Nekrasov & Aderlating Nekrasov/Aderlating split LP Chrome Leaf Released: 2.9.10 It’s difficult to be objective about an album like this. Understand that, as I go through my 9 to 5, the variety of sounds that I hear on any given day while immersed in my occupation typically works in my favor, entertaining me enough that my daily tasks don’t seem overwhelming, painstaking, or even boring. This is also when I get to listen to the majority of the music I write about, so I’ve grown accustomed to certain genres, a lot of which fall into the “ambient metal” category that this new split LP from noise generators Nekrasov and Aderlating exemplifies. I view these ambient metal bands/composers the same way I view trance/ambient DJs and producers, similarly creating instrumental soundscapes or sonic whirlpools that swallow ones consciousness and relies heavily on studio technique and electronics. Think Brian Eno as hell spawn, or even a possessed Get Up With It era Miles Davis , (the b...

With Vivian Girls , Dum Dum Girls and now, The Splinters , I’m in love with the girl ‘tude noise/garage poppers that have been surfacing over the last couple years. The strings clang like old wire, the tambourine shimmers and the voices straggle some invisible line between aggression and pleasantry. “Mysterious” is the first single from the forthcoming album, Kick , which will be released on Double Negative Records in March. A California album just in time for Spring. ”Mysterious” Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

I love the name. As much as I love the name, its resonance as something I typically exclaim when watching Let It Be , Oh No Ono is kind of an orchestral new wave outfit that doesn’t seem to specialize in that sort of irony their name suggests. ELO ? Devo ? Yeah, but there’s still a lot of bounce and curious wonderment that carries a lot of charm. “Internet Warrior” is guaranteed to undulate beneath your brain for days. ”Internet Warrior” Their new album, Eggs , released 1.26.10 on Friendly Fire Recordings . Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

I guess since MTV is now more concerned with appealing to the lowest common teen-nominator, ( Jersey Shore and Teen Mom sort of speak for themselves), they no longer have to pretend to care about music. The damage, though, is already done. Since MTV's inception, the visual or physical characteristics of a musician or pop group has almost canceled out the need for talent, enhancing music's disposability and leading to the overall demise of pop music. Never mind that people's taste levels have dropped considerably, once MTV came into play, popular music got worse. Yeah, the 70s had disco, but at least that died off and became a well-deserved rock n' roll target. The trend of bad popular music, hasn't gone away, its sole consolation being that it's mostly performed by someone gorgeous suffocating under layers of fabrication. Model music, basically. I'm digressing. MTV's superficial vision has altered the perception of how music should be packaged an...

So, here’s what happened: I compiled my favorites for 2009 and sent the list out to No Ripcord before 2010. I was going to use the list for my own “Best Of” feature, but I fucked myself. Basically, for my birthday, (December 21st when I usually wish Happy Birthday to Frank Zappa ’s ghost), I went out record shopping and bought nothing but 2009 albums and they’ve subsequently twisted my perception. So, now I’ve expanded my “Stragglers” feature by about five albums, (Volume 2 is STILL in the works), and have to rework the list. In the meantime, I’ve been so wrapped up in January’s new releases I haven’t really been able to devote the amount of time required to finish up 2009. Cover image So, though it’s a bit premature, I really wanted to get a mix together for my favorite songs of 2009. Below is the playlist, and I’d love to hear your thoughts. Sonic Youth – Sacred Trickster ( The Eternal ) Faux Hoax – Your Friends Will Carry You Home ( Your Friends Will Carry You Home 7”) Th...

Dinowalrus % Kanine Records Released: 1.26.10 No Ripcord review Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

Beach House ’s upcoming Teen Dream is being released with a DVD counterpart that features a video for every song on the album. Sub Pop posted the video for “Silver Soul,” which was directed by Beach House member, Victoria Legrand . Girls in swimsuits doused in silver paint hula hooping: I’m sure there’s some abstract explanation. ”Silver Soul” video The album released on 1.26.10 and it can preordered here . Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

jj 's new album, jj n° 3 is releasing March 3rd and a review will be posted to No Ripcord in the next month. In the meantime, the first single from the album, "Let Go," has been made available. "Let Go" Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

Animal Collective Fall Be Kind EP Domino Released: 12.15.09 A couple months after it was released, I’d said some kind words regarding Animal Collective ’s Merriweather Post Pavilion , as I admit to having been somewhat caught up in the album’s hoopla. Premature speculations of its year end domination had already been fired off a week after the album released, (in January), and those claims brought the album a lot of attention, carrying its rep the entire twelve month stretch before the end of year lists began to materialize. Even with all the other albums released over 2009, in the estimations of many, Merriweather Post Pavilion was the album of the year. MPP is a good album and I certainly won’t withdraw any praise I threw its way. But, as 2009 dragged on, I heard better albums and have since become less convinced of its worth. Realizing that the consortium of music authors that blew their wad all over Animal Collective’s LP had spent too much time under its spell, it only make...

As I mentioned last December, The Besnard Lakes are releasing a new album, The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night , in early March. On February 8, a 12” single for the song, "Albatross," will be released and, if you haven’t heard this track yet, check it out. It’s not often that I would apply a word like "powerful" to a song, just because it’s such a cliché and not the most thought-out descriptor, but "Albatross" is powerful. The dragging bass line and heavy percussion coupled with that angelic vocal is captivating to say the least. It’s definitely one of the best singles I’ve heard so far this year. "Albatross" The band also scored Mark Ruffalo ’s directorial debut, Sympathy For Delicious . Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

AFCGT AFCGT (LP) Sub Pop Released: 1.26.10 No Ripcord review Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

Public Guilt is re-releasing ZU ’s out of print The Way of the Animal Powers . “Tom Araya Is Our Elvis” is a melting clash of guitar play, low bass rhythm and free form jazz brass that crawls and frightens. It’s like watching your imminent demise take its time getting to you. ”Tom Araya Is Our Elvis " From Earsplit PR : Over their 10+ year career, ZU's modus operandi of straddling and abusing musical genre's has lead them to release over 15 albums unique releases. Their improvisational/experimental blend of metal, math, no-wave, noise and punk caused John Zorn to describe their sound as "a powerful and expressive music that totally blows away what most bands do these days". On The Way of the Animal Powers , the Rome-based sax/drums/bass trio is joined by Chicago-based avant cellist Fred Lomberg-Holm , to create a intricate and aggressive album, rich with improvisation. The interplay between the quartet and its' attention to tone and texture is except...

Wax Trax! Records co-founder Dannie Flesher has died at the age of 58 due to complications from AIDS-related pneumonia. Writer, Greg Kot , from the Chicago Tribune posted Flesher's eulogy . Wax Trax! was the label that brought KMFDM , Ministry and My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult , (to name a few), to prominence during the 80s and early 90s respectively, specializing in and refining the genre that came to be known as industrial music. Metal with machines, basically. The label was sold to TVT Records after it went bankrupt in 1992. TVT then kept the Wax Trax! name in print for a couple more years. The Wax Trax record store in Denver, Colorado that spawned the Chicago branch and subsequent label is still alive and well. In 1994, Wax Trax! put out Black Box: Wax Trax! Records, The First 13 Years , which was an all-encompassing 3 CD retrospective of the label’s artists. It might’ve been the first box set I ever really acknowledged in terms of packaging and aesthetics. It wa...

Very sudden: Jay Reatard , (Jimmy Lee Lindsay, Jr.), was found dead in his home. He apparently passed away in his sleep. His was music that I was familiarizing myself with and I was rather fond of 2008s Matador Singles compilation. I know there’s still a lot to pick up and learn. The guy had a distinct voice and a unique presence in independent music and it’s a pity that a new decade will begin without him. R.I.P. Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

After Southern Lord Records announced the upcoming album and tour of Weedeater , the tour's been put on hold for the following reason: I pulled this from Weedeater's Myspace page "As most of you know, here in the WEEDEATER camp we pride ourselves on a long tradition of shooting our band in the proverbial foot right before we're supposed to do something important. Whether it's a big tour, a recording session, or whatever else we're supposed to do, invariably we will find some way to try and thwart our grandiose plans. Well, it's no different for this recording session, except that this time we really did shoot ourselves in the foot. In fact we regret to inform all of you that this weekend, Dixie Dave shot his big toe off whilst cleaning his favorite shotgun. Yup, that's right. When reached for comment, Mr. Collins gave a quote that speaks for itself: 'It wasn't my intention to shoot off my big toe. This really fucking sucks and the pain is unb...

Yet another band I'd like to see keeping a safe distance from Philadelphia. Shrinebuilder will be touring later this Spring with Neurot labelmates, A Storm of Light and Harvestman . Hopefully, some East coast dates will materialize. 3/02/2010 The Casbah - San Diego, CA 3/03/2010 Echo - Los Angeles, CA 3/04/2010 Echo - Los Angeles, CA 3/05/2010 The Voodoo Lounge - San Jose, CA w/ Harvestman, Brain Oil 3/06/2010 Oakland Metro - Oakland, CA w/ Harvestman, Laudanum 3/07/2010 The Independent - San Francisco, CA w/ Harvestman 3/09/2010 Neumo's - Seattle, WA The below video is from an NYC performance last November. Shrinebuilder - Pyramid of the Moon @ Poisson Rouge. Nov 15th, 2009 from Jack Crank on Vimeo . Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

This not-so-hi fidelity offering from Dum Dum Girls dubbed, “Jail La La,” will be available as a self-titled 7” in February or part of their upcoming LP, I Will Be in March. Sub Pop will make it so. ”Jail La La” . Cover image for the Jail La La 7" Cover image for the I Will Be LP Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

Shining Blackjazz Indie Recordings/The End Released: 2.2.10 No Ripcord review Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

As much as Pelican 's "Final Breath" marks their first foray into the unknown world of sung songs, this video is part of a grand collection for Scion A/V Video. From Earsplit PR : Recently, Scion announced the launch of its latest audiovisual initiative, Scion A/V Video, a vibrant collection of high-quality music videos spanning disparate genres with six pioneering independent record labels - DFA, Fool’s Gold, Hydrahead, IHEARTCOMIX!, Southern Lord and Vice Records - to select nine musicians and emerging directors of the labels’ choice to produce original music videos for Scion A/V Video. As part of the brand’s continued support of creative expression, the automaker fully funded the productions and will distribute the videos across all Scion social media and video streaming sites, including ScionAV.com , iTunes and Vimeo, as well as a promotional DVD release. Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

Portland trio, Quasi , have recently signed with Kill Rock Stars and are releasing their umpteenth album, American Gong , on February 23rd. The single, "Repulsion," is an entertaining bit of alterna-frag like a garage-laced Sonic Youth and there are talks of whore propositions and lumps of meat: It's pretty cool. Quasi's been around since '93, so they're an old soul that KRS is making anew. "Repulsion" Fans of Xiu Xiu will be happy to know that their new album, Dear God, I Hate Myself , will be releasing at the same time. Yay, Smiths -ish gothness! "Gray Death" Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

Screen capture courtesy of Terrorbird Media One of my favorite singles from 2009 now has a video . Warpaint is recording a new LP for Rough Trade and will NOT be coming to Philly this February during their tour with Yeasayer and Akron/Family . What the fuck, guys? 2/5/10 — NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM w/ Yeasayer Los Angeles, CA 2/17/10 — ARTISTIKA NIGHTCLUB w/ Akron/Family Greensboro, NC 2/18/10 — 40 WATT CLUB w/ Akron/Family Athens, GA 2/19/10 — BACKBOOTH w/ Akron/Family Orlando, FL 2/20/10 — CLUB DOWNUNDER w/ Akron/Family Tallahassee, FL 2/21/10 — ONE EYED JACKS w/ Akron/Family New Orleans, LA 2/23/10 — WALTER'S ON WASHINGTON w/ Akron/Family Houston, TX 2/24/10 — THE PARISH w/ Akron/Family Austin, TX 2/25/10 — GRANADA THEATER w/ Akron/Family Dallas, TX 2/26/10 — HI-TONE CAFE w/ Akron/Family Memphis, TN 2/27/10 — EXIT/IN w/ Akron/Family Nashville, TN 2/28/10 — PILOT LIGHT w/ Akron/Family Knoxville, TN 3/10/10 — MUSIC HALL OF WILLIAMSBURG w/ Akron/Family Brooklyn, NY Sin...

Happy 2010. Klip: U2 New Year's Day Video Klip Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead