visitors AUTOMATIC MAN

this album rules for 2 reasons: 1) look at that cover! 2) the first track "Give it to Me" is worth the 5 minutes it will take you to download this.

so overall this album really isn't that great. the first two tracks are pretty great, but it's kinda all downhill from there. not terrible, but nothing special. the whole record has this weird disco/soul meets prog/fusion vibe to it. it's strange but in a really fun cheesy way. from what i've gathered this was their second and last album. originally started by Michael Shrieve (yes, the drummer from Santana's band, you may recognize him from Woodstock) their first album was supposedly more fusion oriented and less disco. Shrieve left the band after the first album and here the band is lead by keyboardist Bayete (who was a small time fusion jazz star at the time).

but like i mentioned before the lead track "Give it to Me" is a brilliant lost gem of funky space disco rock. it's weird in the best way possible. give it a listen for yourself. there is nothing here that is groundbreaking or that interesting but this is pretty fun. check it out here.

baroque primitiva ALVARIUS B.

UPDATE: sorry to all but as you can see from the comments there is a CD version of this album coming very soon! it's gonna be just as awesome! so link is gone. My apologies to Kristin and Forced Exposure/Poon Village Records....go there to get a copy of the CD version shortly! very very excited to see Poon Village back in action...also the ridiculously beautiful cover for the album (see above) is Kristin's work, and seriously on the LP it looks incredible!


wow. thanks to the best record store in austin, End of an Ear, I was lucky enough to get a copy of this actual LP. only 300 copies, it was released on Tuesday (yes, 2 days ago) and it's already sold out! you're only hope is to find your great local record store and hope they are hiding copies somewhere. (end of an ear only had a few copies hidden behind the counter for select individuals, I was lucky enough to be one of those people). regardless of physical copies, you really NEED to hear this album.

for those that do not know Alvarius B is the nom de plume of Alan Bishop (of Sun City Girls). that being said certain connotations come to mind, and occasionally hold true (especially on "Humor Police") but the album is just....beautiful. not being familiar with his previous solo albums i didn't really know what to expect and i'm blown away. most of the tracks are simplistic, almost singer/songwriter-esque tunes that are surprisingly pop-oriented. in the hands of a less accomplished musician this could come across as fluffy and unnecessary, but Bishop wears his heart on his sleeve here and it shines through. his cover of "You Only Live Twice" is just amazing (honestly reminds me of Richard Swift recorded on a 4track, and I mean that in a good way). to read a better review of this LP check out Byron Coley's description:

"By my count, Baroque Primitiva is the sixth album cut by Alvarius B. and is, like its predecessors, a deep swim through mysterious waters. The 11 tracks here were recorded at various sessions over the course of several years and range from "Humor Police" [a track that imagines what Syd Barrett might have sounded like had he been a devotee of rembetika] to a trippily Beatles-damaged version of 'You Only Live Twice' [the sole surviving shard of the aborted Alvarius B. Plays The Bond Songbook project]. Baroque Primitiva is the first long-format telegram from Alvarius B. since he lost his mothership [the Sun City Girls, with whom he employed his slave name, Alan Bishop] and it also feels like his most consistently non-acerbic -- perhaps even most beauty-oriented -- work. The songs often have a meditative pace and are filled with gorgeous lo-fi blends of vocals, guitar, bass and keys. Eyvind Kang guests on several tracks, but the bulk of the material was broadcast direct from the naked soul of Alvarius B., which turns out to be a warmer, sweeter place than you might imagine. The record also marks the return of the equally-legendary Poon Village label, whose productions are always extraordinary in visual terms, and Baroque Primitiva is no exception. The cover's meditative human mandala is a brilliant ocular ode to shifting visions of feminine pulchritude, and is worthy of the best framing job you can afford. "

highest recommendation I could ever give for this one.

split EXPO 70/RAHDUNES

split LP from two heavyweights of the noise/drone scene released by Kill Shaman back in 2008 (in an edition of 300 copies. very OOP.) Expo 70 is the sometimes solo jams from Justin Wright and sometimes as a duo with Matt Hill (whom you may know as Umberto). Rahdunes was the duo of Aaron Coyes (now of Peaking Lights) and Nate Archer (and sometimes a trio with Indra Dunis also of Peaking Lights).

Expo 70 hails from Kansas City. Wright generally goes it solo as Expo 70 these days. he also runs the fabulous Sonic Meditations label. on his side of this LP he leans a bit more toward the doom-y side of things. although toward the end of his track "like sucking panther blood" things clear up a little bit with some beautiful droning guitars and a solid bass line (courtesy of Matt Hill). totally stellar track. Expo 70's more recent work "Blackout," "Where Does Your Mind Go" and more have been blowing my mind lately. and going back to this split LP is interesting to hear the progression he's made in the last two years.

Rahdunes were based in San Francisco. however upon Aaron's marriage (to Indra) they moved to Madison, WI and Rahdunes are unfortunately no more. they only put out a handful of releases while together (excellent LP's on Emperor Jones and Qbico and a handful of cassettes). on their side of this LP they give 3 shorter tracks. you can begin to hear a lot of the qualities that will eventually make their way into the Peaking Lights sound. hazy and dubby drugged out sounds with steady drum machine and echoing guitars in the background. really amazing stuff.

the Aquarius Records review of this LP said: "RAHDUNES taking the high road and EXPO 70 taking the low road" & "EXPO 70 with an earthy throb" & "RAHDUNES sounding like the charles manson and the beach boys jamming high on acid at a bonfire on a so-cal beach." completely appropriate. listen to it here. good luck finding a copy, it's long OOP.

go to Sonic Meditations to keep up on the new Expo 70 LP's and tapes. they have really been killing it lately. all of their stuff is highly recommended. and I think Justin Wright's artwork is quite amazing and completely appropriate for their sound.

936 PEAKING LIGHTS

absolutely stellar new release from Peaking Lights on Not Not Fun (one of the best labels around right now). this is a follow up to 2009's equally amazing "Imaginary Falcons" and EP "Space Primitive" released in 2010 (both on Night People). You may know Aaron Coyes from Rahdunes (which I'll be posting about shortly) and Indra Dunis from Numbers (yes, that Numbers from Kill Rock Stars). together they are making some of the best stuff to come out the last few years.

"936" picks up where "Imaginary Falcons" left off. these two are masters at creating atmosphere. all of their records are heavy on hazy dubbed out jams with steady drum machine beats. lots of repetitive rhythms and complimenting touches of guitar, keyboards and nice pop-tinged vocal melodies. where "imaginary falcons" was a little murkier ,"936" shines brighter with a cleaner and more focused sound. you could draw a lot of parallels between this and the last Pocahaunted record "Make it Real." it's still what we've come to expect from Peaking Lights but they've upped the ante here. the ideas are more focused and it comes across as a more approachable album. and i mean that in a good way.

go to Not Not Fun and buy a copy of the LP (only 600 printed, it will go fast). there is also a CD version and an upcoming cassette version for those so inclined. listen to it here. highly recommended!

my father will guide me up a rope to the sky SWANS

sure. the reformed 2010 version of Swans might not be the exact same Swans from the 80's and 90's. but all expectations for "my father will guide me up a rope to the sky" were exceeded (and expectations were EXTREMELY high). this album perfectly captures exactly what Michael Gira is capable of and intends to do. whether you prefer Swans, Angels of Light or solo Michael Gira, this LP makes all his previous records seem like footnotes.

even more exciting is the fact that Swans are playing in Austin tomorrow night and I will be there. cannot wait. LP is still available from Young God Records and (most likely) your local record store. this one gets my highest recommendation. listen to it here.

From A Will-Less Gigolo Of A Divinity To The Gore-Splattered Lion On His Own Hearth, Odysseus Becomes “Odysseus” BEE MASK

this was the soundtrack to my jog this afternoon. haven't really familiarized myself with Bee Mask (aka Chris Madak who also runs the exceptional Deception Island label) until recently. the last slew of tapes he released on Deception Island really blew me away: Tiger Hatchery, Mark McGuire, Radio People and this exceptional new release from the man himself Bee Mask.

i tend to prefer my drone music to lean toward the analog side of things (emeralds, mist, oneohtrix point never, keith fullerton whitman, etc), however Bee Mask primarily deals with the electronic although many analog elements creep in. the beauty is that the two are hardly distinguishable from each other. side A is all swirls and cosmic synth zones but with an underlying order to it all. there is even an eastern-leaning feel to parts of it but it always flows smoothly. there are plenty of changes but to Mardak's credit they hardly create any sort of shift in mood. zone out extraordinaire. side B starts with synths that wouldn't be out of place on a oneohtrix point never album but somehow seemlessly drifts into a world where dub music meets drone. it's beautifully done and truly has a sound not often heard on modern kosmische/drone albums. extremely impressive and highly recommended!

this tape is already OOP from Deception Island but you might be able to snag a copy at Mimaroglu or Discriminate still. also, Bee Mask's earlier and maybe even more impressive tape "canzoni dal laboratorio del silenzio cosmico" is getting a deluxe vinyl pressing in April from Spectrum Spools a new subsidary label of the always excellent Editions Mego. listen to Bee Mask here.

II FOOD PYRAMID

so excited to get Food Pyramid's second unimaginatively titled tape "II" last week. "I" really blew me away and while this tape is a whole different beast it is no less impressive.

gone are acoustic krautrock jams of the first tape replaced by a less organic electronic feel. but the krautrock references remain. imagine the funky workouts from the first tape but with more of a dancefloor electro feel. the lack of vocals, even in this electronic world, heighten the remaining krautrock textures that carry over from the first tape. it's a colder sound world on this tape. the simplistic, repetitive riffing remains while synths float atop. the song titles give us all the insight we need for each song, "cloudscape," "cruisin," "underwater temple exlorations #4," "club trip," borbangnaydr," and the uber appropriate "mind melter" all sound just like they are lovingly titled.

"II" remains just as impressive as "I" if for different reasons. highly recommended. can't wait to hear "III" the final installment of their tape trilogy and their upcoming split 7" both coming out on Moon Glyph. physical copies of this tape are still available at Moon Glyph. also, pick up a copy of the new Daniel Higgs tape while you're there. It's out there, in only a way Dan Higgs can do. listen to "II" here.

water wrackets BITCHIN BAJAS

brand new release from Bitchin Bajas (aka Cooper Crane of Cave, Warhammer 48K, etc). technically the follow up to his great LP "Tones and Zones" on Important Records. "Tones and Zones" seemed more an homage to JD Emmanuel style synth explorations whereas this tape (self-released in an edition of 30, soon to be re-issued on vinyl I believe) moves more into the Klaus Schulze/Tangerine Dream style.

in keeping with his previous LP the tape consists of a handful of shorter pieces. water wrackets was composed as a film score and without even knowing it shows. all the pieces convey a specific mood but also create a cohesive whole. it's nice to hear him step out of the pure synth zone and add percussion and other pop elements. quality stuff.

pretty sure the tape is OOP at this point. Permanent Records is the only place to get it, check and they might have a few copies left. listen to it here

lemon crystal sunshine TIGER HATCHERY

i am pretty stoked on these guys as of late. totally killer 3-piece sax-bass-drums free jazz. all the obvious comparisons are there: Albert Ayler, Paul Flaherty, The Thing, etc this sits nicely up next to the Alan Wilkinson/John Edwards/Steve Noble album "Live at Cafe Oto" (which you NEED to have if you dig on this sort of thing). i know it might be short-sighted of me, but I love the fact that these are young kids. no 50+ old stalwarts blowing here (not that that's a bad thing)...these are some energetic and brash kids.

Tiger Hatchery is the trio of Mike Forbes - sax, Ben Billington - drums, and Andrew Scott Young - bass. Forbes and Young are both graduates of North Texas U. and former Denton-ites that made their way to Chicago and have been killing it every since. "Lemon Crystal Sunshine" is technically their first release, although they've had some tour tapes and since this have another couple tapes and an LP already! This release is also noteworthy for being their first studio recording. The live recordings have been awesome (all highly recommended) but this really shows a lot more detail and has a fuller sound (even as a cassette). Plenty of fire comes out of the trio but what makes them stand out is that they explore quieter territories and even get into some drone moments with all acoustic instruments! there is plenty of variety, dynamics and exploration. i cannot recommend these guys highly enough!

you can still grab a copy of this cassette (released on Deception Island, limited to 150 and sold out at the source already) at Mimaroglu. while you're there you can also find some of the last copies of their already OOP one-sided LP recorded live in Cleveland (also limited to 150 copies) on Pizza Night.

Go here and you can download both sides of "Lemon Crystal Sunshine" as MP3's. you can also download some live recordings and their first tour tape! if you dig what you hear and want more you can go to Green Records and Tapes and get a copy of their brand new tape recorded live in Michigan. do it quick, there are only 20 copies!!!

city life MANISHEVITZ

sometimes albums just don't hold up well over time. i remember when this album came out back in 2003. it was released on Jagjaguwar at the same time as the Aspera album "Oh Fantastica." (also on Jagjaguwar). i thought both records were great, and i probably leaned a little more towards the Aspera album. upon revisiting these (now almost 10 years old!?) albums I find quite the opposite. Aspera's "oh fantastica" still has its moments here and there but sounds dated and just doesn't pack the same punch.

"City Life" is quite the opposite. if anything I'm more intrigued by this record. "mary ann" is one of the best pop songs I've heard in a long time. and "undercover" is truly a beautiful song. front to back this album is completely solid. from great pop songs, wall of sound build-ups, kosmische moments and more. sounds just as relevant (if not more so) now than it did in 2003.

it's still available as a CD or digital download from the Jagjaguwar store. unfortunately it was never released on vinyl (maybe someone will re-release it one of these days...). i'm not really sure how many people know of, or knew about this band, but please do yourself a favor and check it out! listen to it here.

also Manishevitz's follow up album in 2007 "East to East" is also quite amazing. and finally check out the band Sonoi which is the new project from two former members of Manishevitz.

on seafaring isolation DOLPHINS INTO THE FUTURE

not to be confused with the book "Dolphins in the Future" by Joan Ocean...this is the solo project of one Lieven Martens who also runs a wonderful little tape label, Cetacean Nation Communications.

honestly, you could draw a lot of parallels between the book and musical project. the book is Ocean's study of 200 dolphins and how she interacts with them on different metaphysical levels etc, think Celestine Prophecy with dolphins. Dolphins into the Future (the music) wouldn't be far off as a soundtrack to said book. Martens uses lots of field recordings of waves, birds, etc and builds on top of it with calming synths. this fits in quite comfortable with the kosmische leaning explorers of late, but has a more mystical, astral plane feeling to it. that might sound like a bad thing on paper, but in the words of Adam Strohm of Dusted Magazine:

"Lieven Martens, the one man behind this one-man band, found his inspiration for the music in devotional texts, making music “to awaken the listener’s inner-seeing or God-vision.” That statement alone may trigger alarm bells for some, but it may be because we’re all just a bit too cynical these days."

originally released on Not Not Fun in 2009 and sold out in a flash. was recently just re-released (also by not not fun) in an edition of 300 LP's that are gonna be gone just as quick. Can still purchase a physical copy here if you act fast. Listen to it here.