16 April 2000

Administrator

Albums and Singles

The world can never have too many bands who sound like they really love Spacemen 3. This Boston three piece is a band to keep an eye out for. A couple weeks ago I reviewed their set I caught, which caught me off-guard. The band have magically formulated a beautiful sound on recording in addition to the wonderful live set.

Castle Von Buhler

Recently released is this 7" single (their first in a series of four planned for this year). Both songs are dreamy and echo of Spiritualized and Spacemen influences. The production is professional enough to hear all instruments perfectly yet scratchy enough to have a heavy soul. Boy does that plucked bass guitar sound nice. Now available on the Boston-based label, Castle Von Buhler, get it now before the band gets signed, releases 3 albums and then splits only to be honored more in their death.

samples:

• Taking a Dive
• Blackout

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16 April 2000

Robert Devlin

Albums and Singles

In an article for MilkMagazine, author Josh Modell, commenting on the popularity of Slint's"Spiderland" years after its initial release, said "It's now regardedas a classic, which is funny, because McMahan has already topped it."
 McMahan certainly has with this third release by the For Carnation, aband that has featured Dave Pajo, John Herndon, Doug McCombs, and BradWood. This time around, the principal players are different yet again-- save Brian's brother Michael, who also played on "Marshmallows" --and the guestlist is interesting to say the least (Britt Walford fromSlint, Kim Deal, Rachel Haden to name a few). Behind the knobs thistime as well adding some flourishes here and there is John McEntire,whose presence adds credibility to any release these days. It's notneeded here, though, as what's important is the power of these songs.Gone are the days of "rocking out" that McMahan exhibited in Slint, butdon't think for a second that he's lost his edge. These songs are atonce beautiful, menacing, soothing, and frightening. Imagine a recordthat can completely relax you but still scare the shit out of you. Andthe lyrics! The finest McMahan's ever written. When he speaks "Child --go back inside/where is your father now?" on "A Tribute To" you feelhis concern, his fear, his anger, and his detachment, all in one line.I heard the description "imagine if Slint made a trip-hop record."Don't believe the hype. Yes, there are some sampling and electronicexperiments here and there, but this record is far from trip-hop.Instead, McMahan is proving that his music isn't just getting better,it's becoming more vital than Slint ever was. Brilliant.

samples:

• A Tribute To
• Moonbeams
• Tales [live from the crypt]

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09 April 2000

Jessica Tibbits

Albums and Singles

Broadcast's long-awaiteddebut proper album on Warp will probably not disappoint fans of the1960s retro film score sound, made popular in recent years by artistslike Saint Etienne.
The Noise Made By People combines moody yetenchanting torch songs (such as "Long Was the Year" and the album’sfirst single "Echo’s Answer"), charming psychedelic pop melodies ("ComeOn Let’s Go" and the highlight of the album "Papercuts"), and plenty ofhaunting instrumental pieces ("Minus One" and "Tower of Our Turning").Broadcast have proven to be adept at blending "real" instruments withelectronics, which is refreshing to hear in this type of music. Withthis release they seem to exhibit far more diversity than in the past,adding a maturity which was a bit lacking from the tracks compiled onWork and Non-Work, and have developed and refined their signaturesound.
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09 April 2000

Mark Weddle

Albums and Singles

Sometimes I'm maniacally flipping through the cds at a shop when I stumble upon one that makes me stop for some unknown reason.
The first thing that caught my eyehere was the beautiful Van Gogh like cover. Then the name of the artistrang a few vague bells, I seem to remember it being dropped a few timeson the SWANS and Scott Walker e-mail lists and in The Wire magazine,all reliable sources for great music recommendations. A half minuteinto the first track at the listening station I knew this was for me.Dirty Three are an instrumental 3 piece from Australia with at leasthalf a dozen full length albums in 8 years. The music is composedsolely on violin, guitar and drums ... deceivingly simple consideringthe rich and full sound. Each piece is slow and melancholic as theclean guitar tones, violin and light percussion gently play off eachother. "I Offered It.." is the exception as it begins with severalminutes of solo violin then slowly builds into a barely contained rockfrenzy in the latter half. It's for the best that these tracks areinstrumental because the titles and music say everything that needs tobe said. "Whatever You Love, You Are" (great title) is a delicatelybeautiful album and I'm sure the more musically hip (i.e., fans of NickCave, the Legendary Pink Dots, SWANS, Godspeed You Black Emperor!,etc.) will agree. It looks like I have some back catalog catching up todo.
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09 April 2000

Administrator

Albums and Singles

Luke Vibert (aka WagonChrist, Plug, etc.) teams up with legendary pedal steel guitarist BJCole (further augmented by six additional musicians including TomJenkinson aka Squarepusher) for what would seem to be a bizarre andunlikely collaboration.
The result is as eclectic as the back catalogsof both players and it works. The 13 tracks ignore the traditionalboundaries of numerous genres, freely exploring and combining dance,ambient, lounge, country & western, Hawaian, swing, jazz, etc.Cole's pedal steel adds a unique vibe to Vibert's goofy samples and hiphop-lite beats, whether it be as ambient backing or lead licks. Italmost seems as if Cole's parts are merely samples but that's thething, they're not. The blend of 'real' and machine music is seamlessand sounds natural. Three tracks also have vocals, which is unfortunatein the case of Addie Brik's whining and moaning on "Nick Cave" butfunny in the case of Bobby Valentino's spoken intro and outro pieces.And with track titles like "Swing Lite - Alright", "Hipalong Hop","This Stuff is Fresh" and "Party Animal" ... how can you possibly gowrong? "Stop the Panic" isn't mindblowing but I don't think it'sintended to be. It's certainly interesting and a lot of fun. It'salways good to hear talented musicians from such supposedly differentgenerations and musical worlds collaborate. Vibert and Cole arecurrently on tour in Europe.
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09 April 2000

Administrator

Albums and Singles

This features two brand new approximately 15 minute tracks. Listening to the CD is a treat for Coil fans as bits and pieces strike a nerve, remeniscent of last year's phenomenal Musick to Play in the Dark. Quick piano strikes from "Black Nurse" echo "Red Queen" while noises echo bits from "Red Birds."

Eskaton

Stunningly beautiful choral samples on "Tudor Fruits" aren't far from the similar choral samples heard on "The Sea Priestess" from Astral Disaster. I wish I could figure out what the items listed in "Tudor Fruits" had in common during the spoken sections. Keep in mind, however, this is not a Coil record, despite the guest vocals from John Balance. While it is does move and meld, it lacks a certain continuity apparent on nearly all Coil releases. This should also be available through many of the recommended brainwashed stores so save your bidding money.

samples:

• Black Nurse
• Tudor Fruits

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09 April 2000

Jason Olariu

Albums and Singles

Before going on to bepivotal members of such bands as the San Francisco Seals and Quasi, thetrio that was San Francisco's Donner Party released two albums, to verylittle attention.
On this double Cd, those two long out-of-print albumsappear in their entirety, along with a previously unreleased thirdalbum (all self-titled, by the way). Taking inspiration from folk,rock, and the more oddball indie rock that was happening at the time(The Meat Puppets and Minutemen, for example), The Donner Party craftedcatchy indie rock. Sometimes humorous and playful ("Would You Like ToHave Something To Eat?"), occasionally frightening, such as on theschizophrenic ramblings of "Chocolate Shake." Showing their progressionfrom Husker Du-inspired edgy punk-pop of early Donner Party, to themore experimental leanings of their later stuff, this compilation is agreat showcase to an often over-looked band. Tracks such as "Notker TheStammerer", clearly the blueprint bands such as Soul Asylum and Swellfollowed, rock hard without devolving into childishness plagued by someof their material. Maybe it's that divide, between Dead Milkman-likeimmaturity and honest punk-pop tunes with loads of hooks, that made TheDonner Party not get the attention they deserved (a lot of people,critics especially, like their music straightforward, with nosurprises). Let's hope with the re-release of this old material,history will be corrected.
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02 April 2000

Rainer Padamsee

Albums and Singles

The new single clocks inat a mere 10 minutes, and contains two tracks. The first is of courseour first chance to hear Antony and the Johnsons, whose album isapparently being released through Dutro later in the spring."Cripple and the Starfish" is a wonderful track. I expected to spendthe entire time waiting for Current93's effort, but this held myattention absolutely, and I'll certainly be buying his full lengthalbum. The track is well structured, shifting between soft mournfulsections and emotional bursts underpinned by various instruments anddrums. Antony has a wonderful voice, one which can remarkably almosthold its ground with David Tibet himself. The track is sweet andpowerful, tinged both with despair and a sense of meaning.
Current 93's effort is entitled "Immortal Bird" and is evidently fromthe forthcoming album "Sleep Has His House". There is an immediatechange of atmosphere, as dark synths and Cashmore's instrumentationgive an ambience not dissimilar to the Island material, albeit a littleless electronic and well integrated with quietly strummed guitars. Thevocals open shortly after with "What drives us on? What drives us on?".Tibet then launches to a tragic and poignant verse, neither sung norspoken, in much the way that he employed his melancholic vocals on SoftBlack Stars.
The song is reminiscent of "Moonlight or Other Fields..." in that bothhave a short spoken-sung section culminating in a final line ofhalf-rhyme "and the gun, and the glory that was to come" (Moonlight...)/ "Your eyes wide, and shot through; With Sea blue" (Immortal Bird).
The lyrical section lasts only for the first two and a half minutes ofthe song, whereafter the melody plays on, gradually and subtly soundingmore enforced and more desperate. Initially I was a little disappointedthat the last four minutes of the song are all instrumental, but onrepeated listening I find this works very well; we are all left hangingto Tibet's last line while the music drags us along and away.
The holistic effect is very depressing, much more so than the track byAntony and the Johnsons. As with Soft Black Stars, the lyrics soundautobiographical ("I was nothing for you but the shadow of anotherlove" ) and at the same time surreal ("shift your skies to pasturesblue, streaked with passing and loss/ Moonlight sweeping over Northernbeaches where the trees are stripped silhouettes of memories") andmetaphor-laden ("in your vault of skin").
It is, in his own words, the sound of his own "particular fall". Andyet nevertheless David Tibet once again manages to evoke emotions,moods and meanings which are universal.
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