tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277855822024-03-12T21:12:32.292-04:00Letters From A TapeheadDefending my bad taste in music since 2006. Sean Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515711172848590436noreply@blogger.comBlogger2141125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27785582.post-22794469453856097682023-11-16T20:54:00.002-05:002023-11-16T20:56:37.715-05:00Letters From A Tapehead Has Moved…To whom it may interest,<div><br /></div><div>All updates for Letters From A Tapehead can now be found at <a href="https://www.lettersfromatapehead.com">lettersfromatapehead.com</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sincerely,<br />Letters From A Tapehead</div>Sean Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515711172848590436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27785582.post-56033247127760591312023-03-23T07:19:00.004-04:002023-03-23T07:22:38.306-04:00Moor Mother: "WE GOT THE JAZZ (feat. Kyle Kidd, Keir Neuringer & Aquiles Navarro)"<div>A well-designed lyric video surfaced for Camae Ayewa's (a.k.a. Moor Mother) "We Got The Jazz," a new single featured in her upcoming release <i>Jazz Codes Deluxe</i>, which is an enhanced digital version of 2022's excellent <i><a href="https://antirecords.store/product/21913/jazz-codes-lp-pink">Jazz Codes</a></i>. </div><div><br /></div><div><div>From the desk of Stereo Sanctity:</div><div><blockquote>“‘<a href="https://stereosanctity.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3f8301a2a6779cdf0044de54a&id=bc53cba77d&e=566476c2a1">We Got The Jazz</a>’ is me thinking about how mediocre a lot of popular music is, about its capitalistic structures and how those placements are bought and paid for,” <i>Ayewa said of the song’s meaning. </i>“I'm speaking about the whitewashing of who's allowed to participate in jazz, who is allowed to participate in poetry, and asking where the room for innovation is, now and in the future. It’s also me thinking about my jazz band, Irreversible Entanglements, and how we’ve toured the world destroying stages, uplifting audiences, and inspiring everyone on the jazz scene with or without recognition. I'm also speaking about my own influence on the culture.”</blockquote></div></div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9hqbLwJKFPM" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><div><span style="background-color: #b2b2b2;"><br /></span></div><div><i>Jazz Codes Deluxe</i> will be released 5/19/23 via <a href="https://www.anti.com/artists/moor-mother/">ANTI-</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>Pre-order: <a href="https://moormother.bandcamp.com/album/jazz-codes-deluxe-edition">https://moormother.bandcamp.com/album/jazz-codes-deluxe-edition</a><br /><br /><div><div>Sincerely,</div><div>Letters From A Tapehead</div></div></div>Sean Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515711172848590436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27785582.post-70819327384728445602023-03-22T21:12:00.007-04:002023-03-22T21:23:44.624-04:00Sorting Through Browser Tabs: Danny Brown/JPEGMAFIA, Ky, SwansGood morning,<br /><br />Midweek. Spring is officially here. I've opened the windows. <br /><br />First thing I checked out today was the title track of the upcoming new collaboration between <b>Danny Brown</b> and <b>JPEGMAFIA</b>, <i><a href="https://scaringthehoes.com/">Scaring The Hoes</a></i>. <div><br /></div><div>The distinct and character-rich voices of each artist aside, the snare beat sounds like it was mic'd in a crawlspace, scratchy tenor sax scribbles across the track like a kindergartner enthusiastically dragging a marker across paper with a tight fist. Add a simple bass groove and claps. </div><div><br /></div><div>I love it. <br /><div><br /></div><div><div>When thinking about minimalism in terms of production, the tinniness and sonic anemia of trap/drill beats and the ubiquity that this sound has had over the last decade or more across a multitude of artists hasn't had consistent appeal for me. That said, I get it: soundtracking a club, the bass drops are effective and the vibe is the draw. </div><div><br /></div><div>But, "Scaring The Hoes" is minimalism done well. Looking forward to this album.</div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/87xS4cgTf68" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>__________</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgskm5-hYDCAQWah5q6xncPMZKIhOe7ZtL1TJ1By3UkLU0scA_F7IMS1_XjMIWSuE8X0VdG62fo62EYGEbw5JJGRm4qd4Tnjre3L0WB6zlsLcin_QhMcXp79fdsLgnWiI1nvGz5YcSpCNEDQss0qxIrYhH2fpwLasej-u5B4oMQuDNr4zRZCw/s1200/a0775980566_10.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgskm5-hYDCAQWah5q6xncPMZKIhOe7ZtL1TJ1By3UkLU0scA_F7IMS1_XjMIWSuE8X0VdG62fo62EYGEbw5JJGRm4qd4Tnjre3L0WB6zlsLcin_QhMcXp79fdsLgnWiI1nvGz5YcSpCNEDQss0qxIrYhH2fpwLasej-u5B4oMQuDNr4zRZCw/w200-h200/a0775980566_10.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>The Laurie Anderson allegiant may find Ky appealing. </div><div><br /></div><div>An established figure in Montreal's underground, Ky Brooks's role as Lungbutter's vocalist a notable entry in their memoir, this <i>subtracted-last-name</i> solo venture has produced <i>Power Is The Pharmacy</i>, which will circulate via <a href="https://ky-mtl.bandcamp.com/album/power-is-the-pharmacy?mc_cid=b18c4eb33b&mc_eid=d70a77776a">Constellation Records</a> on 5/12/23. "Dragons" is the album's newest single. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>"This is a song… about… loving… the ocean…"</i></div><div><br /></div><div>The rhythm is anchored well enough to maintain enough of a steady (and appropriately) seasick sway that the scattered percussion doesn't throw the track off-kilter. Multiple synthesized drones and lengths of distortion run throughout the track's 7+ minutes as Ky deviates from spoken verse to melodic stanzas. A saxophone howls, its aural distance offering confirmation of space. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Dragons" was on repeat today. </div><div><br /></div><div>
<iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=4161499148/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 680px; width: 560px;"><a href="https://ky-mtl.bandcamp.com/album/power-is-the-pharmacy">Power Is The Pharmacy by Ky</a></iframe> </div><div><br /></div><div>From the desk of Rarely Unable:</div><div><br /></div><i>KY ANNOUNCES </i>POWER IS THE PHARMACY<br /><br /><i>THE NEW FULL-LENGTH BY KY BROOKS (LUNGBUTTER, FEMMAGGOTS, NAG)</i><br /><br /><i>SHARING THE FIRST SINGLE "DRAGONS"</i><br /><br /><i>ALBUM OUT 12 MAY 2023</i><br /><br /><i>Ky is the new ‘solo’ project of Ky Brooks, best known as vocalist and lyricist of noise-punk trio Lungbutter and a slew of other Montréal-based out-music projects, including 8-person queer punk collective Femmaggots and experimental/improv trio Nag. Ky is a long-standing and shining figure of Montréal’s music underground: they co-founded essential Montréal DIY space La Plante a decade ago, and have since become a recording a front-of-house sound engineer about town and on the road with acts like Big|Brave. </i>Power Is The Pharmacy<i> is their debut album under the Ky moniker.</i><br /><br />Power Is The Pharmacy <i>is an album of cerebral and visceral outsider artpunk “mainly about grief, death, the fear of loss, losing dreams, losing youth, people, public space, ultimately oneself”—an emotionally electrifying, genre-spanning collection of songs fuelled by Ky’s piercing poetry, both spoken and sung, that delivers an acute blend of incisive socio-political observation and spiritual sadness, swirling through vortices of disenchantment and re-enchantment.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><div>__________</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2m-XrjcCminnURdSOwZKIbvUlE95V_eBEqkXR8ct2EFoLeOHWNw1XJFRgDS3vzyI0gwpxuPwJiQkBvXGr3fYf4BL17TAJrrq_-x2n7wGnHCxCAupvjiXvrz4-VyAYiWn93C8YXAOQl5uqmQP7o5mhtY_NugN3-DL8PyrQubvBgvnbLCY-7g/s1200/a3082583285_10.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2m-XrjcCminnURdSOwZKIbvUlE95V_eBEqkXR8ct2EFoLeOHWNw1XJFRgDS3vzyI0gwpxuPwJiQkBvXGr3fYf4BL17TAJrrq_-x2n7wGnHCxCAupvjiXvrz4-VyAYiWn93C8YXAOQl5uqmQP7o5mhtY_NugN3-DL8PyrQubvBgvnbLCY-7g/w200-h200/a3082583285_10.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>"Paradise Is Mine" is the new single from Swans' upcoming sixteenth album,<i> The Beggar</i>, scheduled to release via Mute/<a href="https://younggodrecords.com/">Young Gods</a> on June 23rd, 2023. </div><div><br /></div><div>Following 2019's<i> <a href="https://swans.bandcamp.com/album/leaving-meaning">leaving meaning.</a></i>, an album that was meant to rep a new phase of Swans' music, (but kind of didn't), "Paradise Is Mine" continues with what has become, since reviving the band in 2010, a reliable and well-trodden compositional style, Michael Gira successfully finding strong melodic ways to expand upon his penchant for subtly mutating loops. This latest iteration of the 21st century Swans, (Kristof Hahn, Larry Mullins, Dana Schechter, Christopher Pravdica, Phil Puleo, and Ben Frost), ably constructs tension through repetition, which does eventually culminate in heightened percussive payoff. </div><div><br /></div><div>The track is absolutely engaging, but doesn't offer much of an indication that <i>The Beggar </i>will do anything more than confirm that Swans has settled into its musical niche. </div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>
<iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=1716561523/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 680px; width: 560px;"><a href="https://swans.bandcamp.com/album/the-beggar">The Beggar by SWANS</a></iframe> </div><div><br /></div><div>Sincerely,</div><div>Letters From A Tapehead</div></div>Sean Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515711172848590436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27785582.post-39862746508977269872023-03-20T11:33:00.004-04:002023-03-20T11:33:41.970-04:00Mats Gustafsson & Joachim Nordwall: "THERE ARE SOME WORLDS WHERE ALL DREAMS DIE (en glad stund),"<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQtyWpPz9xbFwvmCEewFbv1DTJLOlE8D8iEfOMhKvxoFb1jHiUet07oywR_aHddj6vyDWKvLBMnD9wCcJtbVucL2k7v4N_nVFPJWh3ltdtGCBlk4ZcQNDATMHxwhHF1C8LAUw77i3_3MLLIqefWekMM1qdxJT6cQtQhfw7AuKQj9LiWmLdBA/s1200/a0265356911_10.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQtyWpPz9xbFwvmCEewFbv1DTJLOlE8D8iEfOMhKvxoFb1jHiUet07oywR_aHddj6vyDWKvLBMnD9wCcJtbVucL2k7v4N_nVFPJWh3ltdtGCBlk4ZcQNDATMHxwhHF1C8LAUw77i3_3MLLIqefWekMM1qdxJT6cQtQhfw7AuKQj9LiWmLdBA/s320/a0265356911_10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Translated, "en glad stund" means "a happy moment." </div><div><br /></div><div>A saxophone wheezes, light gasps taken between straining exhalations that barely gauge an audible whisper until a few clear and flatlined phrases are achieved overtop a sinister and steady tonal pulse. The eerie and suffocating environment that's composed and performed for "THERE ARE SOME WORLDS WHERE ALL DREAMS DIE (en glad stund)," the recently shared new single from the upcoming LP, <a href="https://gustafssonnordwall.bandcamp.com/album/their-power-reached-across-space-and-time-to-defy-them-was-death-or-worse"><i>THEIR POWER REACHED ACROSS SPACE AND TIME-TO DEFY THEM WAS DEATH-OR WORSE</i></a>, does not convey "a happy moment." Instead, these "worlds where all dreams die" facilitate an obviously intentional dystopian flavor, and it's difficult not to imagine some near-salvation scenario where the victim is close to safety but suddenly struggling as the advantage has changed hands and cries for help are buried as death envelopes the victim like a soundproof shroud. There's a lot of drama in those seven minutes. </div><div><br /></div><div>This album is the work of saxophonist <b>Mats Gustafsson</b> and sound architect <b>Joachim Nordwall</b> (<b>The Skull Defekts</b>, <b>The iDealist</b>) and will be released by Thrill Jockey on March 23rd.</div><div><br /></div><div><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=1642531180/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/track=313468238/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://gustafssonnordwall.bandcamp.com/album/their-power-reached-across-space-and-time-to-defy-them-was-death-or-worse">THEIR POWER REACHED ACROSS SPACE AND TIME-TO DEFY THEM WAS DEATH-OR WORSE by Mats Gustafsson & Joachim Nordwall</a></iframe>
</div><div><div><br /></div><div>Sincerely, <div><div>Letters From A Tapehead</div></div></div></div>Sean Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515711172848590436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27785582.post-15674286278180786782023-03-16T11:22:00.003-04:002023-03-16T11:22:53.440-04:00No Ripcord: Oozing Wound<b>Oozing Wound</b><br /><i>We Cater To Cowards</i><br />Thrill Jockey<br />Released: 1/27/23<div><br />No Ripcord review: <a href="http://www.noripcord.com/reviews/music/oozing-wound/we-cater-cowards">http://www.noripcord.com/reviews/music/oozing-wound/we-cater-cowards</a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjln9N4vZS1CzTPDVIZTPmYrwnH8nKBf6YowI0tSWY56j6SLqxn-5vjJ1PETm0m75bCkQjHOIGJrllJAi6F-eY_S4xKcTgJbxwgfurqdCA-Yuaik6kgoij0IIJsfv_ThQE_SVBstWfPX37STUSNgWkScSiGH549EN2MUitIvH0GzqIXzteykQ/s1200/a2535128252_10.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjln9N4vZS1CzTPDVIZTPmYrwnH8nKBf6YowI0tSWY56j6SLqxn-5vjJ1PETm0m75bCkQjHOIGJrllJAi6F-eY_S4xKcTgJbxwgfurqdCA-Yuaik6kgoij0IIJsfv_ThQE_SVBstWfPX37STUSNgWkScSiGH549EN2MUitIvH0GzqIXzteykQ/w400-h400/a2535128252_10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aK1CoaeJJy0" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CxkBPFWc8uM" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ieuSgMef9GY" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> </div><div><br /></div><div>Sincerely, </div><div><div>Letters From A Tapehead</div></div>Sean Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515711172848590436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27785582.post-42913873714225738272023-03-01T19:03:00.002-05:002023-03-01T19:04:57.114-05:00Buys & Receipt — Double Decker Edition 1: feedtime & dos (my lower-case letters picks)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZg1LtnwWTWm5PE0-MwK7eVVeG4DPcmNLu2UHIfZTkf9G58h6b4KNig7o61or13HUfgS5H5D95W_WyhOZcV0RHq96ekkzGLrvWdiit2O01nmuLiFp10OF8eRwE0hStVApxDRNVuBmgMtzuPiFhZIVlOdgaRIEKpEhrCb1TUQX2jmoCKL7g8w/s2511/IMG_0917.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2511" data-original-width="2511" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZg1LtnwWTWm5PE0-MwK7eVVeG4DPcmNLu2UHIfZTkf9G58h6b4KNig7o61or13HUfgS5H5D95W_WyhOZcV0RHq96ekkzGLrvWdiit2O01nmuLiFp10OF8eRwE0hStVApxDRNVuBmgMtzuPiFhZIVlOdgaRIEKpEhrCb1TUQX2jmoCKL7g8w/w200-h200/IMG_0917.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div><a href="https://www.doubledeckerrecords.com">Double Decker Records</a>, located in Allentown about 40-45 minutes from my place of residence, is a store I normally go to when in pilgrimage mode, which is to say any visit is going to be an expensive, albeit fruitful, one. I met up with a good friend and proceeded to comb through the stacks for a couple of hours, leaving the store with an uncomfortable and somewhat heavy 12" x 12" brick nestled beneath my arm. <br /><br />I'm slowly working my way through these. Here are the first two: <div><br /></div><div><div><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTDtghaZ-1HLFRG8vxJsI3DXoak4IB36JAd1qnO_zX5A-xUDveXHG-r0R8KThP7b-MbhXJicoa_4EO1N5_Uhk3jC3pt5rfzUGUrfOE3t1WgI8it37BruaVhuo1e_DyJkp4Kxz4Li8V299T7dI8rH6oQ-J0PlEI_W8J04Ml8RoebtoEVpgK6A/s3024/IMG_0930.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTDtghaZ-1HLFRG8vxJsI3DXoak4IB36JAd1qnO_zX5A-xUDveXHG-r0R8KThP7b-MbhXJicoa_4EO1N5_Uhk3jC3pt5rfzUGUrfOE3t1WgI8it37BruaVhuo1e_DyJkp4Kxz4Li8V299T7dI8rH6oQ-J0PlEI_W8J04Ml8RoebtoEVpgK6A/s320/IMG_0930.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>feedtime</b></div><div><i>Cooper-S</i></div><div>Released: 1988</div><div>Rough Trade</div><div><br /></div><div>Partially integral to the development of sounds specific to the pacific northwest, or just Mudhoney's sound in general, feedtime of Syndney, Australia is muck-borne blues punk. Hyper slop'd and urgent, <i>Cooper-S</i>, which was originally released in 1988 via the now-defunct Australian label <a href="https://www.discogs.com/label/76442-Aberrant-Records">Aberrant Records</a>, is a covers album that boasts some gravelly interpretations of "Fun Fun Fun" by The Beach Boys, three Rolling Stones tracks (my favorite being a rough-n-tumble version of "The Last Time"), "Loudmouth" by The Ramones, and "Ann" by The Stooges" among others. The version of the LP that I picked up was released for the U.S. by Rough Trade. This album has not been officially reissued, though the material from <i>Cooper-S</i> was included in a compilation box set titled <i><a href="https://www.subpop.com/releases/feedtime/the_aberrant_years">the Aberrant Years</a></i>, released by Sub Pop in 2012. </div><div><br /></div><div>I found this copy used and priced at $10. </div><div><br /></div><div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NUoaDu7XRiM" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOCKY6cLo8PgC9ZQQy2wcmqNtCVIbr98WbkIYjDRuKiCmW9Um4eiFzQqL5mM0MTzjC-LQ5rV3bbMcyUScYA_t47632ZFNtKdM_wWcQoFHv6-gSFyeorivU1_MTOWQxlTz1hGCxz9hFgySX-RRlp7w6u2FwdTRmr8gS-62UohKASk0zsUIXYg/s1440/BB7AE7BB-DD6A-47D9-A19B-A44EBD23C143.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOCKY6cLo8PgC9ZQQy2wcmqNtCVIbr98WbkIYjDRuKiCmW9Um4eiFzQqL5mM0MTzjC-LQ5rV3bbMcyUScYA_t47632ZFNtKdM_wWcQoFHv6-gSFyeorivU1_MTOWQxlTz1hGCxz9hFgySX-RRlp7w6u2FwdTRmr8gS-62UohKASk0zsUIXYg/s320/BB7AE7BB-DD6A-47D9-A19B-A44EBD23C143.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>dos</b></div><div><i>s/t</i></div><div>Released: 1986</div><div>New Alliance Records</div></div><div><br /></div><div>I was very excited to find a <a href="https://www.discogs.com/label/35723-New-Alliance-Records">New Alliance Records</a> copy of the first <a href="http://www.hootpage.com/hoot_dos.html">dos</a> LP, which is the dual (and dueling) bass project from Mike Watt (Minutemen) and Kira Roessler (Black Flag). I gave this a couple of spins today, realizing that the first time I heard the track "Forever" was via Watt's 1995 album, <i><a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/32039-Mike-Watt-Ball-Hog-Or-Tugboat">Ball-Hog or Tugboat?</a></i>, its <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=187gasjEv1c">rendition</a> coupled with Minutemen's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7q7GQYOs3k">"One Reporter's Opinion."</a> </div><div><br /></div><div>As a collector's note, there are two versions of this LP, one with a non-inverted image of the two basses on the cover. The version I found has the inverted image. I'm unsure if this has any impact on the album's value. I thought $30 was reasonable. </div><div><br /></div><div>An added bonus was the New Alliance order form tucked into the jacket, revealing what were then-low prices for what are now considered collector's items. One example is an out-of-print copy of the <a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/861847-The-Descendents-FAT-EP"><i>Fat</i> 7" EP</a> by Descendents selling for a measly $3.50. On Discogs, there's a copy that's currently priced at almost $450, the album itself graded NM/M- with a VG sleeve. I posted some images of the order form on my <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CpP9TTiO4xT/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link">Instagram</a>. </div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Justamente Tres</i>, technically the band's second LP, (albeit third release following the EP, <i>Numero Dos</i>), was released by <a href="https://killrockstars.com/blogs/news/record-store-day-drop-dos">Kill Rock Stars</a> in 1996 and <a href="https://recordstoreday.com/SpecialRelease/13513">reissued as a Record Store Day exclusive in 2021</a>. </div></div><div><div><br /></div><div>I reviewed <i><a href="http://www.letters-from-a-tapehead.com/2011/07/mailbox-giveth-dos-and-somewhat-of-call.html">dos y dos</a>,</i> the band's third full-length LP, when it came out in July of 2011. </div><div><br /></div><div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CgIsmgSris4" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> </div><div><br /></div><div>Sincerely,</div><div>Letters From A Tapehead</div></div>Sean Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515711172848590436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27785582.post-82033770629509530072023-02-23T22:47:00.001-05:002023-02-23T22:47:47.001-05:00ZOMBI: "Improvise, Adapt & Overcome" / "Bodies In The Flotsam" (Live Session via Unacceptable Color) <div>To whom it may interest,</div><div><br /></div><div>Electro-propulsive instrumentalists ZOMBI premiered two new tracks via <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@unacceptablecolor">Unacceptable Color</a>, a live music channel that apparently specializes in showcasing an array of fringe artists. Tracks are titled "Improvise, Adapt & Overcome" and "Bodies In The Flotsam" both baring the duo's signature synth-tonal stylings and clean percussion. In spite of the video's visual grain, the session is well produced. </div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/N4hAQkRaerE" width="480"></iframe><div><span style="background-color: #b2b2b2;"><br /></span></div><div>Info was provided by <a href="https://store.relapse.com">Relapse Records</a>.<br /><br /><a href="https://relapse.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0d7dba5a27266057cc106ad66&id=483ae11f67&e=59424817b7">ZOMBI on Facebook</a><br /><a href="https://relapse.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0d7dba5a27266057cc106ad66&id=5262fabfd1&e=59424817b7">ZOMBI on Instagram</a><br /><a href="https://relapse.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0d7dba5a27266057cc106ad66&id=5dadd58f0a&e=59424817b7">ZOMBI on Twitter</a><br /><a href="https://relapse.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0d7dba5a27266057cc106ad66&id=df78d08260&e=59424817b7">ZOMBI on Bandcamp</a><div><br /></div><div>Sincerely,</div><div>Letters From A Tapehead</div></div>Sean Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515711172848590436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27785582.post-5100377071316328442023-02-14T23:53:00.008-05:002023-02-15T09:57:03.007-05:00What's (Re)New?: Beauty Pill's Blue Period — A Few Words From A Grateful Fan<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><b style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP5N7jpPPG7Pnjtv4Aa1isJ76JXglxjkuFc4sztdhKjUvv6eTjwAuRGI9weUkjNQ8_cxAIQASCcZaBr8Gp7Mj3ICO2XQ5KQXL5cPH-UMHko7F7FovMvoQ-UDoc_wTtbk-hCVclkxn_8J2huUoYWr26zZ0xH573bAEyZeUJJ7RqceTWF5O_tQ/s2812/2FB91B2D-0741-46A1-BC5A-C9BCD9255111.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2812" data-original-width="2812" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP5N7jpPPG7Pnjtv4Aa1isJ76JXglxjkuFc4sztdhKjUvv6eTjwAuRGI9weUkjNQ8_cxAIQASCcZaBr8Gp7Mj3ICO2XQ5KQXL5cPH-UMHko7F7FovMvoQ-UDoc_wTtbk-hCVclkxn_8J2huUoYWr26zZ0xH573bAEyZeUJJ7RqceTWF5O_tQ/w400-h400/2FB91B2D-0741-46A1-BC5A-C9BCD9255111.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Beauty Pill</b></b></div><div><i>Blue Period</i></div><div>Ernest Jenning Recording Co.</div><div>1/20/23</div><div><i style="font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 10px;"><br /></i></div><i>“Fans of Smart Went Crazy who just can't accept the fact that Chad Clark is capable of producing anything short of brilliance should save themselves the trauma and skip right to </i>The Unsustainable Lifestyle<i>’s seventh track, ‘Such Large Portions!’, a serene rocker packed with pitch-bent guitars and acrobatic drumming; or crank up the cacophonous, multitracked percussion of the Breeders-esque ‘The Western Prayer’. Either of these songs could allow a person to maintain, indefinitely, that Clark is among indie music's great talents, so long as they never delved into the rest of this record.”</i><br /><br />Above is the first paragraph of a <a href="https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/614-the-unsustainable-lifestyle/">Pitchfork review of <i>The Unsustainable Lifestyle</i></a>, the first full-length LP released in 2004 by Beauty Pill. <br /><br />Beauty Pill remains the creative outlet of musician Chad Clark, the band’s sole constant throughout its lifespan and primary focus following the dissolution of Clark’s previous band, Smart Went Crazy. Smart Went Crazy’s final LP, the beautifully crafted late 90s milestone <i>Con Art</i>, garnered high praise and, for better or worse, set a bar. <br /><br />Beauty Pill’s first offering was the excellent 2001 5-song EP, <i>The Cigarette Girl From The Future</i>. <br /><br />While struggling to find the necessary and accurate words to properly articulate the experience I had hearing Beauty Pill for the first time, my gut led me to scan the expansive array of music-based review sites that are still active for any critical consensus regarding <i>The Cigarette Girl From The Future</i>, just for the purposes of keeping my thoughts in check since I'm a fan who's normally careful about how I weigh in and consider the work of an artist. I'm not into idol worship or ass kissing, but when a work of exceptional merit has such visceral and personal impact, that fine line between annoying praise vs. genuine admiration blurs a bit. That said I remember being rather bored by a lot of aughts music, the occasional, gratifying gem (TV On The Radio, Menomena, Madvillain) largely buried beneath a high percentage of mostly (almost unanimously) agreed upon performers across the then-significant and persuasive blogosphere that weren't doing much for me (The Arcade Fire, M.I.A., Animal Collective). <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlwqk-tZ1m1BV8F5cGHfKpG8F2gUB8_Ws-blI2ko7f-KRYXu_bTzcFSnqnZjhcvHmmuzKXW7dkrzVmHsNsglusVey6BGWFvvPoPagjJla9UOedADu7aRHZdMKrxM1tORgxeQwozqQnLLigwRcuSy2M6NnturEXSdp9SKgA-Xj1_YvB8F6sgA/s4032/IMG_0791.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlwqk-tZ1m1BV8F5cGHfKpG8F2gUB8_Ws-blI2ko7f-KRYXu_bTzcFSnqnZjhcvHmmuzKXW7dkrzVmHsNsglusVey6BGWFvvPoPagjJla9UOedADu7aRHZdMKrxM1tORgxeQwozqQnLLigwRcuSy2M6NnturEXSdp9SKgA-Xj1_YvB8F6sgA/w400-h300/IMG_0791.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>Beauty Pill opened my ears to new music like they hadn't been for quite some time, maybe even since during my formative years when major label appropriation of the underground and MTV’s success at over-saturating the airwaves with the sounds of no longer-“Alternative Music” were at their zenith. When I listened to <i>The Unsustainable Lifestyle</i> and 2003's <i>You Are Right To Be Afraid</i> EP, both of which were mined for Beauty Pill’s <i>Blue Period</i> compilation/reissue, my appreciation for music styles and genres was bolstered, the art-pop sensibilities and thoughtful arrangements of both releases noticeably smart but neither alienating nor pretentious. There’s emotional depth as well, songs like “Lifeguard During Wartime”, “Prison Song”, and “Nancy Medley, Girl Genius, Age 15”, whose reluctant acceptance of mediocrity hooked me immediately: <i>“Now I fit in / with all your stupid friends.”</i><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ieWDSV2QliU" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
<br /></i><br /><div>And “The Mule On The Plane”, an almost cliffhanger and spectacle-laced reportage of a drug smuggler’s plane ride that’s detailed along with her internalized anxiety, brought on by the possibility of capture. “So look beyond the things you know,” Clark and band member Rachel Burke sing, the crime itself typically overshadowing the desperation involved with committing to such risky endeavors.</div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fEJeXZHuc_M" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
<br /><br />(It hadn’t occurred to me before, but the sequencing of “Prison Song” immediately following “The Mule On The Plane” could make for chaptered storytelling, the outcome of capture and incarceration.) <br /><br />I'm also thankful for the line <i>“Santa Claus, he died for your sins,”</i> featured in “Quote Devout Unquote”, which I heard first on <i>You Are Right To Be Afraid</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tFAoocx5Wys" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><br />At the time I’d acquired those releases, I was ignorant of any negative press or harsh critique tied to <i>The Unsustainable Lifestyle</i>. Regarding the <i>Blue Period</i> compilation, during a recent interview for <a href="https://aquariumdrunkard.com/2023/01/18/transmissions-beauty-pill/">Aquarium Drunkard’s <i>Transmissions</i> podcast</a>, Clark admits, <i>“I would NEVER have put this record out had people not pushed me to do it.”</i> It happens that the color blue is prominently featured on the cover art for <i>You Are Right To Be Afraid</i> and <i>The Unsustainable Lifestyle</i>. It also happens that “blue” accurately portrays the mood of this time in Clark’s life, Beauty Pill’s work apparently failing to connect and Clark nearly succumbing to viral cardiomyopathy, which required open heart surgery and years of recovery. <br /><br />
<iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2377819952/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 560px;"><a href="https://beautypill.bandcamp.com/album/blue-period">Blue Period by Beauty Pill</a></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>On the surface, <i>Blue Period</i> is a reissue and the first time this music’s been available on vinyl, a few relevant and worthwhile odds and ends filling out side D. But, when you consider this era of Clark’s creative life, his efforts unfairly assessed at the height of Pitchfork’s influence, the fact that <i>Blue Period</i> exists is remarkable. Clark trusted his appreciators enough (a passionate lot for sure), that he pushed himself beyond his own feelings about this work to willingly revisit it for the remastering process and put it back out in the world. Granted there’s comfort in knowing <i>Blue Period</i> would have an audience, but I imagine that there could've been some apprehension when it came to reissuing this music almost two decades later, the possibility of new detractors identifying flaws and submitting self-important word salad to whichever music-centric review sites still attract viewers these days. </div><div><br /></div><div>(I acknowledge the irony that I’m essentially doing the same thing, albeit with a positive lean). <br /><br />Beauty Pill eventually followed up <i>The Unsustainable Lifestyle</i> with 2015’s <i>Beauty Pill Describes Things As They Are</i>, a career highpoint for the band that garnered high praise and, for better only it seems, raised the bar. As for <i>The Unsustainable Lifestyle</i>, the album is now reframed contextually as a moment before triumph and as confirmation that Beauty Pill’s music was <i>always</i> good. Tested by adversity more formidable than any album review could ever be, Clark’s <i>Blue Period</i> has hopefully taken on a warmer hue. </div><div><br /></div><div>Sincerely,</div><div>Letters From A Tapehead</div></div>Sean Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515711172848590436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27785582.post-19584642278181697872023-01-24T16:26:00.000-05:002023-01-24T16:26:06.477-05:00Quarantine The Past — Podcast Episode #13: Best of 2022 (Part 4)To whom it may interest,<div><br />While music writers and enthusiasts were busy compiling those "Best Of" lists during the long-elapsed final days of 2022, <a href="http://www.noripcord.com">No Ripcord</a>'s podcast, <a href="https://twitter.com/qtppod"><i>Quarantine The Past</i></a>, was running a multi-episode series devoted to the same endeavor. I was asked to participate for episode 4, which was posted today. A little late maybe, but some good albums are reviewed. <br /><br /></div><div>Discussed:<br /><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Chat Pile </b></li><li><b>black midi</b></li><li><b>OFF!</b></li><li><b>Die! Die! Die!</b></li><li><b>The Soft Moon</b></li><li><b>Enumclaw</b></li><li><b>Denzel Curry</b></li><li><b>Ka</b></li><li><b>Guerilla Toss</b></li><li><b>Gilla Band</b> (formerly Girl Band)</li></ul><div><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" allowtransparency="true" data-name="pb-iframe-player" height="300" scrolling="no" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?from=embed&i=fdgqh-137024e-pb&square=1&share=1&download=1&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=auto&rtl=0&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=7&size=300" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" title="Best of 2022: Part 4" width="100%"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>I contributed some blurbs for the <a href="http://www.noripcord.com/features/50-best-albums-2022">written list</a>: </div><div><br /></div>Placement:</div><div><br />47). <b>OFF!</b> — <i>Free LSD</i> (Fat Possum)</div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lbyCsyz6wOY" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>38). <b>Enumclaw</b> — <i>Save The Baby</i> (Luminelle Recordings)</div><div><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/q-1FYzLSjuk" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>26). <b>Danger Mouse and Black Thought</b> — <i>Cheat Codes</i> (BMG)</div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qZFZh62tw3o" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>12). <b>Chat Pile</b> — <i>God's Country</i> (Flenser)</div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mMkhDLgny_M" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>Sincerely,</div><div>Letters From A Tapered</div></div></div></div>Sean Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515711172848590436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27785582.post-51669093396069792852023-01-20T00:20:00.010-05:002023-01-20T09:38:43.357-05:00Lori Goldston & Greg Kelley — All Points Leaning In<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDUHO2hDLVioMukaWpr62NXG8jlTHsUWwIhwY52meUin3iU6AqJNOSZsiW55Momjygd1P9LFCe5VjWf4JsuUFFtMezq6X6stFQW4m4YR6eBjseniUaNB6Ri6uw6jnfiFei3kBF8C_sKaYFsQqhQyZIyVQyqCGpJprGuroUnpsOOI85DOe9yw/s1200/a1879342217_10.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDUHO2hDLVioMukaWpr62NXG8jlTHsUWwIhwY52meUin3iU6AqJNOSZsiW55Momjygd1P9LFCe5VjWf4JsuUFFtMezq6X6stFQW4m4YR6eBjseniUaNB6Ri6uw6jnfiFei3kBF8C_sKaYFsQqhQyZIyVQyqCGpJprGuroUnpsOOI85DOe9yw/s320/a1879342217_10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Lori Goldston & Greg Kelley</b><br /><i>All Points Leaning In</i><br />Broken Clover Records<br />Released: 1/19/23<div><br /></div><div>On November 18th, 1993, cellist Lori Goldston performed with Nirvana for MTV's <i>Unplugged</i>. </div><div><br /></div><div>When I found out about <i>All Points Leaning In</i>, which is Goldston's new album with trumpet player Greg Kelley, a "6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon" level of familiarity hit me as I thought to myself, <i>"Where have I seen that name before?" </i></div><div><br /></div><div>Oh, I know that name from when I was 17 years old and listening intently to <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YhR5UfaAzM">Unplugged In New York</a></i> on CD, scanning the liner notes and song credits while Kurt Cobain strummed a live rendition of "Something In The Way", Goldston's beautiful bowed embellishments stretching beneath the acoustic melancholia. That's why I know that name. </div><div><br /></div><div>A lot of you may remember Goldston the same way. However, for <i>All Points Leaning In</i>, consider this album the aural purge you were looking for, a cathartic noise project rife with deep, droning, textural sirens conjured from the stroke of Goldston's wrist and the breath from Kelley's lungs. This partnership had apparently taken shape as the pair worked together on various projects, them largely abandoning rhythm and melody as they luxuriate in the harsh and dense array of sounds they create. Produced by Steve Fisk (Pell Mell), <i>All Points Leaning In</i> was apparently recorded live. No overdubs. </div><div><br /></div><div>Not too far removed from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hg5R2jhiNZw&list=OLAK5uy_k7NpHVrBWqqfgEovv8_S8kVbF5z0LxFPE&index=2">Body/Head</a>, the Bill Nace/Kim Gordon effort, the overall presentation here is (again) dense. It's dense enough in fact that many of the nuances within these improv'd environs aren't easy to distill from a single listen. At about its latter half, for "Toward Clarity", the album's opener, Kelley manages to push discernible, requiem'esque melodic tones through his trumpet, Goldston's scrubbing of her bow against the cello's strings airy enough to grant Kelley passage beyond the mire. The title track follows and does keep to the same plot, medley-like as a quivering buzz caps the sounds beneath like a ceiling. This gradually fades as Goldston slows down, Kelley's dramatic tone carrying the track to its conclusion. "You're In Good Company" is the shortest piece, blankets of reverb overtop that sound akin to a guitar feeding back. "Seeing Stars" is the closer, a lengthy 14 minutes of thickly built rubs and scratches from Goldston's cello while Kelley ably replicates throat singing with his trumpet, his sounds almost shapeshifting. There are also points when fields of distortion are left to undulate in the distance, cutting in and out. Parts of this track remind me of Sunn O))), some of the drones handled with a similar level of doom-laden or sinister intent. </div><div><br /></div><div>With 33 minutes of runtime and four full tracks, <i>All Points Leaning In</i> is not the most varied release, nor is it for everyone or for all occasions. But, as an immersive work I was engaged and impressed with the sonic immensity attained. </div><div><br /></div><div>Bandcamp: <a href="https://lorigoldston.bandcamp.com/album/all-points-leaning-in">https://lorigoldston.bandcamp.com/album/all-points-leaning-in</a></div><div>Broken Clover Records: <a href="https://brokencloverrecords.bandcamp.com/">https://brokencloverrecords.bandcamp.com/</a></div><div><br /></div>
<iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=941777962/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 680px; width: 560px;"><a href="https://lorigoldston.bandcamp.com/album/all-points-leaning-in">All Points Leaning In by Lori Goldston</a></iframe><div><br /></div><div>Sincerely, </div><div>Letters From A Tapehead</div>Sean Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515711172848590436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27785582.post-57069984678030551552023-01-18T22:19:00.004-05:002023-01-18T22:22:49.518-05:00What's (Re)New?: Walk Together, Rock Together by 7SECONDS <div>For me, one of the highlights of 2022 was seeing 7SECONDS perform with The Circle Jerks and Negative Approach. Announced today, Trust Records will be reissuing <i>Walk Together, Rock Together</i>, the band's 1985 follow-up to their milestone LP, <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfomEmDwtsU">The Crew</a>, </i>(which was reissued by Trust in 2021).</div><div><br /></div><div>All info, links, and sounds are provided courtesy of another / side PR. </div><div><br /></div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/E2YsYhUpm60" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><div><span style="background-color: #b2b2b2;"><br /></span></div><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF3GAcTn2bwM8S7iBcj30gU_F5Xg_S2pNuXU-xoel03xBriiHFrnABtKmVp2tOgWDxtJwVJWjAdY-f8bqt_AQQkbgnRhy1MtfhE42oLBF-fZh6PNX2AULM_pLkBUaNHiOxwpz7HVKnPftRuuFz445PY4zx4-Wcz1J6CM2XcBw5lv1ycsTIGQ/s900/unnamed-7.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF3GAcTn2bwM8S7iBcj30gU_F5Xg_S2pNuXU-xoel03xBriiHFrnABtKmVp2tOgWDxtJwVJWjAdY-f8bqt_AQQkbgnRhy1MtfhE42oLBF-fZh6PNX2AULM_pLkBUaNHiOxwpz7HVKnPftRuuFz445PY4zx4-Wcz1J6CM2XcBw5lv1ycsTIGQ/s320/unnamed-7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>7SECONDS ANNOUNCE </i><a href="https://anotherside.cmail19.com/t/y-l-nkykrky-ihkyudxli-r/">WALK TOGETHER, ROCK TOGETHER</a><i> DELUXE REISSUE VIA TRUST RECORDS IN COLLABORATION WITH BYO RECORDS</i><br /><br /><i>REMASTERED AUDIO AND VINYL AVAILABLE IN-STORES FEBRUARY 3 </i><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://anotherside.cmail19.com/t/y-l-nkykrky-ihkyudxli-y/" style="font-style: italic;">PRE-ORDER HERE</a><br /><br /><a href="https://anotherside.cmail19.com/t/y-l-nkykrky-ihkyudxli-j/" style="font-style: italic;">LISTEN / SHARE REMASTERED AUDIO FOR TITLE TRACK NOW</a><br /><br /><i>THIS EDITION OF THE 1980’S UNDERGROUND CLASSIC INCLUDES:</i><br /><i>- Remastered audio by David Gardner from the original analog tapes.</i><br /><i>- 20-page full-color book with oral history from 1984 - 1986 with commentary from Pushead, Ian MacKaye, Walter Schreifels (Gorilla Biscuits, Quicksand), Milo Aukerman (Descendents), Tony Hawk, Shepard Fairey and more.</i><br /><i>- Fully restored version of iconic yellow-and-black cover art.</i><br /><i>- 20 brand-new original cartoons by <a href="https://anotherside.cmail19.com/t/y-l-nkykrky-ihkyudxli-t/">Brian Walsby</a>.</i><br /><br /><i>When it comes to the ’80s hardcore scene, a handful of releases have legendary status. While Black Flag, Minor Threat, and Bad Brains are the obvious mainstays, 7Seconds were quietly crafting </i>Walk Together, Rock Together<i>, an album that would eventually achieve this vaulted status. The seven-song collection of songs that were as catchy as they were cathartic was produced by Minor Threat frontman Ian MacKaye at D.C.’s legendary Inner Ear Studios. Today, Trust Records is proud to announce they will be releasing its deluxe reissue of the now cult classic, in partnership with BYO Records, who initially released it as an EP back in 1985.<br /><br />After releasing a deluxe edition of 7Seconds’ 1984 full-length </i>The Crew<i> in 2021, Trust is now giving the same treatment to the </i>Walk Together, Rock Together<i> LP, which will feature an aforementioned gatefold 20-page full color book continuing the oral history of the band from 1984 – 1986. The book includes commentary from Pushead, Ian MacKaye, Walter Schreifels (Gorilla Biscuits, Quicksand), Norman Brannon (Texas Is The Reason), Milo Aukerman (Descendents), Tony Hawk, Shepard Fairey, Christian Jacobs (Yo Gabba Gabba!), Fletcher Dragge (Pennywise) and more. The Trust edition also includes a fully restored version of its iconic yellow-and-black cover art, as well as 20 brand new original cartoons by Brian Walsby. </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGFlqmmI0ybDaFsR7mAqfxoAuBnCMQ36nLrcwZofTDuOk4Tk2ai0IJeFMYOdWSZd35bFCUFT1RmEViDlUwpKyFb9rhHj1iVh4ltfL-VlTjhrfgHvJFR-mCssgGgpT_Dme5AYzwo_ffPBNLriS_tZbqKTGCiGsAQAbNDQB3kHgQ9dl76oWjPg/s561/unnamed-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="553" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGFlqmmI0ybDaFsR7mAqfxoAuBnCMQ36nLrcwZofTDuOk4Tk2ai0IJeFMYOdWSZd35bFCUFT1RmEViDlUwpKyFb9rhHj1iVh4ltfL-VlTjhrfgHvJFR-mCssgGgpT_Dme5AYzwo_ffPBNLriS_tZbqKTGCiGsAQAbNDQB3kHgQ9dl76oWjPg/s320/unnamed-8.jpg" width="315" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Photo By Kane Boychuk</span></td></tr></tbody></table><i>Trust Records worked closely with 7Seconds and MacKaye in every detail of this release from the remastering from the original analog tapes by David Gardner at Infrasonic Sound, to the packaging in order to accurately represent these songs’ original intention.<br /><br />The remastered audio of the album’s iconic title track “Walk Together, Rock Together”, which served as a battle cry to help assuage the violence of the California’s hardcore scene, is available across digital retailers today.</i></div><br />“On the ’84 tour, we stayed at Dischord House and recorded with Ian and Don [Zientara],” <i>the band’s frontman Kevin Seconds explains in the book that accompanies the LP. </i>“We did everything in one little session. Everything was recorded and mixed in two nights and that was when Don’s studio, Inner Ear, was at his house. On the recording, you can hear at the beginning of ‘99 Red Balloons’, you can hear this little wind-up toy that belonged to one of his daughters; that was because her toys were all over the studio, spread out all over the place.”<i> Bassist Steve Youth adds, </i>“Kev and I were two dirt-poor kids from Reno, Nevada that finally had the opportunity to drive across America and play some shows. We had done some great shows down in L.A. and Phoenix and the Bay Area, but that was nothing compared to driving in a ’58 Volkswagen bus across and then finally ending up at the Dischord House. My brother and I were such huge Minor Threat fans and finally being able to record with Don and Ian was a dream for us. I was only 18 at the time. I was just a snotty-nosed kid!”<br /><br /><i>The feeling was mutual as MacKaye is quoted as saying that </i>“7 Seconds were a band that really spoke to me”<i> as the band helped fill a void in the hardcore scene leading into the Revolution Summer. While the D.C. post-hardcore scene has been well-documented, the history of </i>Walk Together, Rock Together <i>hasn’t… until now.</i><br /><br />Walk Together, Rock Together<i> Deluxe Reissue will be available in stores and streaming across digital retailers on Friday, February 3. </i><a href="https://anotherside.cmail19.com/t/y-l-nkykrky-ihkyudxli-h/" style="font-style: italic;">Pre-order or Pre-save it here.</a><div><br /></div><div>Sincerely,</div><div>Letters From A Tapehead</div>Sean Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515711172848590436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27785582.post-27615874891160465452023-01-18T21:40:00.000-05:002023-01-18T21:40:35.588-05:00Sorting Through Browser Tabs (1/9-1/13): Alex Ward Item 4, Meg Baird, Ad Omega, Constant Smiles, Ibex Clone, Holy Water, numünTo whom it may interest,<br /><br />Still getting acclimated to 2023 and up on January releases. How are you feeling about this year? Anything that you're looking forward to?<div><div><br /></div><div>I believe I've mentioned this before, but I'm in the process of trying to figure out how to develop a following in the TikTok space. You can find that <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@lettersfromatapehead?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc">here</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>For last week's rounds of browser tabs, I've heard the following:<div><br /><div><div style="text-align: center;">____________________________</div><br /><b>Alex Ward Item 4:</b> "OURS"<br /><div>(from <i>Furthered, </i>releasing 3/3/23 by <a href="https://577records.bandcamp.com/album/furthered">577 Records</a>)</div><div> <iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="300" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1308578662&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe></div></div><div><div><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/577records" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="577 Records">577 Records</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/577records/5921-master-more-volume" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="OURS by Alex Ward/Item 4 from album 'Furthered' (577 Records)">OURS by Alex Ward/Item 4 from album 'Furthered' (577 Records)</a></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Courtesy of 577 Records.</div><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><b>Meg Baird:</b> "Ashes, Ashes"<br />(from <i>Furling, </i>releasing 1/27/23 by <a href="https://www.dragcity.com/products/furling">Drag City</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nFUMNbD3WUk" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>Courtesy of Drag City. </div><div><br /></div><div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Ad Omega:</b> "Triumph of Void"<br /><div>(from <i>Aphelic Ascent, </i>releasing 2/10/23 by <a href="https://www.drakkar666.com/?fbclid=IwAR2f8r5DZzfbNvmmZ63kj45246AcA9Gd2aOqDuAgIQXPwNyWcQBQz5ZwyCA">Drakkar Productions</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eMxgJXHy_ls" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div>Courtesy of Falce Press & Management. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Constant Smiles:</b> "Triumph of Void"<br /><div>(from <i>Kenneth Anger, </i>releasing 3/3/23 by <a href="https://www.sacredbonesrecords.com/products/sbr318-constant-smiles-kenneth-anger?mc_cid=27c9c3a7a5&mc_eid=1aa2246382">Sacred Bones Records</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cnkLYsmookY" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>Courtesy of Sacred Bones Records.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Ibex Clone:</b> "Nothing Ever Changes"<br /><div>(from <i>All Changes Clear, </i>releasing 2/3/23 by <a href="https://goner-records.com/products/ibex-clone-all-channels-clear-pre-order">Goner Records</a>)</div></div><div><br /></div><div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EdLz1aOpfXo" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>Courtesy of another side.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Holy Water:</b> "Waterest Him With Tears"<br /><div>(from <i>s/t, </i>releasing 2/3/23 by Self-released / Primal Architecture (cass) / Time Release (LP))</div></div><div><br /></div><div>
<iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=634313107/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 680px; width: 560px;"><a href="https://holywateratx.bandcamp.com/album/holy-water">Holy Water by Holy Water</a></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>Courtesy of Us / Them Group. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>numün: </b>"Vespers"<br /><div>(from <i>Book Of Beyond, </i>releasing 1/27/23 by <a href="https://shimmy-disc.bandcamp.com">Shimmy-Disc</a>)</div></div><div><br /></div><div>
<iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3539902151/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/track=2050641957/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 680px; width: 560px;"><a href="https://numunband.bandcamp.com/album/book-of-beyond">Book of Beyond by numün</a></iframe> </div><div><br /></div><div>Courtesy of Clandestine Label Services. </div><div><br /></div><div>Sincerely,</div><div>Letters From A Tapehead</div></div></div>Sean Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515711172848590436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27785582.post-789810073054903232023-01-09T22:29:00.002-05:002023-01-09T22:29:34.311-05:00Sorting Through Browser Tabs (1/2-1/6): Endorphins Lost, Atsuko Chiba, Frank Rabeyrolles, Will Epstein, Obituary, POSH SWAT, Paul Dunmall/Paul Rogers/Tony OrrellTo whom it may interest,<br /><br />In the wake of late night neighborhood demonstrations of amateur fireworks displays and cork-ejaculated ribbons of bubbly champagne, the first full calendar week of 2023 has been officially Xd out. Time to take the Christmas trees down and bundle up for the next couple months. <br /><br />For last week's rounds of browser tabs, I've heard the following:<div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">____________________________</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Endorphins Lost:</b> "Regulation Area Bombing"<br />(from <i>Night People</i> releasing 2/1/23 by <a href="https://www.tolivealie.com/?fbclid=IwAR11Hv9yNx4g9reaXW0aCUOnmD2YyxQjvNZsU7zYRVD2P36_3-9NSBtwSno">To Live A Lie</a> / <a href="https://www.rtcrecords.com">Rotten to the Core</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div>This one will beat you up pretty good: A little over a minute and thirty of throat scraping crust punk/power violence replete with excessive head-knock and a writhing breakdown for its second act. </div><div><br /></div><div><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=702412989/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/track=2117467822/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 680px; width: 560px;"><a href="https://endorphinviolence.bandcamp.com/album/night-people">Night People by Endorphins Lost</a></iframe></div><div><br /></div>Courtesy of Earsplit PR. <br /><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><b>Atsuko Chiba:</b> "Link"<br />(from <i>Water, It Feels Like It's Growing</i> releases 1/20/23 by <a href="https://www.mothland.com/atsuko-chiba">Mothland</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div>The synth ride overtop some elaborate prog-level guitar noodling is worth exploration. Initially the track's sharp production didn't appeal to me, but additional listens won me over. I also really enjoyed Atsuko Chiba's other single "Seeds", which you can listen at their <a href="https://atsukochiba.bandcamp.com/track/seeds">Bandcamp</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=565381695/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 680px; width: 560px;"><a href="https://atsukochiba.bandcamp.com/album/water-it-feels-like-its-growing">Water, It Feels Like It's Growing by Atsuko Chiba</a></iframe></div><div><span style="background-color: #b2b2b2;"><br /></span></div><div><div>Courtesy of Tell All Your Friends PR. </div><div><br /><br /><div><div><b><a href="https://frankrabeyrolles.com/videos/">Frank Rabeyrolles</a>:</b> "Saddest"<br />(from <i>Boat Songs</i> released 12/22 by <a href="http://wool-recordings.com/x.php?q=a">wool recordings</a>)</div><div><br /></div>Frank Rabeyrolles's "Saddest" is the sort of minimalist piece that forces its listeners to sit still and breathe. Quiet and lovely. <br /><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XcAv9L7vgvg" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> </div><div><br /></div><div>Courtesy of wool recordings. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>Will Epstein:</b> "Oyster Bay"<br />(from <i>Wendy</i> releasing 2/3/23 by <a href="https://fatpossum.com/products/wendy">Fat Possum Records</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div>Will Espstein's "Oyster Bay" is evocative of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibePlWsY6Wc">Todd Rundgren</a> to my ears, though the instrumentation is understated and the atmosphere is dialed up. Epstein's environs are built up well enough to grant space to an array of instruments that either visit briefly and abruptly or call out from a distance. </div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1oOyAgCa3kI" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>Courtesy of Clandestine Label Services.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Obituary:</b> "My Will To Live"<br />(from <i>Dying Of Everything</i> releasing 1/13/23 by <a href="https://store.relapse.com/obituary-dying-of-everything">Relapse Records</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div>Death Metal pioneers Obituary are sticking to the plot, "My Will To Live" a mid-tempo, chugging wall of amplification and six-string howls. No wear; no tear. </div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nlkE2X79HVg" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>Courtesy of Relapse Records.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>POSH SWAT (John Dwyer, Ryan Sawyer, Andres Renteria):</b> "Dungeon Crawler/Bug City"<br />(from <i>POSH SWAT</i> releasing 2/17/23 by <a href="http://www.rockishell.com">Rock Is Hell Records</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div>Playing similarly to John Dwyer's recent forays into jazz/improv-oriented jamming with projects Bent Arcana and Gong Splat, the heavily drum-based POSH SWAT's "Dungeon Crawler/Bug City" combines the rhythmic and percussive function of Trouble Funk and <i>On The Corner</i>-era Miles Davis with Can-level psych elements. </div><div><br /></div></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aXbBD2mOqXo" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><span style="background-color: #b2b2b2;"><br /></span></div>Courtesy of Tell All Your Friends PR. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /><b>Paul Dunmall/Paul Rogers/Tony Orrell</b>: "Marriage in India"</div><div>(from <i>That's My Life</i> released 1/6/23 by <a href="https://577records.bandcamp.com/album/that-s-my-life">577 Records</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div>"Marriage In India" is over sixteen-plus minutes of energized bop rhythms and lively sax phrasing, the Dunmall/Rogers/Orrell unit retaining interest and energy even through the track's midway pseudo-break, which is decorated with plucked and pulled bass strings and drum play. </div><div><div><br /></div><div><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=1642926556/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 680px; width: 560px;"><a href="https://577records.bandcamp.com/album/that-s-my-life">That’s My Life by Paul Dunmall, Paul Rogers, Tony Orrell</a></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>Courtesy of 577 Records. </div></div><div> <br />Sincerely,<br />Letters From A Tapehead<br /></div></div></div></div></div>Sean Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515711172848590436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27785582.post-78320471141132556942023-01-01T20:29:00.000-05:002023-01-01T20:29:54.157-05:00Two-Zero-Two-Two C.E.: Counting Down the Year in Sound Worship How was 2022?<div><br /></div><div>Better than 2021. </div><div><br /></div><div>Midyear I tested positive for COVID. I found myself unable to move or rest, which sounds contradictory until you experience bludgeoning exhaustion on top of significant physical discomfort. I'm lucky, though: In spite of testing positive for a full 8 or 9 days after symptoms showed up, the worst moments took place over the course of two full days. After that, it was just a matter of regaining some level of energy. It's no exaggeration to say that I felt drained for maybe a full month. </div><div><br /></div><div>I saw some gigs this year and bought a LOT of albums. I think my record collection is beginning to outgrow my space, which means I may need to consider some purges. </div><div><br /></div><div>Omissions & Lamentations for 2022: There are always too many of those. Considering I didn't even bother attempting to round-up my favorite albums in 2021, I'm going to focus on what I did hear and enjoy. We'll go back to being sad next year. </div><div><br /></div><div>While I know that the blogosphere has lost some ozone as other online creative outlets gain popularity, namely short-form video a la TikTok, I still enjoy typing out whatever thoughts and feelings I may have when it comes to music. If you're still stopping by and scanning my posts, thank you and best wishes for an excellent 2023. </div><div><br /></div><div>Here are my favorite albums of 2022:<br /><div><br /><div>15). <b>Boris</b> – <i>W</i> (<a href="https://www.sacredbonesrecords.com/products/sbr287-boris-w">Sacred Bones</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div>The immediate comedown from the thrash-level rush of 2020's <i>NO</i>, Boris released <i>W</i> as a quieter counterpart: <i>NO + W = NOW. </i>The first LP to feature only singer/guitarist Wata on vocals since 2011's <i><a href="https://boris.bandcamp.com/album/attention-please">Attention Please</a></i>, <i>W</i> is an immersive and decibel-laden listen, more on the ethereal side of Boris's penchant for washes of heavy drone.</div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LplwOft0d44" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div>14).<b> black midi </b>– Hellfire (<a href="https://bmblackmidi.bandcamp.com/album/hellfire">Rough Trade</a>)<br /><br />With this year's <i>Hellfire</i>, black midi continue to evade categorization by being stylistically erratic and rhythmically sharp. The breakneck starts and stops remain in full swing, though <i>Hellfire </i>ventures more toward the cabaret side of their creative personality, answering the eternal question: <i>"What if the Walker Brothers fronted a louder version of American Football?"</i> I guess black midi could be the flag-bearers for math-rock lounge? This one hasn't held my interest as well as 2021's <i><a href="https://bmblackmidi.bandcamp.com/album/cavalcade">Cavalcade</a></i>, but the chops black midi demonstrate can't be denied.</div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Efmq_uXt1Rk" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">13). </span><b>Guerilla Toss</b> – <i>Famously Alive</i> (<a href="https://www.subpop.com/artists/guerilla_toss">Sub Pop</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div>For <i>Famously Alive</i>, Guerilla Toss venture farther from the ESG/Liquid Liquid realm, removing most of the funk elements from their past LPs and reveling in sugary, psych-washed art pop. <i>Famously Alive</i> is the first Guerilla Toss album to be released by Sub Pop.</div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/APJhL9JjPwk" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>12). <b>The Soft Moon</b> – <i>Exister </i>(<a href="https://thesoftmoon.bandcamp.com/album/exister">Sacred Bones</a>)</div></div><div><br /><i>"Throughout his tenure as The Soft Moon, Vasquez has occupied an evocative space. When 'Him' surfaced, the first single released for </i>Exister<i>, all of its sound and vision (and even Vision Street Wear if you’ve <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-8sAas0hC0">seen the video</a>) immediately sent me back to a time and place. When you hear a song like 'Become The Lies', its magnetic bass riff and heavy factorial stomp, not to mention Vasquez’s highly expressive vocal performance, it’s implausible that a song like that wouldn’t have gained some mainstream traction during the peak of popularity that Nine Inch Nails enjoyed when singles from </i>Pretty Hate Machine <i>and </i>The Downward Spiral<i> were inescapable and ubiquitous."</i><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.noripcord.com/reviews/music/soft-moon/exister">Reviewed for No Ripcord</a>, 10/4/22</div><div><br /></div><div><div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YbFlWA0o2B8" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>11). <b>Locrian </b>– <i>New Catastrophism </i>(<a href="https://profoundlorerecords.merchtable.com/music/locrian-new-catastrophism-2xcd">Profound Lore</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div>Following a seven-year absence, dark ambient/black metal trio Locrian released <i>New Catastrophism</i>, a rather gorgeous volume of somber and ominous compositions that further cement the band's place as unsurpassable champions of the apocalyptic soundscape. The album was also released with a digital-only EP titled<i> Ghost Frontiers</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Td463N8tTm0" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><span style="text-align: center;">10). </span><b style="text-align: center;">Osees</b><span style="text-align: center;"> – </span><i style="text-align: center;">A Foul Form </i><span style="text-align: center;">(</span><a href="https://ohsees.bandcamp.com/album/a-foul-form-5">Castle Face</a><span style="text-align: center;">)</span><br /><div><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><i>"Of any OSEES release to pop up over the last few years, (and there are many), 2022's </i>A Foul Form <i>might possibly be the most fuzz-laden and shouty. Clocking in at aggressive 22 minutes at 45RPM, </i>A Foul Form <i>sounds intentionally designed to emulate the hardcore releases of the past and this iteration of John Dwyer's perpetually evolving art punk outlet absolutely succeeds without abandoning ANY of its signature or creative trademark."</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><a href="https://www.letters-from-a-tapehead.com/2022/11/osees-scum-show.html">"</a></i><a href="https://www.letters-from-a-tapehead.com/2022/11/osees-scum-show.html">Scum Show" video post</a>, 11/27/22</div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/a5DN0teDMkI" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><div><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div>9). <b>Boris</b> – <i>Heavy Rocks (2022) </i>(<a href="https://store.relapse.com/item/112724">Relapse</a>)</div></div><div><br /></div><div>The third of Boris's <i>Heavy Rocks</i> series, this latest installment retains the stadium-level guitar centered energy cultivated by the prior two volumes. Boris play around with the formula a little bit, finding some opportunities to thwart any potential for monotony without losing the plot. <i>Heavy Rocks (2022)</i> is immediately gratifying.</div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yBHB3l1ZtVg" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>8). <b>Chat Pile</b> – <i>God's Country </i>(<a href="https://nowflensing.com/collections/chat-pile">The Flenser</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div>“<i>Was </i>God’s Country<i> this year’s most uplifting album? The debut full-length from Oklahoma City’s Chat Pile, </i>God’s Country<i> casts as its central character the band’s hometown, which apparently plays host to a multitude of cautionary tales and bible belt misery. Vocally, Chat Pile exhibit frustrated, anxiety-inducing narration overtop chunky, almost industrial-level, shocks of down-tuned sonic mud with piston-pummel percussion a la Godflesh. Lyrically sparse, the band manages to express volumes in spite of word economy, episodic and fragmented stanzas acting as indictment of American systems of labor (‘Slaughterhouse’) or justice (‘The Mask’), questioning American apathy toward its impoverished citizenry (‘Why?’), or detailing day-in-the-life styled commentary about drug addiction (‘Wicked Puppet Dance’). It’s a rough listen but powerful, musically trodding upon the same ear-splitting ground as Unsane and the recent-era unease at play throughout Daughters’ 2018 release </i>You Won’t Get What You Want.<i>”</i><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.noripcord.com/features/50-best-albums-2022">Reviewed for No Ripcord's 50 Best Albums of 2022</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.noripcord.com/features/50-best-albums-2022"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/74Wm1d3Dq8c" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>7). <b>Denzel Curry</b> – <i>Melt My Eyes See Your Future </i>(<a href="https://www.lomavistarecordings.com/#denzelcurry">Loma Vista</a>)</div><div><br /></div>Denzel Curry's fifth release, <i>Melt My Eyes See Your Future</i>, finds an exceptional balance between Soulquarian emulative boom bap and modern hip-hop's ties to trap and minimalist production. Though rife with features, the added voices throughout <i>Melt My Eyes See Your Future </i>never overwhelm the album or overshadow Curry's presence. An album both well-sequenced and composed, Curry's performances here are captivating and masterful. </div><div><br /></div><div><div><div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_ASrQq3O85E" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>6). <b>Moor Mother</b> – <i>Jazz Codes</i> (<a href="https://www.anti.com/artists/moor-mother/">ANTI-</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Jazz Codes</i>, Camae Ayewa's latest outing as Moor Mother, is a collection of compositions built around poems Ayewa wrote as tributes to notable figures in blues and jazz, their names and any associated details dropped into free verse overtop ambient bass-n-drum, ethereal Ayler-weeping free jazz, abstract R&B, or off-kilter hip hop. As with most (if not all) of Ayewa's work, <i>Jazz Codes</i> is as challenging and provocative as it is musical and celebratory. A good set of headphones, zero distractions, and continued listens are recommended.</div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-TxK3LjJQnA" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>5). <b>Hammered Hulls</b> – <i>Careening</i> (<a href="https://dischord.com/release/193/careening">Dischord Records</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div>Hammered Hulls is the work of Alec MacKaye, Mary Timony, Chris Wilson, and Mark Cisneros, names that are significantly tied to the lasting impact and lineage of the seminal Dischord Records label. In addition, <i>Careening</i>, the first Hammered Hulls LP, is likely the final album to be produced at the legendary Inner Ear Studios, the famed location that facilitated the recording and release of a bulk of Dischord's essential catalog prior to being shutdown in 2021. While excellent on its own, <i>Careening</i> could be considered a lasting tribute to Inner Ear's legacy, a worthy epilogue to the evolution of punk and hardcore, post-hardcore, and modern rock n' roll. <i>Careening</i> was produced by Ian MacKaye and recorded by Inner Ear owner Don Zientara. </div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tmB_7POGg0s" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">4). </span><b>Danger Mouse & Black Thought</b> – Cheat Codes (<a href="https://www.dangermouseblackthought.com">BMG</a>)</div><div><br /></div>“<i>Tariq ‘Black Thought’ Trotter dropped another reminder in 2022 that he’s one of the best rhymers to ever pick up a microphone. That reminder? A little album called</i> Cheat Codes<i>, a collaborative effort that’d been years in the making starring Brian Joseph Burton (a.k.a. Danger Mouse) in a producer role. Danger Mouse’s first hip-hop release since his outing with the late MF DOOM—which spawned the 2005 Adult Swim-inspired LP </i>The Mouse And The Mask<i> under the moniker DANGERDOOM—</i>Cheat Codes<i> is a 38-minute showcase between maestro and emcee. Black Thought’s immediate wit and inventive meter ably finds consonance with every sound Danger Mouse puts to a beat, whether it's 70s-era orchestrated soul (‘Sometimes’), abstract stitch work (‘Cheat Codes’), lowriding stride (‘No Gold Teeth’), or head-knocking flash (‘Strangers’). Boasting a healthy and smartly assembled roster of features like Raekwon, Joey Bada$$, Run The Jewels, A$AP Rocky, and a posthumous inclusion from MF DOOM, Cheat Codes is a demonstration of pure skill that never overwhelms the listener or even resorts to shit-talking bravado.</i>”</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.noripcord.com/features/50-best-albums-2022">Reviewed for No Ripcord's 50 Best Albums of 2022</a><br /><div><br /></div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yPdHD1neCV8" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><div><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">3). </span><b>Horsegirl</b> <span style="text-align: center;">– </span><span style="text-align: center;"><i style="text-align: left;">Versions Of Modern Performance</i> (</span><a href="https://thisishorsegirl.bandcamp.com/album/versions-of-modern-performance">Matador</a><span style="text-align: center;">)</span></div><div><br /></div>Likely to appeal to 90s “alt”-nostalgists, Horsegirl's <i>Versions Of Modern Performance </i>is awash in the glow of delicate indie-twang and ethereal rock bliss. Think K Records and college radio. With production from John Agnello (Dinosaur Jr., The Breeders) and some aid from Sonic Youth's Steve Shelley and Lee Ranaldo, Horsegirl's admittedly referential approach may have gained some detractors, but, honestly, fuck them. For me, <i>Versions Of Modern Performance </i>was on rotation for much of 2022, the band's songwriting and performances both solid and engaging throughout, the fuzz-tone melodies and vocal harmonies both lush and somehow uplifting. Excellent debut. </div><div><div><br /></div><div><span style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TprPGEsR1KM" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></span></div></div><div><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><i><br /></i><div><span style="text-align: center;">2). </span><b>Makaya McCraven</b> – <i>In These Times</i> (<a href="https://www.intlanthem.com/artists/makaya-mccraven">International Anthem</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div>Makaya McCraven’s <i>In These Times</i> plays like much of the jazz-fusion and light progressive rock I heard growing up as a kid, those 70s ensemble bands emergent from what had become a corporatized version of stadium-ready rock n' roll and the incorporation of soul and funk rhythms into jazz's then-abandoned traditional sound. Those songs sounded like high art to me, almost orchestral. Although evocative of the era, McCraven's music is far from pastiche. <i>In These Times</i> doesn't dismantle and rebuild for the sake of its creation. He's not killing his idols. Instead, you hear how inspiration should be approached and not treated as a blueprint, resulting in a modern LP that's more than worthy to be filed amongst those 70s-era jazz, funk, and soul touchstones. </div><div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3j-hffAqI7c" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div> <br /><div><br /></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">1). </span><b style="text-align: center;">OFF!</b><span style="text-align: center;"> – </span><i style="text-align: center;">Free LSD</i><span style="text-align: center;"> (<a href="https://fatpossum.com/products/free-lsd">Fat Possum</a>)</span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><i>“OFF! vocalist Keith Morris and creative co-conspirator Dimitri Coats have really created something special. Conceived as the soundtrack for a film written and directed by Coats, </i>Free LSD<i>, OFF!’s first LP following eight years of silence, is a conspiracy-riddled, punk-fusion head fuck that angrily spat on any pre-conceived notion I had of what to expect from them. While the vision behind the LP was no doubt aided by the band’s new rhythm section, bassist Autry Fulbright II of …And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead and Thundercat collaborator and drummer Justin Brown, OFF! manages to shift gears without losing their way, leaving the band’s necessary aggression fully intact while the Fulbright/Brown combo ably heightens their means of attack. Opening track ‘Slice Up The Pie’ seems familiar enough until the album transitions into ‘Time Will Come,’ Coats’ wall of sound enhanced by Brown’s Mahavishnu Orchestra-styled snare fills. From there, OFF! never lets up, a series of free jazz interludes slicing up an unrelenting barrage of aural assault, the 67-year-old Morris more than happy to keep his foot pressed firmly upon mortality’s throat.”</i></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.noripcord.com/features/50-best-albums-2022">Reviewed for No Ripcord's 50 Best Albums of 2022</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.noripcord.com/features/50-best-albums-2022"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LBWUgluGdTw" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
</a><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>And, here are my follow ups:</div><div><br />16). <b>Omertà</b> – <i>Collection Particulière</i> (<a href="https://lithics.bandcamp.com/">Trouble In Mind</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div>17). <b>Automatic</b> – <i>Excess</i> (<a href="https://www.stonesthrow.com/store/excess/">Stones Throw</a>) </div><div><br /></div><div>18). <b>Helms Alee</b> – <i>Keep This Be The Way</i> (<a href="https://www.hellomerch.com/collections/helms-alee">Sargent House</a>) </div><div><br /></div><div>19). <b>KEN Mode</b> – <i>Null</i> (<a href="https://artoffact.com/releases/null/">Artoffact Records</a>) </div><div><br /></div><div>20). <b>IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANT</b> – <i>Spirit of Ecstasy</i> (<a href="https://centurymedia.store/product/Y4CE620COMBO/imperial-triumphant-spirit-of-ecstasy-gold-2lp-digital-download">Century Media Records</a>)</div><div><br /></div>21). <b>Multicult / Child Bite</b> – split 12” (<a href="https://hexrecords.bandcamp.com/album/multicult-child-bite-split-12">Hex Records</a>) <br /><br /></div><div>22). <b>Oort Smog</b> – <i>Every Motherfucker Is Your Brother</i> (<a href="https://oortsmog.bandcamp.com/album/every-motherfucker-is-your-brother">AKP Recordings</a>) <br /><br /></div><div>23). <b>Enumclaw</b> – <i>Save The Baby</i> (<a href="https://luminellerecs.com/artists/enumclaw/">Luminelle</a>)<br /><br /></div><div>24). <b>Bill Nace</b> – <i>Through A Room</i> (<a href="https://www.dragcity.com/products/through-a-room">Drag City</a>) <br /><br /></div><div>25). <b>JOYFULTALK</b> – Familiar Science (<a href="https://cstrecords.com/products/joyfultalk-familiar-science">Constellation</a>) <div><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><b>Singles & EPs</b>:</div><div><br />1). <b>Tomato Flower</b> – <i>Golden Arc</i> (<a href="https://ramplocal.com/new-products/tomato-flower-gold-arc">Ramp Local</a>)<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>2). <b>Eunoia</b> – <i>Psyop of the Year</i> (<a href="https://tombtreetapes.bandcamp.com/album/psyop-of-the-year">Tomb Tree Tapes</a> / <a href="https://www.nefariousindustries.com/collections/eunoia-psyop-of-the-year">Nefarious Industries</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div>3). <b>Screensaver</b> – “Clean Current” / “Repeats” (<a href="https://upsettherhythm.bandcamp.com/album/clean-current-repeats">Upset The Rhythm</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div>4). <b>Tropical Fuck Storm</b> – Moonburn (<a href="https://tropicalfstorm.bandcamp.com/album/moonburn">Joyful Noise Recordings</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div>5). <b>Laces Out</b> - <i>Roger Podacter</i> (<a href="https://www.nefariousindustries.com/collections/laces-out-roger-podacter">Nefarious Industries</a>) </div><div><br /></div><div><div>Sincerely,</div></div>Letters From A Tapehead</div></div>Sean Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515711172848590436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27785582.post-16172811093777115222022-12-21T17:06:00.003-05:002022-12-21T17:06:33.224-05:0012.21 — Happy Birthday, Frank82 candles…<div><br /></div><div>And which tune of yours would be appropriate today? </div><div><br /></div><div>The Grand Wazoo turned 50, so maybe "Eat That Question" works. </div><div><br /></div><div><div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RonvGAZRipA" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> </div><div><br /></div><div>Happy Birthday, Frank. The absurdity continues, but at least there's music. </div><div><br /></div><div>Sincerely,</div><div>Letters From A Tapered</div></div>Sean Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515711172848590436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27785582.post-1589322489122144842022-12-06T19:42:00.004-05:002022-12-06T19:42:50.750-05:00Judy Garland: "Somewhere Over The Rainbow"<div>April 16, 1961 - December 6, 2014 <br /><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4wkSBZb2aoI" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> </div><div><br /></div><div>Sincerely,</div><div>Letters From A Tapehead</div>Sean Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515711172848590436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27785582.post-33110153093704133092022-12-02T12:58:00.003-05:002022-12-02T12:58:44.412-05:00The Lord & David Pajo: Nazarite<div style="text-align: center;"></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGdc9ZHPcE-OzgRjx_kSfLYH6ToHgiZ56BZ2Wv5aZG5cHiFFO_6b_HI77ruyYSdGiB1xnhtB2HLVwYr8pjSsEVhcstVR05DEbbF2506xQnBmxyK2_kjcR7aQEPgkzueYUOGBO-H8XVvSIeX3KAQmM09pDvwiI0P0cwQHnFSxoT6x97Tufzvg/s4032/IMG_3210.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGdc9ZHPcE-OzgRjx_kSfLYH6ToHgiZ56BZ2Wv5aZG5cHiFFO_6b_HI77ruyYSdGiB1xnhtB2HLVwYr8pjSsEVhcstVR05DEbbF2506xQnBmxyK2_kjcR7aQEPgkzueYUOGBO-H8XVvSIeX3KAQmM09pDvwiI0P0cwQHnFSxoT6x97Tufzvg/w300-h400/IMG_3210.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small; text-align: start;">Papa M performing at Underground Arts, 4/24/19<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: left;">Pre-pandemic Philly, April 24th, 2019: I had the pleasure of seeing David Pajo (likely best known for his work with Slint) under his Papa M handle open for Sunn O))) at Underground Arts. Sat alone on a stool and hunched over his guitar, Pajo offered an understated and relatively quiet solo performance which at the time seemed adverse to the ensuing intensity of the Stephen O'Malley/Greg Anderson dronequake. I'd seen Sunn O))) a couple times by this point preceded by loud-as-fuck performances by Eagle Twin and Dead In The Dirt, so I was intrigued that they decided to <i>not</i> double-down on the loud, but instead offer sonic respite before the crowd even knew they'd need it. </div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Considering, though, how open to collaboration Sunn O))) has been over the years, incorporating both the expected metal alum (Attila Csihar, Wrest, Scott Conner, Ulver, Boris) with creative partnerships based outside the genre (Julian Cope, Scott Walker, Hildur Guðnadóttir, Anna von Hausswolff), it was only a matter of time before a collaboration with Pajo would surface. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>For 2022, Greg Anderson has been performing as The Lord, having released his solo album<i> Forest Nocturne </i>and an album with Petra Haden titled<i> Devotional</i>. Released for the final installment of Bandcamp Friday in 2022, The Lord's latest venture is "Nazarite", an Anderson/Pajo collaboration apparently authored as an ode to Slint. And you can absolutely hear that: the string-bound tension the two build is palpable for the track's runtime, exhibiting both Slint's brand of dark and arpeggiated repetition and Sunn O)))'s penchant for strummed bursts of raw amplified tone. Even the vocals share commonality with the bulk of those on <i>Spiderland. </i></div><div><br /></div><div>The track is available to purchase via <a href="https://thelordsl.bandcamp.com/track/nazarite">Bandcamp</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>All info was provided by Rarely Unable.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/track=2833846938/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 652px; width: 560px;"><a href="https://thelordsl.bandcamp.com/track/nazarite">Nazarite by The Lord & David Pajo</a></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Sincerely,<br />Letters From A Tapered</div>Sean Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515711172848590436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27785582.post-15015000791929999092022-12-01T14:04:00.007-05:002022-12-01T14:31:08.837-05:00Sorting Through Browser Tabs: YHWH Nailgun, blackwinterwells, Historically Fucked, Lori Goldston & Greg Kelley, Harmonious Thelonious, Anna B. Savage, loscil // lawrence english, Sarah PagéSo, that's another November billed and submitted for review.<div><br /></div><div>It's early 12/1 and I'm an hour into the workday, taking healthy swigs from a lukewarm large cup of 7-11's finest blend and struggling to stay focused on any task that needs to be handled and completed today. Focus has been a problem, something I mean to fix this coming year. Due to the frequent interruptions and fire drills I'll experience over the course of a day, the need for me to pivot at a moment's notice often leaves me unable to keep track of my prior tasks. I'll repeat steps and miss others. It's yet another boundary that I need to be able to set and communicate to workplace peers: "Yes, I'll take care of that in a minute, but please let me finish what I'm working on." </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm turning 46 in 20 days. You'd think I'd have my shit together at this point.</div><div><br /></div><div>In line with getting ones shit together, "Best Of"s and "Favorites Of"s lists are being considered and authored throughout the virtual <i>musicsphere</i>, my own selections undergoing constant scrutiny. Second guessing myself quite a bit, but I'll have it published in the coming weeks. Also, I'll be visually running through some picks on <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@lettersfromatapehead?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc">TikTok</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lettersfromatapehead/">Instagram</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm hoping this month you have the opportunity to laugh with sincerity, enjoying time with worthwhile people. </div><div><br /><div>I'm also hoping you have the opportunity to check out some new songs I listened to this week. </div><div><br /></div><div>Enjoy.<br /><div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">____________________________</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><br /></b></div><b>YHWH Nailgun:</b> "Look at Me, I'm a Rainer"<br />(from <i>No Midwife And I Wingflap</i> EP released 11/4/22 by <a href="https://yhwhnailgun.bandcamp.com/album/no-midwife-and-i-wingflap">Ramp Local</a>)</div><div><br /><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cVMSr7JHF6I" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><br />Courtesy of Ramp Local.</div><div><br /></div><div>
<b>blackwinterwells:</b> "archangel"</div></div></div></div>(from <i>protector</i> releasing 12/2/22 by <a href="https://www.eyeballrecords.org/collections/blackwinterwells">Eyeball Records</a>)<br /><div><br /><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PdNQeSRgVV8" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><br />Courtesy of Us/Them Group. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Historically Fucked:</b> "Seven Eggs For Sever Sisters"<div>(from <i>The Mule Peasants' Revolt of 12,067</i> released 2/3/23 by <a href="https://upsettherhythm.bandcamp.com/album/the-mule-peasants-revolt-of-12067?from=fanpub_fb">Upset The Rhythm</a>)<br /><div><br /><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=821153037/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 680px; width: 560px;"><a href="https://upsettherhythm.bandcamp.com/album/the-mule-peasants-revolt-of-12067">The Mule Peasants' Revolt of 12,067 by Historically Fucked</a></iframe></div><div><br />Promoted by Bandcamp. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Lori Goldston & Greg Kelley:</b> "All Points Leaning In"</div><div>(from <i>All Points Leaning In</i> releasing 1/19/23 by <a href="https://brokencloverrecords.bandcamp.com">Broken Clover Records</a>)</div><div><br /><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=941777962/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 680px; width: 560px;"><a href="https://lorigoldston.bandcamp.com/album/all-points-leaning-in">All Points Leaning In by Lori Goldston</a></iframe></div><div><br />Courtesy of Us/Them Group.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Harmonious Thelonious:</b> "Soft Opening Machine"</div><div>(from <i>Cheapo Sounds</i> releasing 1/20/23 by <a href="https://harmoniousthelonious.bandcamp.com/track/soft-opening-machine">Bureau B</a>)</div><div><br /> <iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3612062315/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/track=2593169702/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 680px; width: 560px;"><a href="https://harmoniousthelonious.bandcamp.com/album/cheapo-sounds">Cheapo Sounds by Harmonious Thelonious</a></iframe></div></div><div><br />Courtesy of mutante inc.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Anna B. Savage:</b> "in|FLUX"<div>(from <i>in|FLUX</i> releasing 2/17/23 by <a href="https://cityslang.com/releases/anna-b-savage-in-flux">City Slang</a>)</div><div><br /><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/a_XE_taTKKg" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><br />Courtesy of Stereo Sanctity. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>loscil // lawrence english: </b>"Violet"</div><div>(from <i>Colours Of Air</i> released 2/3/23 by <a href="https://loscil.bandcamp.com/album/colours-of-air">kranky</a>)</div><div><br /><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/y5BHMGAGr70" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><br />Courtesy of Rarely Unable.</div><div><b style="color: #3d3b3d; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;"><br /></b></div><b>Sarah Pagé:</b> "Méduses"<br />(preview to an in-progress album titled <i>Voda</i>; single released 11/30/22 by <a href="https://sarahpage.bandcamp.com/album/voda">Backward Music</a>)</div><div><br /><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2uqsVqGrpfs" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><br />Courtesy of C L A N D E S T I N E L A B E L S E R V I C E S .</div><div><div><br /></div><div>Sincerely,</div>Letters From A Tapehead</div></div>Sean Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515711172848590436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27785582.post-21836664928708842762022-11-27T16:42:00.005-05:002022-11-27T16:42:59.933-05:00OSEES: "Scum Show"<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg5yBtu3Y53DX05PxQnyB1bM6HLSwlpkFs6rssQimJ0e93zKh_J07Zh9rbUHo1yGOJKiVA495Tqoall6UaTy_zumcFG3Z-kgYaWk0llJOtN2FiaAm-RZCt0hyTBkfdD0refjLDeBNGTZCwqrXO7Lyj5OlzmLhURjRUPp267CwOj8NxW3PzgA/s1200/a0879130745_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg5yBtu3Y53DX05PxQnyB1bM6HLSwlpkFs6rssQimJ0e93zKh_J07Zh9rbUHo1yGOJKiVA495Tqoall6UaTy_zumcFG3Z-kgYaWk0llJOtN2FiaAm-RZCt0hyTBkfdD0refjLDeBNGTZCwqrXO7Lyj5OlzmLhURjRUPp267CwOj8NxW3PzgA/s320/a0879130745_10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Of any OSEES release to pop up over the last few years, (and there are many), 2022's <i>A Foul Form</i> might possibly be the most fuzz-laden and shouty. Clocking in at aggressive 22 minutes at 45RPM, <i>A Foul Form </i>sounds intentionally designed to emulate the hardcore releases of the past and this iteration of John Dwyer's perpetually evolving art punk outlet absolutely succeeds without abandoning ANY of its signature or creative trademark.</div><div><br /></div><div>A video for "Scum Show" recently surfaced, visuals captured from a show OSEES performed in Paris earlier this year. </div><div><br /></div><div>The video was provided by Tell All Your Friends PR.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/U0SlPN-7V8g" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
<div><br /></div><div>Sincerely,</div><div>Letters From A Tapehead</div>Sean Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515711172848590436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27785582.post-82679581784199833142022-11-22T01:32:00.001-05:002022-11-22T01:32:34.870-05:00Sorting Through Browser Tabs: Meg Baird, Knife The Symphony, No Base TrioIt's well-past midnight. Officially Tuesday morning. Experiencing a rare bout of insomnia on a work night, which isn't ideal. Figured I'd post some tracks.<div><br /></div><div>Enjoy.<br /><div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">____________________________</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><br /></b></div><b>Meg Baird:</b> "Star Hill Song"<br />(from <i>Furling</i> releasing 1/27/23 by <a href="https://www.dragcity.com/products/furling">Drag City</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MBhdZPSW9YM" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><div><p>Courtesy of Drag City.</p><br /><b>Knife The Symphony:</b> "Wildling I / Islands"<br />(from <i>All The Wrong Turns Taken To Get Here</i> releasing 1/2/23 by <a href="https://knifethesymphony.bandcamp.com/album/all-the-wrong-turns-taken-to-get-here">Phratry Records</a>)<br /><p><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2936505238/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 680px; width: 560px;"><a href="https://knifethesymphony.bandcamp.com/album/all-the-wrong-turns-taken-to-get-here">All The Wrong Turns Taken To Get Here by Knife The Symphony</a></iframe></p><br /><b>No Base Trio:</b> "ST [7]"<br />(from <i><a href="https://nobasetrio.bandcamp.com/album/nbt-ii">NBT II</a></i> releasing 10/15/22)<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RB5kyYgByxw" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> </p>Sincerely,<br />Letters From A Tapehead</div></div></div></div>Sean Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515711172848590436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27785582.post-11288181582558280682022-11-18T09:30:00.005-05:002022-11-18T09:45:47.659-05:00What's (Re)New?: Sprung aus den Wolken<b>Sprung aus den Wolken </b><br /><i>s/t </i><br />Bureau B <br />Reissued: 9/23/22 <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisgJHuNPrKB6V4HREHBJrg6fXGddya6b9JvQWor_3wp8xWS2_N3HhS2HgLgUdhVeU3XINakD1NmcshAf-T1lUbsSH6jGDwJPjo97Rc_SCXzDROcHTCwNVe-Tlx_1a7oGxw_A0UJ9snR6iD106ng6OEnElSgUTnfuo8TmpX_pSz_n4UD6UrgA/s3000/BB415_SPRUNG-AUS-DEN-WOLKEN_3000px_rgb.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisgJHuNPrKB6V4HREHBJrg6fXGddya6b9JvQWor_3wp8xWS2_N3HhS2HgLgUdhVeU3XINakD1NmcshAf-T1lUbsSH6jGDwJPjo97Rc_SCXzDROcHTCwNVe-Tlx_1a7oGxw_A0UJ9snR6iD106ng6OEnElSgUTnfuo8TmpX_pSz_n4UD6UrgA/s320/BB415_SPRUNG-AUS-DEN-WOLKEN_3000px_rgb.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The crude, junkyard confrontation that composed the recently reissued self-titled LP from Sprung aus den Wolken emerged from <i>Geniale Dilletanten</i>, an art movement whose genesis is credited to a concert of the same name (albeit intentionally misspelled) that took place at the Tempodrom in Berlin in 1981. In some ways comparable to the No Wave movement of the late 1970s in grit-strewn New York City which challenged the authenticity of CBGB’s seminal platform, <i>Geniale Dilletanten</i> was a reactionary burst of primal and creative energy whose ethos was interpreted through art, film, and, of course, music. Geniale Dilletanten alumni also include Einstürzende Neubauten, Mekanik Destrüktïw Komandöh (M.D.K.), and Der Plan to name a few. <br /><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Fvy5FeD9hHc" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>Sprung aus den Wolken (meaning “Jump from the Clouds” in English) was formed by Kiddy Citny, (a.k.a. Inri Intrigo). Initially a solo project, the iteration of the group that performed for this LP featured Fred Alpi, Thierry Noir, Piet Essens and Alexander Hacke, the last of whom penned the liner notes for this reissue. Laden with manifesto-styled outbursts, reverberating dub elements, programmed beats, and banged objects, Sprung aus den Wolken doesn’t stray too far from the Kosmische Musik (or its more slanderous namesake, Krautrock) era that precedes it, groups like Faust and Amon Düül having had explored similar ground years before. <br /><br />However, as the sonic innovations of the Kosmische Musik scene had been appropriated by the likes of Brian Eno (and however many other artists had latched on during the post-punk era) by the time of this release, there’s a looseness, lack of completeness, and provocative disposition that almost dares listeners to enjoy it, let alone reference it. While the opening track “Noch Lange Nicht” is at least anchored by a minimalist bass groove and reverberating percussion, the free-form stanza shouting during “Freue Mich Auf Dich” is driven by a fuzzy pulse and rough bouts of static evocative of a microphone being dragged across wool. These first two tracks offer some preview as to what the album has to offer, followed by the quick and relatively musical “Sei Still”, the floating vocals and sonorous whine of “Als Wäre Nichts Gewesen”, the ringing chimes and injured grunts featured in “Nur Noch Beben”, and the pseudo-arranged clatter and intercom narration in “Längst Fällig”.</div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pE-8OBxpWTI" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>Probably the most fully rendered track is “A-i Akcam La”, the vocal following the bass groove and disco-centric rhythm and multi-tracked claps. In spite of how many different ways Sprung aus den Wolken toy with how one can hit surfaces and emit sounds, “A-i Akcam La” is a rare instance of toe-tap or head-knock. “Que Pa” presents an instance of emotional resonance, melancholic layers of synthesized tone gaining volume as the song carries on, sounding more composed and intentional than improv’d and experimental. <br /><br />To that point, the term “experimental” exists because of albums like this. In the context of the <i>Geniale Dilletanten</i> school that brought Sprung aus den Wolken, iconoclasm is a catalyst for creativity. I hear both a devotion to and respect for the past as well as the need for enlightened youth culture to spit in the face of ancestral art or at least question its value. This album is not a pleasure to listen to, but that’s obviously the point. </div><div><br /></div><div>Bandcamp: <a href="https://sprungausdenwolken.bandcamp.com/album/sprung-aus-den-wolken">https://sprungausdenwolken.bandcamp.com/album/sprung-aus-den-wolken</a></div><div>Bureau B: <a href="http://shop.tapeterecords.com/sprung-aus-den-wolken-sprung-aus-den-wolken-3659">http://shop.tapeterecords.com/sprung-aus-den-wolken-sprung-aus-den-wolken-3659</a> </div><div><br />Sincerely, <div>Letters From A Tapehead</div></div>Sean Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515711172848590436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27785582.post-15471331569905688312022-10-05T18:57:00.001-04:002022-10-05T18:57:59.237-04:00Gotta Read The Labels: Folding Cassettes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwEFT6lM54lgsP6fWFl_rtQhtdsu-ZcHJOXRV8OfO4fCpRTUveKgKaYLxggep9Z-8TBqJzAtUhLKcu6I8DjGFIdvWqrvkFoOmpBGQKQQ56EjpPRmicECo1H-Jd__D-NbUXBPgdn9Fb2o4GKsTx16iQ9CPhWSjDR_WgceE6xwAC8ZjvV_G_XA/s1200/a1600947389_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwEFT6lM54lgsP6fWFl_rtQhtdsu-ZcHJOXRV8OfO4fCpRTUveKgKaYLxggep9Z-8TBqJzAtUhLKcu6I8DjGFIdvWqrvkFoOmpBGQKQQ56EjpPRmicECo1H-Jd__D-NbUXBPgdn9Fb2o4GKsTx16iQ9CPhWSjDR_WgceE6xwAC8ZjvV_G_XA/s320/a1600947389_10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>It was 2007 when I became aware of Sic Alps, a San Fran psych-garage act that were somewhat of an obsession following my purchase of and connection to the album <i><a href="https://www.letters-from-a-tapehead.com/2007/03/pleasures-treasures-sic-alps-at-end-of.html">Pleasures and Treasures</a></i>. <i>Pleasures and Treasures</i> was the band's proper full-length debut, but they'd produced some 7" singles and 12" and cassette EPs, all of which were issued by labels like City, Animal Disguise, Awesome Vistas, Skulltones, and Folding Cassettes.<div><div><br /></div><div>Folding Cassettes was a cassette label owned by former Sic Alps member Mike Donovan, the sort of SF-area enterprise meant to keep the oddball creatives and fringe artists documented and available to any against-the-grain listenership willing to dig into the catalogue. I was very drawn to the Folding Cassettes website, not only because of the tunes that were made available, (some of which I remember being experimental noise projects), but because of its aesthetic. From memory, I recall the entire interface being built from a single image of a rugged, makeshift shelving unit backed into a large wall, housing media and stereo equipment. It's the feeling you get when you see an artist's studio or a band's practice space. It's clear that the environs are meant to be practical and that function is its primary consideration since the work or art itself is meant to receive the finesse and attention. </div><div><br /></div><div>The site no longer exists and I'm likely romanticizing this image that I have in my head. Either way, Donovan's efforts generated a substantial catalogue, enough so that Drag City (the home of some of Sic Alps' last albums before the band called it quits) is issuing a Folding compilation titled <i>Folding Cassettes Greatest Hits</i>. It's available for pre-order at <a href="https://www.dragcity.com/artists/various-artists">Drag City</a> and on <a href="https://foldingcassettes.bandcamp.com/album/folding-cassettes-greatest-hits">Bandcamp</a>. Release date is 11.11.22.</div></div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UeJego1FwfI" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><div><span style="background-color: #b2b2b2;"><br /></span></div><div>Track listing:<br /><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Patrick Michael Mullins - "Please Recycle (Edit)"</li><li>Bear Klawz - "Untitled" </li><li>Kit Clayton - "It's Not About Space" </li><li>Netmen - "Untitled 13 (Edit)"</li><li>Big Techno Werewolves - "Birthday Party" </li><li>Freedom Jazz - "Song One from Session Two of Freedom Jazz (Edit)" </li><li>Nam - "Trading N's for J's" </li><li>NVH/Chasny - "...No Refund (Edit")</li><li>Skeletor - "Take Yr $ & Bash Yr Skull" </li><li>ABK - "Untitled" </li><li>Mike Donovan - "Xmas Pie" </li><li>Unknown - "Cocaineville" </li><li>Bananas - "Hippocleides Doesn't Care" </li><li>Mikey Wild - "Fucked Up Wilson (Edit)"</li><li>No Boss - "No Boss Theme"</li></ol><div>A <a href="http://foldingcassettes.blogspot.com">blogger site</a> containing the label's catalogue is still up and running.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Sincerely,</div><div>Letters From A Tapehead<br /></div>Sean Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515711172848590436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27785582.post-61610197509039205722022-10-04T10:09:00.002-04:002022-10-04T10:09:21.279-04:00No Ripcord: Exister by The Soft Moon<b>The Soft Moon</b><div><i>Exister</i><br />Sacred Bones<br />Released: 9/23/22<br /><br />No Ripcord review: <a href="http://www.noripcord.com/reviews/music/soft-moon/exister">http://www.noripcord.com/reviews/music/soft-moon/exister</a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwZHiueNE-XEcVLm7Qjwqtzagz0ONi432UWNvKXsDZ2Lmh6HOHmmRCas-wBQQuQNRUWp6qOWelXengvd3Tl6tjsL8PIEeUQT1ZBK-1Z5TT-vLMu0NbLII4y4P9YnCeVaAX8P3rmWfGaKJxAWUFj0icw9Bq4j5WG0SX8cN5NBhC_e0o_v2QnA/s1800/cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwZHiueNE-XEcVLm7Qjwqtzagz0ONi432UWNvKXsDZ2Lmh6HOHmmRCas-wBQQuQNRUWp6qOWelXengvd3Tl6tjsL8PIEeUQT1ZBK-1Z5TT-vLMu0NbLII4y4P9YnCeVaAX8P3rmWfGaKJxAWUFj0icw9Bq4j5WG0SX8cN5NBhC_e0o_v2QnA/w400-h400/cover.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/M-8sAas0hC0" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
<div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YbFlWA0o2B8" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3xPiMefl97w" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/s9jWcO3CyRg" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>
Sincerely, </div><div>Letters From A Tapehead</div></div>Sean Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515711172848590436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27785582.post-27953630696515860212022-09-21T18:28:00.011-04:002022-09-21T21:24:48.658-04:00Sorting Through Browser Tabs: Deniz Cuylan, Deru, Bill Nace, Anna B. Savage, torpedo, Greber, Alexis Castrogiovanni, Persher, SSWAN<div>I had a good time today.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's not often that over the course of a workday I'm able to direct some attention to my periphery, just enough that I keep to the necessary tasks while engaging with something more worthwhile. In this case, I spent some time today checking out some long overdue songs and artists that I'd meaning to investigate for the past few weeks. It's been a bit since I sorted through browser tabs. </div><div><br /></div><div>That said, there's a lot to review. I hope you enjoy. Feel free to comment. </div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">____________________________</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><b>Deniz Cuylan:</b> "Hidden Language Of Four"<div>(from Rings Of Juniper releasing 10/14/22 by <a href="https://hushhushrecords.bandcamp.com">Hush Hush Records</a>)<div><p><iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="300" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1317047185&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe></p><div><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/denizcuylan" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Deniz Cuylan">Deniz Cuylan</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/denizcuylan/hidden-language-of-four" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Hidden Language Of Four">Hidden Language Of Four</a></div>
</div><div><br /></div><div>Courtesy of C L A N D E S T I N E L A B E L S E R V I C E S.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><b>Deru</b>: "The Dirt"</div><div>(from <i>We Will Live On</i> releasing 10/28/22 by <a href="https://deru.bandcamp.com/album/we-will-live-on">Friends Of Friends</a>)<div><br /></div><div><a href="https://deru.bandcamp.com/album/we-will-live-on"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YF90Fw2gfIw" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Courtesy of Terrorbird Media. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Bill Nace</b>: "E:E"</div>(from <i>Through A Room</i> releasing 11/11/22 by <a href="https://www.dragcity.com/products/through-a-room">Drag City</a>)</div><div><br /><b><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eXVgR7JDxtY" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> </b></div><div><div><br />Courtesy of Drag City. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Anna B. Savage</b>: "The Ghost"</div><div>(Digital single released 9/21/22 / <a href="https://annabsavage.com">Official website</a> / <a href="https://annabsavage.bandcamp.com/track/the-ghost">Bandcamp</a>)</div><div> </div><div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QawAJMjqbFg" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>Courtesy of Stereo Sanctity.</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>torpedo:</b> "Hell"<br /><div>(from <i>Orpheo_Nebula</i> released 9/15/22 by <a href="https://torpedo-cyclope.bandcamp.com">Broken Clover Records</a>)</div></div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Vc4shiSB3y8" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>Courtesy of Us/Them Group.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Greber:</b> "Into Silence"<br /><div>(from <i>Fright Without</i> released 9/9/22 by <a href="https://greber.bandcamp.com">Hibernation Release</a>)</div></div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GYHIJSuFUrM" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><div><span style="background-color: #b2b2b2;"><br /></span></div>Courtesy of Asher Media.<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Alexis Castrogiovanni: </b>"Someday My Thoughts Will Be Like a Range of Mountains"</div><div>(from <i>Someday My Thoughts Will Be Like a Range of Mountains</i> released 9/21/22 / <a href="https://www.alexiscastrogiovanni.com">Official website</a> / <a href="https://alexiscastrogiovanni.bandcamp.com/album/someday-my-thoughts-will-be-like-a-range-of-mountains-ep">Bandcamp</a>)</div><div><div><br /></div></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xX3jSuU1kCU" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
<div><br /></div><div>Courtesy of Force Field PR.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>Persher: </b>"Man With The Magic Soap"</div><div>(from <i>Man With The Magic Soap</i> releasing 10/21/22 by <a href="https://persher.bandcamp.com/album/man-with-the-magic-soap">Thrill Jockey Records</a>)</div></div><div><br /></div>
<iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3540657278/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 680px; width: 560px;"><a href="https://persher.bandcamp.com/album/man-with-the-magic-soap">Man With The Magic Soap by Persher</a></iframe>
<div><br /></div><div>Courtesy of Thrill Jockey Records.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><b>SSWAN</b>: "Invisibility is an Unnatural Disaster"</div>(from <i>Invisibility is an Unnatural Disaster</i> released 9/2/22 by <a href="https://www.577records.com/5885">577 Records</a>)<br /><br /></div>
<iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2032685886/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 680px; width: 560px;"><a href="https://577records.bandcamp.com/album/sswan-invisibility-is-an-unnatural-disaster">SSWAN: Invisibility is an Unnatural Disaster by Jessica Ackerley, Patrick Shiroishi, Chris Williams, Luke Stewart, Jason Nazary</a></iframe>
<div><br /></div><div>Courtesy of 577 Records.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sincerely,</div><div>Letters From A Tapehead</div>Sean Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515711172848590436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27785582.post-37981599334721626672022-09-20T19:24:00.002-04:002022-09-20T19:24:20.562-04:00"Every Motherfucker Is Your Brother" by Oort Smog<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirzapimrxlH2vLDbGRiiEFYbIMOE4CroP9eVUFyqL5KnUaMtAvUFs-zBUVbAmjP6vw8T3VSGNLa_SybLkjdOgjDvwQ2UvmcjBTRtNOybo9unNf828TRhXQ1k7ureEAwuFXL6KMsG8BPHienzfgJRo09scyKxboeOfH2CXaujB-FS4DjcxD9A/s1200/a1720092875_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirzapimrxlH2vLDbGRiiEFYbIMOE4CroP9eVUFyqL5KnUaMtAvUFs-zBUVbAmjP6vw8T3VSGNLa_SybLkjdOgjDvwQ2UvmcjBTRtNOybo9unNf828TRhXQ1k7ureEAwuFXL6KMsG8BPHienzfgJRo09scyKxboeOfH2CXaujB-FS4DjcxD9A/s320/a1720092875_10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>"Every Motherfucker Is Your Brother".<div><br /></div><div>This is the sort of combination of words that I long to find buried in the brittle pages of some forgotten book of vulgar proverbs or pulled from the broken shards of the evening's takeout fortune cookie. Perhaps this five-word bit of excellence was the work of some once-aspirational, albeit failed, author, unhappy to be toiling in the marketplace of meaningless phrases and bland advice found within the confines of often-discarded cookies who found inspiration one day and followed through. </div><div><br /></div><div>However, this phrase isn't a proverb nor is it a fortune, but the title track of a single-piece 12" by the duo Oort Smog, an effort by multi-instrumentalist Patrick Shiroishi and drummer Mark Kimbrell. For now, a less than three-minute clip is available as "Every Motherfucker" and showcases a bit of percussive prog-jazz, loose enough at moments for the brass to scribble outside the lines on occasion but never at the expense of the math-centric form at play. Certainly this doesn't hit with the same level of volatility as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzvDWSAgPss">GRID</a>, but hits well enough nonetheless, just maybe with a tad more lightness in mind. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>Every Motherfucker Is Your Brother</i> is scheduled to release on November 11th, 2022 via AKP Recordings, so we have much time to salivate. </div><div><br /></div><div>The album is available for pre-order at Oort Smog's <a href="https://oortsmog.bandcamp.com/album/every-motherfucker-is-your-brother">Bandcamp</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div><i><b>Reviewer note:</b> Sax Ruins was referenced in the PR for </i>EMIYB<i> and it's too good of a comparison.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>
<iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2229298243/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 680px; width: 560px;"><a href="https://oortsmog.bandcamp.com/album/every-motherfucker-is-your-brother">Every Motherfucker Is Your Brother by Oort Smog</a></iframe><div><span style="background-color: #b2b2b2;"><br /></span></div>All info, links, and music were provided by the excellent people at Clandestine Label Services. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>Oort Smog carries the torch of the saxophone and drums duo tradition, beginning in early formations such as John Coltrane and Rashied Ali and continuing through the years via Anthony Braxton and Andrew Cyrille, Sax Ruins, and Dead Neanderthals. As Oort Smog, Mark Kimbrell and Patrick Shiroishi combine elements of brutal prog (both are members of Upsilon Acrux) and free improvisation on their latest release, a long form composition powerfully titled </i>Every Motherfucker Is Your Brother<i>. </i></div><div><br /><blockquote>“Oort Smog is a duo to the core. Patrick and I lean on each other, pull each other out of our comfort zones, and push each other forward,”<i> Kimbrell says. </i>“All of that is essential to our process and the music itself.”</blockquote><i></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>Every Motherfucker Is Your Brother<i> is the band’s second offering, continuing the complexities of their first record, a hybrid of tightly arranged changes and free jazz improvisation. Daniel Zaidenstadt returns as engineer to help sculpt the sonics, blending and fully utilizing the space of Human Resources to its fullest potential. </i>“When we first started Oort Smog, I was extremely nervous to play with Mark … he is such a powerhouse and technician of the drums,”<i> reflects Shiroishi. </i>“Primarily my idea of playing with guitar pedals and amp was to be able to compete with Mark’s dynamics. Now, almost a decade in, this band has allowed me to experiment not only with effects, but to try new things, write new things, and reach for new things.” <br /><br /><i>Written over the course of eighteen months and recorded during the pandemic and the explosion of demonstrations around the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, Oort Smog drew from a number of influences to create their own sound, one of urgency, heaviness and hope. </i>“We wanted this second record to include a lot of things but still be a cohesive piece of music, and I truly believe we accomplished that,”<i> Shiroishi says. </i>“The extracts we chose are from two sections of the piece that highlight the fluidity and tightness we’ve been able to build through the past eight years. We named the piece after we finished recording it with Daniel and it is a direct, oppositional response to the racial injustice that infects this country." <br /><br /><i>Patrick Shiroishi is a Japanese-American multi-instrumentalist and composer based in Los Angeles who is perhaps best known for his extensive and incredibly intense work with the saxophone. Over the last decade he has established himself as one of the premier improvising musicians in Los Angeles, playing solo and in numerous collaborative projects with Claire Rousay, Angel Deradoorian, Ted Byrnes, Luke Stewart, Fuubutsushi, Jessica Ackerley, and many more. Shiroishi is a foundational player in Los Angeles's vast musical expanse, and has over the past few years made a name for himself globally as one of the most creative and prolific living saxophonists. </i><br /><br /><i>Mark Kimbrell is a Los Angeles-based drummer, known for his high-energy propulsive drumming style. After a two-year study of commercial music at Musicians Institute, Mark abandoned the pursuit of the mainstream in favor of more esoteric forms, immersing in the fertile creativia of Los Angeles DIY music. This led to a stint in Upsilon Acrux, alongside fellow drummer Dylan Fujioka and saxophonist Patrick Shiroishi, with whom he formed Oort Smog in 2014. </i>“As long as I’ve been conscious, I’ve known that I was a drummer,"<i> Kimbrell says. </i>"Though my extended family is extremely musical, my parents were not. When I got to be a teenager and finally had the opportunity to become a drummer, I realized that I didn’t know shit about music. I didn’t know shit about sound. Nothing. The rest of the story is just relentlessly trying to catch up.”<br /><br /><i>LINKS</i><br /><i>Oort Smog </i><a href="https://oortsmog.bandcamp.com/" style="font-style: italic;">Bandcamp</a><i> || </i><a href="https://www.promojukebox.com/createmailing/editor/@oortsmog" style="font-style: italic;">Instagram</a><br /><i>AKP Recordings </i><a href="https://akprecordings.com/" style="font-style: italic;">website</a><i> || </i><a href="https://akprecordings.bandcamp.com/" style="font-style: italic;">Bandcamp</a><i> || </i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/akprecordings/" style="font-style: italic;">Instagram</a><br /><br /><i>ALBUM CREDITS</i><br /><i>Patrick Shiroishi: saxophones & effects </i><br /><i>Mark Kimbrell: drums </i><br /><i>Additional guitar by Daniel Zaidenstadt </i><br /><i>Recorded and mixed by Daniel Zaidenstadt </i><br /><i>Assisted by Talya Zaidenstadt </i><br /><i>Mastered by James Plotkin </i><br /><i>Artwork by Daisuke Okamoto </i><br /><i>Layout by Francie Chang</i><br /><br />Sincerely,<br />Letters From A Tapehead</div>Sean Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515711172848590436noreply@blogger.com0