- Administrator
- Albums and Singles
Twinsistermoon is the solo project of Natural Snow Buildings co-founder Mehdi Ameziane, and is subsequently the benefactor of the massive cult following that NSB has accrued since forming in 1997. With a string of limited releases on a variety of credible labels such as Blackest Rainbow and Digitalis, both Medhi and his counterpart Solange Gularte (who plays as Isengrind and did the full color original art for this Twinsistermoon release), have created an underground phenomenon that continues to craft some of the most forward thinking music in decades. Though impossible to categorize, Bogyrealm Vessels alternates between drone vignettes and Nico-esque psychedelic folk, whilst being threaded together by sci-fi motifs. The result is a landmark work from Twinsistermoon that is sure to be a contender for year-end lists.
More information here.
Read More
- Administrator
- Albums and Singles
Little Annie also known as Annie Anxiety, singer, writer, composer and against all odds, survivor, takes us on a crazy journey to Mexico to find something she lost in New York City - faith.
This is no trip to relax and find the missing 'peace', but a journey that would leave the healthiest person sinking into the golden beaches without a trace.
Paperback
110 pages text and b/w illustrations
Published by Exitstencil Press
Read More
- Administrator
- Albums and Singles
If he is known at all, Dave Soldier is known for a pair of reasonably high-profile conceptual conceits which got some press attention. The first was the Thai Elephant Orchestra, in which a group of actual elephants were trained and conducted to play gamelan-style percussion. It was a cute concept, and while the music itself was uninspiring, to the extent that it raised money or awareness for elephant conservation, I suppose it was a worthwhile idea. The second notable project was The People's Choice Music, which used the information from a survey of music likes and dislikes to arrive at two compositions: "The Most Wanted Song" and "The Most Unwanted Song." The most desirable song was a brief, catchy midtempo love song featuring piano and guitar, and the least desirable was a 25-minute opera-country-rap song with accordion and bagpipe. Again, a funny concept. I'm mentioning Soldier's past conceptual outings here in order to give some perspective on Soldier's oevre, because Da HipHop Raskalz is insipid, annoying and exploitative in a way that his previous projects only hinted at.
Part of the problem with the Outsider Music trend that has swept the indie scene over the past few years—promulgated by folks like Irwin Chusid and others—is that it often masks a sort of contempt for the naïve, deluded or mentally-challenged artists it claims to celebrate. For every Outsider musician who has passed into actual respectability, such as Jandek or Daniel Johnston, there are countless others whose sincere musical endeavors exist only to be enjoyed by jaded music snobs who claim that they appreciate the primitive qualities of the music, when in fact the real attraction is merely its novelty, or worse, the fact that it is a socially acceptable way to laugh at retards. Increasingly, the Outsider Music finding release seems to be exploitative in nature, constructed specifically in order to serve as fodder for the kind of people who appreciate Bum Fights videos. In the case of the hugely popular Langley Schools Music Project, at least the two LPs were sincerely undertaken efforts by a well-meaning music teacher, who did his best to get a group of untrained grade schoolers to perform serious versions of pop favorites.
The same can not be said for Da HipHop Raskalz, a cynical attempt to cash in on the Langley Schools' popularity, adding elements of race and poverty into the mix. Everyone loves those human interest stories on the news where a bunch of inner-city black kids, the kind who everyone assumes spend their time playing with dirty needles and discarded babies they find in the dumpster, get to go to the zoo or paint a big mural or something. Nobody ever asks what happens to these kids once they get thrown back into their presumably miserable lives, having served their purpose by contributing some ratings to the local news broadcast. This is the audio equivalent of one of those news stories, with the added pretension of Outsider Music. If there is anything that is funnier than a 350 lb. schizophrenic retard pushing the presets on a Casio keyboard and yelling about McDonald's, surely it's a bunch of inner-city kids whose minds can't understand the unintentional humor of lyrics such as: "T-rex is in the house/He's the king of the world/He's so bad, he eats his wife/He don't even care if his wife his cute."
Though the press material claims that the music collected on this CD "is often better made and nearly always fresher than that on the radio," the music here is about what is expected from a group of untrained 5-10 year olds. Most songs contain simple lyrics, silly sentiments, poor rhymes and a general lack of cohesive structure. If any of these kids were smart or talented enough to actually kick out some fresh rhymes or come up with interesting beats, Dave Soldier made sure to keep them off this record. Because there's nothing less funny than a kid who actually has musical talent, right? I mean, where's the fun in that? Soldier makes the outrageous claim that the instrumental and melodic lines here "seem inspired by everything from...Middle Eastern melodies to Sub-Saharan African tribal beats" (comparisons that seem vaguely exoticizing and racist in and of themselves), the music is in fact largely excruciating, canned-sounding beats and dull keyboard fills. There doesn't seem to be a toddler Timbaland among these kids, unfortunately.
At least Langley Schools was a project made 30 years ago, by people blissfully unaware that one day their music would be a highly salable commodity. When the nine-year-old Sheila Behman sang her haunting rendition of "Desperado," music fans took note because the girl actually had considerable vocal talent, not because of the "awww" factor, the novelty or because it was funny or embarassing. Da HipHop Raskalz doesn't work on this genuine level; it is a calculated and cynical attempt to create a ready-made collection of in-jokes for the WFMU crowd. Mike Lupica of WFMU has already declared "I Want Candy" by The Muffletoes to be "the greatest song of all time" (you can listen to the sample below and decide for yourself how hyperbolic this statement is). After listening to this in its entirety, I could only feel sorry for the kids involved. I hope they had fun recording these songs, and I really hope they never realize that they were tricked into turning themselves into a laughing stock for a bunch of jaded white record collectors.
samples:
- Chelsea & The Mighty Lions - T-Rex
- The Muffletoes - I Want Candy
- Franchize Children - Listen to the Children on the Radio
Read More
- Administrator
- Albums and Singles
"Goodbye To Old Friends" starts off like a Dear John letter meant for a lover, rapidly veering towards introspective self-degradation and depressive misery, Staples lowering himself to counting the beer bottles from the purposeless night before. As it progresses, however, the focus changes yet again, hinting at issues within the band that brought him to indie fame, and it becomes painfully clear that this is his universal kiss-off, an ode to everyone who matters and anyone who'll listen. Like a godless Nick Cave, Staples treads, guitar securely strapped to his back, through the murky swampwater of his emotions, attempting to press on with his life ("There Is A Path") or coming to terms with his teenaged mistakes ("Dance With An Old Man").
Unfortunately for him, Staples isn't the self-help book type, so this journey leads him not to redemption, but, rather, in hopeless circles. The most gut-wrenching point of this harrowing odyssey emerges on "One More Time", a ballad about that all too familiar scenario of getting back together, even just for one night. The chorus, appropriately delivered with female accompaniment, strips away the bullshit and touches on the common thread that holds together this fragile collection: loneliness. The concocted fantasy of abandoning a dissatisfying life, revealed on the album's powerful lead single "That Leaving Feeling", doesn't take into account just how helplessly dependent we all are on even the most unhealthy relationships we partake in. In the song's closing verse, Staples can't help but find an excuse to stay, citing loose ends and, absurdly, the weather, as if a sunnier day would somehow be more suitable for departure.
Though I'm hardly at the same point in my life that Staples is in his, I nonetheless find myself relating to his forlorn reminiscing and half-believed lamentations, a rarity in a genre where everyone wants to have something meaningful to sing about. Scores of songwriters pour their hearts out on record, lay it all on the table, and, honestly, I couldn't fucking care less. However, Leaving Songs combines genuine delivery and unpretentious lyrics that sting like bruises from a vaguely remembered barfight, making it one of the best albums I've heard all year.
samples:
Read More
- Diane Lewis
- Albums and Singles
samples:
Read More
- Carl Thien
- Albums and Singles
Read More
samples:
- Administrator
- Albums and Singles
samples:
Read More
- Administrator
- Albums and Singles
samples:
- Danelectro 1 (Q-Feel mix)
- Danelectro 2 (Nobukazu Takemura mix)
- Danelectro 3 (Kit Clayton mix)
Read More
- Administrator
- Albums and Singles
It's tough to try to talk about a release from the High Llamas without mentioning Stereolab, but when you've got Sean O'Hagen leading a chorus of girls singing pretty "la la"s combined with airborne melodies, loads of chimes and vintage organs, comparisons are as unavoidable as the moose standing in the middle of the highway as you barrel towards it at 65 miles per hour. I quite like this disc however.It provides an excellent Sunday brunch soundtrack, hungover as the bright sun bleeds in through the blinds. "Here, honey, how about a tall glass of orange juice with some fresh new High Llamas?!" Never too abrasive and not incredibly repetitious, the tempo and feel for nearly all of the songs strike a wonderful emotional chord. The album's sound features a gentle blend of vibes and processed guitars with a fondness of late 1960s soundtrack music. I appreciate the variety of instrumental, male and female vocal tracks as it does somewhat break up a certain monotony that would be there had they not done it.
samples:
Read More
- Administrator
- Albums and Singles
samples:
Read More