a>

The Sunnies - "Complex Systems"

2011-10-25T18:09:00.000-07:00

We used to laugh at the bad metal bands that bled through the walls of our shitty practice space in Montreal. One day, the squall was gone. In its place: The Sunnies. It was a good day.

The quintet's guitar pop is warm and unaffected -- so much that I'd wager a Fin du Monde that three of these guys grew up in the Maritimes. Though their music doesn't appear to be available for sale or download, you can jangle 'til you've had your fill with "Complex Systems," "Sisyphus" and a couple others at their Myspace.

Sitting in a smokey 1930's bar with Gregory Page

2011-10-25T15:10:00.000-07:00

I am a schoolteacher, and while I enjoy it, it does not always put me in the best of moods at the end of the day. Dealing with disobedient children, reckless parents, and clueless administrators takes a toll on one's psyche. So while I love to bust out some Hardcore, Metal, and Noise when time permits, I occasionally just want some relaxing songs that make me feel like I am living in a Woody Allen movie. San Diego's Gregory Page does just that.

Playing jazzy lounge numbers that would have been quite at home on my grandmother's turntable, Page isn't trying to reinvent the wheel here. On his newest release, "My True Love," he has created some excellent songs however, and should be enjoyed by anyone who just likes to sit back at the end of the day with an alcoholic beverage and a comfortable space that just feels like home.

<a href="http://gregorypage.bandcamp.com/album/my-true-love">MY TRUE LOVE by Gregory Page</a>

Thats You from Gregory Page on Vimeo.

Chiquita y Chatarra show what Spain is good for

2011-10-24T01:30:00.000-07:00

This was a golden find. Rocking garage rock jams from Amelia Díaz Duarte and Patricia Àlvarez Alonso, Chiquita Y Chatarra is one of those bands that could easily fit into a previous era of music, but doesn't sound confined or restricted by misplaced nostalgia. Worth every second, and can be downloaded for free from their bandcamp site.

&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://discoshumeantes.bandcamp.com/album/chiquita-y-chatarra-animal-de-amor"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Chiquita y Chatarra &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;Animal de Amor&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; by DHR-019&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;

Go Cozy make Shoegaze Goodness

2011-10-23T11:51:00.000-07:00

I found this Maryland band through Space Rock Mountain, and it has been a favorite of mine since then. Making mopey, reverb heavy pop songs, Go Cozy is something that should interest anyone who enjoys a well crafted mournful tune.

&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://gocozy.bandcamp.com/album/glimmer"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Glimmer by Go Cozy&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;

Dexy's Midnight Runners - "There, There, My Dear"

2011-10-17T20:12:00.000-07:00

Birmingham's self-described "young soul rebels" were the answers to their own prayers. Dexy's Midnight Runners' second album fades in with a ponderous sequence of gauche radio hits ("Purple Haze," "Holidays In The Sun"), skipping across the dial until frontman Kevin Rowland (in the time-honored tradition of being so fed up that he can only communicate through rock and roll) commands the band to "Burn It Down."

Though it lacks the parsimony of "Radio Radio" or the verve of "Clash City Rockers," the song doubles down on that familiar sentiment. On the surface, Dexy's took themselves so seriously that they made it difficult for anyone else to do the same. From their all-band uniforms (reinvented drastically with each of their three albums) to their smash-and-grab cultural politicking (which invoked corporate rock hegemony and the Northern Irish "Troubles" in the same breath), the group didn't just court their own mythology--they fabricated it. And, for the most part, Dexy's did it well. Their cool was anything but effortless (as the press photo above shows), but it worked, both at face value and as commentary on identity performance.

The band's tendency toward pastiche occasionally hampered the songs, which rarely veered from the sound of Northern Soul on amphetamines (less a rhetorical turn of phrase than a description of the scene), but Rowland could write a chorus, and the band had two number-one hits in the UK to show for it.

For bonus reading, McSweeney's sums it all up a lot quicker.

"There, There, My Dear" from Searching For The Young Soul Rebels (1980)

A summer with Gorky’s – Middle Period

2011-08-23T16:54:00.000-07:00

Gorky’s was a pretty prolific Welsh band that put out a slew of singles, EPs, and full lengths in their history. One of my favorite records came from what I call their “middle period”, when they moved away from the psychedelic extremities of the pop scene and started to play more traditional poppy music. Spanish Dance Troupe was released by Mantra Records in 1999, and saw the band refine their sound to a significant degree. The first single provided here, “Poodle Rockin’” still has the noise and chaos of the early records, but the record was really the voice of a band coming to terms with their more mature stage in their career. The second song here, which the title of the record is taken from, is one of the best British pop songs of the 90s. Doubt me? Well, see for yourself and get ready to be schooled.

Poodle Rockin'

Spanish Dance Troupe

The Drunken Draculas get drunk

2011-07-29T16:49:00.001-07:00

Steven Nunez and I play in a band called The Drunken Draculas, and we have a recording diary going at the moment. you can check it out here, and proper songs will be up shortly.

Summer Sun and Coralie Clement

2011-07-11T22:03:00.000-07:00

Coralie Clement plays that hip, French café music that every American Francoph is sure to appreciate. She has released a slew of records over the last 7 years, but her first is still my favorite. Sounding like a recent Woody Allen soundtrack, with a laidback and untailored lyrical approach, Coralie is worth a spin on an afternoon drinking wine and enjoying the sunny weather.

Here is a video from said record.

A summer with Gorky’s - Early Singles

2011-07-07T17:27:00.000-07:00

With this being the summer of Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci, here are two tracks from the band's early period. As is the case with most of their early material, they are mostly in Welsh and have that psychedelic playfulness that is all in vogue these days.

Both of these songs can be found on a recent retrospective from the group, “20: Singles & EPs 94-96” released by Sanctuary Records but originally released in limited quantities on the Welsh label Ankst. You can buy it here, and download some of their early songs here.

(Merched Yn Neud Gwallt Ei Gilydd)

(Bocs Angelica)

And a video for "Merched...". Feel the early 90s British psychedelic pop!

Vasquez: Instrumental Scottish Tech. Rock

2011-07-07T16:47:00.000-07:00

Most of the time, I'm a pop grinch -- unless it has three verses, a refrain, and a key change for the final chorus, I'm all but legally obliged to stay 500 feet away*. Vazquez are the kind of band that make me feel like the Grinch at end of the story, though, when his heart grows three sizes bigger and he wonders if there's room for technical rock in there, too. The Edinburgh three-piece's self-titled EP conjures up powerful-sounding metaphors: a particle collider, where hooks appear and vanish in milliseconds, or a subterfuge that churns a flood of sound into melodic lines. Mixed metaphors aside, these songs are dense but approachable, and schizophrenic in a way that rewards multiple listens.

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://vasquez.bandcamp.com/track/mclovin-2"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;McLovin by VASQUEZ&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

*Which makes me more of a pop sex offender.

Ital Tek - Babel

2011-07-02T07:55:00.000-07:00

A great new video form Planet Mu's Ital Tek.

Valleymakers: Gorgeous Chamber Folk or Why Every Day Is Canada Day

2011-06-30T20:12:00.000-07:00

It's OK to be jealous that they thought of a better band name than you, but be happy that they're putting it to good use. Valleymakers' self-titled EP is gorgeous and knows it. And, for all of the bands that come out of Montreal, they turn the lineage into something meaningful: Leonard Cohen's close-to-God sparseness gives way to lush, quietly cathartic orchestration. The best argument I've heard for virtuousity in a long time.

"It's My Body In The Tree You're Tearing" from Valleymakers EP, available to stream and purchase here.

Best Coast - Gone Again

2011-06-30T18:48:00.000-07:00

A new track from Best Coast, with a free download here.

A summer with Gorky’s - Ffa Coffi Pawb

2011-06-30T15:16:00.001-07:00

I have been on a Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci kick as of late, the Welsh psych/folk/pop group that was active in the the 90s and early 20002, and thought I would share some of the band's music as well as the precursors and projects that came about after the group's breakup.

The first up is Ffa Coffi Pawb (pronounced "Fuck off everyone" in English, but translates to the much more family friendly "Everybody's Coffee Beans") is an early super-group of sorts. Some of its members would go onto form Super Furry Animals, while Rhodri Puw would join an early version of Gorky's.

The band released a retrospective in 2004 that is readily available to buy and download, and has most of their best songs.

Gafael Yn Dynn

Breichiau Hir

Clout: All Girl South African Power Pop

2011-06-29T15:53:00.000-07:00

Clout were a South African girl group best-known for their cover of the Righteous Brothers' album track "Substitute" in 1978. Their take is punchier and more dynamic than the original, with some neat piano flourishes. It went to #1 in South Africa and Europe but would have fit in nicely on American 70s AM radio, as well. The power pop sheen turns the song's hook into a wry, unromantic come on: "If she doesn't come back / I'll be your substitute / Whenever you want me."

Indochine: The New French New Wave

2011-06-28T20:13:00.000-07:00

I heard the Parisian new wave band Indochine in a record store in Montreal a few years ago and bought their album off the turntable. The Francophone store owner gave me a dirty look for not knowing the group, which was probably justified. Indochine are not "growers" -- their music is immediate to the extent that listening to an entire album can be exhausting. Taken a few songs at a time, though, it's exhilarating. Cheesy new wave textures from both sides of the Atlantic (think synth horns AND surf rock guitars) gel into something addictive and improbably well-crafted.

"L'aventurier" from "L'aventurier" (1982)

"Canary Bay" from "3" (1985)

The Sexies - Start Fights!

2011-06-24T20:44:00.000-07:00

Some friends of mine from way down on the California/Mexico border, playing trashy garage rock. Recorded sometime in 2005/06. They have long since disbanded, but this record is free to download here.

(OMG....The Whips!)

UPDATE: Audio fixed.

Hidden Shoal Turns 5, and Rich Bennett

2011-06-18T03:12:00.000-07:00

Hidden Shoal Recordings from Australia, a favorite around these parts, recently celebrated their fifth year anniversary. Today's market is not friendly to any record label, but for a small indie like HSR to last this long is a crowning achievement they should celebrate. To commemorate this monumental occasion, they have released a free sampler that provide you with enough incentive to support these folks and all the things they do for independent music down-under.

While he isn't an Aussie, I have been enjoying Rich Bennett's Hidden Shoal release, which is an instrumental concept record. Lush, and in keeping with the Shoegaze perspective his label has championed. Check out the following track, and throw a few bucks HSR's way.

(Aisle 2: Entrance)

90s Psych Folks with Damien Youth

2011-06-18T01:07:00.000-07:00

Damien Youth was an elusive figure in the 90s, popping out limited cassette tapes with little in the way personal information. He picked up some more attention in 1998 when his "Bride of the Asylum" got some significant distribution.

He has been making a lot of his material available via Bandcamp, and is well worth it for those who like Robyn Hithcock psychedelic folk music. The following tracks are free and available on Damien's site.

("Gently Johnny")

("Waterloo Sunset" [Kinks Cover])
&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://damienyouth.bandcamp.com/track/waterloo-sunset-kinks"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Waterloo Sunset (Kinks) by Damien Youth&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Nope, it's not Ride, it's the Ropers!

2011-06-17T17:55:00.000-07:00

The Ropers were one of the many Shoegaze/Dream Pop bands to come out of the early 90s, but unlike My Bloody Valentine and Ride (a band they clearly borrow a great deal from), these lads came out of Baltimore. Doug Bailey and Mike Hammel were the key drivers behind the group, and were students at the University of Maryland when the short lived British Shoegaze movement roared across college campuses. They put out a few records and then called it quits, and here is a free download to one of their better songs.

("I don't mind")

Space Hip-Hop from Steve Spacek

2011-06-17T17:07:00.000-07:00

Steve Spacek cut his teeth releasing records with his London based band Spacek, but he eventually packed his bags and headed to LA and put out one of the best records of 2005. “Space Shift” was arguably an r&b/Hip-Hop record, but its freaked out and disjointed approach placed it just outside popular radio's grasp. It was championed by folks like Mos Def and Shafiq Husayn, and crossed over into more than one musical community. A truly awesome record, and here are two tracks to prove it.

("Dollar" - fet. Jay Dilla)

("Slave"

Chris Isaak - Baja Sessions

2011-06-02T18:40:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows the Chris Isaak hit from the 90s titled Wicked Game. A beautiful, sun-drenched song that played well to a David Lynch film, and featured the beautiful and seductive Helena Christensen. But Isaak has had plenty of great records that unfortunately did not earn the respect they deserved. His Baja Sessions was one of those records that deserved more attention than it earned in its day. Recorded on tour and in-between sets, this collection of songs best encapsulates the surf-heavy focus of Isaak's music, and presents some of his best work that deserve your attention today. Allmusic has this to say about the record:

"Returning to the calmer but still potent romantic angst and celebration familiar from his earlier records, Isaak and his core band, with new recruit Hershel Yatovitz on lead guitar, tackle a slew of cover songs, some re-recordings of older material and a few new songs as well. It's a much more relaxed outing in comparison to his previous work, by no means raw or rough, though -- Erik Jacobsen, Isaak's producer from start to end, or so it seems, keeps the focused, sweet sadness of Isaak's singing and music as pure as one could ever want it. The emphasis is on mostly acoustic performances with soft drumming from Johnson, usually with brushes. The calm, gentle flow of the band's work here means the new versions of older Isaak cuts like "Back On Your Side" and "Two Hearts" sound especially lovely, having a serene, relaxed sparkle to them.

Pretty Girls Don't Cry

Back on Your Side

Castle Oldchair becomes Japatucky

2011-06-02T01:07:00.000-07:00

It is always good to hear from folks involved with the music we post here. We had a post focusing on Castle Oldchair some time ago, and we were blessed with info about the frontman's current projects. He has apparently been playing with the Indiana group known as Japatucky, and we have some of there music bellow as well as places you can download it for yourself.

Thursday

Sinforiano Diaz and some pretty acoustic music

2011-06-01T16:39:00.000-07:00

Sinforiano Diaz is a solo project from Thomas Diaz and is reminiscent of the layered acoustic sounds I grew accustomed to while living in Connecticut. I guess this record was never officially released, but has had legs in the internet realm since its recording three years ago. Mixed Vegetablez has a copy of the record to download for free.

Congregation

Theme from the Tracks

Algernon Cadwallader will Twinkly that shit up

2011-06-01T01:10:00.000-07:00

A friend turned me onto these kids out of Philly, and who are just about to drop a brand new record and go out on an epic tour across the US and A. I will be checking them out in San Francisco, and you should see them when they come to a town near you. For anyone who likes Cap’n Jazz inspired bands and late 90s Emo, these guys are for you. I hear they put on a great show, and while you will be able to pick up copies of their newest record (Parrot Flies) at their shows, they were kind enough to make it available free to download.

Pitfall

Springing Leaks

Wish Key - Orient Express

2011-05-31T12:44:00.000-07:00

Summer has started around these parts, but since a good chunk of us out here are unemployed/underemployed there may not be a whole lot to celebrate. Good thing the internet exists to give us free tunes to bob our heads too.

Wish Key were an Italo Disco group fronted by Massimo Berti. I don’t know much about them, but I found one of their records in the 50 cents bin at the local record shop a week or so ago, and it was well worth the price.

Storm the Gates Riff Rawk Cassette

2011-05-31T01:21:00.000-07:00

Ethan Miller from Howlin Rain and Comets on Fire is one of my favorite rock guitarists and front men. The first time I saw Comets on Fire at a house show in Santa Cruz in early 2003 it changed my life. I still consider it the greatest rock show I have ever attended, and the fact that it was shared by a meager 50 folks for over 3 hours didn't hurt. The psychedelic-hardcore Comets on Fire pioneered is still some of the most sonically awesome music I have ever heard, and something tells me if you picked up their recent records on Sub Pop, you would agree.

Now that I am finished gushing, Ethan has a music blog on Blogpost as well. He posts outtakes and live shows from his various bands, but has also taken to posting mix tapes and compilations of Riff Rawk that should be heard by all music aficionados. He recently posted a Galactic Zoo Dossier cassette club tape that contains “explosive rock.” He has it free to download at his blog, and I have a sample of what you can expect from this awesome compilation below.

(Stack Waddy - With One Leap Dan Was By Her Side, _Muriel_ He Breathed)

(Smile - Blag)

Swimmers Ear

2011-05-30T13:26:00.000-07:00

I loved Tina Kaffeyah's EP that they put out last year, but it appears the band has gone on a hiatus. Sam from the group has started another band called Swimmers Ear, and they have a free cassette to download. Driving, rocking shit that should be enjoyed by anyone who likes music.

Download the cassette here.
01 Bags! Bags! Bags! Help Me! by Swimmers Ear

Boxcutter - "The Dissolve"

2011-05-30T10:53:00.000-07:00

From the new Boxcutter record, "The Dissolve." Planet Mu has this to say about it:

"Barry Lynn has already dropped a couple of albums that looked at dubstep from fresh angles before everyone else started to do the same. This time around, on "The Dissolve", things are different, and he’s taken off in a direction that leaves dubstep behind entirely.

The title is a reference to a common video art effect, where one image gradually transitions to another. The album has an unpolished hue to it, created with keyboards, drum machine, echo and tape and sometimes even electric guitar. It sits in a world of its own, but with a stronger affinity to things like Theo Parrish's productions or hypnagogic pop than the latest fashionable electronics created on the newest software - the devil is in the details with this album, it’s rich in twists and turns."

Gets my thumbs-up.

The Best New Song of the Year Goes too...

2011-04-30T16:32:00.000-07:00

Adele - Rolling in the Deep

Wye Oak loves Neil Young, as should you

2011-01-30T20:21:00.000-08:00

Around these parts, we love Neil Young. He may be the greatest holdover from the 60s that hasn't been spoiled by mindless pop tunes and/or broad commercial success. The Wye Oak are a fine band that build on Neil's legacy and craft jams that could be heard in your local pub or hipster cafe. They construct that bridge between unlikely classes, and it is for the good of all people. That's why they should be given a prime spot in your record collection.

For Prayer

Two Wounded Birds have you by the Surf

2011-01-30T19:37:00.000-08:00

Chances are it is snowy and cold in your neck of the woods during this time of year. For those of you who dream of Hawaiian BBQs and sun drenched reverb, Two Wounded Birds should get you through this cold-snap. Holiday Records should get your endearing love and respect for releasing this digital 7-inch.

My Lonesome

Straight up Metal with Saviours

2010-06-07T07:20:00.000-07:00

I have been on a NWOBHM kick lately, spinning a lot of Iron Maiden, so I thought this would be a good time to share one of my favorite metal throwbacks from Oakland. Saviours came to be near the end of my time in Nor-Cal, but they grew out of one of the better hardcore bands on the scene in the late 90s, Yaphet Kotto.

There second record, Into Abbadon, sounds like a time machine back to the early 1980s. If they had been born 20 years earlier, these guys could have opened for Saxon or Judas Priest. Any fan of old school metal styling will find something worth listening to on this record. You can buy it here.

(Raging Embers)

(Into Abbadon)

The Notes - Those Days, Those Nights

2010-06-05T06:59:00.000-07:00

Perhaps you have visited Holiday Records through our links section. They put out a weekly digital single of a pop act that could have easily fit into the Sarah Records roster. And because they know times are tough, all the songs are free.

Here is one of my favorite tracks released this year form a band from Southampton called The Notes. The pretty vocals and jangly guitars are perfect for summer BBQing.

(Those Days, Those Nights)

Castle Oldchair sounds pretty swell

2010-04-16T13:12:00.000-07:00

I first came across Castle Oldchair in Oregon on one of my tours, and he was he an exceedingly nice gentleman. He had already built a pretty comprehensive mystic around him, and put out an underappreciated but excellent record on Standard Recordings. It was the backing soundtrack to my mornings working as a maintenance man back in 2004, collecting fix-it tickets that I would eventually get to midday.

As far as I can tell, Castle Oldchair only put out one record. Here are two tracks from it.

Swallowing Stars

Speaking of Diamonds

Carlee Hendrix - The Northbound EP

2010-04-14T13:32:00.000-07:00

I don’t know much about Carlee Hendrix and the Whole Earth Catalog, but they do make poppy songs that could easily fit into the background of an MTV reality program, an episode of Gilmore Girls, or a high school mixtape to a male interest. Not really the kind of stuff that I generally put on the turntable, but I do like their songs and I figure they could use some more exposure.

You can download their Northbound EP for free if you like what you hear.

(Holes from the Northbound EP)

(Northbound from the Northbound EP)

Mark Linkous - RIP Sparklehorse

2010-04-07T13:35:00.000-07:00

It's been a month since Mark Linkous shot himself, and since I wasn't posting during the last few months, I failed to post a tribute to the man behind Sparklehorse.

The first Sparklehorse song I ever heard was "Hammering the Cramps" on the Chicago Cab soundtrack. It's a jangly fuzzed out mess of a pop song, and it was instantly attractive to my burgeoning music snob ears. I rushed out and picked up "Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot" and was hooked. In the subsequent years, I've always gobbled up and enjoyed his music, and when I was making real American dollars doing record reviews for a far to brief amount of time, I had the honor to review one of his last releases Dreamt for Light Years in the Belly of a Mountain and I've already written about him on this site too. "It's a Wonderful Life" has to be my favorite album of his, and something that I will continue to go back to for many years. Filled with great guests and brimming with emotion, it speaks of his brilliance and also of his saddness, something that apparently he was unable to overcome. In his far too few years on this planet, he left a mark on my life, and I'll be forever grateful to him for that.

Hammering the Cramps - Sparklehorse (from "Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot")

Sick of Goodbyes - Sparklehorse (from "Good Morning Spider")

Comfort Me - Sparklehorse (from "It's a Wonderful Life")

Emerson, Lake, and Palmer – Self Titled

2010-04-06T10:47:00.000-07:00

I watched BBC 4’s documentary Prog Britannia the other night, a decent look at the development of Progressive Rock in Britain during the 1960s, and its eventual decline into excess in the 70s. I generally hated the stuff coming of musical age in the 1990s, but I had friends who were dedicated to early Prog rock in high school. I now respect the fact that they were listening to King Crimson and Yes when everyone else was worshiping Nirvana and Pearl Jam. It wasn’t until later that I was gifted with a huge box of vinyl from the 60s and 70s that I gave the style an honest chance, and I ended up digging some of the harder edged material. Emerson, Lake, and Palmer was one of the bands I found myself enjoying.

Don’t get me wrong: this band made some real shit. I doubt the band itself would disagree with that. But some of their early records have some great moments, and contain some great rocking jams. If you can forget every grotesque, overblown, and ridiculously condescending Prog record that followed it, you can find plenty of things to enjoy in the first ELP record. Here are two of my favorite tracks from the record.

You can download the record here (as well as the band’s worst piece of shit ever), or buy a nice remastered copy here.

(Knife Edge from ELP- Self Titled)

(The Barbarian from ELP- Self Titled)

MOON8 - Dark Side of the Moon, meet NES...NES, meet DSOTM.

2010-04-05T13:02:00.000-07:00

I remember getting an old school 8-bit Nintendo as a child. It was a very rewarding Christmas. I still have it, it's now hooked up to a giant 50+ inch widescreen HD TV. We've come a long way.

I don't remember the first time I listened to Dark Side of the Moon, however, but I do remember the first time I heard MOON8, the 8bit tracked version of Dark Side of the Moon that is apparently blowing up on the internets these days. It was less than a week ago, and I've been pretty much listening to it whenever I have my headphones in.

While Dark Side of the Moon is one of those aurally dense and perfect recordings to get lost in, one where you hear new things even after listening to it 100s of times; MOON8 is a perfect reduction of it to its finest elements. Everything that's great about the original is still present, and for those of us who grew up on those amazingly kitschy sounds emanating from the trebly speakers of our insignificant barely 24 inch TV, it transcends the simple to become sublime. Brad Smith is the composer of this amazing recreation of a classic, and, honestly, it's just as good as the original. Below is a Youtube version of "Money." You can download the album for free in the links above.

Brad Smith - Money (from "MOON8")

Boxharp - Loam Arcane EP

2010-04-01T17:14:00.000-07:00

Another solid release from Hidden Shoal Recordings. Boxharp is a duo that makes very rewarding ambient pop music. Built around found sound/field recording collages, producer Scott Solter gives the music a cohesiveness the belies its origin. Layered on top of this wonderful sound is the Tori-Amos-meets-Liz-Phair vocal styling of Wendy Allen. Delicate and strong, her delivery takes charge of the EP and makes you want to listen to the scant 16 minutes of music over and over and over. If you're not hooked by the first 20 seconds of "FanFin," there's probably something wrong with your ears. You can pick up the digital only release here. Included below is the more toned down single "Rainbirds," enjoy it, and keep on the lookout for more music from both Boxharp and Hidden Shoal Recordings.

Boxharp - Rainbirds (from "Loam Arcane EP")

Muhsinah - day.break 2.0

2010-03-31T14:03:00.000-07:00

It didn’t take long for Muhsinah to find an audience among committed music fans. Her lo-fi/hip-hop self produced “day.break 2.0” record has been in pretty constant rotation in my playlist as of late, and deserves greater attention. She has just released a new single (produced by Flying Lotus) from her full length “The Oscillations: Triangle.” Here is a song from “day.break 2.0”

(Construction)

And here is the video.

Muhsinah // "Construction" - The Oscillations:Sine from Rock Slinger Incorporated on Vimeo.

Eddie Lang and Joe Venuti

2010-03-26T02:21:00.000-07:00

It has been awhile since I dug into the old Jazz vault here at Some Lost, Some Found. It was high time that I posted some tracks from the great Jazz guitarist Eddie Lang and violin virtuoso Joe Venuti. Both men had long careers in the music biz, and had a great influence on a number of later greats. Lang played alongside some of the biggest names of the 20s and 30s (like Paul Whiteman and Bring Crosby), and his innovative guitar playing would later have an impact on Django Reinhardt. Venuti was born on a boat to America by his Italian immigrant parents, and also shared a stage with Whiteman and whose style found its way into Reinhardt’s 30s and 40s work.

JSP Records has re-released a large number of the two men's combined performances (You can pick up a 4 disc box set for less than 25 dollars, which spans almost 10 years of their career). These recordings have always reminded me warm sunny days sitting in the yard, having a BBQ, and enjoying a nice cool drink. Essential seasonal music.

(Going Home)

(Blue Blood Blues)

(A Handful of Riffs)

Tina Kaffeyah Kicks Ass

2010-03-23T11:46:00.000-07:00

Tina Kaffeyah is a little rock band from Philadelphia that recently sent their new EP to us, asking if we would have a listen. They also said that they would allow us to have their baby if we reviewed it, and since I don’t have any known offspring, I figured I would take them up on their offer. I look forward to the insemination process!

As for the EP, it is good. Very good. It’s entirely instrumental, and the band crunches through four tracks of riff heavy post-hardcore. The songs on this record bring back memories of Baltimore’s Oxes, although I don’t know if that’s what these guys were intending. The band experiments with the formula enough to keep you interested: on “Why did I Drink that Colt 45?” they play with time changes and empty silence, until they finish off the track with a pulverizing set of chords. The end the EP with “This is Why We Can’t Have Nice things,” a track that clocks in at over 11 minutes but doesn’t get tired or overly repetitive.

If these cats would have been playing in the Bay Area in the late 90s, they would have been huge. Well, at least with kids who listened to hardcore. The band gets extra points for reminding me why I fell in love with this kind of stuff to begin with. Hopefully they find a home with a label that will treat them right.

Check out their site here to download the EP, and their Myspace page if you want to hook it up with one of the guys in the band.

(Songs About Dying)

(Why Did I Drink that Colt 45?)

Lhasa de Sela - RIP

2010-03-14T01:11:00.000-08:00

I was saddened to hear from comrade Jams that Lhasa de Sela, a respected Mexican-American singer-songwriter passed away at the young age of 37 this winter. She died of breast cancer in her Montreal home on January 1st, 2010.

Lhasa released three full length records in her short career, but she lived a full and adventurous life. Her website writes “Lhasa's unusual childhood was marked by long periods of nomadic wandering through Mexico and the U.S., with her parents and sisters in the school bus which was their home. During this period the children improvised, both theatrically and musically, performing for their parents on a nightly basis. Lhasa grew up in a world imbued with artistic discovery, far from conventional culture. An old friend of Lhasa's, Jules Beckman, offered these words:

"We have always heard something ancestral coming through her. She has always spoken from the threshold between the worlds, outside of time. She has always sung of human tragedy and triumph, estrangement and seeking with a Witness's wisdom. She has placed her life at the feet of the Unseen."”

Her music surely demonstrated an incredible level of creativity, and her inspired songs garnered popularity worldwide.

Here are two tracks from her first record, “La Llorona.” You can buy her records here.

(De Cara a la Pared from "La Llorona")

(Payande from "La Llorona")

Kim Jung Mi (김정미) - Now

2010-03-13T01:11:00.000-08:00

Korea’s music scene has always played second (or third) fiddle to Japan’s forward minded music culture. Most non-traditional Korean music simply mimicked American or Japanese sensibilities following the Korean War, but that doesn’t mean there have not been standout musicians from the Hermit Kingdom.

Enter Kim Jung Mi, an acid-rock singer from the 1970s. Anyone who is familiar with Korean pop music will either recognize her vocals or the manner in which she sang them; in my mind her delivery is quintessential Korean 70s.

Jung Mi worked with Korean fuzz pioneer Shin Jung Hyun (신중현), who gave her recordings the echoey, psychedelic feel. When Park Chung Hee was dictator of South Korea, some Shin Jung’s songs were banned as "vulgar" or "noisy", and in August 1975, he was arrested for "involvement" with marijuana. Lord knows what “involvement” with marijuana meant, but thankfully both Jung Mi and Shin Jung have found an audience since their peak, and have left some strong records in their wake, as well as made positive contributions to the local Korean music scene.

Here are a few tracks from Jung Mi’s excellent album, “Now.” The excellent imprint World Psychedelia has reissued some of her finer records for western audiences, and can be purchased at Dusted Groove Records. Unfortunately, “Now” is currently out of print, but you can download it at Mutant Sounds.

(Wind in the Trees from "Now")

(Spring, Spring, Spring from "Now")

(Lonely Heart from "Now")

George Duke: Faces in Reflection (1974)

2010-03-06T07:28:00.000-08:00

I realize it's been a while since I posted any music. What can I say? I have actually been busy.

All of my previous posts have been on the heavy tip whether that's metal like Tank and Cirith Ungol or hardcore like RKL, Stalag 13, the Accused, and Excel.

At this point I'm switching gears and moving into my other musical tastes. For those who like the hard stuff, please be patient, I'll get back to it eventually. In the meantime, here is my first jazz post.

This is a classic album. In case you don't know anything about George Duke, a good friend of mine told me Duke had an aversion to synthesizers and was strictly a piano and Rhodes man before he hooked up with Frank Zappa. After spending some time in Zappa's band, he began to embrace the fusion sound that was so influential in jazz during the 1970s. So this is a serious departure from the smooth jazz Duke would be known for later in his career.

I know what you're thinking, fusion jazz = weak jazz. But there is a lot of good fusion out there if you are selective. Have a listen to see what I mean. I like all the tracks but my favorite is "Psychocomatic Dung." And if you dig this album, check out some of the other material on MPS Records.

Joining Duke on this session are Leon Ndugu Chancler on drums and John Heard on bass. Download here.

Track List:
1. The Opening
2. Capricorn
3. Piano Solo 1 and 2
4. Psychocomatic Dung
5. Faces in Reflection No. 1
6. Maria Tres Filhos
7. North Beach
8. Da Somba
9. Faces in Reflection No. 2.

George Duke: The Opening

George Duke: Capricorn

George Duke: Psychocomatic Dung

George Duke: North Beach

Can you handle 新宿ゲバルト?

2010-02-24T13:59:00.000-08:00

新宿ゲバルト (Shinjuku Gewalt) is an awesome glitch-pop band from Japan. Japshare recently hosted some of their songs, and although I can not find a lick of information about the band (they do have a website, but it is completely in Japanese), they have made some great songs that should be heard by folks outside of Japan.

If you know anything about the band, please leave a comment. I would love to get a physical copy of this stuff.

(8時だヨ！全員集合！！（アレフガルド公演Ver.1.0.2 from Shinsekai Roudouka Sen)

Troubadour tales with In Gowan Ring

2010-02-19T08:04:00.000-08:00

In Gowan Ring is a one man project by Portland's multi-instrumentalist B’eirth. He plays what psychedelic aficionados likely believe roaming minstrels in medieval England sounded like if they had access to acid. He has been churning out some great tunes over the years, occasional working with members of Woven Hand, and has just released a book/CD under his Birch Book alter-ego titled “A Hand Full Of Days.” Only 50 copies have been made, so get it while you can or expect to pay exuberant amounts buying one on Ebay.

(Hazel Steps from "Hazel Steps Through a Weathere")

Adam Balbo Fixes your local campfire

2010-02-12T08:53:00.000-08:00

We have been running Some Lost, Some Found for a few months now, and we have started to receive a steady stream of mail from artists/labels asking us to take a listen to their records. We will continue to talk about classic bands and records from the past, as well as some of the newer more current stuff coming out, and we are glad to see so many returning readers each day.

One of the new releases sent our way recently was Adam Balbo’s new record, “Fix.” Adam plays short, upsetting and yet stirring acoustic music. The kind of stuff you would play around the campfire if your friends had better taste than to strum out some shitty John Mayer cover in an attempt to get into some girls pants. Songs like “Sharp as a Horse” and “That’s Him. He’s Your Guy” have the downhearted lyric content which appears welcoming and friendly until you process what exactly is being expressed in the narrative. Balbo’s voice never gets out of hand, and works well with the minimalist guitar strumming accompanying each song, giving the short stories represented on the record a fuller body than is immediately recognizable.

Balbo has a slew of older records up to download for free at his Last.fm and CLLCT pages. His newest record, “Fix” is for sale here. Check it out.

("That's Him, He's Your Guy" from Fix)

("Obligatory Highway Analogy" from Fix)

The Who: Quadrophenia

2010-02-08T11:11:00.000-08:00

Apparently there was a major sporting event yesterday and apparently there was a band that played during the middle break of said game that I am a big fan of. Earlier in this blog, I made statement that may have been "fact: Quadrophenia is the greatest double LP of all time," well, it's time to unveil the the truth behind the statement. Yeah, Tommy's pretty good, people seem to like The Wall, and I suppose David Bowie, Lou Reed, Genesis, and a slew of metal bands have all put them out too, but when it comes to raw power and effectiveness, a storyline that makes sense (a deaf, dumb and blind boy playing pinball that becomes the new Jesus...really Pete?!), nothing comes close to Quadrophenia.

A prelude that introduces the major musical themes throughout the work starts us off and sets the stage for the ride Jimmy will take through the mod and rocker world of early 60s Britain. Popping pills, fighting, and contemplating life's most depressing elements....Jimmy's life isn't all that great, but I'll be damned if I don't relate and hang on to every note and word. It's intense enough to keep you intrigued, but never feels forced. The ebb and flow of the album should be studied by anyone wanting to create a modern day rock opera.

Pete Townshend's writing is the star here. No ultra heady themes as touched upon earlier like in Tommy, no futuristic forecastations about what technology is going to do to our society (eerily accurate I might add, but when put through a mid70s vernacular laced with new age ideas it does not age well); it's all about the universal idea of growing up, the struggles everyone faces on some level, the need to fit in, the need to find love and understanding, and the need to just try and find out who you really are after spending almost two decades being who your parents want.

I wish I could just post the entire album, because everyone needs to experience Quadrophenia from start to finish, but below are two of my favorites.

I'm One - The Who (from "Quadrophenia")

5:15 - The Who (from "Quadrophenia")

Tales From The Crypt with the Mummies!

2010-02-07T01:25:00.000-08:00

Sit down kids, its story time with good old grandpa Roland. See, when I was young, cable TV was a rarity to find in my neighborhood, and VHS players were practically unknown. So when an old horror film from the 30s, 40s, and 50s came through the good old bunny ears on the TV set, proper young boys made sure they were there watching it. It was our chance to get a glimpse into a whole era of films that seemed distant and lost to time. Bella Lugosi and Boris Karloff were ambassadors to a film tradition that had been forgotten, and it made an impact on my young and impressionable mind.

These films must have left an impact on San Mateo’s the Mummies as well, who played trashy, surf minded garage rock all while dressed as mummies. They put out a slew of great records in the 80s and early 90s (strictly on vinyl until recent reissues) and made a few infamous TV appearances. Countless bootlegs have been released over the years, but with the re-invigoration of the garage aesthetic and sound in the early 2000s, an effort has been made by the band and labels associated with them to re-release their music for a new generation to enjoy. And now that new cohort can include you.

The band got back together in 2008 and did some international touring to boot. They left this cryptic (haha, get it! Crypt! God I am a genius) note on their website before crawling out from their tombs.

“That's right, after 15 years of incessant nagging by every Tom, Dick and Larry, someone finally convinced the boys to travel forward in time to 2008 to play a show. Needless to say, the boys were appalled at the state of the future we all live in. Where are the flying fucking cars like in Blade Runner?! What the hell kind of future is this shit anyway? What, the best you can do is eBay? What happened to all the cheap equipment? Where did Thrift Center in Hayward go?! Where's Savers next to Thrift City in Redwood City?! Oh shit... where the fuck is Thrift City???”

In my opinion, they were and are the best garage rock revival band on the planet.

Download two of their records here.

(A Girl like You)

(I Should better be lookin for Dangerman)

(Stronger than Dirt)

Phosphorescent: The name pretty much sums up the sound.

2010-02-05T08:25:00.000-08:00

Phosphorescence can be described as "emitting light without appreciable heat as by slow oxidation of phosphorous," which is a fancy way of saying that something stays glowing before fading away even after you take away its energy source. Which is precisely what happens with the music of Phosphorescent. It's slow burning, haunting, and sticks with you well after you've turned the music off.

The band Phosphorescent is, for all intents and purposes, a solo project by Matthew Houck who hails from Georgia. He plays a Countrified Americana style of music that's never really upbeat but never too dour either. It just smolders and simmers with sparse percussion, a panel of stringed instruments, and a vocal styling that may take some getting used to as it isn't pretty, but it's far from ugly.

Phosphorescent - Dead Heart (from "Aw Come Aw Wry")

Phosphorescent - Cocaine Lights (from "Pride")

Like what you hear? You can also download some of his Daytrotter Sessions that were recorded in 2007 and 2008.

The Fog: Before Fog was Fog they were The Fog.

2010-02-01T10:50:00.000-08:00

Back in 2000 (or maybe 1999), Andrew Broder released an album under the moniker The Fog. It was written and recorded mainly by himself (with a great spoken word intro by MF Doom), the album pieced together multi-layered turntablism with the occasional smattering of drums, guitar, and vocals. It wasn't a hip-hop album nor was it electronica and it most certainly wasn't a rock album, yet it was all of those things at the same time. Seeing him perform the songs live was truly an experience. The songs were loud and abrasive with a cacophonous wall of sound that pummeled you until the set was over. And every set he performed with his band was better than the last, and each time the songs morphed into something totally different than the album versions.

After a few years, The Fog was changed into Fog, and he re-released his first album on Ninja Tune, dropping some songs and adding a few others for the official release. I'll probably speak more of the individual releases at a later date, but for today, I'm sharing songs that you probably won't ever be able to find that showcase an amazingly talented musician.

Heartcrusher - The Fog (from "The Fog")

Just a Kid Growing Up - The Fog (from "The Fog")

Money doesn't mean much to the Shermans

2010-01-30T07:51:00.000-08:00

I have been listening to a Sarah Records compilation lately, and so British minded indie pop has been on my mind. The Shermans are an excellent little group from Sweden that has released a few records on Shelflife Records that owe a great deal to the prolific London based label. They formed in December 1997, and were initially made up of Mikael Matsson and Torbjorn Thorsen; vocalist Ingela Karlsson came along a big later after a previous member left the band to join Aerospace. Clean and crisp hooks with pleasing female vocals was their forte, and while their sound has been milked by countless bands over the last few decades, they put together a great number of pop jingles that would compliment any record collection.

Download some of their mp3s for free.

(Adulthood for Beginners from "Happiness is Toy Shaped")

(Lousy Judge of Character from "Happiness is Toy Shaped")

Agnostic Front: Victim in Pain EP (1984)

2010-01-29T03:31:00.000-08:00

This one is a classic and played a major role in setting off the NYC hardcore scene. Roger Miret on vocals, Vinnie Stigma on guitar, Rob Kabula on bass and Dave Jones on drums. A lot of people outside of NY thought they were racist skins but Agnostic Front always had a solid American working-class ethic:

"United and Strong, Blacks and Whites. United and Strong, Punks and Skins. United and Strong for everyone. UNITED AND STRONG!"

The o.g line up of AF from "Victim in Pain" are playing in Brooklyn a couple of weeks from today and I am torn about attending. On the one hand, this will be an incredible show but I don't know if I have the gumption or nerve to slam. Wifey says just hang out in the back and lay low. But that sort of timidness does not compute.

Track List
1. Victim In Pain
2. Remind Them
3. Blind Justice
4. Last Warning
5. United & Strong
6. Power
7. Hiding Inside
8. Fascist Attitude
9. Society Sucker
10. Your Mistake
11. With Time

Agnostic Front: Blind Justice

Agnostic Front: United and Strong

Agnostic Front: Fascist Attitude

City of Satellites: They built their city on dreamscapes of pop.

2010-01-25T10:32:00.000-08:00

Australian based duo City of Satellites is a band that wears their influences on their sleeves, yet they don't get caught up in the trappings that many 'throwback' bands do. Often these bands get stuck on the idea that they have to follow the rigid formula that they see in their genre of choice, but City of Satellites take ideas from what once was and blend them together to create beautiful songs that form one amazingly tight and cohesive album. Built on a foundation of shoegaze fuzz and synth pop charm with splashes of IDM beats and sweet, soothing vocals, "Machine is My Animal" never disappoints and comes highly recommended by this fair listener.

City of Satellites - Victor! Burn City Lights (from "Machine is My Animal")

Negative Trend "We Don't Play, We Riot" EP (1978)

2010-01-24T02:13:00.000-08:00

I was generally more into Southern Cal punk than the Nor Cal scene. Perhaps it was just a fact of where I grew up. But when I heard Negative Trend on KCSB, I was hooked. Tracked down their single and was not disappointed. Mikal Roberts was the vocalist. Bassist Will Shatter and drummer Steve DePace would later go on to found Flipper and guitarist Craig Cray started the Toiling Midgets.

Song List:
1) Mercenaries
2) Meat House
3) Black and Red
4) How Ya' Feelin'

Mercenaries is a classic, non-pc, punk tune.

Download the EP here.

Negative Trend: Mercenaries

What appears to be wholesome fun with Paean

2010-01-23T04:34:00.000-08:00

Paean is a band from Colorado that looks like a lot of fun to be involved with. Just look at that picture; I bet they have potluck dinners and then bust out matching accordions for a rousing family sing along. And I am pretty sure they never get into fist fights or throw up due to a heroin overdose in their friend’s bathroom. They simply look too nice for all of that.

They also happen to sound great as a band. I am sure they get the comparison a lot, but they seem to have taken a page or two from the Arcade Fire and other orchestral minded groups. They have a full length coming out in a few months called "Songs For Us To Sing” on Act So Big Forest records, but in the meantime you can download an EP of theirs for free here.

(Empty Course from "Paean EP")

Norfolk and Western: M Ward and The Decemberists got famous, they didn't.

2010-01-20T07:37:00.000-08:00

Portland, Oregon in the early 2000s must have been fun. Seems like some of the greats of the nuevo-folk-Americana music scene were just getting their start there. I stumbled on Norfolk and Western around the same time The Decemberists and M Ward were just getting some major recognition (in the indie world I suppose), and I thought it was great to have 3 wonderful bands from the same scene all getting their well deserved breaks on a national level. Yet I feel that Norfolk and Western got left behind, whether by their own choosing or because of bad luck, I don't know.

They have a bit more of an old school country flair to their sound when compared to the other acts listed, and don't really have any barn burners of songs, but Adam Selzer has a beautiful voice and their musicianship is rock solid so I highly recommend checking out a great band to sit and unwind to. It's hard to pick a few songs from a band that has a pretty large back catalog, but I'll do my best!

Norfolk and Western - Disappear (from "Dusk in Cold Parlours")

Norfolk and Western - All the Towns Near Boston (from "Winter Farewell")

Stop the Press: Restiform Bodies Make Music

2010-01-19T02:19:00.000-08:00

When I left Northern California a few years back, I was pretty tired of the area. Sure, it’s beautiful and the climate is pleasant, but we had grown apart culturally and I was looking to try my hand at living elsewhere in the United States and the world at large. My world view had altered slightly which ended up breaking a number of relationships I had with friends and comrades, and I needed a new local to get my head back on straight. But one thing I missed almost immediately upon leaving Nor-Cal was the music scene, which continues to be great.

The alternative hip-hop label Anticon is a staple of the Bay Area music community, and has made a home for a number of great groups like Why? and cLOUDDEAD. I recently picked up Restiform Bodies 2008 release “TV Loves You Back,” which mixes glitch sample based pop jams with avant hip-hop sensibilities. Yea, that sounds like a lot of bullshit, but that’s the best I can come up with. I don’t get a big fat paycheck to come up with ways to describe this stuff, you should just check it out for yourself and file it where you see fit.

(Opulent Soul from "TV Loves You Back")

Leafes - Yes google, I mean Leafes.

2010-01-15T09:10:00.000-08:00

Here's what I know about the Leafes (and all you really need to know too):

1. They're Swedish

2. They release very limited amounts of each of their releases (on cd-r or cassette)

3. They're great.

Really, #3 is the most important thing. I implore everyone to go to their last.fm page and download the one album you'll probably only be able to find of theirs. They're lo-fi acoustic pop, with surprisingly solid English lyrics, and have a touch of electronic noise swirling in the background to give a bit of depth to their songs. If you want to impress your hipster friends, you can buy the album here and get one of their cassettes there.

Leafes - Leafes Howls With the Wolfs (from "In the Mountain's Belly")

Excel: Split Image LP (1987)

2010-01-14T01:25:00.000-08:00

Excel --Dan Clements on vocals, Adam Siegel on guitar, Sean Ross on bass, and Greg Saenz on drums--were thrashers from Venice, CA with a definite Suicidal Tendencies influence. They were fast but they played with an intricacy uncommon to hardcore at the time. I'm not talking about the ludicrous arpeggios of so many speed-metal bands of the late 1980s but a seriously heavy groove.

I had the chance to see these dudes many times across the south land. Depending on the location, things could get out of control. It wasn't the band's fault, but you occasionally had knuckle-heads showing up to get into fights. One time I went to see them at Fender's in Long Beach with Blast, RKL and the Exploited. A bunch of Nazi skinheads* charged in and started sieg heiling. A few seconds later the Suicidals in the place tossed them out. I think someone ended up getting stabbed and shit.

Footage of the show available here but the audio quality is crap.

Song List:

1. Your Life, My Life 03:15

2. Insecurity 02:10

3. Split Image 05:10

4. Never Look Away 03:40

5. Wreck Your World 02:54

6. Social Security 03:35

7. Set Yourself Apart 02:22

8. The Joke's On You 02:45

9. Looking for You 02:58

10. Spare the Pain 05:13

Download here.

Excel: Your Life, My Life

Excel: Never Look Away

Excel: The Joke's on You

*I know there are cool skins. I had friends who were down with Suicidal as well as those who were skinheads and I can remember many skins having my back and picking me up in the pit, so no hate mail please.

Hard Psychedelic with Cave

2010-01-09T04:10:00.000-08:00

Psychedelic music didn’t catch my interest until 2002 or so when I saw Comets on Fire for the first time at a house show in Santa Cruz. I had friends growing up who were dedicated Roger Waters fans, but the pace of the music wasn’t my idea of a good time when I was a teenager, and I had generally associated the ex-Pink Floyd front man with the style as a whole. So hearing bands apply the psychedelic ethos to more aggressive music was exciting to experience, and there have been an ample number of groups in recent years putting out records in this fashion.

Cave is one of those bands. These are not chill out tunes to sit back and smoke pot too, but full on rock attacks. They have a full length out on the excellent experimental label Important Records (who release Acid Mothers Temple and Merzbow records here in America). The following tracks are from their 2009 release, “Psychic Psummer” which was one of my favorite records last year. You can download mp3s for free here.

("Gamm" from Psychic Psummer)

("Requiem for John Sex" from Psychic Psummer)

Sonic Youth: Avant noise rockers still rocking.

2010-01-08T08:59:00.000-08:00

I had the joyous pleasure of seeing Sonic Youth last night here in San Diego so I thought I'd share two songs from this tremendous band who still kicks a lot of ass after all these years. Whether you call it "no wave," "noise," "experimental," or "proto-punk;" the music Sonic Youth creates is undeniably original and refreshing, even as they approach 30 years of releases. The first album I heard of theirs was "Bad Moon Rising." Consisting of a more sparse approach to noise, the album marks a transition between their start up as a band and finding their own voice on the avant noise scene. And since the concert last night consisted mostly of new songs from their latest release "The Eternal," I thought I'd include my favorite track from an album that shows how the band has matured and reigned in their spastic youthful energy.

Sonic Youth - Society is a Hole (from "Bad Moon Rising")

Sonic Youth - Antenna (from "The Eternal")

Spanish Songstress Ainara Legardon

2010-01-07T10:13:00.000-08:00

Ainara Legardon is a musician from Spain that played for the band Onion before coming to prominence as a solo performer. She has recorded two records with the help of notable musicians from around Europe, who have helped bring her melancholy vocals to life. I learned of her recently, when she toured with Bonnie “Prince” Billy around Europe, and was lucky enough to get a copy of her excellent “Each Day a Lie Record” which was released in 2006. She has just released a new record titled "Forgive me if I don't come home to sleep tonight" which I have yet to hear.

(“Hope Defeated” from Each Day a Lie)

Felix: You Are the One I Pick

2010-01-06T09:38:00.000-08:00

From Nottingham and signed to Kranky, the duo of Lucinda Chua and Chris Summerlin known as Felix create low key and minimalist chamber pop. A classically trained musician, Chua is the main focus of the album. She sets the tone with her semi-nonsensical ramblish lyrics delivered in a soothing quiet lilt over her sparse piano and string arrangements. Summerlin's guitar work is definitely meant more as a side dish to the main course of Chua. He's not necessarily filler, but there just to brighten up the songs occasionally. Together they created a fascinatingly relaxing album that you can pick up here.

Felix - Death to Everyone But Us (from "You Are the One I Pick")

Felix - Back in Style (from "You Are the One I Pick")

Dr. Know: Plus in Jesus LP (1984)

2010-01-04T07:11:00.000-08:00

Dr. Know were the darkest of the Nardcore bands with a heavy emphasis on violent themes of destruction, doom and impending death. They had a metal-tinged thrash sound but we just considered them hardcore punk rock at the time.

This LP provides a great glimpse into what the Nardcore scene was like in the mid-198s0s. Hardcore punk, but heavier. It wasn't as urban as Black Flag or the Circle Jerks--Oxnard is a strawberry-picking town on the coast--but these dudes knew how to throw down. The pits for these shows were so vibrant and energetic. It wasn't mosh. It was non-stop slamming.

Their logo (below) was designed by Jaime Hernandez. He was already a well-known illustrator in the underground comics scene at the time. He also did the artwork for Stalag 13 and Agression.

After "Plug in Jesus" they released the "Burn" 7" EP (1985), an LP that contained "Burn" and some added tracks (1986), and then an LP titled "Wreckage in Flesh" (1988). As someone who could not get enough of their earlier recordings, this album was a real let down. Like so many other bands, as the 80s progressed, they changed to conform to the generic speed metal influence that had taken over. The uniqueness and individuality of the band was gone.

I know they released some more material after that, and there is band called Dr. Know that is still around today, and they play some of the old tunes, yadda, yadda, yadda. But this is the real deal. Kyle Toucher on vocals and guitar, Fred Mataquin on guitar, Ismael Hernandez on bass and on Rik Heller on drums.

Download here.

"Plug in Jesus," "Burn," and some earlier material was reissued as "The Best of Dr. Know." You can find it used pretty easily.

1.	God Told Me	02:29
2.	Mr. Freeze	03:08
3.	The Intruder	02:17
4.	Circle of Fear	03:25
5.	Citizens of the World	02:07
6.	Life Returns	03:48
7.	Crucified	02:12
8.	Fist Fuck	03:46

God Told Me

Citizens of the World

Life Returns

Watch it Burn

Noisy pop from the Moon and Sixpence

2010-01-03T13:25:00.000-08:00

Here is a 7 inch from a fine San Diego band called “The Moon and Sixpence” that was active around the late 90s. I picked this record up randomly on a trip to the city and have loved the noisy pop I found on it ever since. I couldn’t find any information on the bands previous activities, but I played a show with one of the group’s members once who was then active in the Anchors in the early 2000s. I am pretty sure this was their only release, but I can’t verify that.

You can download the record here.

They all fell for you

Anomie Naomi

Scott Weiland: Yeah, that's right, Scott Weiland.

2009-12-30T09:01:00.000-08:00

When Scott Weiland's solo album came out, it floored me. It was quite a departure to his normal work with Stone Temple Pilots. Less grungy guitars and alternative rock sensibilities, he introduced me to the notion of heavily layered music, electronic components, random breakdowns, and through these made the idea of "unaccessible music" accessible to me. While the release was a commercial flop (it didn't even break the top 40 here in America), I owe so much to the release as an eye opening experience that there really were other styles of music out there that weren't on the radio. I still go back to the album every few months and the songs still hold up. They're not late '90s dated like the rest of STP's catalog (or any other band from that era really). Do yourself a favor and seek out the album, you can probably find it for a few bucks at a used CD shop.

Oh, and the best part of the album....someone being credited with playing the "Godzilla guitar."

Scott Weiland - Desperation #5 (from "12 Bar Blues")

Scott Weiland - Divider (from "12 Bar Blues")

Tiny pop with TinyFolk

2009-12-29T08:53:00.000-08:00

Tinyfolk is a lo-fi pop band from Illinois that I discovered through a friend. They make simple, generally bare songs that are pleasing to listen to and fun to sing along with. My friend said she can play them for her niece while she is falling asleep, although they surely don’t act as background music to me.

While they have released five ‘official’ records, they have a slew of EPs to enjoy as well. Best of all, Tinyfolk have all of these records available on their Last.fm page for free, so you can stream/download them to your ipod and see for yourself.

(“Antelopes” from Jack’s Broth)

(“If I was a Person” from Sic Semper Equis)

The Bird and The Bee: Don't worry, it's not an awkward childhood conversation.

2009-12-28T08:39:00.001-08:00

Los Angeles' The Bird and the Bee are an electro-pop collaboration between Inara George and Greg Kurstin who, for some reason, can be found on noted jazz label Blue Note Records. Understated music and hooks meld wonderfully with Inara's semi-dry, laconic singing voice, creating songs that get stuck in your head for days, and that's exactly where you'll want them. With a couple of LPs and a handful of EPs out, it's good to see what started out as a simple side project blossom into something a bit more permanent.

The Bird and the Bee - Polite Dance Song (from "Ray Guns are Not Just the Future")

The Bird and the Bee - My Fair Lady (from "The Bird and the Bee")

Early Emocore from Sleepytime Trio

2009-12-28T03:55:00.000-08:00

The New Centrist has been covering the metal and hardcore side of the music spectrum around these parts lately, so I thought it was high time I posted some hardcore from a band that made a profound impact on me and the punk scene in the greater Bay Area in the late 90s/early 2000s. Sleepytime Trio came to fruition in the Virginian DC suburbs, and as far as I know, never toured the West Coast. While they weren’t the first band to play the variety of hardcore they would gain notoriety for, their records made an indispensable impact on a slew of bands on the West Coast. The Substandard Records label, which played a pretty influential role in the Bay Area during this time, released a number of great records that would borrow significantly from Sleepytime Trio’s sound.

The Trio reunited in 2007 for a short tour, and Lovitt Records continues to sell a compilation CD of their entire early catalog. You can also download some of the tracks off the record here.

("Jesus Extract" from Memory-Minus)

("Rock Candy" from Memory-Minus)

Ai Aso - Goodness from Japan

2009-12-27T02:53:00.000-08:00

Ai Aso is a singer and musician from Japan, who has released a half dozen records on the excellent Pedal Records label, and is best known stateside for appearing on Michio Kurihara's solo CD's. A good number of her songs feature effortless guitar lines mixed with her airy and emotive vocals. She gets a hand form members of The Stars and Boris, creating acid tinged folk with a pinch of psychedelic thrown in for good measure.

As far as I can tell all of her records have only been released in Japan, and since she has played a limited number of shows in the U.S., may be a bit hard to find in American record shops. Bibabidi has some of her mp3s to download.

(“うめるもの”from Umerumono)

(“ランド” from あいだ)

Beyond Possession: Is Beyond Possession LP (1986)

2009-12-24T01:15:00.000-08:00

Beyond Possession hailed from the Great White North (Calgary) and are one of the best hardcore thrash bands of all time. Punks seem to like their EP "Skater's Life" and metalheads prefer this LP. Whatever. They are both awesome. I have never seen a band play this fast and this good in my life. Not DRI, not the Accused, no one. They truly took that thrash shit to the next level.

The line-up on this album was Ron Hadley on vocals, Ken Wall on guitar, Jaime Kenney on bass and Phil Pobran on drums. There was a CD reissue of the album and some earlier material called "Repossessed, 1985-1989". It is out of print and incredibly difficult to find but you can read the liner notes here.

Download.

Track list

1.	Never Nothing New	00:42
2.	Life Force	03:22
3.	Dying Fast	02:03
4.	Living to Tell You About It	02:08
5.	Last Will and Testament	01:37
6.	You're So Important	02:02
7.	Final Daze	03:45
8.	Why? It's Youth	01:24
9.	Beyond Possession	01:42
10.	Creeping Eruption	02:16
11.	Hard Times	01:15
12.	Attitude Problem	02:08
13.	Depression	01:40
14.	Cinderella Syndrome	01:37
15.	I'll Never Rest in Peace	03:19

Life Force

Dying Fast

Final Daze

Attitude Problem

Cirith Ungol: King of the Dead (1984)

2009-12-17T09:04:00.000-08:00

Cirith Ungol. For true nerds, the name conjures up images of elves and dwarves and all the mythical creatures of Middle Earth. But this is a metal band whose roots are in Ventura, CA. Some disliked the singers voice (too screechy) or the content of the lyrics (too corny) but for all true metalheads who lived in Ventura County and the central coast back in the early 1980s, they were mandatory listening.

I liked that Cirith was not similar to other Southern California rock bands like Van Halen or hairmetal groups like Ratt and Motley Crue. Instead, they had a distinct dark and gloomy sound, influenced more by NWOBHM and Black Sabbath than the local scene.

In addition to their music, another reason I was attracted to their albums was the artwork by fantasy artist Michael Whelan who designed the paperback covers for Michael Moorcock’s Elric of Melnibone series (DAW paperbacks). What can I say? I was into that sort of crap back then…

Their first album, “Frost and Fire,” is good, especially considering it was pressed in 1981 (!) I was listening to a lot more punk than metal by the time this one was released in 1984 but I think it is even better. Great music to listen to on a gray, rainy, winter day. So what if they sing about swords and sorcery, atom smashers, and black machines? You know you like it.

The lineup on this album is Jerry Fogle on guitar, Tim Baker on vocals, Michael "Flint" Vujea on bass, and Robert Garven on drums. Fire up a bowl and rock out.

Download here.

Song List:

Atom Smasher
Black Machine
Master of the Pit
King of the Dead
Death of the Sun
Finger of Scorn
Toccata in D Minor
Cirith Ungol

Atom Smasher

Black Machine

Cirith Ungol

Psychedelic Folk from Hako Yamasaki

2009-12-17T05:07:00.000-08:00

Hako Yamasaki didn’t have a lasting commercial career in Japan, but she did leave behind some of the best forlorn and depressing pop songs from the Japan’s 1970s music scene. Hako had one of those haunting, lingering voices that works its way into the musical arrangements of her songs.

I am a little surprised that the New-Weird America crowd has not picked up on her psychedelic tinged tunes the way they have other artists from the same period. I have no doubt that she had an influence on the Japanese scene that would develop decades later (I first learned of her existence from a record store clerk in Tokyo, who was kind enough to show me some unsung Japanese artists), and hopefully a rediscovering of her music will take place.

You can download her entire record from The Flying Teapot, a very nice music blog that generally covers Japan. Thankfully, the record was re-released on CD but like most imports, it fetches a rather high price. Good luck finding the original vinyl.
Shiroi Hana (from "Tsunawatari")

Himawari (from "Tsunawatari")

Splashdown: Redshift EP

2009-12-16T09:37:00.000-08:00

Splashdown took elements of pop, rock, electronica and fused them with Middle East influences to create something quite enjoyable to the ears. Lead singer Melissa Kaplan's voice seems larger than life, soaring above and through the multilayered music in such a beautiful way. They didn't release much music while they were a band, however, they've since oked the sharing of their catalog (along with previously unreleased albums too!) You can find those here.

This little entry is going to be about their Redshift EP. Probably my favorite or their albums, it's starts off with such a high with "A Charming Spell," giving the listener a perfect intro to the band. Rumbling electronic elements break open leading to your first taste of Kaplan's amazing voice. There's not much of the Middle East flavor in "A Charming Spell," but that influence becomes a lot more evident on "The Archer." "Mayan Pilot" is a funky short groove that sometimes I really dig and sometimes I just don't feel, but it's the EPs shortest track so I can't really complain. "Waterbead" is the most 'Eastern' track, more subdued and tranquil than the other songs with trip hop beats coming and going throughout to lift the energy of the song when needed. And it ends with "Ironspy," by far my favorite Splashdown track, and lucky for me it's on a few of their releases!

Splashdown - A Charming Spell (from "Redshift EP")

Splashdown - Ironspy (from "Redshift EP")

Weekly Recap

2009-12-16T01:20:00.001-08:00

I was out of town for a few days spending time in beautiful Malta, and wasn't able to get the weekly recap up. So here it is.

1. An ode to Jack Rose.
2. Another Rose piece, focusing on Six Organs of Admittance.
3. Alt-Country from Heather Waters.
4. Post-Rock from San Diego's Dreaming of Tanks.
5. Electronic jams from Down Review.
6. Sparklehorse and Fennesz do the "In the Fishtank" series.
7. Awesome metal from Tank.
8. Minimal music from Steve Reich.
9. Hanukkah tunes from the Sounds of Raj, Yehuda Ovadya Ftyad & the Ha'Yonah Ensemble, and John Zorn's Masada project.

Masada: Avant klezmer for the Chanukah season.

2009-12-14T14:35:00.000-08:00

I suppose it's my turn for my Festival of Lights music recommendation. And so I bring you John Zorn's Masada project. John Zorn is a man of many talents, many bands, and many styles. He's a composer, saxophonist, producer, and more. From traditional styles to hyper-avant noise games, he really is one of those musicians who seems to like and play it all. With Masada (and his record label Tzadik), he helped start a movement called Radical Jewish Culture, with it's core idea to bring Jewish culture and music into the 21st century. Highly prolific and highly entertaining, the music of Masada is engaging, engrossing, and entertaining; with touches of traditional klezmer music interwoven in a strong jazz core.

Masada - Beeroth (from "Live in Sevilla 2000")

Jewish Sacred Songs from Iraq

2009-12-11T16:08:00.000-08:00

In honor of the start Hanukkah, I am posting some tunes recorded by Yehuda Ovadya Ftyad & the Ha'Yonah Ensemble known as the “Jewish Sacred Songs from Iraq.” I posted a song to my political blog sometime last year, but the entire record is worth a extended listens, even outside of the holiday season. You can buy the disc from the Olam Qatan bookstore in Jerusalem. The first track I have posted down bellow is a killer jam, and requires your immediate attention. Here is the CD’s notes:

“A concert album recorded in January 2004 at Bar-Ilan University, Yonat Rehokim (literally "The Dove of Distances") is a high-concept composition that explores longing in the hearts of Iraqi Jewish poets through chanting and slow, ethnic groove-based jamming.

The rhythmic drone of 11 men slowly playing old-time Middle Eastern instruments provides structure to the skilled Mizrahi hazanut of Yehuda Ovadya Ftaya.
Especially noteworthy are the wind sounds of David Menahem, the low-end plucking of Naor Karmi, the hand percussion of Yair Harel and Assaf Zamir, and the overall hum of the string section.

Ben-Gurion University's Prof. Haviva Pedaya is credited with having overseen the "concept, research, and musical arrangements," but Pedaya is also the spiritual center and frontwoman for the ensemble. Her compilation of rabbinical poetry written in Muslim lands throughout the centuries is painstakingly sensitive to the original beauty of the language, to an extent that in concert, all lyrics are projected on a screen above the ensemble.

The authenticity and breathtaking beauty of this recording are undeniable, and the mesmerizing atmospheric soundscapes of The Ha'yonah Ensemble have tremendous power to transport the listener.”

yonat rechokim

yirad libi

yedidi ha'shahacta

Sounds of Raj: Joy of Life

2009-12-11T10:03:00.000-08:00

This goes out to my peoples on Hanukkah.

The cover says:

“Sounds of Raj”

“Joy of Life”

“Classical authentic ethnic tunes”

Special thanks to the Contentious Centrist for translating the Hebrew on the cover. I had no idea what the name of this band was.

Sounds of Raj are Indian Jews in Israel who play some serious Judaic music with classical Indian vocalization and instruments like the tabla and harmonium. I had the chance to listen these guys jam at the Indian synagogue in Yeroham with about twenty friends and colleagues.

Yeroham is a “development town” in the Negev desert which is not nearly as sexy as Tel Aviv or devout as Jerusalem. It’s basically a place in the middle of nowhere in the minds of many Israelis. I really like the people I met there. Good folks.

Song 6

Song 4

Song 2

Steve Reich: Founding father of minimalist music.

2009-12-11T09:04:00.000-08:00

Steve Reich been around for a long time, and in the time, he's released a lot of material. As a composer, he helped lay the foundation for minimalist music...taking short loops and slowly modifying and altering the way the sound as they repeat over and over, creating longer pieces composed of just a few bars of actual music stitched together, layered over each other, and subtly manipulated. By using this seemingly simple technique, he's created varied compositions that range from highly intense and emotionally charged to more subdued and calming. The two samples below show the stylistic diversity just mentioned, "Third Movement Part One" from "The Desert Music" has a more traditional classical music style while "Different Trains: America - Before the War" from "Different Trains + Electric Counterpoint" has an energy that drives the composition forward and creates a wonderful sense of tension.

Steve Reich - Third Movement Part One (from "The Desert Music")

Steve Reich - Different Trains: America - Before the War (from "Different Trains + Electric Counterpoint")

Tank: Filth Hounds of Hades LP (1982)

2009-12-10T15:14:00.000-08:00

Tank are one of those New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) bands that did not receive as much attention in the U.S. as groups like Iron Maiden or Judas Priest. I'm not sure if that's because their albums were imports and cost a good deal more than domestic imprints or what.

I remember going to Rockpile Records in Goleta with my brother every few weeks to dig through their bins of imports to see what rarities we could find. We would also hit up the long haired dude who worked there (I think he was the owner) for his suggestions. I can't recall his name after all these years.

After discovering Tank, I played the shit out of this album pretty much every day when I was in seventh and eighth grade and it still rocks just as hard all these years later. Motorhead's guitarist, Fast Eddie Clark, produced the LP. So if you like Motorhead, you will like this.

Download here.

The lineup on this album is Algy Ward on bass and vocals, Peter James Brabbs on guitar, and Mark Arthur Brabbs on drums. Ward also played bass on the Damned's "Machine Gun Etiquette" (1979). This is the classic configuration and the only one that matters to me. The 12" single with "Don't Walk Away" and "Hammer On" released in 1981 is excellent. Anything released after this album (1982) is not nearly as interesting or as good.

Song List:

"Shellshock" – 3:10
"Struck by Lightning" – 3:10
"Run Like Hell" – 3:40
"Blood, Guts, and Beer" – 3:42
"That What Dreams Are Made Of" – 5:32
"Turn Your Head Around" – 3:25
"Heavy Artillery" – 3:28
"Who Needs Love Songs" – 3:06
"Filth Hounds of Hades" – 3:56
"(He Fell in Love with a) Stormtrooper" – 5:17

Tank: Run Like Hell

Tank: Turn Your Head Around

BONUS: Tank: Don't Walk Away (from 12" EP)

Sparklehorse + Fennesz: In the Fishtank 15

2009-12-10T09:43:00.000-08:00

I'm a huge fan of both Sparklehorse and Fennesz individually, so what could bring more joy to my little heart than hearing that they participated in Konkurrent's ongoing "In the Fishtank" series/experiment! If you're familiar with both artists, you pretty much get what you expect, slow, effects laden guitars and vocals from Mark Linkous with slow, effects laden electronic soundscapes from Christian Fennesz. The songs go back and forth from being more Fennesz like to more Sparklehorse like (the last two songs are titled "Mark's Guitar Piece" and "Christian's Guitar Piece"), but that's fine by me. The little touches each one puts on the other's music is quite enjoyable to the ears.

Sparklehorse + Fennesz - If My Heart (from "In the Fishtank 15")

Sparklehorse + Fennesz - Shai Halud (from "In the Fishtank 15")

Down Review: It's like being wrapped in warm, electronic blanket.

2009-12-09T09:51:00.000-08:00

How do you make music together without ever meeting or even speaking together? I'm not sure, but for Down Review, it doesn't seem to matter. Copious layers of soothing electronic elements blip, bloop, and glitch their way to an EP of mellow chilled out music. While I don't think their style or approach is anything ground breaking, it's still an almost perfect example of how to create an intelligent EP showcasing what can be done with a minimalist approach to the electronica genre. You can download their EP (in lossless format too!) for 4 bucks here, well worth it in my opinion.

Down Review - Archive (from "From Here, For Anyone" EP)

Dreaming of Tanks: When you dream, dream of destruction.

2009-12-08T08:25:00.000-08:00

Dreaming of Tanks is a San Diego band that has released one album many years ago (you can email them from their website to see if you can snag a copy, not sure if it'll work, but what do you have to lose!?), played a handful of shows in the mid 2000s, disappeared for 2 years, came back for a couple shows, and now....who knows? It's a shame too, because they're really, really good. A touch of post-hardcore swirled with some interesting guitar and bass work (think late era Fugazi), Dreaming of Tanks is a band that could have been bigger if things fell their way. But I'll take a few great songs from an amazing band over nothing any day of the week.

Dreaming of Tanks - We Saw (from "Abacus")

Quality Country from Heather Waters

2009-12-08T08:10:00.000-08:00

Here is one of many alt-country singer/songwriter types that doesn’t get the attention deserved. You know Country radio is in a bad state when a singer like Heather Waters is too “out there” to get any significant rotation.

Waters tried to make it in Nashville for a few years before coming out to Los Angeles to record her “Shadow of You” record in 2004, which picked her up some decent press in the independent music world. She released “Propeller” in 2008, and continues to hit the road, playing accessible country music even scensters can enjoy.

Turn (from “Shadow of You”)

Six Organs of Admittance: In memory of Jack Rose.

2009-12-07T09:15:00.000-08:00

I'm straying from what I was going to post this morning to someone who can and will carry on the legacy of Mr. Rose's avant-acoustic-psychedelia. I first witnessed Ben Chasny (the brains behind Six Organs of Admittance) wail like none other in a tiny house show in Santa Cruz playing with Comets on Fire. The entire band played like men possessed for 2 hours, hitting the small crowd with wave after wave of intense freaked out blues-tinged psych-rock. To this day it's one of the best concerts I've ever attended.

If Comets on Fire is a way for Ben Chasny to get out his aggression and rage, Six Organs of Admittance is a way for him to reflect and look inward. Pensive acoustic dirges are the norm, from short little interludes to half an hour opuses, Chasny's acoustic guitar and occasionally haunting vocals leave the listener in a state of peace and calm. I encourage you to seek out any and all albums by this prolific artist.

Six Organs of Admittance - Saint Cloud (from "School for Flowers")

Six Organs of Admittance - The Ballad of Charley Harper (from "Luminous Night")

Jack Rose - RIP

2009-12-07T02:03:00.000-08:00

Avant Ghetto has brought to my attention that Jack Rose has died of a heart attack. Jack started out in a drone band called Pelt back in the 90s, but had developed a sizable reputation for his ragtime-meets-psychedelic solo records. Three Lobed Recordings released a bulk of his recordings, like Rose’s excellent Black Dirt Sessions. Arthur magazine has some good videos of Rose live.

Here are two great tracks from Jack. The first is from the Black Dirt Sessions, the second from his Red Horse, White Mule record.

Dusty Grass

Dark was the night, Cold was the ground

Weekly Recap

2009-12-07T01:19:00.000-08:00

Another good week for tunes here at Some Lost, Some Found. Our traffic has been picking up significantly over the last couple of days, so people seem to be digging what we are doing around these parts.

If you have released some music, or know of some tunes that you think should get some more attention, feel free to email us a link to their location or post it in the comments section bellow a post.

Here is what we covered this week.

1. The new EP from the Sad Bastard Book Club.
2. The good 'Let it Be' by the Replacements.
3. Touch and Go's All the Saints.
4. Pop music from His and Her Vanities.
5. New Wave from Glasgow's The Blue Nile.
6. Classic splatter-rock from the Accused.
7. Dance-punk from the New Young Pony Club.
8. Skate-punk from Arizona's JFA.

JFA: Untitled LP (1984)

2009-12-06T13:22:00.000-08:00

JFA (Jody Foster’s Army) are classic skate punk from Arizona, land of mammoth full pipes and endless ditches. This LP was mandatory listening for skate punks back in the day and still takes me back to 10^th grade when the ramp scene was really happening in S.B.“The Day Walt Disney Died” is one of my favorite punk tunes. So grab your board and drop in, dude.

Download the album here.

The Band:
Brian Brannon, vocals
Don Redondo, guitar
Michael Cornelius, bass
Mike "Bam Bam" Sversvold, drums

Song List:

1. Deltitnu
2. Tentpeg
3. Aba
4. It's Not Right
5. The Day Walt Disney Died
6. Standin' On The Verge
7. I Love Broads
8. Ramp Song
9. Pipetruck
10. Zimbobway
11. Untitled

[This pic was taken some time after the "Untitled" LP was released]

JFA: Deltitnu/Tentpeg

JFA: The Day Walt Disney Died

JFA: Ramp Song

New Young Pony Club: Dance punk that gets stuck right in your head.

2009-12-04T14:53:00.000-08:00

England's New Young Pony Club is simply a joy to the ears and feet. Infectious beats with a multitude of layers, it's hard not to get caught up with different aspects of each song every time you listen to them. The lyrics aren't Shakespearean by any means, but when you have music that's this fun to listen to, do you want something to make you think or something to make you smile even more? For me...I'd take the latter any day of the week. It seems they have a new album in the works, which is nice since they've only put out one LP and that was 2 years ago.

NYPC - The Bomb (from "Fantastic Playroom")

NYPC - The Get Go (from "Fantastic Playroom")

The Accüsed: More Fun Than an Open Casket Funeral LP (1987)

2009-12-04T14:48:00.000-08:00

[Front cover by S. Clay Wilson]

[Back cover]

The Accüsed--Blaine Cook on vocals, Tommy Niemeyer on guitar, Alex "Maggot Brain" Sibbald on bass and Dana Collins on drums-- are seriously out there on some other shit. Described as thrash, crossover, slasher-punk, horror-core, and a variety of other terms by the uninitiated, they call their music "splatter-rock". Screeching vocals, chugging guitar, rumbling bass and pounding drums, what else do you want?. Don't fight it. Just sit back, listen and enjoy.

Better known for their mascot, Martha Splatterhead (think of a more brutal and female version of Iron Maiden's Eddie), the artwork on this album is by S. Clay Wilson who did the illustrations for the "Checkered Demon" comics (seen in lower-right corner of the front cover).

I had the opportunity to see these guys in 1989 (1990?) at the Hollywood Palladium with headliners Excel (from Venice, CA) and a local Santa Barbara speed-metal band called Kronix who opened up. It was an awesome show. I'm still searching for live footage. If you have any, please make a comment.

Download the whole album here.

Song List:

1.	Halo of Flies (The Deadly Blessing)	03:11
2.	W.C.A.L.T. (We Can All Live Together)	01:47
3.	Rape (Not a Love Song)	04:03
4.	Lifeless Zone	02:50
5.	Scotty	02:49
6.	Devil Woman	04:28
7.	Bethany Home (A Place to Die)	03:18
8.	Mechanized Death (I Love to Drive)	01:21
9.	S.H.C.	00:51
10.	Judgement Day	02:24
11.	Take No Prisoners (No One Left Alive)	03:11
12.	Splatter Rock	03:23
13.	Septi-Child	01:42
14.	I'll Be Glad When You're Dead	01:49

!!!TURN IT UP!!!

Accüsed: Halo of Flies (The Deadly Blessing)

Accüsed: W.C.A.L.T. (We Can All Live Together)

Accüsed: Bethany Home (A Place to Die)

Tinseltown in the Rain

2009-12-03T09:36:00.000-08:00

Initially recorded to demonstrate the capabilities of Linn Electronics high end equipment, Glasgow’s The Blue Nile’s “A Walk Across the Rooftops” become a bit of a critic's hit back in 1984, and showcases some of the best 80s New Wave. Unfortunately, the record didn't sell as well as many of its contemporaries. The band would go on to record a few more records, but nothing topped the quality and ingenuity of this piece. It would be copied over and over again throughout the decade by less capable bands, but it continues to stand out as one of the better New Wave recordings released.

Tinseltown in the Rain

His and Her Vanities: So what if they're from WI, it's good music.

2009-12-03T09:22:00.000-08:00

Ok, so maybe His and Her Vanities aren't the most prolific artists, they've had 3 albums in the past 8 years or so and have been around for even longer, but they make catchy crunchy pop music laced with elements of the NYC garage band scene from so many moons ago and Talking Headsesque New Wave style (especially on their earlier stuff). It's hard not to get excited hearing something so refreshingly...well...retro (is early to mid 2000s retro already?) in a non-ironic way. You can get their album direct from their label here.

His and Her Vanities - Agenda (from "The Mighty Lunge")

His and Her Vanities - Fragments (from "The Mighty Lunge")

All the Saints: Deep Southern boys making deep psychedelic music.

2009-12-02T10:35:00.000-08:00

There are a few labels that just know music, and Touch andGo is one of those labels. For the last 30 years they've been a tour de force in the indie world. I bring you one of their newer acts today in All the Saints. Hailing from Alabama and Mississippi, and currently operating out of Georgia, this 3 piece group eschews traditional Southern values (in my stereotypical reading of the South at least) to churn out heavy, fuzzed-out, psychedelic laced hard rock that doesn't veer too far off the edge. While I feel the quieter numbers (like the slow building "Outs") tend to get out classed by the faster and heavier songs, I think that's more a testament to the power the band can possess and not a knock on their prowess to craft mellower jams.

All the Saints - Farmecia (from "Fire on Corridor X)

All the Saints - Papering Fix (from "Fire on Corridor X)