Bashin' it out:

Hard driving stuff here from Portland Oregon's Crackerbash. That good Northwest rock sound...a bit of gruff character with lots of rough hewn melody around the edges. Definitely contains a lot more bite to their sound than most of the indie rock of it's day...not to mention a stellar live show.

Here

BBC In Concert 1976:

Although I'm no authority on classic rock, this band in particular, The Baker Gurvitz Army, always gets me with their thrilling combination of jazz, blues, and some nice subtle proggy touches. This is a bootleg that sounds like it might have been taped from the radio. Sound quality is a little rough at first (possibly trying to tune in for a better signal?), but thankfully it clears up to a listenable degree.

Join The Army

SSKHKH:

Re-post of this too-cool-for-cram-school Japanese rock band.
By request: Seagull Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her

NO NO NO

SSKHKH ep:

...and another little Seagull Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her treat. The Lullaby ep from 2001. Contains a few unreleased b-sides. :)

Get

Prog Lovin' Man:

If you're looking for the kind of ear-splitting, soul-shifting, sonic depravity found on his other 1 million Merzbow records, then this cd is probably not the place to start. However, if you are a casual listener of noise and enjoy listening to interesting adaptions to sound, then Aqua Necromancer is a fine place to begin. This comes pretty close to being accessible noise...at least when comparing this to previous Merzbow albums. Maybe because this album's music is loosely based on progressive rock bands that Merzbow loves. More specifically, it seems like a tribute to prog rock drummers. There are lots of looped organs, drum fills, and plenty of squelchy, squeaky feedback and washes of gorgeous noise that flip and drip and slide and squirm in between it all.

Engage!

Space Odyssey:

This German group, Kreidler, has outdone themselves on this Cd! Eve Future combines post-rock dynamics with moody textural atmosphere and a sense of drama that is reminiscent of a science fiction soundtrack (i.e. Clockwork Orange, 2001 A Space Odyssey, etc.). Throw in a nod or two to fellow countryman Klause Shulze and you have a very tasty little album.

find it here

Strange bedfelows:

More great Muslimgauze. This is the Vote Hezbollah album released on Soleilmoon in 1993. The usual percussion-heavy vibe is here, but the atmospherics are given a mainstage as a swirling, almost claustrophobic and paranoid, "lost in the streets of Palestine" feel takes over. A journey worth taking.

here

Stand back:

Here's a rare Cd from a New Zealand rock band that I had a hard time finding much information about on the web. Released in 1990 on Yellow Bike Records, the awesomely titled Live Stomach has a very raw feel to it...in fact, the inside liner notes give this advice: Unproduced! Play loud!
that's good enough for me.

Live Stomach

HACO be thy name

HACO is a very well known Japanese artist who first came to prominence back in the 1980's when she fronted the amazing baroque avant-prog pop band, After Dinner. From then, she has been in several small groups and has worked with lots of big names on the international scene. Her style is unique and carries a strong personal identity to her sound. She is a performer who gains respect from me because of her great sense of musical timing and the guts to take risks with her art.

Happiness Proof is one of Haco's several solo albums; and it's a very fun, playful, and friendly record that has a sort of unpredictable avant-pop feel to it. This is fairly approachable stuff, and nothing here harks back to her time in After Dinner; but yet this stands alone as the work of an artists who is able to meld the sounds of pop melody with a bit of a twist.

It should be noted, that Haco is aided here by a smattering of great musicians, including Otomo Yoshihide, Yamamoto Seiichi (Boredoms, Omoide Hatoba), Tsuyama Atsushi (Omoide Hatoba, Acid Mothers Temple, Akaten), Kazuhisa Uchihashi (Ground Zero), and Pierre Bastien!

Join the Party

Double Trouble 2:

Are you a fan of Ruins? The Magma-obsessed hyper manic duo fronted by drumming madman Yoshida Tatsuya? Well, if you appreciate their unique brand of lunatic prog punk, but it's just a little too extreme for you, then you'll be glad to get your hands on anything by this superior side project.

Hundred Sights Of Koenji (aka Koenji Hyakkei) allows Tatsuya's Magma worship to fully blossom and take flight. The core of this sound is Tatsuya's drumming, but he is joined by guitar, bass, keyboards and glorious female vocals (singing in the drummer's own unique Tatsuya-speak language, 'natch!). The band's musical chemistry is unbelievably tight and the vocals flow with a gorgeous and passionate delivery.

Those who have an ear for some beautiful, heavy, theatrical, and strange prog, should download out this album immediately. And needless to say, if there are any Magma fans out there who have yet to hear Hundred Views Of Koenji...then prepare thyself!

Two albums here, both released on Hoppy Kamiyama's God Mountain record label and both prime examples of the dizzying & gorgeous tower of power that these fine musicians have constructed.

HUNDRED SIGHTS OF KOENJI here
KOENJIHYAKKEI 2 (aka VIVA KOENJI!) here

Khaooohs Reigns Supreme!

Aren't metal heads resourceful these days? Pan Thy Monium decided instead of worshiping Satan (that was, like, soooo 1983), that they would simply create their own deities such as Jag & Vem and Raagoonshinnaah (who apparently co-produced this album). To say that we're not in standard metal territory here would be a bit of an understatement. Although, the metal side is reflected quite solidly, with mid-paced heavy guitar riffs and low guttural death metal growling/. Of course, things get really weird when all the free jazz influence comes pounding into the songs; but that's the beauty of Pan Thy Monium.

Up the Avant-Metal Elite!

None More Black:

ANIMAMIMA is a live recording of Keiji Haino accompanied by Sitaar Tah! which is a 20 piece sitar group. Haino handles electric hurdy gurdy, electric sruthi box, electric tanbur, rhythm box, flute and voice while the sitar group backs him up with a steady warm psyche drone that swells and rises with the given moment. The results are very much like a tribute to the warm, organic drone of groups like the Taj Mahal Travlellers. Beautiful sounds that draw you deep into this web.

This was a one-time performance given at Uplink Factory in Shibuya, Tokyo on June 24th, 2004; and was released on the Archive/Important record label in a limited edition of 1000 copies.

ANIMAMIMA disc ONE
ANIMAMIMA disc TWO

Untouchable:

Once in awhile, an artist comes along that just blows away any preconceived notion of what kind of potential there is for a new sound. Fusing talent with an unlimited source of creativity, Asa-chang & Junray have seemingly created their own genre of music. It's a sound that is so unique and incredible, that I have a hard time trying to pinpoint exactly what it is. It's very percussive in nature, with a strong emphasis on tabla and other Indian/southeast Asia drumming styles. Electronic elements are also firmly in place on these recordings, although the music never falls into that "ethno-electronic, world beat" silliness. A hard record to describe, but very much worth listening to; and strangely moving in it's exploration of a newfound sound.

The name of this album is Hana and that is the big pink kanji symbol printed on the cover of the album. It was released in 2001 on the Hot-cha record label.

Discover it Here

Third time's charm:

This German mastermind should probably need no introduction to those well versed in modern electronic music. The work of Pole (aka Stefan Betke) works up spacial minimalist dub that is swathed in liberal doses of reverb, glitch, and that beautiful snap and pop of a worn vinyl groove. It's like going into some secret underground club and having Philip Jeck as the resident DJ and listening as he mashes up Oval records with Lee Perry.

Absolutely Essential Late Night Listening

Pudding Punx:

Four Two Pudding is a Cd sampler from Very Small records that compiled vinyl only releases from some punk rock bands. I would think that most of the material here dates from the early 90's and features a lot of groups popular in the bay area. Were you ever a Maximum Rock N Roll reader? If so, then this band list should be familiar:

Corrupted Morals/Econochrist/Screeching Weasel/Schizoid/Dissent/Coffee & Donuts/Samiam/Offspring/Soup/Fuel/Sewer Trout/Nuisance/Lizards/23 More Minutes/Downfall/Horny Mormons/Jawbreaker/Sleep/Schlong/3 Finger Spread/Nar/False Sacrament/Pounded Clown/Plaid Retina/Logical Nonsense

up the puddin'

I Put A Spell On You:

Mad Professor's take on dub is very interesting. all the standard dub elements are firmly in place, the echoing drums, the plodding bass lines, and reverb by the gallons; but where he differs from many of his dub contemporaries is his robotic sense of production and flow. It's very electronic in nature and therefore can come across as rather cold and sterile. Personally, I like my dub served more warm than cold; but Mad Professor infuses his dubs w/ enough varied ingredients that make Under The Spell Of Dub worthwhile. There's lots of weird trip hop beats on here and plenty of strange choices in production that might drive the rootsy dub listener crazy, but open minded listeners will enjoy this one.

away we go

The Rose Gate:

One of the more interesting and unusual entries into the magical world of J.A. Seazer, Baramon was a musical set written to express issues of sexual repression. As the project developed and grew, the subject shifted slightly to focus entirely on the world of homosexual and lesbian life in Japan; which was (and still very much is) an underground community.

There are a few repeating themes on this record and any J.A. Seazer / Tokyo Kid Brothers fan will recognize that familiar dramatic refrain used on Jasumon and other titles (revisted here as "性解放宣言" track 14) and a reworking of the great "健さん愛してる" (first heard on the Throw Away The Books... album).

There are a few surprises here...such as the first track which utilizes a lengthy Nazi speech as a backdrop to an impassioned call to arms for a gay revolution, some great Can-inspired grooves, and a few campy, fun, silly moments. The acid-burned psyche and heavy rock of some of this group's other releases more or less takes a backseat to a slightly more restrained feeling here.

As with anything from the Tenjosajiki/Terayama Shuji/J.A. Seazer collective, this comes your way with high recommendations!

Enjoy

Tick-Tock-Rock:

Very nice playful music here from Takako Minekawa, who had a bit of a cult following overseas while riding that small wave of Japanese homespun indie elctro-pop that was cropping up to attentive ears back in the 1990's. Her style leans more towards a Kraftwerk-ian sense of timing and a minimalist approach that really lets these song's simple charm flow forth.

More Takako coming soon!
but for now...

Athletica

Some Old Smiths (or other):

An excellent and sadly rare tribute Cd not just focusing on one of the greatest bands of all time, but also on one of the best albums of 20th century pop music: The Queen Is Dead by The Smiths.

This Cd was only made available for subscribers to the French music magazine Les Inrockuptibles and features an impressive cast of bands and artists covering the beloved original 1986 album, track by track in it's entirety!

01. The Queen Is Dead The Boo Radleys
02. Frankly Mr. Shankly The High Llamas
03. I Know It's Over The Trash Can Sinatras
04. Never Had No One Ever Billy Bragg
05. Cemetry Gates The Frank & Walters
06. Bigmouth Strikes Again Placebo
07. The Boy With A Thorn In His Side Bis
08. Vicar In A Tutu Therapy?
09. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out The Divine Comedy
10. Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others Supergrass

Find It Here

Bug-Out:

DJ Pica Pica Pica is Yamatsuka eYe of the Boredoms; and this is his special DJ mix album entitled Planetary Natural Love Gas Webbin' 199999. This one goes above and beyond any other Dj mix Cd that has EVER been created and really almost no source is left untapped. From bubbly disco to sounds of nature, and every cosmic crevice in between. Anyone who went ga-ga for BOREDOMS' Rebore Vol. 0 should have plenty to bug out on here. The big downer about this being in Mp3 format is the quick gaps of space in between each individual track rather than being able to experience this in all of it's non-stop mega mix madness.

Pica Pica Pica