And...

a few re-posting requests:

GOLDEN's self-titled disc

and

MAN-Z is back!

***If you have not seen the MAN-Z videos yet, I suggest you travel to the original post and take a good long look.

Up There, Out There:

The wonderful sounds of Earth's own magnetosphere, captured here by American radio hobbyist Stephen P. McGreevy, are blissful tones of shimmering harmonic radiance and weird nocturnal whistles. Stephen is a bonafide VLF expert/nerd and likes to share his recording experiences with those interested (just check his website for more geek-out info). These field recordings contain lots of crackle and hiss and are most certainly an amateur affair, but it all adds to the sheer charm and pleasure of the experience.

Allow yourself to get lost within these blissful late-night waves.

Spectral Sound

Cabaret Slot:

The year is 1967 and you don't have much else to do, really. So you enter a recording booth with a handful of semi-sweet songs and lay them down to tape and walk away, visit a cat, sample some coq au vin, and then casually go back to the lounge set. You're name is Sandie Shaw.

Please?

I Love My Face:

   Another monstrous slab of jerky paranoid punk. Like a geek with muscles, NOMEANSNO burst through your mind with raging fast paced bass lines that pound into your cranium, guitar that guts your soul, and insane drumming that gouges eyeballs left and right. Black Flag meets Minutemen? Lots of classick cuts on this one..."It's Catching Up", "Two LIps, Two Lungs And One Tongue", "All Lies", and the weird "Rags And Bones" which seems to incorporate some sort of pseudo-hillbilly rap. You think Lil Wayne was checking out WRONG back in '89?

WRONG!

XBY REQUESTX:

re-up of NOMEANSNO's essential THE DAY EVERYTHING BECAME NOTHING alburm is HERE

and a smattering of chocolat ~ HENRY and her mini A LA MODE cd can be found bundled together in THIS spot.

Low Times:

   Life Without Buildings were a short-lived, post New Wave-esque band who managed to  document their great sound with this sole studio album. The musical output rendered here is quite good; with a decidedly underhanded bass-led sound, the band whip through their tunes with style and confidence. Each line seems well thought out and is a good example of a band working within the "sum equals it's parts" practice. The vocals on this one will probably be a make-it-or- break-it factor for some. Sue Tomkins waifishly belts  out her words as if she was reading from her journal. Most of her lyrics are spoken in soft Scottish tones and she is fond of repetition within the music's seductive rhythms. Taken with the group's sparse "skeletal Smiths" sound, the vocals add a unique, quivering, frail touch.

AQUIRE

Everything You Wanted To Know About Jun Togawa (But Were Afraid To Ask):

   Like falling comets or aligned planetary bodies, once in a sacred while, a singer comes along who not only displays an amazing, life-changing voice--one that stops you dead in your tracks and takes hold of your soul for life; but also possesses a complex personality which is ripe with mystery, expression, and such a strong and pure natural beauty that a cosmic balance takes place where the artist's musical output becomes simultaneously intertwined with her life and the two run into one long blood flow. Please meet Jun Togawa.

   Her musical career has been long and fruitful, but has mostly stayed within the context of her native home country of Japan. Even here, she is something of a cult hero. One quick browse through Youtube and one can get a glimpse of her artistic contributions to Japan's fledgling 80's music scene. Her songs musical content stayed pretty close to the norm of the times: keyboards, synthetic drum sounds here and there, bubbly bass lines, etc. Above all of this, Jun's voice rages and pushes forth with an intent that is both sweet, naive, and utterly sinister. One cannot avoid a feeling of strange currents in the air when her piercing cries set forth or her whispers, which have the power to poke tiny holes in the senses, invade the atmosphere. It would be enough to hear her angelic devils exorcising themselves through song to make me satisfied for life; but the extra golden points come from the fact that not only is she an amazing singer, but her personality is so free and riveting that I feel she deserves to be recognized as a national, NAY, universal treasure!

   This is the SELF SELECT BEST & RARE 1979-2008 album and it's a a huge collection of music; three separate cd's with stuff ranging from her solo works, some jaw-droppingly intense live songs, as well as music recorded with a few of her other bands (Yapoos, Guernica, etc) and Jun's vocal range is so varied on some of these tracks. When I say "vocal range" what I feel I should be saying is "personality range" for it seems as if she takes the music, turns it into an outfit, slips it on, then oozes her own demons and vice and sweat and tears through it all to merge into one beautiful beast. Some cuts here float along with a distinctly festival-like feeling...one can picture swinging paper lanterns swaying in the breeze on a summer's night drinking party, other songs are far darker...slightly camouflaged by a subtle pop audio canvas and then to suddenly have Miss Togawa's dramatic words slash through the party with venom and bite. Still other songs presented here on this stellar collection reflect to the listener like a woman lying on a bed, surrounded by blurred photos of the same man, sticking bananas in her eyes...God I love that photo. Hell, if you haven't already started downloading at least one of these discs by now after reading this and seeing these amazing photographs I've posted...then there is no hope here for you, friend. Hell, I forgot to mention that there is a rare cover song here of Jun Togawa working through The Velvet Underground's "Femme Fatale"!

   She has stood on her own for many years, gone through lots of personal hell (too much to really post here) and collaborated with and impressive group of colleagues (Haruomi Hosono and Otomo Yoshihide to name a few), and she has been a beacon of inspiration to a large group of artists. I'm proud to present this here and I hope you will enjoy this powerful body of work.

VIVA JUN TOGAWA!

LEGEND OF TOGAWA DISC I

LEGEND OF TOGAWA DISC II

LEGEND OF TOGAWA DISC III

Sweet Times:

   Two quick single from very popular j-pop singer Chara who possesses one of the most unique voices...simple and childlike yet very sultry and somewhat bluesy. The music on these two singles are heavy on the light pop. LEMON CANDY is a certified pop classic that will get stuck in your head no matter how much Japanese you understand. The CHARA + YUKI single was a one off released back in 1999 which paired Chara with Judy And Mary's lead singer, Yuki. This song is really hard to take with a really funny/bad rapping part and overall a weird song that doesn't suit either singer and they both sound strangely out of tune and straining their voices. BUT...the song has steel pan drums in it. Weird.

Both are Here.

More Chara and JAM coming soon...well...if you want.

JAWS:

   The Japanese dub group DRY & HEAVY get the remix treatment from dub master KING JAMMY and the results are a satisfying swirling journey into some deep dark summertime dub. Perfect soundtrack to the upcoming April days.

IT BITES

Hanoi Rocketh Me Tonyte:

    There's so much I could write about Hanoi Rocks... what a great band! Full of sleaze and dripping with that trash/glamour image that they seem to sport so well in their heyday. I also loved the fact that this band retained a sense of mystery and myth. Their songs are kick-up anthems of wasted days, girls, booze, yet written with incredible style. They were never afraid to incorporate elements like reggae, surf, rockabilly, yet gel them together into one highly impressive body of work. They always seemed to unfortunately get lumped in together with bands like Poison (whom they obviously influenced) but Hanoi Rocks were so much more than a goofy hair metal band.

    I was unsure of which album to post here first, but we'll start with this masterpiece BACK TO MYSTERY CITY to get the ball rolling. Tons of great songs on here, some classics, and a few really weird ones. For fans of New York Dolls, the first Motley Crue album (TOO FAST FOR LOVE, i.e. the good one) and I even hear a little bit of The Clash in here as well.

ROCK NOW!

MESSAGE FROM YOUR ASS~MASTAH:

Guess what, people:
I found another 60 copies of "THE A CAPELLA CANTATA" cd in my barn in death valley. These are the last remaining copies of the original (and only) pressing of 500 copies of this album.
Contact me nondor@gmail.com
to buy one. They're 20$ each.

JEEZUS==stop looking at this and just GET GET GET you consumer mole!
http://www.myspace.com/n0nd0rn3va1
HAIL<<<<<

Blurt up:

Go ahead, let it all out--it's fucking Friday night. Scream, skewer your guts, pick a flower, exterminate the neighbors, empty out your gullet, relieve thyself, spew chunks, get crunk, evolve, worship your god, devise a plan, lose control, scratch and sniff, play dead, eat shit and live, draw blood, eat the crayons, walk the line, gleam the cube,  shave, slave, save...do it all and do it now...it's BORBETOMAGUS time.

WORK ON WHAT HAS BEEN SPOILED (1981)

Repost~Tribulations:

Had a request for a repost for this one, so I hope you enjoy.

SURPRISE YOUR PIG

Die Trying:

   Might as well begin by dropping a truckload of names: KISS, Devo...shall I just stop there at that perplexing crossroad? For it is there that you will find Jesters Of Destiny and their 1986 album FUN AT THE FUNERAL. Chocked with insanely good hooks, pop rock and roll over the rainbow...plus some tasteful keyboard flourishes. This would all be hoo-dee-hoo if it were not for this groups knack for penning some ultra-catchy melodies and superb pop hooks. The hard rock riffs are present too; always sticking out with a slightly jokey appeal...and therein lies the rub: it's no joke. This is masterfully crafted new wave hard rock (notice that there was no slash in between those two genres...simply because the Jesters Of Destiny wiped out that conundrum when they produced this excellent set of songs). Just listen to the opening track, one of my favorite songs of all time, "Digging That Grave", a monsterous slab of simple rocking guitar, swanky keyboard lines, and clever lyrics that rip through your soul! Or how about "Happy Times"...one of the most perfect 80's songs that sums it all up in a classic style...I could see this being featured on any John Hughes movies in my head. In short, Jester Of Destiny should have been huge...but they were criminally overlooked and underheard, (and maybe misunderstood) forever.

Alternative metal, hard rock, new wave, say hello to the new best unheard album that will serve it's residence in the clogged space between your ears...you know...where all that grey matter has been seeping out lately.

PLEASE AND THANK YOU

Tracks 1-11 are the original album.

Tracks 12-18 are bonus cuts.

The Jesters Of Destiny cover of Sabbath's "Electric Funeral" was posted here.

By the way, if you like this album (and how could ANY fan of new wave and/or hard rock not?) then I'd like to point you to an interesting write up from one of the band members on this site, which is run by the label that reissued this stellar collection a few years ago (which it seems, at this point in time, has gone out of print).

The Main Course:

   EDITIONS is a collection of After Dinner's first album and a handful of live tracks. Essential listening for those interested in Japan's early 80's blend of baroque pop, prog, traditional Japanese music, and some electronic improv. This is highly regarded as being one of Japan's landmark new wave/experimental groups. The lead singer HACO, has lead a promising solo career since After Dinner's disbanding. I posted one of her solo records over yonder and the other After Dinner record was posted long time ago right here.

   However, EDITIONS remains my favorite After Dinner release. The charming beauty of Haco's voice holds a special allure to me, and I am constantly amazed how they amassed an array of different styles and sounds and managed to gel them into one coherent piece of stunning art. The live material here (tracks 10-18 are especially impressive)!

Pure Alchemy! (Link Updated)

   When my old band toured Japan back in 2002, we were told that one of the bands opening up for us was this really great group called 54-71 (in Japanese, Goju Yon Nanaju Ichi) and that we should be very happy with their live performance. Well, the singer came out with old school  boxing headgear on and their drummer had a 3 piece drum set and was sporting a nice Hawaiian shirt so already they were great. Their sound is all rhythm; everything is wound tight. The bass and drums are fine-tuned in their precision and the guitar lines are skeletal...clean and clear. Now here comes their singer...what is this? He is rapping...I think he's rapping. He's kind of wheezing...is he okay? This is great, this is sad, this is even greater. A head-scratchingly excellent group that has apparently garnered some stateside recognition due to their opening slot for a Deerhoof tour (among others). This is a really interesting album (entitled UNTITLED) and showcases 54-71 as the minimalist adventurers that they are.

   By the way, anyone who knows me knows that I am completely inept when it comes to video games (my old roomates laughed in delight as I could not jump over some kind of magic mushroom things in a Mario Brothers game years ago), but at the time of hearing this record, I was introduced to Parapa The Rapper and I could not help but draw some kind of comparison between 54-71 and that animated hip-hop dog. Of course, you'd have to add in a little bit of Chicago post rock circa 1997 to seal the deal. Think June Of 44 or Slint....now consider both Parapa and those bands intertwined. Perplexed?

This should be heard and discussed. Don't leave the comments box all dusty on this one.

54-71

One Wong Move:

   UNMEI NO TSUBASA, the 2001 album by Hong Kong mega-starlet remains as one of the standout sue in no small part to the first track "光之翼" which starts of with a simple, dreamy little riff and then explodes into a prickly, distorted, and ultra-catchy pop chorus. So good that you will be singing along in Cantonese in no time. The remainder of the album holds more sway in the typical Faye Wong sound, combing together strands of Chinese folk, French pop, and even a little bit of four-on-the-floor techno into one long musical braid.

   By the way, some small confusion on my part, I also have this cd title listed as Faye Wong - SUPER BEST. But I am not sure if this was one specifically renamed for the Japanese market or some other clever marketing scheme/derivative manipulation.

Oh well...

Drown In Sound:

   I must have been around 15 years old when my friend Derek visited my house one day. I was in my room probably burning incense or trying to record some guitar music on one of my homemade multi boom-box recording systems I had set up. Derek was older than me and would come over once in a while to show me a few guitar techniques...blah blah blah. He shows me a cassette tape that he picked up for a quarter at a garage sale and tells me that I should check it out. The cover looks really wacky and distills a sci-fi 70's TRON kind of hokiness that's hard to fake. Intrigued, I played it in my headphones while going to sleep that night. Hence began the audio journey with TOMITA and his classic piece of electronic music, THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE.

   Swirling waves of weird tones and crisp synthesizers zooming and swirling all around... Random bleeping and blooping of alien computers sunken below the depths of a sunless watery tomb. Distant voices carried along on analogue arcs of wonder. I was lost in some kind of strange deep dream long before I even fell asleep.

   Eventually, I had to return the tape to Derek, but I somehow ended up scoring a few other Tomita recordings (on CD this time) but I never forgot about how this particular album stood out for me. It is a cinematic, exciting, confusing, beautifully lush listening experience...(far more so than any of the multi boom-box audio experiments that were going on in my old bedroom, at least).

 Immerse yourself in cosmic appreciation for the almighty Isao Tomita and you too can make the claim:

I Survived The Bermuda Triangle!

Chop Chop:

   Need a quick fix of raw, unproduced gore-grind? This compilation will fit your all your unnatural cravings, dear cretin. Not only does GORELAND feature loads of grunts, squeals, shrieks, and "I can still sing while I'm puking" vocal styles; but it also features maniacal drumming (both human and machine), gnarly horror movie samples, and a fair amount of impressive riffs. Fidelity varies from track to track so adjust your mind accordingly. I can't exactly explain the appeal of this stuff, but sometimes you just need a good blasting to clear away all the bullshit.

1. Lymphatic Phlegm - Chronic Nephrolithiasis Followed By Perinephritic Suppuration
2. Decomposing Serenity - Bubbles Of Blood
3. Microphallus - Evelyn Corbin (Victim # 10)
4. The County Medical Examiners - Vitreous Humor
5. Feculent Goretomb - Chronic Evacuation Of Semi-Digested Aliments
6. Oxidised Razor - Anal Carnage
7. Last Days Of Humanity - Suppurated Sublimisation
8. Autophagia - Syringa Necrose Your Cerebral With
9. Blue Holocaust - The Fifth Cord
10. Cativeiro - The Great Hidden Power Of A Decaying Torso
11. Disgorge (Mex) - Excremential Lust
12. Rompeprop - Dislocated Purple Stoma
13. Pigsty - Deviant In Your Bath
14. Gruesome Stuff Relish - El Duce Inn Massacre
15. Reek Of Shits - The Oversalted Menses
16. Haemorrhage - Obnoxious (Surgeon Of The Dead)
17. Mincing Fury And Guttural Clamour Of The Queer Decay - Confinement
18. Butcher Abc - Dozen Of Dismembered Torsos
19. Ghoul - Ghoulhunter
20. Grossmember - Mind Collapse System
21. Luteous - Grinding Flesh
22. Noisecore Freak - Harsh Bedwire
23. Dysmenorrheic Hemorrhage - Delicate Punctured Organ
24. Amoebic Dysentery - Masturbatory Mastication
25. Gross - Bred By The Dead
26. Spineless - Ode To Gore (Part 4)
27. Meatknife - Fingered And Fistfucked
28. Fuck The Facts - The Burning Side

Eat the Beat

Ugh!:

   Let me spray it out in the open: I love CHUMBAWAMBA! From every album that I have heard, I have been impressed. Hey, I can dig the pop bands with the occasional anarchist slant. I decided to drop this gem of an album, 1995's SWINGIN' WITH RAYMOND tonight because, well...first of all, I had it in the stack of stuff to eventually post anyway; and also, because the great song "Ugh! Your Ugly New Houses!" blurted into my headphones on my 1 & 1/2 hour commute to work this morning and I took it as a divine sign from Raymond, himself.

   This is an album cut from two cloths. The first half is all folky acoustic songs (done very well), part two of this excellent is more of an amplified affair. Really great songwriting all around..not too be missed!

LOVE/HATE