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Akuyou create a raw and chaotic listening experience with their eponymous debut, each track a testament to the expansive religious power of noise. A weird and experimental rock album if there ever was one, Akuyou weaves a tapestry of desperately furious sound. With an interconnected song structure, held together with an ambient schizophrenia of blanket noise, Akuyou rocks, and trips, out. Strange moments seem to be a theme of Akuyou’s. On Pokhara, lead singer Clara Clamp screams passionately through the majority of the track. Finally, in the last few seconds of the track, a peaceful piano moment, accompanied with a silky vocal line. Alright, not the first time an artist cut to the extreme to be impactful, but what’s different here is textural. There’s a strong drone ideology to this album. Artificially generated sound washes, covering all, like a good noise-rock band should. This makes that moment of bliss pop out even harder. That may be the only peaceful moment with Akuyou. It seems Clamp and Chee like it heavy.
The album can be broken down into three component factors. The first is the hostile, ambient takeover of heavily distorted guitar. It chainsaws through a mixture of tremolo picking, and long held out feedback. It’s loud, it’s raw. The next factor is the percussion. The drum work on Akuyou ranges from post-punk rock out, to disconnected ambient hits. The percussion can propel, or accent the sound depending on the mood of Akuyou. Finally, the vocals of Clamp. Clamp falls somewhere between Siouxsie and Diamanda Galas. In the majority of her work she has a husky, sometimes jazzy, and artfully flat sound. On occasion, like in Pokhara, her voice can become a sinister and malevolent weapon. It suggests a punk background, and perhaps some official vocal training. Clara Clamp and Kim Chee have produced this first Akuyou album with an affection that’s palpable. From the hand drawn artwork of Clamp, to every strained over note produced through the musicianship of Chee. This is about as underground as they come, and I can’t see this album ever seeing a larger production run than a thousand copies. However, what this album might lack in funding, or distribution, it surely makes up for in heart. I’ll be more than proud to spin Akuyou at my station. Keep it up kids.
Duane Raider (January 2010)
There’s a serious call these days for a banjo and mandolin to entertain the youth. The emergence of classical folk and country is both inspirational and dirty. I say inspirational because country/folk here in America has by and large become a stale top 40 game of wannabe rock stars and fake ass divas. I love the old shit, and I think most of my generation feels the same. That’s why we're seeing this pull for the old style of folk. Bands like The Crux are filling a gap left in our hearts when “Roping the Wind” became the standard country sound. I thank them for that.
The Crux’s debut album “Now, Ferment” is a blend of all the influences we hear in this emergent genre. The almost punk beat drumming, with a good dollop of that driving train engine sound, a slew of classical instruments, from mandolin to banjo, and let’s not forget the dirty. I’ve hosted folk/punk bands from all over the Northwest at my house, and I can tell you this. They all dig the vegan cooking, and they revel in the natural feeling of being filthy, God bless ‘em. And why not? It’s a philosophy of low-fi standards, DIY fashion, and anti-corporate fetishism. The idea of a jug of wine, a fiddle, and some good people being all we need for good times.
The Crux has a winner here with “Now, Ferment”. It runs the gamut of folk style, from floor stomping barn burners like “Every Crooked Finger”, to sad blues numbers like “The House of The Clinging and The House of The Gentle”. We have even got a drunken sing along with “Goodbye Madgie, Goodbye”. There is some mighty fine harmonica harping on “Clown and Bard”, courtesy of a Mr. Justin Walters, and we got a chorus of pirates chipping in for “Every Crooked Finger”. I keep coming back to that track, and sure enough it’s my favorite on “Now, Ferment”. “Every Crooked Finger” is a grimy, fast paced brawler. I could easily listen to this track while kicking ass in some pub, half gone on Jack, and full of ire.
The Crux has created an impressive debut album. "Now, Ferment" can not only hold it’s own in the field of modern folk, but it’ll surely drink your album under the table while doing so.
Kudos cats. Keep it up.
Duane Raider (December 2009)
The mind reels in horror, eyes exploding and faces melting from the sheer force of brutality emanating from your speakers. To say Howl’s three track pre-release is anything less than the musical equivalent of a blunt object to the face would be a disservice to the band and the writer. With a style equal parts sludge, black, and stoner metal, Howl expertly navigates the various sects of the church of metal while retaining a sound that’s truly inspired. If Matt Pike and Troy Sanders created a pig-demon baby, and let it play guitar on piles of bleached skulls, it might sound like Howl.
Though only three tracks, this debut pre-release EP thrills and titillates. From The first track 'Oma,' Howl establishes themselves as masters of a groove riff. Slowly winding out in a heavy, swaying, stoner fashion, 'Oma' experiences a drop in tempo from the last minute out to the end. This down tuned slow-down, reminiscent of Botch’s 'Hutton’s Great Heat Engine,' gives a dazzling sludge finish to this heavy track. The energy doesn’t die there, however, as 'And The Gnawing' pulls Howls proverbial dick out of the dirt with a jump in tension and energy.
On a level of pure musicality, Howl can make this music nerd grin. Tight as shit drumming pumps through the band’s veins. The dual guitar work, although often laying down a solo, never detracts from the overall vibe of each track. A bestial vocal sound that, nonetheless, finds the room to fit nicely into a harmony or two. Such awareness, from each member, of the wholeness of sound can only come from a lack of douche bag ego getting in the way of finished product. A philosophy of music before musician.
The only downside is, and I know it’s been said, the length. I want more. What a tease! This is of course, a pre-release. A sampler from Relapse to excite its audience into frenzy. For more we just have to wait for the debut full length. I can only hope we’re not waiting for too long.
Duane Raider (October 2009)
Holy Shit! This is awesome! I could end it there, but it’s generally better to say a few things, get us all on the same page, that sort of thing. No Made Sense? Where the hell have they been? Here I am, skimming through metal day in, day out. Always looking for the new rad for the station, and, like fucking left field, bam! Hello? What’s this here? No Made Sense! You best recognize!
And now the review I intended to do when I started this rant. Research, for me, has turned up most of fuck all on this band. That doesn’t matter. I can tell you this is perhaps the most impressive metal album I’ve heard all year. It soars in complexity, yet keeps my head banging with a steady enjoyable groove. “The Epillanic Choragi” somehow manages to make a nine minute song feel metal radio friendly, and that’s no small feat for any band.
This UK outfit has mastered the art of the open fist, in that, like a ninja, they’ve raped and pillaged my brain meats with fury and stealth before I ever knew what hit me.
Ostensibly, "The Epillanic Choragi", is the story of Syr Azure’s fight to save his home planet Milachis. I don’t understand the story, nor does anyone else it seems. However, just having that story sticks "The Epillanic Choragi’s" paws deep into a fantasy metal theme, and that puts a big fat smile on my geek face. These brutal vocals, dissonant and beautiful guitar riffs are all present sans wanker posing. Such heavy drums, yet how they can drop so low in intensity is baffling. I’m getting romantic about this album. It’s kind of sick.
This is like the first time hearing Mastodon, Baroness, or High On Fire. It brings a tear to my eye, and a bang to my head. Bang to my head? Yeah…Yeah, I’ll go with that. If there’s any part of you that loves metal, then hear me now! Steal your mother’s purse, sell your sperm, rob a liquor store, work a steady job, whatever. Get some money together and pick up “The Epillanic Choragi” by No Made Sense!
Duane Raider (September 2009)
San Francisco has long been known as a major contributor to Indy freak outs, and Battlehooch more than does the city proud. Incredible! Really amazing. "Piecechow", the debut album from Battlehooch, is a work of art, with blasting power-pop saxophones, and heavenly vocal harmonies. I'm reminded of Beefheart, Shock Headed Peter, and a slew of other bands that have blown my mind. Did someone slip me acid? I'm listening to this, and I get the impression that someone might have.
"Piecechow" opens with what sounds like a live street recording. Chattering people, the noise of a bustling metropolitan street in the background. Then, slam, right into "The Special Place". Battlehooch believe in street performing as a means of reaching their audience in a more direct and personal fashion. The opening seems to emphasize the importance the band places on this performance style.
From "The Special Place" on, "Piecechow" seems to be more studio oriented. There's a cohesion between tracks, as they seamlessly blend into each other. A couple of instrumentals, like "Chuur", help to keep the fluidity of this meshing. In the dual track "Fishmilkery" and "Fishmilk" the precision of track blending is at its finest.
"Looks You Can't See" closes the album off with a bombastic sound flourish. The feeling is wistful, a vibe of big band and classic brit pop. In the last minute of the track the guitar fuzz picks up, and carries us to the final five part vocal harmonies.
Ranging from psychedelic freak outs to R&B, 60's pop to heavy guitar rock, "Piecechow" is about as experimental as the Big Bang. Exploratory in a way that is truly exciting and refreshing. Never bland, always energetic. Buy "Piecechow"!
Duane Radier (July 2009)
Utterly vile and disgusting! Violent and depraved! This is everything I’m looking for in a sludge-death metal band. Fuck yeah Nekkrosis! I love watching the live Nekkrosis videos. There’s this caged intensity from the vocalist Griff. Like a rabid badger. The eyes of Nol the bassist get all crazy as he screams along and waves his tongue ala Gene Simmons, but way more badass.
A de-tuned onslaught from start to finish, with a lyrical content that could make even the most jaded death metal fan blush. “Technotic Subversion” gang beat me in front of my mother’s house, and then sacrificed my corpse to Satan. No lie, true story. The steady massive grind of instrumentation underlines the evil sounds coming out of Griff's throat. “Technotic Subversion” has that kind of vocal styling that ranges from demonic, to the squeal of pigs. There’s groove here, too. Enough to please an auditorium full of Pantera t-shirts and Sepultura ball caps. Nekkrosis still keeps the technical, math underpinnings that have been a trademark of a great modern death metal act. Botchified and deep-fried. In “Death is a sexual preference” we hear an almost progish intro, complete with, yes; a ringing gong, magnificently offsetting the following blast beats.
Nekkrosis has range, as well as style. Well crafted transitional pieces create an admirable flow to “Technotic Subversion”. The monologue in “Re-animated flesh”, the school bells in “Ye Olde Skool Slaughter”, the aforementioned gong in “Death is a sexual preference” and “Technotic Subversion” all have a flow and groove rare to this genre.
This marks the first full length recording for Nekkrosis, and it’s been an epic one. One can only hope to hear such malevolence and craftsmanship from them in all their future endeavors.
Duane Raider (September 2009)
Church of Misery steals the stoner metal crown with "Houses of the Unholy". This selection of seven horrifying tracks, all about serial killers and the metal bands that love them, rips into the ether with groove and terror. The list of lyrical influences reads like a guest list for Charles Manson's birthday party, while the music slams with the abrasion of fuzz and fury one can only pray for.
'El Padrino', an eerie piece about Adolfo de Jesus Constanzo, sets a creepy tone for the rest of the album. It begins with huge sustained guitars over a steady, menacing kick drum. Underneath this we hear what appears to be a news broadcast describing a grizzly crime scene. "Police exhume thirteen mutilated bodies just miles from the Texas border. One of the victims is American college student Mark J. Kilroy. His brain has been removed..." etc. It grabs and shakes the spinal cord in horror. Try listening to this track walking home late at night. Scary shit for sure.
'Houses of the Unholy' ranges from the sludge metal of 'El Padrino', to the up tempo rockers like 'Shotgun Boogie', or 'Born to Raise Hell'. Named after the tattoo of Richard Speck's that eventually led to his capture, 'Born to Raise Hell' sways with the soul of a number one bar thumper turned evil.
Malevolence drips from every inch of Fukasawa's voice on 'Houses of the Unholy'. How could anyone say Church of Misery's influences stop short of 1980? There's so much more brutality, so much more heaviness and mayhem than was ever conceived by the BOC's or Sabbath's of yore.
Marijuana, or Taima, wasn't an illegal substance in Japan until 1948. It was, in fact, the occupational government of General Macarthur, worried about GI's developing drug habits, that created the Hemp Control Act. Before 1948, there had never been any restriction on Taima, it was widely known for its medical purposes, and it grew prevalently on all of the islands. Since then, laws have become more restrictive, and a small possession charge can bring a sentence of life imprisonment. With this in mind, it becomes easy to understand the emergence of Stoner Metal/Rock with the Japanese. Easy to see the stance of rebellion associated with substance abuse that would create this hardcore counter-culture. A movement reflected by bands like Green Milk From The Planet Orange, Boris, DMBQ, and Church of Misery.
Of these, Church of Misery is holding top spot for hardcore stoner metal madmen.
Duane Raider (August 2009)
Steeped in technical musicianship and a flair for composition, Revocation’s "Existence is Futile" strides confidently through the halls of death / thrash metal. Revocation's Relapse records debut release expands on former efforts in both songwriting and production quality. Since the groups inception as Cryptic Warning, they’ve maintained a well deserved reputation as being tech metal virtuosos. Now, with "Existence is Futile," Revocation has proven themselves capable of both virtuosic guitar work and a flair for captivating musical structure.
“Existence is Futile” demonstrates guitarist Davidson’s knowledge of a fretboard in every track and the uncanny tightness of bassist Buda and drummer Dubois-Coyne. In 'Pestilence Reigns,' we can hear an almost blissful chord progression throughout that’s made no less appealing or poignant from the thunderous drumming. Tracks like 'Leviathan Awaits' and 'Existence is Futile' break away from blistering fast songwriting to offer moments of violent sway. A groove mastered, but not deterring from the overall technical theme. 'The Tragedy of Modern Ages' brings that idea back for a close to “Existence Is Futile” that’s truly epic.
Revocation has honed their sound to a sharpness almost unparalleled in modern technical metal. This precise and huge sound is impressive by any standards. "Existence is Futile" is an excellent album not to be missed by fans of tech, death, thrash metal or air guitar!
Duane Raider (October 2009)
in order for your average human to produce a work like this, time travel, alchemy, and gamma rays may be required. mayer hawthorne is not your average human. he's a bespectacled musical genius with the voice of a cherub and the fashion sense of bobby darrin. he begins the album with a velveteen layered vocal piece remnant of the beach boys. his falsetto is more like smokey robinson's though, in that there's nothing boyish about it. there's a resonating airiness, like a low flute, that speaks of maturity and deliberation. the second track is the title track and it wastes no time in propelling you headfirst into a calculated, sincere onslaught of songs steeped in complexity, humor, honesty, and love. slow and steady rhythms are complimented by occasional syncopation and the melody lines are sensible and unpredictable in a way that redefines the phrase "by the book." this pattern continues with track three, "Just Ain't Gonna Work Out", also released as a 7" heart shaped single. (worth picking up if you can find it, the vinyl also includes a b-side not available on the album, "When I Said Goodbye.") "Just Ain't Gonna Work Out" is a ballad built to let her down easy. it teaches us how cool it can be to be warm blooded, and captures the heartbreak endured when you have to let someone know that, even though they like you, they are not the one.
the following track on the album is a noteworthy cover of the new holidays "Maybe So, Maybe no". this is also the point on the album where he starts to rev the engine so to speak. a valid track in it's own right, on the album if felt more like a necessary boost in tempo to get the listener ready for track five. "Your Easy Lovin' Ain't Pleasin' Nothin'" is the stand out track on the first half of the album, if the not the whole thing. Bringing to mind such hits as Jackie Wilson's "Higher and Higher" or Marvin Gaye's "Ain't That Peculiar", the rhythm of this song will have you intuit the movements necessary to perform the boogaloo. whilst shaking thine hips, you'll hear a young man's desperate pleas to his lover, beckoning her to give up some booty. "A Strange Arrangement" picks up again with the ninth song on the release, "The Ills". it lists "the ills" of the world: war, poverty, hunger, natural disasters. hawthorne reassures us that although they can "get [us] down, [we] get back up." the finale of the album is "Green Eyed Love". this is a slow jam with a heavy funk factor. Not dissimilar to the works of D'angelo, this falsetto ballad should be released as an eighty minute extended version of the track and come with a box of condoms and a bottle of wine. all and all, every track on the album is good, if not great. if you get it, you'll be listening to it for years. instant classic.
- Javier Ryan AKA Rob Peoples (September 2009)
When I first met Jonah Bechtolt of YACHT, he ran into the audience at a house show, grabbed my hand and formed a circle. “Everybody dance!” he shouted. So we all got down to The Blow, a project from K Records he used to share with Khaela Maricich. As the beats man for her project, Bechtolt helped create one EP and one full-length album that reached considerable success, due in large part to his bold, glitch-pop style. These layered yet simplistic beats lent themselves well to Maricichs quiet, sassy vocals, but his talents are best on display beside Claire L. Evans in YACHT.
Their latest album, “See Mystery Lights” marries the high pitches and hand claps of Bechtolt’s twee pop background with Evans’ full and confident sound. In “The Afterlife,” she sings inspirational words to feed the minds of the kids dancing in the clubs, while Bechtolt entertains their feet.
In “I’m In Love With A Ripper,” it is as though Bechtolt’s summoning the vocals of Duran Duran, set to a quicker beat with a modern backbone. Their songs are sprinkled with choral completeness, bass drums and repetition, just to make sure it sticks in their audience’s heads. Even when they slow it down, they immediately speed it back up, warning everyone to protect themselves from “digital decay.”
This is the fourth of YACHT’s full-length releases, and its seniority is as clear as the eyes on its cover. Though she has appeared on previous albums, Evans full investment in the project balances Bechtolt’s spastic tempo changes, creating a smoother groove. Between the two of them, “See Mystery Lights” captures a Polaroid of contemporary dance pop. YACHT has compiled the last 25 years worth of pop music’s best attributes onto a ten song disc, looked it’s listeners in the eyes as if to say, “Everybody dance.”
-Jenn Johnson, AKA DJ JENN (September 2009)
Over the past 15 years Bill Frisell has become THE voice of American guitar music. His singular tone is at once earthy and urban. He has an uncanny ability to play other artists' music while leaving his indelible mark on it, whether the source material is Miles Davis or Madonna. He can and has played with a wide range of musicians, from John Zorn to Elvis Costello, Ginger Baker to Lucinda Williams. His own albums run the gamut from bluegrass to R&B, straight ahead jazz to experimental noise. Frisell's newest album as leader, History, Mystery, while spanning the many genres he has explored in his career, showcases his skills as contemporary composer, expert arranger, and sympathetic player.
Most of the compositions on this 90-minute double disc come from two suites, a collaboration with visual artist Jim Woodring entitled Mysterio Sympatico and the score of the NPR series Stories from the Heart of the Land. Though recorded live, the album works more like a studio album. The songs are seamlessly strung together, with motifs reappearing throughout, the noir tango of "Probability Cloud" or the cowboy romp "Monroe," taken here at paces ranging from slow to crawling. There are a few tunes that Frisell has recorded before, and a couple covers including Thelonious Monk's "Jackie-ing," Boubacar Traore's "Baba Drame," Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come," and Lee Konitz's "Sub-Conscious Lee." Frisell's sparse and unselfish arrangements unify the disparate themes, genres, and recording dates. Short pieces of Frisell's wistful echo effects accompanied by the string section of Eyvind Kang, Jenny Scheinmann, and Hank Roberts bridge some of the longer tunes. All eight players have either played with each other or Frisell in one context or another and are amazing at listening as well as playing; rarely does one voice stand out more than another. The exceptions are deliberate and astounding. Listen to Greg Tardy's tenor solo on "A Change Is Gonna Come." Elsewhere, everyone employs a keen sense of rhythm and pacing that emphasizes the space in Frisell's writing, American music of the last 200 years, and by extension, the American landscape.
The history of American music has always been Bill Frisell's canvas, and there is room on it for everything from country waltzes to carnival music to bebop. It is Frisell's unique timbre and sense of melody that keeps such dissimilar styles cohesive. Frisell once told Guitar Player magazine "for me, it's really important to keep the melody going all the time, whether you are actually playing it or not, especially when it's some kind of standard tune or familiar song form." It is not a coincidence that Frisell shares band mates, Tony Scherr on bass and Kenny Wolleson on drums, with Steven Bernstein and Sex Mob. Bernstein is also outspoken about the importance of holding onto something melodically familiar when exploring new musical territory. On History, Mystery, Frisell is able to conjure a familiarity while writing and playing decidedly new music. Bruce Springsteen, Ry Cooder, Neil Young and other stalwarts of American music have focused their attention lately on certain time periods or aspects of American history and its music to highlight their relevance today. Bill Frisell taps into a collective unconscious of the whole shebang, creating a collage of memory and imagination, nostalgia and excitement, the realities of our history and the mysteries of our future.
-Ben Weiss (May 2008)
The Accidental's There Were Wolves is an album of soothing British folk recently released in the states by Thrill Jockey records. While there are no apparent protest songs or traditional tunes, I hesitate to put any sort of modifier on the term folk, whether it be indie-, nu-, psych-, freak, post-, or -tronic. Experimental sure - there are percussive scrapes, dulcimer trills, odd chirps, and nebulous lyrics - this is not a Woody Guthrie album. But as this decade rolls on, and there are more bands that play vaguely similar music than we can call part of a movement, it is time to drop the über-hip labels. The pretty guitar lines, four-part harmonies, and subtle arrangements of There Were Wolves place this album firmly in folk territory. The fact that the album was made on a laptop in principal songwriter Stephen Cracknells front room only serves as a reminder that this is the 21st century, and computers are the campfires of the information age. Comprised of members from Tunng, The Memory Band, and The Bicycle Thieves, The Accidental is a British folk super group. It is a testament to each musician that the album sounds so natural and easy-going: everyone sings; the playing is relaxed; the songs are contained worlds, even in their mellow meanderings. The band is having fun, as is heard on "I Can Hear Your Voice" and "Time and Space." No one song particularly stands out as a hit, though on repeated listening, many of the tunes have parts that stick in your head and some of them are rather inviting to sing along to. There Were Wolves will not shake anything up in the music world, nor will it melt anyone's mind, but fans of Iron & Wine, Bert Jansch, and Tunng should take note. The Accidental has created a gorgeous album of creative and experimental music that will hopefully do more to blur the lines of contemporary folk than darken them.
-Ben Weiss (January 2008)
Russian Circles second album Enter comes from Chicago label, Flameshovel. Russian Circles is a three piece instrumental rock band from Chicago that seems to take a page from classical composition when creating their own epic progressive rock. Each song from 'Enter' has a cohesive blend of beautiful ambient melody and fierce driving thrash. The music of Russian Circles is hypnotic, captivating and one of my new favorite bands!
-Eli Hunt (May 2006)
Before becoming the most notorious criminal in the 20th century, Charles Manson was known as just another hippie singer/songwriter. The original freak-folk – the Manson family – would sit around and listen to Charlie interpret Revelations, regale them with his philosophy of Helter Skelter, and play his psych-folk guitar music. Manson was taught by a gangster how to play a steel guitar during one of his many prison stints before the Tate-LaBianca murders. Once outside, he felt his playing and songwriting needed to be heard. He fell in with the Beach Boys and Neil Young and even convinced Young and Dennis Wilson to pitch his songs to their record executives. Repeatedly denied recording contracts, Manson unleashed his most vitriolic threats and hatred upon the producers who turned him down. It became clear during the trial that Manson chose the Polanski/Tate house as the primary target because he believed Terry Melcher, the last record exec to refuse to release Manson’s music and previous owner of the home, still lived there.
Once the murders happened and the sensational trial began, the Performance label tried cashing in on the publicity, releasing a collection of Manson tunes called LIE: The Love And Terror Cult. Deemed tasteless and of poor quality, the album was not well received. Shortly after, Family Jams, another collection of Manson tunes was recorded and released by un-incarcerated "family" members, allegedly with the goal of using album sales to raise money for his defense. In 2003, People’s Temple released All The Way Alive, a collection of 12 Manson originals and a cover of Willie Nelson’s "Night Life" in a limited pressing. While many people will find the thought of listening to Manson a little disturbing, if not morally reprehensible, ESP-Disk’ has just released Sings, which combines the LIE: The Love And Terror Cult and All The Way Alive sessions. 36 years after the murders, with Manson refusing to appear at his latest parole hearing, we are finally approaching the time when we can separate the music from the man.
In a time when the hippie-collective aesthetic is enjoying a renaissance, it is more than a little fascinating to hear the Manson family sing, play and improvise. Manson’s song structures come from pop, rock and blues, and he plays a lot of major seventh chords, creating drones that are always on the verge of resolution. His voice is not terrible, and in the wake of Devendra Banhart, Entrance, Jandek, and others, it sounds comparably great. Tracks such as "Look At Your Game, Girl," "Arkansas," "Garbage Dump," and "Devil Man" display a real knack for songwriting. The really eerie parts of this album come in the form of family sing-alongs like "I’ll Never Say Never To Always," and Manson’s life-lessons, that one can picture being ingested by half-naked teenage girls on LSD. All-in-all, the music on this album is not as weird as one would expect; Manson fashioned himself a pop song writer, not a fringe lunatic. His actions were much more frightening than his music. Though Manson’s music may gain relevance with the current "freak-folk" movement, his horrific deeds and crazy behavior will never allow this album to be much more than a novelty.
-Ben Weiss (May 2006)
Not to rant, but Makasound continues to release Jamaican gold. In addition to their re-issues, the label has preserved Jamaican roots with their “Inna de Yard” series. These are recent recordings from some of Reggae’s greatest artists (Cedric “congos” Myton, Linval Thompson, Kiddus I) recorded in the yard of Earl “Chinna” Smith. These albums represent the roots and heart of reggae, how it started, in the yards around Kingston with guitars, Nyahbinghi drums, and harmony. These recordings are simple, perfect roots reggae. The most recent highlights an often underappreciated vocal group, The Viceroys. Formed in 1966, they recorded with Phil Pratt, Sly and Robbie, and Augustus Pablo among others. The trio’s first hit was “Hear made of Stone, “which re- appears on this recording stripped to its barest elements. The Viceroys were too often overshadowed by other multinational reggae artists of the time (e.g. Black Uhuru, Steel Pulse), but were very popular in Jamaica. This album is a great example of their simple roots style, excellent vocal harmonies, and biggest hits. Ranging from socially conscious (So Many Problems) to love songs (Last Night), with the exception of “My Mission is Impossible” this album is solid through and through. Highlights include “Shadrach, Meshach and Abendigo” and “Ya ho.” Roots fans rejoice.
-Jeff Piotkowski (May 2006)
This 25 year old alto player from the south coast of Massachusetts unleashes a monster of a debut album on the impressive regional label, Whaling City Sound. Marcus spent his formative years honing his chops in various jazz bands, jam bands, and bar bands. Now he leads a quartet through rarely charted territory. At first listen, most of MM4 may sound like rambling fusion, though after a few spins, one realizes that my "uncharted" metaphor does not hold true. Many of the tunes follow the customary jazz formula of head-solo-head. Marcus’ layered and heavily effected sax lines, and Pete Antunes’ arrhythmic breakbeats hide the fact that the tunes on MM4 are well-written jazz compositions. Marcus has one foot in Eddie Harris’ camp and another in Squarepusher’s. It is a rare talent to expose complex harmonies and syncopated melodies to a young, groove-oriented dance audience without losing the sense of swing and imagination that have propelled jazz for the last 100 or so years, and Marcus does just that. No tune is predictable, vamps do not overstay their welcome, and the dexterity of the talented musicians never dissolves into self-referential, look-ma-no-hands masturbation. Album highlights include the straight-ahead tune disguised as dance-fusion, "Resemblance," the frenetic and compelling "Lousy," the bluesy, musicians’ showcase "The Monteiro Backhand," and Marcus’ reverb-laden take on Paganini’s "Caprice No. 18." My favorite though is the final track, "Esoteric." Samples of a choir warp and give way to a percussive, drum n’ bass onslaught. Marcus states a theme and improvises with his horn and his pedals, making his sax sound like Jan Hammer’s assortment of keyboards circa The First Seven Days, while the sampled choir reappears and disappears again. Marcus's treatment of his sax makes it impossible to distinguish between the cascading layers of sound. By far the riskiest track on the album, "Esoteric" displays Marcus at the height of his explorations. On MM4 he shows he is not content to play straight jazz, nor rest on his musicianship and play dance music. By taking chances, using samples and effects, angering purists and jam lovers alike, Marcus Monteiro establishes himself as a musician to watch, one who hopefully will continue to push his own boundaries and those of the music he plays.
-Ben Weiss (May 2006)
I hold strong that true reggae music is strictly Jamaican (just like true bluegrass is Southern), and while modern reggae from white artists is technically similar and even has some evidence of “soul,” it will never be the same (these folk did not experience 1970s Kingston, or worse were orphaned like Leroy). I am happy for the positive vibe of folk like Matisyahu and Yonder Mountain String Band, but these are merely imitators, and not representatives. That being said, it’s increasingly frustrating to be a reggae purist (or a bluegrass purist) nowadays with an ever dwindling pool of new music, and dancehall not an option. BUT! France’s Makasound label is helping by consistently releasing high quality, uncommon albums from Jamaica’s golden age, as well as new material from greats recorded in Jamaica. Leroy Smart (“Ballistic Affair fame”), self proclaimed ‘Don’ is a fine example. This is great, political, social, and lovely reggae from 1975-78. Although not the smoothest vocalist or even lyrically diverse, this is an excellent representation of the time. Common themes of repatriation, living right in the face of poverty, and socialization pervade. Recorded with King Tubby at Channel One, this album is another solid release form one of the most important labels in Jamaican roots music today.
-Jeff Piotrowski (April 2006)
One of hip hop's dynamic duos return with their new album, Things Go Better With RJ And Al. This duo consists of producer, RJD2 and lyricist, Blueprint. Things Go Better With RJ and Al is the follow up to their 2003 release, 8 Million Stories. Soul Position creates dope beats and rhymes with a positive message.
-Eli Hunt (March 2006)
Ghostigital is Einar Örn of the Icelandic 80's group The Sugarcubes, which of course was fronted by Björk. Whether it was Björk's influence on Einar Örn or it's that all Icelandic people are crazy to begin with, Ghostigital is an eerie and bizaare (yes, even by Ipecac standards) blend of heavy electronic beats, new-wave and hip-hop. In Cod We Trust includes guest appearances by rapper, Sensational and fellow label mates Mugison and Dälek and many more.
-Eli Hunt (March 2006)
Axis Of Evol is the second release from Pink Mountaintops, who is fellow Jagjaguwar outfit, Black Mountain's frontman Stephen McBean. Stephen McBean, as Pink Mountaintops, creates music that is far off from Black Mountain's yet still creepily familiar. Pink Mountaintops, Axis Of Evol offers an extraordinary blend of dark psychedelic and hard driving rock n roll. Fans of Black Mountain, check this one out!
-Eli Hunt (March 2006)
James Yancey, aka J Dilla, aka Jay Dee was known throughout the hip-hop world as one of the greatest producers within the genre. On Donuts, J Dilla's second solo effort and final record is a diverse and ecclectic array of dope soul-funk hip-hop beats utilizing multiple samples. Sadly, J Dilla passed away Friday, February 10th 2006, just three days after the release of Donuts. J Dilla got his start with Ummah, A Tribe Called Quests production team and from then had a successful career producing beats for some of hip-hops greats such as Busta Rhymes, De La Soul, Common and Pharcyde.
-Eli Hunt (February 2006)
The Sword's debut album, Age Of Winters, from Kemado Records is the would be bastard child of Black Sabbath, Sleep, The Melvins and Fu Manchu if they had a drugged out orgy while playing Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering simultaneously. In other words, this is one of the best metal albums I have ever heard! Everything from the song titles to the lyrics to the 70's guitar-rock, metal laden riffs to the thunderous drums and the hollow, other-worldly chantting vocals make this album a true rock and roll classic.
-Eli Hunt (February 2006)
Before Colin Meloy stole the hearts of hipsters everywhere in his current project The Decemberists, he got his start right here in Missoula with Tarkio. Although Colin Meloy's signature vocal stylings remain the same, Tarkio's sound takes a more straightforward, folk rock sound to that of The Decemberists extravagant orhcestrated movements. Formed in 1997 and disbanded in 1999, Tarkio was a short lived project, yet Omnibus is a two disc complation spanning 27 tracks and two years of incredible music. This album is a must have for fans of The Decemberists.
-Eli Hunt (January 2006)
Sophomore effort from Rhymesayers Entertanment hip-hoppper, P.O.S., takes his music to a higer level. Maturing in self and musically P.O.S. new album, Audition, brings a more concise and abrassive feel to his music by blending elements of his "punk rock" past into his hip hop beats. P.O.S. is assisted by various artists on the new album ranging from members of Atmosphere, The Hold Steady, The Bouncing Souls and Doomtree.
-Eli Hunt (January 2006)
In lieu of the recent death of Guitar Wolf bassist, Hideaki Sekiguchi, comes a tribute album to the greatest Japanese rock band of all time by some of the greatest artists today. Such artists include Lightning Bolt, who cover "Planet Of The Wolves", Jim O'Rourke with his rendition of "Kaminari One", J Mascis And The Fog covers "Cyborg Kids" and even Japan's own Puffi Amiyumi contribute with "Can-Nana Fever". I'm not one for tribute albums or even cover songs for that matter, but this album is truly a honorable dedication to the life and music of Guitar Wolf.
-Eli Hunt (May 2005)
Canadian blues. Yes, Canadian. This disc is an example of the fresh stuff coming down from the North. Fauth is a distinctive singer, a stellar piano player, and most importantly, a great songwriter. Blues songwriting is an oft-overlooked art, and Songs of Vice and Sorrow puts the songs up front. There is a great story-telling tradition at work here. Murder, suicide, homelessness, parental death, and drugs are among the “standard” topics covered here. But they are not covered in the regular blues way. No two-repeated-lines- then-a-third-line-that-rhymes forms. Fauth and co-producer Andrew Galloway (also the owner of Electro-Fi Records) have made sure that this is something different. Paul Reddick, a Canadian songwriting blues guy himself, blows great harp on half the tracks. Legendary player Mel Brown contributes some fine guitar on one track. There are not a lot of shuffles, or any rock here. And that’s why I like it. In the liner notes, Fauth comments that his “lungs are full of tar, and (his) liver is ready for the frying pan,” a fact demonstrated on every song of this record. These blues stories lead you right to the door of the barrelhouse, then when you are peering in, they kick you in the ass, through the door, and into the room.
-Larry Hirschberg (October 2005)
Fans of DFA 79' will either love or hate this album. Romance Bloody Romance is a collection of remixes of a few tracks from DFA 79's last release, You're A Woman, I'm A Machine. The album also includes a previously unreleased track entitled, "Little Girl" and a cover of La Peste's "Better Off Dead". The greater portion of the record is comprised of four remixes of "Black History Month" and three remixes of "Romantic Rights". The remixes bring out the inherent danceability of DFA 79's original music by infusing it with musical stylings from discotech to house. I for one, am one of those fans who love it.
-Eli Hunt (October 2005)
Hailing from Chicago, Voltage is a two piece avant-garde, noise rock band compared to the likes of Hella and Don Caballero. Combining elements of jazz and classical compositions into their own electo-synth stylings, Voltage creates an intensely hypnotic wave of sound. Building The Bass Castle Vol. 1 is Voltage's first release on Chicago label Flameshovel and consists of only five tracks, none of which are titled. Both on stage and in the studio, Voltage utilizes a variety of self-modified instruments, laptop computers and home made synthisizers to create their unique sound. This album kicks ass!
-Eli Hunt (October 2005)
Contact us:
University Center Room 208
Missoula, MT 59812
Phone: (406) 243-6758
Studio Phone: (406) 243-6226
