While I have yet to hear any tracks from the upcoming split release from Thrill Jockey label-mates, Black Pus and Oozing Wound , the combination of names was too perfect to ignore.  The release will be out on June 6th, so I'm hoping to hear something before then so I can at least assess somewhat the potential damage this release is likely to inflict.  In the meantime, I can at least display some cover art and provide links to songs from past albums, namely the Black Pus track, "1,000 Years," and Oozing Wound's "Welcome to the Spaceship, Motherfucker," (a yardstick by which all song titles should be measured as far as I'm concerned.) Information, artwork and links come courtesy of Thrill Jockey Records. BLACK PUS & OOZING WOUND SET TO RELEASE SPLIT LP OUT ON 16TH JUNE It had to happen right? With names like that? Thrill Jockey label-mates and kindred spirits Black Pus and Oozing Wound have joined forces for a limited vinyl-only s...

Marnie Stern "Is My Name" flexi single Joyful Noise Recordings Released: 3.14 *Yes, the music made her do this.  Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

Back in February, I posted the single " Awaking Dream ," from the Swedish post-punk outfit, The Skull Defekts , who have recently released their new album, Dances in the Dreams of the Known Unknown .  The band has put out a new video for "The Known Unknown," which attains a level of propulsive ugly historically achieved by a bands like Big Black or The Birthday Party , a relatively sinister croon complimented by dominating percussive cycles and corrosive guitar sounds.  While I wouldn't put the Defekts in the same league sonically as a band like Pop. 1280 , they don't skimp on aggression. The Skull Defekts - The Known Unknown from Thrill Jockey Records on Vimeo . The video for "The Known Unknown" was provided by Thrill Jockey Records, along with all the information below.  Check out the video and read up on the album. WATCH THE NEW SKULL DEFEKTS VIDEO FOR 'THE KNOWN UNKNOWN' NEW ALBUM ' DANCES IN DREAMS OF THE KNOWN UNKNO...

Arto Lindsay : "The Prize" (via Northern Spy Records /Soundcloud) Dead Dream : "Sleepwalker" (via Wondering Sound /Soundcloud)   Se Delan : "Tonight" (via Snapper Music/ Kscope /Soundcloud) Veda Rays : "Wait For Teeth to Show" (via Veda Rays /YouTube) Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

My last Record Store Day trip to Long in the Tooth was a good one , so I made plans to head over there this year. Most of the details of this year's trip weren't necessarily plentiful.  I met up with some friends for a train ride to Suburban Station from Lansdale.  From there we would travel the remaining few city blocks by foot and get in line at the store as early as possible.  After casually finding ourselves inhaling a wake of second-hand pot smoke smoldering from the tip of a joint being passed back and forth by a group of city workers on their way to Dunkin' Donuts, we took our spots at the tail end of a line that was about twenty-something people long.  We stood for maybe an hour before the store opened at 10AM.  For the purposes of keeping the crowd controlled and the year's exclusives distributed as fairly as possible, only a few shoppers were allowed in the store at a time.  Consequently, we were in line for an additional thirty to forty m...

Slint Spiderland Box Set Touch and Go Released: 4.15.14 No Ripcord review Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

Took a drive to The Vinyl Closet on Saturday just for some casual browsing and found the following: The Vinyl Closet North Wales, PA Sonic Youth Sonic Youth EP SST Records Originally released: 3.82 (via Neutral ) Reissued: 1987 Sonic Youth 's self-titled EP was originally released in 1982 on Neutral Records, which belonged to Glenn Branca of Theoretical Girls .  The version I found is the 1987 SST reissue, which, to me, was still a pretty cool find and worth the $25 I dropped.  I gave this a spin last night and it sounds clean, though it could use a dusting. It's worth noting that Sonic Youth's signature dissonance hadn't yet become a major part of the band's identity, (though feedback and atonality still play some role), so the EP is rooted in the more familiar workings of the post-punk/no wave underground that defined New York's art scene in the late 70s.  There's some A Certain Ratio groove to this, too. John Coltrane The Africa/Bra...

Boris : "Quicksilver" (via Sargent House/ Pitchfork /Soundcloud) TOBACCO : "Streaker (w/ Notrabel )" (via Force Field PR/ Noisey /Soundcloud) Helms Alee : "Punchy Stabby" (via Sargent House/ Pitchfork /Soundcloud) Warpaint: "Disco//Very" & "Keep It Healthy" (via YouTube) Geronimo! : "Mr. President" (via Exploding In Sound Records/Soundcloud) Geronimo! : "Mr. President" (via Exploding in Sound Records/Soundcloud) Cloak of Altering : "Chaos Magician of the Abyss" (via Earsplit PR/Crucial Blast/ American Aftermath /Soundcloud) Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

So, I'm still in need of a copy of Fuck Off Get Free We Pour Light On Everything from Thee Silver Mt. Zion , but I'm hoping to remedy that very soon.  In the meantime, Constellation Records is issuing a new EP of remixes of SMZ material called Hang On To Each Other .  So far, the very dance-friendly "Birds Toss Precious Flowers" is all that's surfaced.  You can sample that track below and then check out the released information brought to you courtesy of Rarely Unable.  NEW RELEASE: THEE SILVER MT ZION MEMORIAL ORCHESTRA, HANG ON TO EACH OTHER EP Constellation are an unstoppable force, as today they announce the last of their new releases for Spring 2014, and what a way to round up with the announcement of Hang On To Each Other , a vinyl and digital-only EP of “remixes” from Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra. Following their acclaimed Fuck Off Get Free We Pour Light On Everything released in January, SMZ dusted off an old chestnut from their 20...

So, The Body and Thou have released a collaborative EP on Vinyl Rites called Released From Love .  I had no idea this was coming out, The Body still running full-on from 2013's Christ, Redeemers and Thou gaining some momentum with their latest album, Heathen . As far as collaborations go, it's fair to say that the amount of doom and gloom amassed into this EP is considerable and ably rep'd by everyone involved.  While I can't say I'm too familiar yet with Thou's latest release, I can certainly confirm the severity of the contributions The Body offer, the EPs first two tracks ("The Wheel Weaves as the Wheel Wills" and  "Manifest Alchemy") as grim and molten as anything on Christ, Redeemers or All The Waters Of The Earth Turn To Blood.  The third track, "Meetings Hearts Beat Closer," struck me like a dropped anchor.  It has devastating weight.  And, then, interestingly, the band closes the EP with a cover of Vic Chesnutt ...

Ought : "Habit" (via Rarely Unable/Constellation Records/Soundcloud) Hiss Tracts : (via Rarely Unable/Constellation Records/Soundcloud) SoftSpot : "Black Room Blues" (via Force Field PR/ SPIN /Soundcloud) The Library Is On Fire : "Red Flags" (via Skinfather : "Drown In Black" (via Earsplit PR/ Decibel / Soundcloud ) Dwellers : "Creature Comfort" (via Earsplit PR/ Small Stone / Bandcamp ) Pagan Fruit by Dwellers Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead