We're kicking the new year off with quality sounds from the likes of
Fogg, Buck Biloxi and The Fucks, Tiaras, Tsunamis, the first time on
vinyl release of Alejandro Jodorowsky's Holy Mountain soundtrack, a
reissue single from the Dentists and loads more great records!
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"The Residents are true avant-garde crazies. Their earliest albums (of which this is the first) have precedents in Captain Beefheart's experimental albums, Frank Zappa's conceptual numbers from Freak Out!, the work of Steve Reich, and the compositions of chance music tonemeister John Cage -- yet The Residents' work of this time really sounds like nothing else that exists. All of the music on this release consists of deconstructions of countless rock and non-rock styles, which are then grafted together to create chaotic, formless, seemingly haphazard numbers; the first six "songs" (including a fragment from the Nancy Sinatra hit "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'") are strung together to form a larger entity similar in concept to the following lengthier selections. The result is a series of unique, odd, challenging numbers that are nevertheless not entirely successful. The album cover is a fierce burlesque of the Beatles' first U.S. Capitol label release, sporting puerilely doctored photographs of the Fab Four on the front and pictures of collarless-suited sea denizens on the back (identified as Paul McCrawfish, Ringo Starfish, and the like). This is an utterly bizarre platter that may appeal to very adventurous listeners." - allmusic.com |
"After a three-year break, Neu! members Klaus Dinger and Michael Rother buried their differences temporarily, and reunited for another go at the "motorik" sound they had developed with their debut in 1971. The strange tension and presentation of Neu! 2 and the emergence of their former band Kraftwerk may have precipitated the reunion, but, whatever the reason, the end result proved worth the time, effort, and bickering it took to crank this one out. One thing that is noticeably different on 75 is the presence of synthesizers and the preference of them, it seems, over Rother's guitar. "Isi," which opens the album, features Dinger's metronymic percussion holding down the 2/4 rhythm and a trademark one-note bassline provided by a piano, but the gorgeous sonic washes and flourishes normally handled by Rother's guitar-slinging hands are now painted with a synth. "Seeland" offers a return to the six strings with what would in subsequent years become Rother's ornate "singing" style of playing. Dinger's rhythmic patterns here are deceptively simple. They create a long, trudging 4/4, syncopated every other line, and punctuated by a small ride cymbal at the end of each phrase as Rother's guitar provides both cascading single string notes and a shifting, pulsing bassline. It's a beautiful wasteland, this track; sparse yet full of melodic interplay and layered guitars and keyboards. The last track on side one is "Leb Wohl," an exercise in white noise, industrial textures, and natural or, "found" sounds, a piano and gorgeous, spare and intricate guitar chords. For side two, Neu! adds Dinger's brother, Thomas, and Hans Lampe on various percussions to allow Dinger to play guitar, piano, and organ, and to add some bottom end to the band's sound. The funny thing is they come off sounding more like a melodic punk band on "Hero," with Dinger's growling vocals being reminiscent of a young Mick Jagger on steroids. His Keith Richards-style chords stand in stark contrast to Rother's more lyrical approach. Perhaps this isn't such a surprise when we consider the Damned's first album was recorded in 1975. The ten-minute "E-Musick" becomes Neu!'s signature track for this disc, however. With distorted percussion -- courtesy of a synth and sequencer, as well as a drum kit put through a phase shifter, Rother's melodic synth lines are free to roam, wide and far, carrying within them a foreshadowing of his guitar solos a few minutes later. These long screaming lines, reminiscent of Steve Hillage at his best, with Dinger's wonderful rhythm backing and treatments of the instruments, provides a definitive statement on the Neu! "motorik" sound. This is music not only for traveling, from one place to the next, but also for disappearance into the ether at a steady pace. This may have been Neu!'s final statement -- at least in the studio; Dinger issued (without Rother's permission) an inferior live '72 album -- but at least they went out on a much higher note than Neu! 2, and in a place where their innovations are still being not only recognized, but utilized." - allmusic.com |
"Perhaps the best album to emerge from the quagmire that was early-'80s California hardcore punk, the visceral, intensely physical presence of Damaged has yet to be equaled, although many bands have tried. Although Black Flag had been recording for three years prior to this release, the fact that Henry Rollins was now their lead singer made all the difference. His furious bellow and barely contained ferocity was the missing piece the band needed to become great. Also, guitarist/mastermind Greg Ginn wrote a slew of great songs for this record that, while suffused with the usual punk conceits (alienation, boredom, disenfranchisement), were capable of making one laugh out loud, especially the protoslacker satire "TV Party." Extremely controversial when it was released, Damaged endured the slings and arrows of outrageous criticism (some reacted as though this record alone would cause the fall of America's youth) to become and remain an important document of its time." - allmusic.com |
"Skate Rock may have been one of the defining sounds of Southern California in the late ’80 / early ‘90s, but its origins were in another time and place. It began, in fact, in post-Outlaw Country 1970s Austin, Texas. That’s where singer Randy “Biscuit” Turner, guitarist Tim Kerr, bassist Chris Gates and drummer Greg Murray were mixing the prevailing trend of playing hard and fast with playing loose and funky. The Big Boys came from the same scene that spawned Scratch Acid, The Dicks, and MDC, but stood out with music that ventured far beyond post-punk angularities and hardcore machismo. With features in the earliest issues of Thrasher Magazine and coveted spots on their influential Skate Rock tape comps, Big Boys were the first band to be labeled “skate rock.” Originally released on David Bean’s (of the Judys) Wasted Talent label, their debut album Where’s My Towel / Industry Standard is a classic of American independent music. Lyrically inspired by the group’s growing dissatisfaction with the local hardcore scene and how the release of their Live at Raul’s split record with the Dicks was handled, musically the album showed a move from the prevailing sound of the time. In this, the album’s sound has roots in funk, rock and avant-garde noise guitar as much as punk. But the record only tells part of the story. Big Boys shows have gone down in history as theaters of chaos, frequently involving stage invasions, food fights and the sight of occasional cross-dresser Turner wearing a tutu or dress – or even a string of Christmas lights. Years later, Kerr told an interviewer of a gig where Biscuit performed with bagged sandwiches pinned all over him, which he went on to throw into the crowd. At a gig six months later, a member of one audience threw the by-then-moldy sandwich back at him. The band also frequently extended to include a horn section, The Impromptu Horns, led by Chris Gates’ brother, Nathan. Famously, the Big Boys would end with the foursome shouting, “OK y’all, go start your own band.” This DIY attitude continues today in Tim Kerr’s art, which instead of being signed with his name is inscribed “Your Name Here”. The list of fans who did go out and start their own band includes the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who opened for the Big Boys in Hollywood in their club years. After five short years and three albums, each of the four Big Boys departed too, taking their own advice: each member went on to play in numerous bands like Poison 13, Monkeywrench, Jack O’Fire, Junkyard and many more. They are also featured in the critically-acclaimed documentary American Hardcore and appear on its soundtrack. In 2005 Biscuit died of complications from Hepatitis C. Tim Kerr continues to play music and his artwork has been seen all over the world. Chris Gates continues to play music in his band Chris Gates & Gatesville. “We never really decided to ‘break up’, it just happened,” Kerr said, five years after the split. “We had been on a two month tour and it got to be exactly like being in a station wagon with mom and dad with your brother and sisters… lots of tension and everything.” That won’t come as any surprise on listening to the album: the tension’s what makes it so very vital. Now y’all, go start your own band…" - Light In The Attic |
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Trouble In Mind is back with two hot new releases to warm you up this fall!!!!! The first one of them is a singles and rarities comp from the one and only Liminanas, entitled aptly enough "(I've Got) Trouble In Mind - 7s And Rare Stuff 2009-2014." "Record flippers be damned! Trouble in Mind proudly presents the long-awaited (& often requested) compilation of The Limiñanas out-of-print singles & compilation tracks, some making their first appearance on vinyl! Every non-album track you need is here, from the OOP Hozac single, to the TiM 2011 limited tour single to their appearances on various compilations & tributes, all in one handy place. While singles collections can sometimes be dodgy, mismatched affairs, “(I’ve Got) Trouble In Mind” flows like a proper album, & that stands as a testament to the unwavering vision of core members (and husband & wife team) Lio & Marie. The band’s fusion of traditional French “ye ye” stylings with the cigarette-smoking cool of the New York underground of the late-Sixties has dazzled listeners since it’s inception making the live unit the toast of concert stages worldwide. Between stunning originals like the black-laced banger “I’m Dead” & the Suicide-esque organ grinder “Je m’en vais” are stunning comp tracks like the band’s cover of tunes by the Beach Boys (from a MOJO magazine covermount cd), The Troggs (“Tu es a moi” from the 2012 RSD 4-way split), Jay Reatard (”An Ugly Death” from a French tribute album) & more! In addition, we get to hear unreleased tunes like the band’s cover of the Phil Spector tune “Christmas” originally performed by Darlene Love & the smoky, instrumental “A Dead Swan”. The vinyl is housed in a stunning gatefold jacket with artwork by renowned French illustrator Elric Dufau, is pressed on basic black vinyl & includes a download code. RIYL: Serge Gainsbourg, Ennio Morricone, Velvet Underground, Stereolab, Jacco Gardner, Temples" - Trouble In Mind Records Thanks Trouble In Mind, now we have a little free time since we're no longer scouring discogs and ebay for all these long OOP and hard to grip songs from our fave French garage rockers. If you were wowed by last year's "Costa Blanca" (which you should be), you definitely should be clicking that lil shopping cart now. But the great thing about "(I've Got) Trouble In Mind" is it's so much more: it works as an intro to the Limananas' hazy cool garage jams, a mixtape that yer friend didn't have to compile, a soundtrack to yer next black and white film or that record you can leave on yer turntable for any mood. Versatile, mesmerizing and TOTALLY RECOMMENDED! |
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UPCOMING LOS ANGELES IN-STORE EVENTS
- Circuit Des Yeux 1/10/15 6:30 PM
