Released in 1973, this is the first CD version of this psychedelic pop album. Much of the inventive melodies, delicate harmonies, and breezy guitars are rooted in the '60s Western tradition but contain enough twists on the genre to give the tunes a subtly unique flavor. While not terribly groundbreaking, this album does hold the distinction of being the first available psychedelic album from Indonesia. |
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Released in 1973, this is the first CD version of this psychedelic pop album. Much of the inventive melodies, delicate harmonies, and breezy guitars are rooted in the '60s Western tradition but contain enough twists on the genre to give the tunes a subtly unique flavor. While not terribly groundbreaking, this album does hold the distinction of being the first available psychedelic album from Indonesia.
11605 Hits
It might seem like beating a dead horse to review something put out by Brainwashed, but I wouldn’t have bothered if this record wasn’t so addictive.
8338 Hits
The debut album from the latest Bad Seeds off-shoot is a breath of fresh air compared to the recent stodgy and MOR output of Nick Cave. What the Bad Seeds did years ago with the blues, Grinderman have done with garage rock. Eleven songs of no bullshit and no fucking about with song structures or melodies have resulted in an exciting album. To paraphrase Cave, Grinderman is old farts making music for old farts (and Martyn P. Casey's "I love Status Quo" haircut certainly backs up this statement). Well if this is growing old, then I cannot wait for my bus pass to arrive!
6688 Hits
Kevin Barnes becomes a glam-rock icon named Georgie Fruit on this record, or so he claims. Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? has been described by Barnes as a conceptual project for just this reason, but no matter how many cultural references he might make in his lyrics I don't keep coming back for them, nor do I find them particularly appealing. Of Montreal's latest record is enjoyable because it's catchy, not because there's anything special about Barnes' brand of peculiarity.
6478 Hits
This compilation of Harvey's various works for film mostly covers his work for obscure German and Australian indie films (most of which I have never heard of let alone seen). Harvey has an exceptional amount of skill that is hidden much of the time, even on his own solo albums. Here he explores palettes and tones of a much more subtle manner compared to his day jobs. The emphasis is, of course, on mood and tension. Not all of the compositions are brilliant but most of them are prime examples of Harvey firing on all cylinders.
7613 Hits
This 2CD and 2DVD box set is much better than expected. Not being a fan of the last Bad Seeds album made me think twice about buying this but despite focusing heavily on songs from The Abattoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus double album, this is a nice addition to the Bad Seeds back catalog. It is by no means the best of Cave's live albums or DVDs but it is still well worth investigating.
12209 Hits
With their fourth full length, Dälek leaves the noise and skree of Absence behind them and offer up instead a more contemplative effort. This album demonstrates that you don't need to clobber people over the head with sonic violence to get the point across.
7723 Hits
Nathan Michaels' music could be nothing short of massive. Aphotic Leech is no happy experience, but it is a commanding piece of music with no shortage of powerful moments.
10546 Hits
We all know Kieran Hebden is a big jazz fan, nearly all of the samples used in Four Tet recordings originate from jazz records, but it's undeniable that he has continuously made his mark in the pop framework. This third collaborative release with drummer Steve Reid explores the more pop side of things with ten tunes that average between the three and six mintue mark, ripe with riffs, and just about ready to be turned into hit singles.
6906 Hits
When I saw Yellow Swans back in August of 2004, at the late, great Schoolhouse in Hadley, Mass, I liked their performance well enough to pick up a couple of their records. Unfortunately, those records, and the wave of hype that soon followed, left me feeling pretty lukewarm towards the band. They have grown a lot in the past two and a half years, however, and this particular trilogy of recordings shows that off.
9519 Hits
I cannot make heads or tails of Stefan Betke anymore. Completely removed from the original color-coded trilogy that helped define the digi-dub sound, his latest indistinct album of moody experimental electronica lacks the spark of his past classics, landing the artist among a glut of current producers operating in the same post-IDM doldrums.
8915 Hits
The latest untitled work from Francisco Lopez takes sound effects from Hollywood blockbusters as its source material. Generally, I prefer the live albums of Lopez over the studio recordings, and this one, despite the intriguing concept, doesn't go very far toward changing that opinion.
8208 Hits
This is a case where the cover definitely matches the book. Upon seeing Seldon Hunt's artwork for this release my first thought was "it looks like prog rock meets black metal." And while it doesn't quite sound like the paring of Rick Wakeman and Malefic, it does have that mix of lush symphonic electronics combined with metal riffing. The duo of Aidan Baker and Leah Buckareff have created another successful release on the always excellent Archive label.
13111 Hits
Myth of the Love Electrique is another scorcher from these ridiculously prolific psych masters. While navigating their massive catalog can be an intimidating endeavor, this album is notable for being the debut of their newest band member: Kitagawa Hao. He fills the void left by the departure of Cotton Casino a few years back. Kitagawa's presence doesn't dominate the recording by any means, but her contributions nicely complement the swirling chaos the group generates.
7868 Hits
This first album by John Twells, aka Xela, has never sounded better. Reissued and remastered with a couple of bonus tracks, his fusion of beats and atmospherics are like delicate landscapes observed through the windows of a passing train, pristine environments admirable for their untouched beauty.
9850 Hits
The Hair Police side of this split c30 (apparently it's out on CD too) release sounds like it was recorded at the demolition of a shipyard. The clank of anchor chains barely heard over the almost identifiable charred runs up and down feedback scales. The thing is, the Hair Police Halloween show never happened.
10303 Hits
Some uncompromising records of good quality seem predestined for neglect or obscurity. So it is with this taut and melodic release; an interesting mix of jaunty minimalism, baroque abstraction and a smidgen of the kind of understated, introspective instrumentation that is to myths of the American Old West as beer foam is to a glass.
9145 Hits
Amid the Noise is a meditative affair that almost seems therapeutic with its stark but invigorating compositions. These fragile songs have a way of both cleansing and purifying the ears, as if erasing the damage done by the sounds of hectic urban life that invade on a daily basis.
7509 Hits
It's almost as if Trans Am are trying to sneak something by all of us with their latest release. Sex Change doesn't come pre-packaged with some elaborate theme wrapped in an unclear fantasy/reality plot, and that's actually a good thing. For probably the first time since Surrender to the Night, Trans Am are simply a rock band of three guys who like to have fun making fun music.
13591 Hits
This very short but very fine 3" CD-R from Luke Younger pulls three pieces of damaged electric rushes from a kebab skewer and lets them stew slowly. These hot, metal, minimal seeds might have benefitted from a longer evolution, but it is better to be tantalized than unsatisfied.
10111 Hits
