Re-up: "Our friend, the Atom"

A Japanese-only tribute album for a famous Japanese animator, Osamu Tezuka -- creator of Astro Boy, and considered the grandfather of the contemporaryhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif manga and anime industry. Features exclusive tracks by: SHONEN KNIFE, MAKI NOMIYA (of PIZZICATO 5 fame), CIBO MATTO, BOREDOMS, BLOODTHIRSTY BUTCHERS, SEAN LENNON, CHOCOLAT, as well as Haruomi Hosono, Kazufumi Miyazawa, El-Malo, Kinniku Shojotai, Anji, Yui Nishiwaki, You, Dimitri From Paris, Tadanobu Asano, Ken Takagi,Ikuno Takagi (Jungle Smile), Genki Hitomi, Hiroyuki Nanba, Cosa Nostra, Kiyoshiro, and Motoharu Sano.

A Japanese-only tribute album for a famous Japanese animator, Osamu Tezuka -- creator of Astro Boy, and considered the grandfather of the contemporary manga and anime industry. Features exclusive tracks by: SHONEN KNIFE, MAKI NOMIYA (of PIZZICATO 5 fame), CIBO MATTO, BOREDOMS, BLOODTHIRSTY BUTCHERS, SEAN LENNON, CHOCOLAT, as well as Haruomi Hosono, Kazufumi Miyazawa, El-Malo, Kinniku Shojotai, Anji, Yui Nishiwaki, You, Dimitri From Paris, Tadanobu Asano, Ken Takagi,Ikuno Takagi (Jungle Smile), Genki Hitomi, Hiroyuki Nanba, Cosa Nostra, Kiyoshiro, and Motoharu Sano.

This cd features wonderful packaging with metallic foil and silver ink along with die cut panels of Astro Boy's head. but unfortunately, as nice as it looks, it just doesn't scan very well. The above image is from the inside cover.

2nd time around...enjoy!

Let's Hari-Karaoke!

Sort of a Holy Grail of WTF records. The A Capella Cantata by Nondor Nevai bills itself as a piece for voice, reverb pedal, and magnetic tape. Well...to put it in other words, this is a piece for microphone, karaoke machine and hilarious drug buddy. Listening to Nondor Nevai is as bit like being at some sort of wacked-out disco club where records by Stryper and Saturday Night Live are played back to back; and some madman (armed with a cheap echo pedal) has taken over the dj booth and continually rambles non-stop over every song. Saying the most inane...yet brilliantly stupid things from off the top of his head. Whether it be going through a play-by-play of a random sexual encounter, reading the thanks list from a hip hop album, or spouting off some lesbian poetry, the results never fail to make me laugh and at the same time, make my jaw hit the floor in the fact that someone actually released this as a real Cd!

Needless to say, if you are a fan of all things stupid/amazing/psychotic/wtf?...then you know what to do.

(link deleted...but check HERE)

Lover's Rock:

Although now defunct, Judy And Mary were one of the biggest bands on Japan's pop rock scene of the 90's. As a collective unit, they had a knack for kicking out some of the most innovative melodic music that took hand fulls of punk, noise, pop and mashed them all together in one technicolor mess.

The noisy elements mostly came from the guitar player Takuya who as a player, shows an amazing and unique style of playing...utilizing lots of effects and toys and throwing out some tasty riffs. The other ace in the hole for this band was the charismatic vocalist Yuki, whose shrill range and onstage costumes catapulted this group into the big time. Take groups like No Doubt and Avril Lavigne and strip them of all the superficial aspects of their sound, (oops, what would be left---?) then add in a ton of insane hyper magic energy and some strong catchy melodies and you'll come close to getting an idea of spending some time with Judy And Mary.

This is a post of the band's final album and one of their best. I'll be posting more from them in the future, but for now...here's the 2000 offering Warp.

Crazed manic pop music at it's finest.

Let's JAM! (updated link)

Seventh Heaven:

I'm not sure if it is the summer heat or possibly the fact that i've been trying to psyche myself up for afternoon runs; but old thrash/speed metal stuff is what's keeping me sane lately. And here's a few gems from a rarely appreciated band from the UK who never fully got their due. Seventh Angel were a UK group who crafted some quality heavy music that straddles the lines of thrash, doom, and even a few folk elements. The closest band comparison one could probably connect them to would be fellow UK rockers Sabbat. Both bands seem to share the love of an epic song or two and the skill level of playing takes a backseat to inventive song craft. Even lyrically, there is that same sense of singing about "ye olden ways of the wynd", and more arcane texts that involve religious imagery and esoteric Christianity.

Seventh Angel certainly knew a thing or two about setting a mood...just take a look at the album cover for their first record The Torment. It's a swarm of bearded locust attacking people! Now, i can understand that it's cool for bugs to attack people...but whose idea was it to have these creatures bearded? Brilliant and hairy! But the strange artwork really fits with the doomy feel of this album...so technically, i can't really call Seventh Angel a thrash band due to lots of style shifting going on here. But that shifting of style never bogs down the band's style with clutter...it simply shows what great songwriters they were.

File under Atmospheric UK Christian Esoteric Epic Thrash Doom Metal, then.

The Torment is a great album that sort up sets the stage for the bands masterpiece Lament For The Weary. This is a concept album that is much more dark and doomy and crammed with amazing songwriting and loads of interesting twists and turns. The band really seemed to have up'ed the ante with this one and it pays off with some challenging, and well thought out metal...bordering on prog at many times (just as the wonderful cover art suggests)

Lovers of obscure metal...discover these treasures.

Seventh Angel - The Torment

Seventh Angel - Lament For the Weary

~~ THRASH ATTACK! Believer VS. King's EVIL ~~

Nothing to pass away the grueling summer heat than some thrashing mad metal; and here we have two absolute gems worthy of investigation.

First up, an old band from Penn. called Believer. Extraction From Mortality was this quintet's first release and stands out as not only a pinnacle of underground thrash metal from the late 80's, but also an adventurous and astoundingly cohesive album. Musically, Believer sounds like the perfect cross between classic era Metalicca combined with the speedy riffs and tight sound of Slayer. I know those are two big names to drop and expectations must be really high when listening to this now....but see for yourself! Most of the songs are not blast-fests, but endorse more of a mid-paced thrashy sound with dark hints of melody and an overall epic sound. The production is unique for this kind of style and in this era. There is a terrific low end to everything that gives it all a cool kind of mood and sense of some kind of groove. As if it weren't enough already that Believer can write insanely catchy and neck-snapping tunes; they decided to make things even more interesting with bits of off-key piano and moody orchestration! Genius!

Check it out HERE

And in this corner...from Tokyo: King's Evil! Although not as profoundly obscure and weird as Believer, King's Evil still manages to kick up a great thrash album which reminds me of classic stuff like Kreator and Sodom. Lots of catchy, fun riffs and great guitar solos here. The production here on Deletion of Humanoise (whatta great title) follows more of the typical dry sound that was common with thrash albums of the 80's. Funny thing is though, this came out in 2001. While the rest of the world was in the throes of "nu-metal" (ahem) good old King's Evil were busy belting out these real metal anthems. God bless 'em!

Experience the Humanoise for yourself

Stream of Lights:

This was originally posted on the incredible (and now, sadly inactive) 194142434445 blog. A collection of live and studio work from the Kansai-based Diesel Guitar. The live stuff was all recorded outside at various temples and shrines of Japan; and there one track in particular that is enhanced by a rain shower.

01. Recorded Live At Koki-ji Temple In Osaka, June 2000 (8:39)
02. Osaka Zokei Center In Osaka, October 1998 (8:24)
03. Recorded Live At Koki-ji Temple In Osaka, June 2000 (19:59)
04. Osaka Zokei Center In Osaka, October 1998 (10:04)
05. Recorded In Niigata, June 2001 (14:35) (studio)
06. Recorded In Niigata, June 2001 (7:04) (studio)

Beautiful and compelling work on display here.
Sadly under heard and worth a resurrection.

Drone on

Re-post: Hurts So Good

What better way to follow up on the Superstars comp then a re-post (by request) of the Bass Zeppelin album!

Rocketh On...

Don't Let That Dream Slip Away:

It's been a long time since i posted anything really funny...so here's a collection of stuff that never fails to crack me up and it's got a little bit of a story behind it as well.

When I used to live in America, I worked in the music business for a major label record company that mostly handled hard rock and heavy metal acts. The job was fun and interesting; but juggling the madness was a huge stress. It was not an unusual thing to have fellow co-workers break out in random screams to nullify the pressure. Pretty funny. The highlight of every week was checking out the demos that we received from unsigned bands looking to make it big. We would hang in the mail room and anxiously await the days that the demo Cd-r's and cassettes would come in along with some of the most hilarious/horrifying promo photos and press kits! There are few pleasures in life comparable to witnessing the non-stop parade of delusion that just oozes from these recordings. From tone deaf wannabee teen pop stars to your everyday local bar rock band that just happens to have some of the most childish and pathetic lyrics that have ever been written, to party punkers that just write the cheeziest songs. Overall, it's like one big train wreck that is impossible to ignore. The only option seems to be to sit back and laugh.

In a business where i was exposed to artists and bands that tried to ooze cool and charm to the point where it was almost an insult; it was always a refreshing listen to be exposed to bands that were just so bad that all i could do was laugh.

Of all my collection, this particular compilation has been the single most requested Cd-r burn from all my friends. Goes great for the kind of parties where everyone is too loaded too care, or for the times on your next road trip where you need a little levity. Seriously great stuff..worth a listen, and worth a thousand laughs...and some of these songs are actually so bad and unforgettable that they're guaranteed to get stuck in your head. Arrrrgggh!

Now, if i only i had those press photos...

Start the party here

Re-post~Pig Crossing:

As requested....the fabulous 1975 live document from John Tchicai Irene Schweizer Group. Only issued on Cd once and now gone! This is the third time up for this one and seems to be a popular request. Willi The Pig - certainly a fine album that deserves much (loud) play in your home.

ENJOY!

Unraveled:

Mystery album here full of some fine late-night guitar(?) solo drone. A fairly surprising amount of dynamic and shifting tones for this kind of genre. Moments of serene spookiness and a few frightening curves thrown in. Anybody have any idea who this might be?

Anybody...anybody?

Re-up: POCCOLUS:

Quick...name all the Lithuanian black metal bands that you can think of.... nothing comes to mind? That's probably due to that fact that there only seems to be one Lithuanian black metal band...and their name...(cue thunder and lightening sound effects)...was Poccolus!

Poccolus didn't seem to make much of a dent in the spike-studded world of black metal; but they managed to release one full-length album on the tiny South Korean based Hammerheart Productions label. And what an album it is! A droney, thrashy Burzum-esque masterpiece with snatches of traditional Lithuanian folk melodies layered within all the black metal buzz. Some interesting musical choices are thrown into the mix; with steel guitar, keyboards, and a Lithuanian plucked string instrument called the Kanklės all creeping into the mix. The vocals are tortured and agonizing (as all good black metal vocals should be, I suppose)...but there are also lots of clean singing here which sometimes has a Viking sort of feel. The one standout moment (vocally) for me, however, is about 5 minutes into the first track "Vilkolakiai" and everything stops in the song except for this very haunting and repetitive guitar line. And then, the singer howls. Yes..literally, he howls. It's eerie and so so so good!

A strange, beautiful, and incredibly unique album.

Here it is again

Hallelujah:

A double slab of excellent jazz from one of the key members of Tokyo's Shibusa Shirazu Orchestra. Katayama Hiroaki Quartet offers Quatre, a beautiful album of strong melodies and strong playing. Tokai by CO2 (which also features Katayama) is a live set consisting of a more abstract approach with some electric bass and effects-laden electric guitar; resulting in some more angular compositions. Both of these recordings also feature Yoshigaki Yasuhiro (of ROVO fame) on drums, percussion; and both of these particular cd's also showcase jazz versions of Leonard Cohen's classic "Hallelujah."

Katayama Hiroaki Quartet : Quatre

Katayama Hiroaki-tenor saxophone
Itabashi Fumio-piano
Ino Nobuyoshi-bass
Yoshigaki Yasuhiro-drums, percussion

CO2 : Tokai

Katayama Hiroaki-tenor saxophone
Hayashi Eichi-alto saxophone
Kato Takayuki-guitar, percussion
Hayakawa Takeharu-bass
Yoshigaki Yasuhiro-drums, percussion, trumpet

Up the Hair~Unfurl the masks!:

I always felt that Crimson Glory were one of those bands who never really got their due when it came to Queensryche-inspired power prog metal. Great songwriting on display here with more than a handful of technical chops (which, never get in the way of the good song). Some may say this is ridiculous, some may think cheesy. others may simply lay back and bask in the cosmic rays and hairspray.

Dig

Burden sprawl:

Tindersticks strikes a delicate balance between late night optimism and early morning misery. Perhaps it's the difference between three pints in and 6 pints later that follows those kinds of emotional waves. Have no fear, dear friends, raise a toast to those countrymen who can bolster such beauty within their fragile melodies and homespun tales of longing. May the morning never arrive.

To the gentlemen!

Singles X4:

A smattering of singles from Shéna Ringo, Number Girl, Koja Misako, and Chocolat. I've posted a few albums with full descriptions of both Chocolat and Shéna; but Number Girl and Koja Misako are both new here. NG has a fierce indie rock sound with a heavy bass-driven sound that has shades of a Steve Albini project within it's core. Koja Misako is a famous Okinawan singer who is well known for her past work with Ryuichi Sakamoto. Her "Black Rain" single is a lovely song; laced with a delicate and sad melody that reflects the unique Okinawan ballad style.

All bundled together snuggly HERE.
Which DooYoo Like?

Shocka*Rocka Revised:

Holy Hell! Seems as if the first 6 songs were missing from the Shock City Shockers. Far be it from me to deprive any of you Boredoms fans of Magic Poopers! Check the link again and notice that it's all there this time. How did those first 6 tracks escape the initial upload, anyway?

here's an updated link.

Shocka*Rocka:

Shock City Shockers is a collection of tracks cooked up by Boredoms honcho Eye and the usual suspects. If you're a fan of later day Bore-stuff, then this will be pleasing. I'm actually not exactly sure what this album is...but it sounds like a collection of just random studio tracks that were made just for the hell of it. Perhaps a way of testing out some new studio toys, perhaps? Ah well...no matter, the mood is fun and most of the stuff here is colorful and focused. Space rocking jungle vibe with a few mega blasts of distorted hardcore punk providing some nice distorted interludes amongst all the "bleeip-squiggly-flab-bleeipbobo-beeeechi-chi-'s." Know what I'm sayin'?

Shock it Up! (updated link)

Shocka*Rocka Part 2:

And here's SHOCK CITY SHOCKERS 2; which is an OOIOO remix project. Features re-workings of Yoshimi P-We's cosmic female ensemble by the likes of Zak, Chari Chari, EYE, Woodman, J.A.K.A.M. (Juzu a.k.a.Moochy), Tatsuki Masuko (Asln / Dub Squad / Rovo), Kiyoshi Izumi, Nobukazu Takemura, L?K?O, Moodman, Mt. Yamar, and Kan Takagi & K.U.D.O. As well as a bit of a sketchy track of OOIOO covering Chick Corea.


be sure to loop

The Big Chill:

The process of setting up and conducting field recordings in Antarctica is one of the most difficult of tasks, seeing as the region's temperature and climate pose so many complication to both the recording personnel and the equipment. Legendary recorder Douglas Quin decided to brave this journey and managed to attain some of the most astounding and bizarre audio treasures ever heard! Armed with an array of ice-resistant microphones (including some multi-headed underwater mics called hydrophones); Quin managed to capture the sounds of Weddell Seals singing their strange songs in sub-zero temp. waters! Other massive highlights include the haunting strains of the Wind Harps from the Taylor Valley and the sounds of a giants glacier as it floats along creaking and cracking out one big ominous ice-drone.

As the hot, humid sweltering summer heat begins to creep in, turn this one up loud and bask in this fascinating and (at times) otherworldly sound world of Antarctica.

One of the best field recordings ever! Highly recommended!

Bundle up

on the way:

More musics forthcoming...