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Showing posts from September, 2013

Singles: The Coathangers, Tim Hecker, Nonagon, Post-Ape, Cleanteeth

The Coathangers : "Adderall" (via Enabler PR/ NOISEY ) Tim Hecker : "Black Refraction" (via Rarely Unable) Nonagon : "The Pfister" (via Controlled Burn Records)   Post-Ape : "Limbs in the Dark" (via Sure Shot PR) Cleanteeth : " Sexual Mustache " (via Earsplit PR/ eMusic ) Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

No Ripcord: Monogamy Party

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Monogamy Party False Dancers Good to Die Records Released: 9.17.13 No Ripcord review Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

CAVE: "Shikaakwa" (Video)

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Fans of Neu! and 70s jazz fusion will appreciate the rhythmic dialogue happening between the members of CAVE in this track, "Shikaakwa," for which a video has been produced.  Necessarily minimal and repetitious while nuanced with woodwind, keys and strings, "Shikaakwa" is worth the five minutes it takes to listen.  This single is from the band's upcoming new album, Threace , which will be out on October 14 via Drag City.  All info comes courtesy of Rarely Unable. CAVE RELEASE MESMERISING NEW MUSIC VIDEO FOR 'SHIKAAKWA'; AND PREPARE TO PERFORM THEIR NEW ALBUM THREACE ON A BOAT! Be mesmerised by the latest CAVE video. Watch and share via this direct link: http://youtu.be/eLrofQRFQ6k CAVE have been honing their form of guitar driven, rhythmic, hypnotic psych/krautrock since 2006, and with each release they have pushed their sound into pastures new. On their new album Threace ( Drag City , 14 Oct) the guitars remain heavy and thick to provide

What I Heard This Morning: C. Spencer Yeh/Okkyung Lee/Lasse Marhaug

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From the three or so minutes' worth of sample you can glean from the preview of Wake Up Awesome , which is an experimental and improvisational collaboration between artists C. Spencer Yeh of Burning Star Core , cellist Okkyung Lee and Lasse Marhaug of Jazzkammer , you know you're in for a challenge.  Splicing together segments from tracks "Throw Down the Fishcake" and "Anise Tongue and Durian Wet Dream," you're treated to free jazz percussion and frantically bowed strings, eruptions of static and an introductory piano melody cut off just before a voice begins to sing.      Check out the sample below.  If you're intrigued, please read the info on the release below, which was provided by Enabler PR. C. SPENCER YEH/OKKYUNG LEE/LASSE MARHAUG DETAIL WAKE UP AWESOME OUT 11/12 VIA SOFTWARE LISTEN TO AN EXCERPT FROM THE ALBUM HERE   Wake Up Awesome , by C. Spencer Yeh (Burning Star Core), Okkyung Lee, and Lasse Marhaug (Jazzkamer), is the sec

Shopping For Records: Wolfmoon and Sandra Phillips reissues...

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1970s soul singer Swamp Dogg ( Jerry Williams Jr. ) is still active and currently reissuing a series of relatively obscure soul and blues albums from the 1970s as part of a collection called Swamp Dogg's Soul & Blues Collection . A very unimaginative title, but it looks like it's worth checking out. The first two reissues featured in the collection are from Wolfmoon (or, Little Tommy ) and Sandra Phillips . Check out some singles and then read the info provided to you by Pavement PR. NEWLY RE-RELEASED & REMASTERED VERSIONS OF WOLFMOON'S SELF-TITLED ALBUM & SANDRA PHILLIPS' TOO MANY PEOPLE IN ONE BED OUT OCT. 1ST AS PART OF ALIVE NATURALSOUND RECORDS' ONGOING SWAMP DOGG SOUL & BLUES COLLECTIONAVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME ON VINYL SINCE THEIR ORIGINAL RELEASES IN THE EARLY 1970S! FREE MP3S OF WOLFMOON'S "MY KIND OF PEOPLE" AND SANDRA PHILLIPS' "MY MAN AND ME" CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO & SHARE WOLFM

The Melvins: "American Cow" (Single)

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For the purposes of promoting their upcoming new album, Tres Cabrones , The Melvins have released a new single that sounds as old school as the line-up that conceived it, original drummer Mike Dillard having rejoined the band for the release.  The song is "American Cow."  The speed?  Slow.  The hands that mold and perform?  Heavy.  It's available through SPIN . The info comes to you courtesy of Rarely Unable. THE MELVINS PREMIERE "AMERICAN COW" VIA SPIN; TRES CABRONES PRE ORDERS AVAILABLE NOW The Melvins premiere “American Cow,” from the forthcoming album Tres Cabrones (released, Nov. 4, Ipecac) via Spin ( http://www.spin.com/articles/ melvins-1983-tres-cabrones- american-cow-ipecac-records- stream/ ).   Pre-orders for the record are available now: http://georiot.co/44Wg. “ Tres Cabrones is as close as we’re willing to get to the Melvins 1983 line-up,” explained Osborne , of the 12-song album that reunites him, Dale Crover and original drummer Mike

No Ripcord: Blouse

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Blouse Imperium Captured Tracks Released: 9.17.13 No Ripcord review Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

Singles: Obliterations, Vex Ruffin, Nightmares On Wax, Celestial Shore, HSY, Odonis Odonis

Obliterations : "Kick Against the Pricks" (via Enabler PR/ FADER ) Vex Ruffin : "Living For the Future" (via Force Field PR/Stones Throw) Nightmares On Wax : "Be, I Do" (via Friends of Friends Music) Celestial Shore : "Hour Minute" (via Force Field PR/ Stereogum ) HSY : "Tarter Mouth" (via Force Field PR/ Noisey ) Odonis Odonis: "Are We Friends" (via Force Field PR/ Stereogum ) Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

"Gotta Read the Labels:" Tapes of a Neon God

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Tapes of a Neon God is a cassette label out of Nashville, Tennessee that specializes in keeping loud and destructive music in circulation.  My introduction to this label was through the band Pink City , whose 2011 release, Designing Women , and Great Falls split were both enjoyed and detailed in earlier reviews.  As I remain devoted to the abrasive oddity and aural ruination provided by the underground, especially when it's continually delivered to an audience through the hissing spindles of lovingly manufactured cassettes, I thought it would be worthwhile to spotlight Tapes of a Neon God by acknowledging three of the label's 2013 releases. Japanese Women Quality Control Released: 1.1.13 It's possible you've heard the powerviolence, crust punk and D-beat mutations from the new 2013 releases of Nails and Dead in the Dirt .  Quality Control , which was released at the beginning of the year by the band Japanese Women , (the members of which are neither), is on

What I Heard This Morning: Makoto

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Hyper jazz fusion, some Latin rhythms, wandering saxophone blasts...  This is "Primitive" from the upcoming EP of the same title from Makoto .  The EP will be out October 8 through Apollo Records. All info comes courtesy of Force Field PR. Makoto announces EP, hear first single now Primitive EP out October 8 on Apollo Records STREAM: Makoto - "Primitive" - https://soundcloud.com/makoto-humanelements/makoto-primitive-mastered/ Makoto returns to Apollo with the Primitive EP. As he builds his fast-paced style into a leaner, more aggressive manifestation of the soulful Makoto sound, it quickly becomes clear that no one genre or signifier can fully describe this new collection of five tracks, from the rampant tribal ideology of "Primitive" through the freestyle explorations of "Ritual." The Primitive EP opens with an adventurous statement of intent, as the title track sets the listener on a breakneck journey through glistening foliage

Stereokiller: BL'AST!

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BL'AST! BLOOD! Southern Lord Released: 9.3.13 Stereokiller review Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

Singles: Tessela, Far-Out Fangtooth, The Obits, K. Raydio & Psymun, Upset

Tessela : "Nancy's Pantry" (via Pitchfork ) Far-Out Fangtooth : "Bow Your Head" (via Ad Hoc ) The Obits : "Spun Out" (via Village Voice ) K. Raydio & Psymun : "Jupiter" (via Okayplayer ) Upset : "Oxfords & Wingtips" (via Pitchfork) Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

Phawker: No Age

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No Age PhilaMOCA Philadelphia, PA 9.7.13 Phawker live show coverage   Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

No Age — 9.7.13

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No Age at PhilaMOCA, 9.7.13. Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

What I Heard This Morning: Tanger Trio & Ensemble Mondaine

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Lush and calming instrumentals steeped in the tradition of jazz and classical composition, I give you Tanger Trio & Ensemble Modern .  I received a press release a couple days ago from Seriés Aphōnos/Bronze Rat Records about the group's self-titled album (which is now available) and the couple tracks I heard are gorgeous.  Involved with this project are Hansjoern Brandenburg (the head Tanger, so to speak) and Thomas Wydler of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds fame.  TANGER TRIO & ENSEMBLE MONDAINE Out Now on Seriés Aphōnos (info below)/Bronze Rat Records. Formats: LP (w/ CD) & download Click here to listen to "Pour Alfred" Click here to listen to "November Indianer"   OUT NOW on deluxe, limited 12” LP (w/ CD) and all digital platforms. An original album of resplendent beauty by some of Berlin’s most prized and sought musicians, this album's cinema noir-esque mood mixed with modern classical & jazz is a rare treat. Tanger Trio is t

Kicking Against The Pricks (Sorta): Sunn O))) at the Union Transfer in 2012

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A year ago today, I attended a Sunn O))) concert at the Union Transfer in Philadelphia. The experience was to be written up and submitted to Kicking Against The Pricks as a concert review, but that didn't happen. Kicking Against The Pricks has been, unfortunately, inactive for some time now, so the review was never published online. Call it self-indulgence, but I figured it would be cool to publish the review here as it's been a full year since the show. Sunn O))) Dead in the Dirt T.O.M.B. 9.5.12 Union Transfer (Philadelphia, PA) I’ve found it difficult to explain in as succinct a way as possible how Sunn O))) works as a concept, let alone as a band. The sonically dense and intensely austere duo formed by Stephen O’Malley and Greg Anderson have constructed a ritualized expression, allowed to transmit to live audiences via ominous and enormous drones that don’t seem possible to consider until you experience them. The albums are one thing, but when your ribs ratt

Alt-Rock and a Flux Capacitor: Ovlov's Am

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Ovlov Am Exploding in Sound Records Released: 7.2.13 Yuck released their self-titled debut in 2011. It didn’t seem much of a coincidence that, following the 20th anniversary of Nirvana ’s landmark release, Nevermind , a newly plaid and purposely faded crew of guitar-oriented 90s gazers would become the talk of the web for a little while. It also wasn’t much of a surprise when more and more of these bands began to emerge in the wake of dubstep and garage revivalism. It’s the perfect time for these bands to come out because Gen X-ers brought up hearing Dinosaur Jr. or Sonic Youth during their formative years are primed to look back and remember when. I myself, though subconsciously enthralled to hear a band like Ovlov on my stereo, have difficulties reconciling my want of music to move forward while my ears filter the sounds and fond remembrances of my most visceral listening experiences as an adolescent abound. This is the paradox of Ovlov’s new album, Am . At its core,

HSY: "Tarter Mouth" (Single)

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HSY is releasing their self-titled debut on September 17th via Buzz Records, and they've been pretty diligent about releasing singles.  Their first, "Milk Chug," recently found its audience through Pitchfork and the band's latest single, a dissonant garage rocker called "Tarter Mouth," premiered today via Ad Hoc.  Give it a listen below and then peruse the information and tour dates provided by Force Field PR. HSY shares new track "Tartar Mouth" from debut EP, out Sept 17 via Buzz Records STREAM: HSY - " Tartar Mouth "   Toronto-based sludge punk group HSY was formed in 2011 by whom may only be referred to as "Jude." Almost two years since their first incarnation and with a full lineup finally in tow, HSY disappeared to the outskirts of the city to record their self-titled debut EP. Harkening to the 80's post punk vibes of Section 25 and 90's sludge metal gods The Melvins , HSY crafts the perfect soundtra

Labor Day...

In tribute to this day away from the office, job site, cab stop, trucker depot, post office, town hall, street corner... etc., here are some work related tunes that I hold near and dear.  Enjoy: Frank Zappa : "Wind Up Workin' in a Gas Station" R.E.M. : "Finest Worksong"  Subhumans: "Get to Work on Time" John Handy: "Hard Work" Tom Waits: "I Can't Wait to Get Off Work" Louis Armstrong: "That Lucky Old Sun" Black Flag: "Clocked In" Dead Kennedys: "At My Job" Saccharine Trust: "Mad at the Co." Elvis Costello: "Welcome to the Working Week" Howlin' Wolf: "Work for Your Money" John Lennon: "Working Class Hero" Minutemen: "Working Men Are Pissed" Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead