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Showing posts from July, 2008

Byrne & Eno: Redux

So, this is interesting: David Byrne and Brian Eno just launched a new website for their upcoming collaboration, Everything That Happens Will Happen Today . The album's slated for an August release and will only be available through this site. There's also tour information provided by Byrne in this little video: Everything That Happens Will Happen Today I think this will be their first collaboration since 1981's My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts which, if you don't have, please find. The Nonesuch record label reissued it in '06 and it's, not to be cliché, very ahead of its time. Video by Bruce Connor Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

Looking up from the gutter…

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The Gutter Twins Saturnalia Sub Pop Released: 3.4.08 Rating: 8.5 out of 10 It’s usually in my head long after I’ve played it once: The song, “All Misery/Flowers.” It sort of takes a bite out of you; the grit that Mark Lanegan exudes could smooth out a rural thoroughfare. He is the embodiment of “wear n’ tear,” poetically carrying himself on his own romantically weary and dust covered shoulders. The grit is what keeps The Gutter Twins , collaborative journey between Lanegan and Afghan Whig , Greg Dulli , authentic and safe from the dangers of sounding overwrought. It took me more than a couple listens to really appreciate the dark and emotional territory with which 90% of this album is based. It sounds cathartic, like Saturanlia exists solely to exorcise personal demons or at least lay them to rest. A song like “All Misery/Flowers,” for example, says more with its mood then it does with its lyrics and conveys the sort of pain that most people hope to unload with therapy or yog...

Upcoming: Grampall Jookabox...

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Grampall Jookabox is the one-man music creation of David Adamson whose latest album, Ropechain , will be out later this November. I got to hear what I guess would be considered the album's first single, "The Girl Ain't Preggers." If The Breeders and Devo had gotten heavily into House Music, they might sound something like Grampall Jookabox. Very catchy track; should be an interesting release. Give it a listen: The Girl Ain't Preggers Photo courtesy of Terrorbird Media Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead Current Listening: Faith No More - Jizzlobber (Angel Dust, 1992)

Shopping For Records #6: Some reissues to chew on…

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Mission Of Burma : Sort of late in the game on these, but: Matador Records released what they refer to as “The Definitive Editions” of Signals, Calls & Marches , Vs. and The Horrible Truth About Burma in mid-March, even making them available on vinyl for the first time in 20 years. Receiving the primo treatment in terms of package extravagance and live DVD footage, Vs. also boasts the non-album B-side, “OK/No Way.” Unfortunately for me, Mission Of Burma is yet another band that shamefully fell onto the ever-famed backburner. Now that these reissues are available with some enticing bells and whistles, it’s likely that I’ll be shelling out the loot to procure myself some copies. What I’ve heard of Mission Of Burma, I’ve really enjoyed. The Replacements : Rhino , usually a shining light for the music enthusiast, reissued The Replacements ’ first four albums: Sorry Ma, Forgot To Take Out The Trash , Stink EP , Let It Be and Hootenanny . This was Paul Westerberg , pre- Singles ...

Buried In A Good Mix Tape #2...

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Earlier this week, I got the urge to work on another mix for my brother. A lot of what I used incorporates some new music I acquired along with other tracks he might enjoy. Mostly, I was hoping that he hadn't heard a lot of this yet. It seems like I always end up trying to unify the last 40 years into these tight collections and hope they work. It's true. I do. This time, I didn't really have time to go the cassette route, so this is a CD-R. I'm calling it "SIDE A." Here's the playlist: Brian Eno & David Byrne - America Is Waiting (My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, 1981, reissued 2006) The Gutter Twins - All Misery/Flowers (Saturnalia, 2008) The Monkees - Writing Wrongs (The Birds, The Bees, The Monkees, 1968) Mike Patton - Car Radio (FM) (A Perfect Place, 2008) Beastie Boys - Nervous Assistant (Aglio e Olio EP, 1996) The Kinks - Nothin' In The World Can Stop Me Worryin' 'Bout That Girl (Kinda Kinks, 1965) Sic Alps - Dr. Bag and ...

Patton Scores

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Mike Patton A Perfect Place Ipecac Recordings Released: 3.11.08 Rating: 9.25 out of 10 Crafting soundtracks is nothing new for Mr. Mike Patton . Aside from the fact that the guy can belt out any note with enviable ease, Patton is also a certified noisemaker, gifted with the sort of throat that can withstand any torture he can, (and has), delivered upon it. Patton, by himself, is an instrument. So, creating mood? Shouldn’t be a problem. With his thematically unusual free-metal concept, Fantômas , soundtracks have basically been Patton’s focus. From their self-titled collection of screamer sci-fi snippets, to their brilliantly reworked film score repertoire with Director’s Cut ; the eerie and lengthy surgical nightmare, Delirium Cordia , and then a reinterpretation of Carl Stalling ’s world of cartoon music with Suspended Animation , it really seems like Patton was gearing up for something like A Perfect Place to come along, an opportune time to allot himself among the Ennio Morric...