NEW ARRIVALS AND RESTOCKS FRIDAY, JUNE 6
thanks for looking.
i ended up getting sooo many new titles in this week i haven’t really been able to think of any highlights. honestly, i think there’s nary a dud in the bunch, but i suppose you, the customer, will be the ultimate judge of that… this weeks list is a lil light on dance, but next weeks will more than make up for it, trust me. as always, come on by and check em out…
also, don’t forget, if you’re in the manhattan/brooklyn area tequila sunrise records is gonna be at the brooklyn flea in fort greene this sunday, june 8. most likely i’m gonna bring up a little bit of rock, soul, jazz and country vinyl (as well as a few other surprises), but if you see anything of interest on the updates, give me a call and if it’s in stock i’ll bring it up the market for easy pick-up. either way, hope to see you there!
gracias
anthony
BROOKLYN FLEA
as always, many of the titles are in very limited quantity, so if you're interested in anything listed below, feel free to call or email me, I will gladly hold items for up to a week.
prices do not include shipping and handling. for those of you shipping within the continental united states I offer a 5.00usd flat shipping rate for any amount of records and/or compact discs. shipping cost for international orders are calculated on an order by order basis. payments for orders can be made via paypal or with a credit card by telephone between 12-6pm/est.
i also offer bike messanger service via timecycle couriers. for the low cost of 10.00usd i can deliver any amount of records and/or cds you wish to purchase to your center city philadelphia location (this includes some parts of south, west and north philadelphia) within two hours (and for those of you who need your records even faster, we also offer ‘rush’ service for the low flat rate of 20.00usd for any amount of records/cds delivered to you within one hour). of course, we are still more than happy to ship records via the usps within philadelphia. as with the international shipments, orders placed before 5pm/est will ship out that evening and should reach their destination by the following day.
ROCK, POP AND PSYCHEDELIC
METALLICA- KILL 'EM ALL LP (elektra, usa)
18.98usd/9.65gbp/12.21eur/1984jpy (approx)
*As part of the 25th Anniversary of "Kill Em All", a reissue of the debut record on vinyl as originally released on a single disc at 33 1/3. Half Speed Mastered from the original analog tapes at Mobile Fidelity for the ultimate listening experience...Audiophile Quality!!!
METALLICA- RIDE THE LIGHTNING 2X12” (elektra, usa)
33.98usd/17.28gbp/21.87eur/3552jpy (approx)
*As part of the 25th Anniversary of "Kill Em All", Warner Bros. Records, under direct supervision from Metallica, are reissuing their debut record and the second album "Ride The Lightning" on vinyl. The deluxe edition comes as a double gatefold, 2 disc, 180gram 45 rpm version. This series will allow Metallica fans the option to hear these legendary recordings as never before... Louder, Faster, Heavier!!! Half Speed Mastered from the original analog tapes at Mobile Fidelity for the ultimate listening experience...Audiophile Quality!!!
PAAVOHARJU- YHÄ HÄMÄRÄÄ LP (fonal, finland)
22.98usd/11.69gbp/14.79eur/2402jpy (approx)
*This is the debut full-length release from Finland's Paavoharju. cd originally released in 2005. The group is a collective project of ascetic born-again Christians. The sound is something between Bollywood music, church hymns, beautiful pop tunes and ambient esoteric noises. The lyrics are very spiritual in sound and text. Paavoharju sing of branches touching the surface of the water and walking down a black street to an old inn. Waves of static and echo mingle with acoustic guitar blistered by electronic hum, haunting female vocals are backed by broken piano interludes, weirdo electronic harpsichords mingle with chiming organ in a rococo, medieval pastiche set as devout forest singalong. Probably one of the most eclectic releases of 2005, and a true testament to the burgeoning Finnish scene. Fonal Records hosts a fierce new force and sound into the world.
PAAVOHARJU- LAULU LAAKSON KUKISTA LP (fonal, finland)
22.98usd/11.69gbp/14.79eur/2402jpy (approx)
*This is the highly-anticipated second full-length release on Fonal Records from Finland's Paavoharju, a collective formed around two brothers -- Lauri and Olli Ainala and their troupe of associates. The group is a collective project of ascetic born-again Christians. Laulu Laakson Kukista (A Song About Flowers of the Valley) evokes the sounds of raindrops falling on a sheet metal roof melting together with an old television's random dot-pattern noise. Backwards pianos, backwards vocals, tilted organ and baroque beats lean against sweeping operatic soundscapes and gossamer back-porch folk singalongs. Leena Uotila's soft voice echoes in empty, dusty rooms. Cat-owls gather to the skies, apple trees are blooming and waves rock a barrel against the pier. Suddenly all this started to form esoteric mildew to cassette's magnetic tape. Sources of inspiration include Tuote Savonlinna, Saimaa, Miekkoniemi, Tove Jansson, Caspar David Friedrich, John Bauer, William Blake, Hugo Simberg, The Shadows, Burzum, Spede Pasanen, Boards Of Canada, luola, Es, Tapio Rautavaara, Raamattu, Deaf Center, Ville Leinonen, lo-fi, Portishead, Joose Keskitalo, Winsor McCayn, Pikku Nemo, Miasmah, Ingmar Bergman, Deathspell Omega, Ragnar Rock, and Ed Gein. Mind-bending devotional rock-opera from the deepest Finnish forests.
ELEANOORA ROSENHOLM- VAINAJAN MUOTOKUVA LP (fonal, finland)
22.98usd/11.69gbp/14.79eur/2402jpy (approx)
*This is the debut full-length by Eleanoora Rosenholm. Eleanoora Rosenholm comes from Pori, Finland and is a project began by Noora Tommila, Pasi Salmi and Mika Rättö. They crafted a genius pop album with murderous lyrics inside the dark stone walls that surround SS-Palace studio. The time came to take the show on the road and the band evolved into a full 8-piece. Weird, almost avant synth-pop harmonies with creepily-sweet Finnish vocals, sometimes vocoded. Combining the best of karaoke-backed dance tracks with propulsive '80s sheen and tastes of Bow Wow Wow/Lizzy Mercier Descloux-esque tribe-pop irreverence. Totally addictive and hook-ridden, like you can't stop eating candy -- this is weird-disco any housewife serial killer would be proud to dance to.
JERUSALEM AND THE STARBASKETS/HUSH ARBORS- SPLIT 7"
(great pop supplement, uk)
9.98usd/5.08gbp/6.42eur/1043jpy (approx)
*total killer split 45, jats offer up perfect 2 minute/2 chord velvets' explosion "i cannot radiato without you", the hush arbors classic, byrdsy "mr. bones" on the flip. tasty duo tone split coloured wax
JERUSALEM AND THE STARBASKETS/SKAREKRAU RADIO- SPLIT LP (apop, usa)
12.98usd/6.60gbp/8.35eur/1356jpy (approx)
*shop favorite restocked… Skarkraou radio makes a wonderful cacophony simultaneously stimulating and irritating the mind. To describe the sound of Skarkrau is near impossible, at times sounding like a Nowave meets death disco spazz punk band at others a demented Zappa meets Sun Ra. Jerusalem and the Starbaskets On this release J.A.T.S.B. make lofi folky pop that gives way to psych drones and synth rumbles. Jeremy freeze sings songs of Doom and of werewolves delight while Synth Guru Sean Witzman of Family LSD provides drones, and a psychedelic aura to the sound. Kim Sherman manages to hold everything together (just barely) with her hypnotic beats. Silkscreened Jackets, limited to 200 copies.
DEATH VESSEL- STAY CLOSE LP (immune, usa)
15.98usd/8.13gbp/10.28eur/1670jpy (approx)
*first time lp pressing of the debut record from Death Vessel… The vinyl version of "Stay Close" is limited to 500 copies and contains an exclusive bonus track not available anywhere else. High quality RTI pressed vinyl! What lends Depth Vessel’s “Stay Close” its unique charm is Joel Thibodeau’s voice. He sings in a high register with a clear tone that’s beautifully sustained, but with an underlying inquisitiveness that’s distinctly childlike. Too pure and focused to run afoul of the Newsom/Banhart haters, it’s nevertheless an extraordinarily odd male voice. And Thibodeau plays to its strengths, wrapping it around fancy alliterations and using it to blow the dust off of quasi-historical bric-a-brac. Like most of the best folk tunes, few of these tracks make a lick of narrative sense. Thibodeau sings angelically about carcass racks and harpoons, pinking shears and burdock spurs, coining adverbs like “pelicanly” and “sans serif-ly” as he zips along.
FREE- TONS OF SOBS CD (island/universal, uk)
17.98usd/9.15gbp/11.57eur/1879jpy (approx)
*nice uk reissue from 2001 of this classic british power trioplusone’s debut album from 1968 (one of my personal fave’s as well, just in case you were wondering), digitally remastered at Abbey Road with eight bonus tracks, 'I'm A Mover' (BBC session), 'Waitin On You' (BBC session), 'Guy Stevens Blues' (Blues jam), 'Moonshine' (alternative vocal), 'Sweet Tooth' (early take & alternative lyrics), 'Visions Of Hell' (unreleased master mix), 'Woman By The Sea' (alternative version) & 'Over The Green Hills' (BBC session)… Free were a new band when they recorded Tons of Sobs, and they were extremely young and precocious: none of them was yet twenty and the youngest, bassist Andy Fraser, was just sixteen years old (!!!). They had achieved a following through constant touring, and their debut album consisted for the most part of their live set-list. That said, eight out of the album's ten tracks are originals which was unusual compared to the debut albums of bands such as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.
With the band signed to Chris Blackwell's Island Records, Guy Stevens was hired to produce the album (he would later become notable for producing early albums for Mott the Hoople and The Clash's legendary album London Calling (1979). He opted for an extremely minimalist attitude to production, due to the extremely low budget of about £800, creating a very raw and raucous sound - although it must be admitted that the relative inexperience of the band may have also been a contributing factor to this. As such the album, while in production terms a marked contrast from the band's later albums, holds up well for fans of modern bands such as the White Stripes who eschew overproduction for artistic rather than financial reasons. The simple nature of the recording meant that many tracks translated well into a live setting and several songs from this album were still performed even when the band had written and recorded many more for subsequent records. (wikipedia)
FREE- LIVE! CD (island/universal, uk)
17.98usd/9.15gbp/11.57eur/1879jpy (approx)
*another nice uk remastered/reissue from 2002 of this killer live album original released in 1971, including seven bonus tracks, 'Woman', 'Walk In My Shadow', 'Moonshine', 'Trouble On Double', 'Mr. Big', 'All Right Now' & 'Get Where I Belong' (alternative take). Enhanced package contains sleeve notes & previously unseen photographs… The album (including the extra tracks) was recorded from gigs played in the UK locations of Sunderland and Croydon, both places where Free had substantial followings, in January and September 1970. Engineer Andy Johns could only use two tracks from the Sunderland gig ("The Hunter" and "All Right Now"), but used crowd noise from it frequently to create seamless links between tracks. With increased re-mastering technology available it has been possible to make others ready for the CD reissue, along with some alternate takes of tracks recorded at the second of the two Croydon sessions that were recorded. Many of the tracks on the album are from their debut Tons of Sobs, as that album's rock-oriented ethos and low production values made its material ideal for performing live. (wikipedia)
A MOUNTAIN OF ONE- COLLECTED WORKS CD (mountain records/10 worlds, uk)
17.98usd/9.15gbp/11.57eur/1879jpy (approx)
*London's pioneers of the new wave of psychedelic rock/Balearic/cosmic bands, A Mountain of One release their hotly-anticipated debut album. Evoking elements of Talk Talk, Santana, Air, Lindstrøm and Fleetwood Mac, this is one of the most eagerly-awaited albums of the year. People who've worked on these recordings include: Martina Topley-Bird of Gorrilaz/Tricky fame, Chilean classical opera vocalist Catherine Prado, Pablo Clements (Unkle/Psychonauts), Hugo Nicholson (Screamadelica) and many more.
ENDLESS BOOGIE- FOCUS LEVEL 2LP (no quarter, usa)
17.98usd/9.15gbp/11.57eur/1879jpy (approx)
ENDLESS BOOGIE- FOCUS LEVEL CD (no quarter, usa)
13.98usd/7.11gbp/9.00eur/1461jpy (approx)
*Endless Boogie began with no delusions of grandeur. They started off as an 'old man's hobby' -- just dudes jamming on riffs, locking into grooves, finding that transcendental part of a song and stretching it into eternity. Then they were offered a show. They played more shows. They self-released two very limited 12"s and were called the best-kept secret in New York by Paper magazine. They toured with Dungen and Circle and were invited by Slint to play All Tomorrows Parties. Now they've made the best rock record to come out of New York City in years (maybe decades). No, that's not an exaggeration. What more needs to be said? There aren't many bands with a more appropriately descriptive name. Rather than try and explain it, we'd prefer you just buy the album. It's 79 minutes long. It's the perfect soundtrack to the hot summer nights. Hanging out in the basement. Smoking figs in the yard. Vinyl version is a double LP presented in a deluxe old-style tip-on gatefold jacket and includes coupon for free MP3 download of album.
13TH FLOOR ELEVATORS- THE PSYCHEDELIC SOUNDS OF THE 13TH FLOOR ELEVATORS LP (sundazed, usa)
20.98usd/10.67gbp/13.50eur/2193jpy (approx)
*For the first time in 40 years, here it is in dangerously powerful MONO, exactly as it was intended: the stupefying debut album by Texas' heroic psychedelic point-men, the 13th Floor Elevators, on Sundazed's uncannily accurate high-definition vinyl! The unearthly banshee howl of Roky Erickson, the blistering guitar of Stacy Sutherland and the demented electric jug of Tommy Hall haven't sounded this scary since their glory days in the third eye of the lysergic hurricane!
THE PRETTY THINGS- SINGLES '64-68 2LP (sundazed, usa)
35.98usd/18.30gbp/23.15eur/3761jpy (approx)
*Double LP, delxue gatefold edition… The Pretty Things never made it to America in the 1960s. While their contemporaries were touring the States, building brand recognition and laying the foundation for longterm careers in the business, The Pretty Things were toiling in clubs and concert halls across Europe, or -- more bizarrely -- attempting to conquer New Zealand (they succeeded only in outraging it). Whether through bad judgment, bad timing, or simple bad luck, that vital mid-'60s U.S. tour never happened. But somehow, word still got around, and for those in the know, The Pretty Things became a secret touchstone, their image and their music signifying the wildest and most exciting extremes of the English sound. Despite their low profile, The Pretty Things had an impact on countless American garage bands from The Seeds to MC5. The blinding, sometimes visceral power of The Pretty Things can be heard on their early singles, an incredible four-year run that saw them evolving from raw-edged R&B rave-ups ('Rosalyn,' 'Don't Bring Me Down'), through hard riffing Mod-flavored rock ('Midnight to Six Man,' 'Come See Me'), melodic pop experiments ('Children,' 'My Time'), sometimes bending against their will to commercial pressures: ('Progress'), to daring psychedelic pioneers ('Defecting Grey,' 'Talkin' About The Good Times'). Few groups mastered so many genres so convincingly, nor with as much passion, conviction and bold creativity. They were, are, and continue to be THE BEST.
THE ACCIDENTAL- THERE WERE WOLVES LP (thrill jockey, usa)
12.98usd/6.60gbp/8.35eur/1356jpy (approx)
*Take the man behind The Memory Band (Stephen Cracknell), the twisted songwriter from Tunng main man (Sam Genders), one half of Fence Collective duo The Bicycle Thieves (Hannah Caughlin) and singer-songwriter Liam Bailey. Put them in front of a PC and add occasional input from guests including harpist Serafina Steer and Rob, Jenny & Nancy from the Memory Band. The outcome is new collective The Accidental and their beguiling debut album There Were Wolves. Given the circumstances of its recording, the finished record is fittingly warm, personal and intimate, and less disguised in its folkiness than either Cracknell or Genders' main projects. Within this, new influences have crept in, such as Liam's soul and reggae edge and Hannah's jazz-influenced vocals. The album also gave Cracknell (who handled the programming) a chance to experiment with vocal and instrumental loops and layers, inspired, in part, by Panda Bear and Animal Collective.
HUMAN BELL- HUMAN BELL LP (thrill jockey, usa)
12.98usd/6.60gbp/8.35eur/1356jpy (approx)
*The Aramaic language had an expression: Ephphatha, to be opened, as a portal. That ability to be open, to listen completely and communicate purely is at the heart of Human Bell. David Heumann and Nathan Bell's gorgeous guitar duets form an instrumental canvas painted in the warm colored hues of folk and rock music, and simultaneously a blank canvas for the listeners themselves to paint. Their songs are delicately crafted with an immaculate clarity, expressiveness, and most of all, openness. Human Bell features David Heumann (Arbouretum, Cass McCombs, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy) and Nathan Bell (Lungfish, P.W. Long, Mighty Flashlight, and Television Hill).
THANK YOU- TERRIBLE TWO LP (thrill jockey, usa)
12.98usd/6.60gbp/8.35eur/1356jpy (approx)
*restocked at a slightly lower price… The brand new album from Baltimore's Thank You. The album recording was engineered by Baltimore's beloved J. Robbins (Yeasayer, Mary Timony, Jets to Brazil) at his studio and was produced and mixed by Chris Coady (Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Celebration, TV on the Radio) at his studio in New York City. Thank You is an athletic rhythm/action unit, made up of Jeffrey McGrath, Michael Bouyoucas, and Elke Wardlaw. They are three free individuals, subsumed into a collective form that spits out dank, skittering tracks filled with light and dark.
TUNNG- GOOD ARROWS LP (thrill jockey, usa)
12.98usd/6.60gbp/8.35eur/1356jpy (approx)
*Good Arrows is the third album from Tunng, the pastoral pop band behind the acclaimed Mother's Daughter and Other Songs and Comments Of The Inner Chorus. Taking its title from a favorite phrase of co-founder Sam Gender's brother, Good Arrows is a totally immersive record, enveloping the listener in Tunng's wyrd world. Their first album to be recorded in its entirety with the full, six-piece band (core duo Sam and Mike Lindsay handled the majority of the first two), there's a new depth of sound and power here, and a clutch of songs that'll get right under your skin. Taking influences from Icelandic prog rock, choral music and film soundtracks, Good Arrows marks a significant development for Tunng -- they've expanded beyond the awkwardly-applied folktronica label to become a fully fledged (if experimentally-skewed) pop band.
GROUPER- DRAGGING A DEAD DEER UP A HILL CD (type, uk)
15.98usd/8.13gbp/10.28eur/1670jpy (approx)
*This is the third full-length release for Portland, Oregon-based Liz Harris. Harris might have achieved a significant fan base thanks to the whispering, near-ambient vocal crusades of her debut album Way Their Crept and its follow-up Wide, but those with a careful ear would have heard slightly more trapped beneath her fuzzy chain of effects. Dragging A Dead Deer Up A Hill marks a departure of sorts for Liz, which sees her turn down the fuzz boxes which caged (and to some degree defined) her sound and allows her voice to ring out above everything else. It is an album steeped in the world of dream-pop -- a genre pioneered by the likes of Cocteau Twins and This Mortal Coil -- and far from shying away from the reference, Liz has instead grabbed on with both hands, creating an album's worth of perfect, left-field pop songs. Using delicate song structures which are at once both familiar and somehow alien, her vocals cry out hauntingly over stripped-down guitar lines and looped environmental recordings. Just listen to "I'd Rather Be Sleeping," a track that could be a mournful take on Belly, albeit with a more fragile heart. These unforgettable harmonies and vocal lines that embed themselves into your consciousness before you even realize it are the key to the album's success and the reason why it makes such a lasting impression. There is something to Liz Harris' music that defies time and makes you sit up and listen. These are the future soundtracks to love, despair and ultimately, hope.
GROUPER- WIDE LP (weird forest, )
18.98usd/9.65gbp/12.21eur/1984jpy (approx)
*restocked… Grouper is Liz Harris and this is her second album, Wide. Submerged in this music, a vast pasture forms near a great sea just before dawn. The early morning vapors were everywhere hovering just above the ground. Soon the sun swells up and the vapors transmogrify into a tempest of hornets. The hornets envelope the sun with impressive fervor, but it melts them into haze again and the vapors migrate out to the sea. Grouper has collaborated with Jandek, Xiu Xiu, Ilyas Ahmed, Six Organs of Admittance, Jorge Behringer, Badgerlore, and others. This is the vinyl edition of the CD released on Free Porcupine Society." Limited to 1000 copies with beautiful tip-on style single pocket gatefold jackets featuring photography by Peter Harris.
VELVET UNDERGROUND- UNRIPENED CD (xtv, netherlands)
33.98usd/17.28gbp/21.87eur/3552jpy (approx)
*cd version in stock for the first time… "The Most Influential Debut Album" Available for the first time, in it's original form. What you are holding in your hand is what the first Velvet Underground album would have sounded like had it not been rejected by the powers that be.
Andy Warhol's objective was to capitalise on the buzz surrounding the bands debut gigs under the guide of the Exploding Plastic Inevitable shows. A Music - art - freak out - happening. Andy, wanting to keep the band's abrasive sound and seedy subject matter , arranged for a session at a run down New York studio called Scepter Studio's , under the watchful eye of a Mr. Norman Dolph. Payment for the four day recording session in April 1966 was one of Andy's paintings. Which in time would prove very financially rewarding for Mr. Dolph. The recording cut onto acetate were listened to by Columbia Records and rejected. As was all the great era defining music, check out The Beatles and The Rolling Stones for similar tales of woe. The group would later that year be dispatched to Los Angeles to re-record the bulk of these tunes, 'Heroin', 'Venus in Furs', and 'I'm Waiting for the Man' with another producer Tom Wilson at a studio called TTG. The other tunes would be remixed and a recording of 'Sunday Morning' cut in New York would be added alongside 'There She Goes Again'. The Track Listing changed around to give a more user friendly feel to the album. Here we present the original album taken from the acetate version with it's original running order. ‘European Son’ opens the album, which is a completely different take than the released version. It has a bluesier structure that builds more gracefully and is several minutes longer. “Black Angel’s Death Song’ is a different mix to the finished tune. ‘All Tomorrow’s Parties’ again is a different mix to the released version. ‘I’ll Be Your Mirror’ has a radically different sound that has less echo on Nico’s vocals and the backing vocals are lower in the mix. ‘Heroin’ is a completely different version. The guitar line is different, vocal inflections are different and contain some different lyrics. The drumming is more primitive and runs parallel with a tambourine. ‘Femme Fatale’ is also a radically different mix. The percussion is more prominent and the background vocals used in a peppier way. ‘Venus In Furs’ is a completely different version. The vocal accents are different. Instrumentation more based around John Cale’s violin than the guitar, as in the released version. ‘I’m Waiting For The Man’ is a completely different version. The guitar line is completely different and some of the lyrics also. No drums, just tambourine and a bluesy guitar solo. ‘Run Run Run’ is a different mix to the released version. What also changes the feel of the Album is the running order. This original version starting with 'European Son' and with the absence of the lighter cut 'Sunday Morning' that opened the released version, gives the album darker feel. Which one is better? that is up to you to decide. But now for the first time since 1966 you can hear the dreamscape that the band and Mr. Andy Warhol had in store for us. So sit back, peel slowly and listen to this lost masterpiece in all it's unripened glory...
PUNK AND POST-PUNK
THE BIRTHDAY PARTY- MUTINY 12” (mute, uk)
12.98usd/6.60gbp/8.35eur/1356jpy (approx)
*shop ‘all time’ favorite restocked… their last ep from 1983. timeless and totally essential!
CHROME- ALIEN SOUNDTRACKS CD (noiseville, usa)
15.98usd/8.13gbp/10.28eur/1670jpy (approx)
*With Creed recruited to replace original member Mike Low (though allegedly Edge initially turned Creed down after the latter appeared wearing a pirate outfit or something similar), Chrome started kicking into high gear at last. While Spain and Lambdin weren't out of the picture yet, cowriting half the songs with Edge, Creed's mind-melting guitar swiftly took prominence, turning a wiggy band into a total headtrip. Rather than just aiming at acid-rock styling, Creed stuffed his fretbending into an evil, compressed aggro-sound, at once psychedelic and totally in-your-face. Edge equals the activity by stepping into the vocal role himself, sounding like Iggy on a live wire with occasional attempts at weird, wailed crooning, while his electronics and drumming starts sounding a lot more vicious and totally scuzzed as well. It's not the short sharp shock of punk rock per se — it just sounds like the title puts it, alien, sounds and TV samples firing out of nowhere and throwing the listener off balance. That many numbers are constructed out of short fragments adds to the weird overlay. Even the quieter numbers like "All Data Lost" play around with echo and drone to create disturbing results. The songs themselves allegedly were recorded as the soundtrack to a live sex show, which probably goes a long way towards explaining the sex and sci-fi combination of much of the lyrics. Not to mention the titles — to quote some at random: "Nova Feedback," "Magnetic Dwarf Reptile," and the truly hilarious "Pigmies in Zee Dark" (there's some creepy crooning on this one) and "Slip It to the Android." The artwork adds to the weird effect — a hand-colored late fifties 'cool' living room and busty babe setup with the band's and album name hand-scrawled in usual Chrome fashion over it, plus huge disembodied eyes and lips that make everything really disturbing. Overall, the combination of screwy sound and art on a budget placed Chrome as something like West Coast cousins of early Pere Ubu and Destroy All Monsters — not a bad place to be. -Ned Raggett/amg
CHROME- HALF MACHINE LIP MOVES CD (noiseville, usa)
15.98usd/8.13gbp/10.28eur/1670jpy (approx)
CHROME- HALF MACHINE LIP MOVES LP (cleopatra, usa)
18.98usd/9.65gbp/12.21eur/1984jpy (approx)
*With Lambdin out and Spain barely there at all, everything rapidly became a Edge/Creed show in the realm of Chrome by the time of Half Machine Lip Moves. The basic tropes having been established — aggressive but cryptic performance and production, jump cuts between and in songs, judicious use of sampling and production craziness and an overall air of looming science fiction apocalypse and doom — all Edge and Creed had to do was perfect it. Starting with the fragmented assault of "TV as Eyes," which rapidly descends into heavily treated conversational snippets from TV and deep, droning keyboards, Half Machine sounds like a weird broadcast from thousand of miles away where rock is treated as an exotic musical form. Creed fully gets to shine here, his pitched-up/pitched-down guitars as good an example of psychedelic assault as anything. Sprawled all over the beeps and murmurs of the songs, not to mention Edge's still self-created drumming and Iggyish vocal interjections, it makes everything sound utterly disturbed. If not as obsessed with tempo shifts and full oddity as, say, Faust, Half Machine is still pretty close to that band's level of Krautrock playfulness and explosion. Two of the relative saner numbers are practically power-pop, at least in Chrome terms. "March of the Chrome Police (A Cold Clamey Bombing)" has Edge sneering an actual vocal hook over a brisk beat, even while Creed gets progressively more fried on the guitar and rumbling echoed laughter and barks erupt in the mix. "You've Been Duplicated," meanwhile, also has something of a vocal hook, only buried under so many levels of distortion that it might as well be a malfunctioning keyboard being played among the clattering percussion and other sounds. A suitably strange cover shot of a fully head-bandaged mannequin seemingly floating in space completes the package. -Ned Raggett/amg
CHROME- THIRD FROM THE SUN CD (noiseville, usa)
15.98usd/8.13gbp/10.28eur/1670jpy (approx)
*The Edge/Creed/Stench line-up still holds sway on this release, which was in fact the original band's final proper album excluding a variety of compilations and collections of unreleased material. Given how good this line-up was, the fact that they never properly toured outside two dates — one in San Francisco and the other, bizarrely, in Italy — is all the more regrettable. Continuing the blend of straight-up rock crunch and crumbling weirdness that made the Chrome name, 3rd is both just accessible and just gone enough. Opening track "Firebomb" sets the stage well — Edge sings in deep basso profundo mode, the Stench brothers keep the beat going, and Creed unleashes more incredible, strong soloing to go with his crisp rhythm work. It's another shoulda-been new wave classic that would still seem out of place amongst its fellows. From there it's another trip into the not-quite-right — "Armageddon" is especially strong, an eight-minute slow burn towards doom overly appropriate downbeat rhythms. Creed once again shines with his heavily-treated fretwork; when towards the end he tracks two separate solos playing off each other, things really go to town. Another spooky highlight of his work is "Off the Line," where more upfront death dirges are alternated with buried, creepy effects in the background. Creed gets in some vocal fun as well — at least, assuming it is him given the constant production treatments — on "Heart Beat," his distorted words sneaking around the crisp beat and wheezing keyboards as well as the usual addition of feedback crunch. The title track was suitably freaked out and heavy enough for Prong to cover it years later on its Beg to Differ album. Though Hendrix's "Third Stone From the Sun" may seem an obvious source of inspiration, the distorted vocals and steady beats come much more from Chrome's collective brain. -Ned Raggett/amg
PUBLIC IMAGE LTD- FIRST EDITION CD (virgin, netherlands)
14.98usd/7.62gbp/9.64eur/1565jpy (approx)
*shop ‘all time’ favorite in stock for the first time on cd… Like it or not, Public Image Limited's First Issue (aka Public Image) was an album that helped set the pace for what eventually became known as post-punk. In England a vacuum had opened up in the wake of the breakup of the Sex Pistols in January 1978, and many punk fans and rival groups were impatient to see what ex-Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon aka "Johnny Rotten" was going to roll out next. Disheartened owing to events in his legal proceedings against the Sex Pistols management company Glitterbest, and disgusted by the punk scene in general, Lydon was determined to create something that was neither punk nor even really rock as it was known in 1978. Working with ex-Clash guitarist Keith Levene, first-time bassist Jah Wobble, and Canadian drummer Jim Walker, Public Image Limited produced an album that represented the punk sound after it had shot itself in the head and became another entity entirely. Embracing elements of dub, progressive rock, noise, and atonality and driven by Lydon's lyrical egoism and predilection towards doom, death, and horror, First Issue was among a select few 1978 albums that had something lasting to say about the future of rock music. And not everyone in 1978 wanted to hear it; contemporary critical notices for First Issue were almost uniformly negative in the extreme. –dave lewis/amg
AVANT GARDE AND NOISE
MOVE D/NAMLOOK XVI- TRAVELLING THE SILK ROUTE 2CD (pk, uk)
34.98usd/17.79gbp/22.51eur/3656jpy (approx)
*Recorded live at David's reSource studio in Heidelberg Dave and Pete this time explore travelling the silk route in a journey through sound. Jazz, oriental sounds, environmental ambient and innovative percussions relate to the silk route as a synonym for a trade and cultural transmission route winding through different civilizations as well as various landscapes connecting East and West Asia. The musical sequences are combined in a superb way, which portray the links of traders, merchants, pilgrims, monks, nomads and urban dwellers traveling from China to the Mediterranean Sea during various periods of time on the route. The rich and inventive music is a union of cultural elements reflecting the Silk Road which was a significant factor in the development of the great civilizations and helped to lay the foundations for the modern world. DTS 5.1 music disc/stereo 2CD. For compatibility reasons (to listen to the music in the car or at your friend's or if you don't own a DTS capable 5.1 Surround System) we included a stereo CD version in the double CD-pack.
GOZ MONGO ALLIANCE/INYURMANIA- GOZ MONGO ALLIANCE/INYURMANIA LP
(pripuzzi, germany)
28.98usd/14.74gbp/18.65eur/3029jpy (approx)
*A split-LP with two of Sweden's finest industrial bands. Same members in both groups. The three members are old fans of the analog sound, old machines, and the way they behave and don't behave. Perfect and fascinating mixture between old-school industrial, avant gardish NWW-like style and early minimal sounds like Clock DVA and Cabaret Voltaire. Two editions available with 199 copies each. All LPs are handmade -- all different in pure old school style. Inyurmania (IYM) experiments with tape loops, feedback, raw analog synthesizer sounds and screaming vocals. All recorded in their studio. A collaboration between man and machine. Goz Mongo Alliance explores the attitude of rhythmic industrial funk. Rhythm boxes, synthesizers, bass and guitar are the fundamental core. Structured patterns and pure analog sound.
BOREDOMS- SUPER ROOTS 9 CD (thrill jockey, usa)
15.98usd/8.13gbp/10.28eur/1670jpy (approx)
*Long regarded as musical pioneers, Boredoms have continually pushed sonic boundaries and inspired musicians for over 20 years. Their albums and performances defy categorization, each one a completely unique event. The one commonality is that the members of Boredoms have amazing technical skills as musicians, limitless imagination and the ability to combine the two -- as no others have. Finally, the first new edition in eight years to the Super Roots series, Super Roots 9, gets a worldwide release. Super Roots 9 is a recording of a live show on Christmas Eve in 2004, in Japan. The performance featured a 24-person choir alongside the group. Super Roots 9 is the first live recording of the band ever released. The CD, packaged in a special custom-made mini gatefold LP style jacket, features artwork by Eye and a 40-page perfect bound booklet with music scores and notations.
SPK- DOKUMENT 1110 1979-1983 6LP BOX/SHIRT (vinyl on demand, germany)
199.98usd/102.22gbp/128.43eur/21180jpy (approx)
*wow wow wow… The ultimate Dokument of time of a historical band. S.P.K., a myth, a cult, a philosophy. After more than 12 months of planing and organizing this monumental release is finally realized. VOD is proud to present a limited 800 copies wooden box set that documents the first 5 years and the first stage of the band. 6 LPs with 36-page booklet documenting the time plus a T-shirt. Besides the official tape releases such as Wars of Islam, From Science to Ritual, Live at The Crypt, and Last Attempt at Paradise, this box set also includes live recordings from their first concert in Sydney in '79, the Heaven concert London in '80, the Brickwerkz concert in '82, the SO36 concert in Berlin plus a few more live documents.
EXPERIMENTAL PRODUCTS- PROTOTYPE: PLUS GARAGE TRACKS 2LP
(vinyl on demand, germany)
41.98usd/21.35gbp/27.02eur/4388jpy (approx)
*A 12" vinyl, double record set containing the music of Experimental Products. If you are a long time collector of '80s indie minimal synth looking to fill out your catalog or a novice interested in starting one up, there is no better place to start than with Experimental Products. A synth duo from Philadelphia/northern Delaware USA, members Mark Wilde and Michael Gross produced 8-track gear recordings, then had their music pressed to vinyl. In 1984 they released the 3 song 12" EP Glowing in the Dark, 2000 copies. Glowing proved irresistible to DJs and became a 1985 dance club chart breakthrough. Today, many DJs and collectors consider it a 'classic' synth record. 2 years before Glowing they released a 10 song vinyl LP titled Prototype, 300 copies. Prototype remained an obscure record until minimal synth collectors caught wind of it in the late '90s. Prototype became a high priced bidding item whenever the rare vinyl showed up on e-Bay. It seems Experimental Products had again produced what many collectors consider a 'classic' '80s minimal synth record. VOD is now pleased to announce the reissue of Prototype to high quality vinyl. Re-mastered by VOD from the original 1/4" master tapes, this reissue has improved sonic quality not found on the original 1982 pressings. Own it now, experience it for yourself. Prototype will be LP-1 side A+B of the VOD double record set. Garage Tracks, LP-2 of the Experimental Products record set will hopefully become yet another classic piece of synthesizer vinyl. A 'garage track' is described by M. Gross as a primitive to semi-pro sound recording not necessarily intended for public distribution. Originally intended or not, VOD now offer them to the synth loving public. Garage Tracks side-A contains 5 unreleased songs from 1985, all synth-drum machine, again produced with 8-track gear this time in a band spare bedroom. Anyone familiar with the band can expect more Experimental Products brilliance. Garage Tracks side-B contains six songs from a 1983 live performance. There are live versions of 4 songs from Prototype, an unreleased song, and the song 'Mannequin' from the Glowing EP.
EINSTÜRZENDE NEUBAUTEN- KOLLAPS LP (zickzack, germany)
31.98usd/16.27gbp/20.58eur/3343jpy (approx)
*restocked… Einstürzende Neubauten's first album, as one might imagine, is their most primitive and radical effort, the purest expression of their original aesthetic. This makes the album both historically significant and conceptually intriguing, of course, but what's most interesting about this album is that it still sounds surprising decades after its release. Often, albums that are considered extreme art statements upon their debut sound almost quaint a few years later, but while Kollaps perhaps sounds less extreme to ears that heard industrial music turned into disco pabulum by the likes of Nine Inch Nails than it did before, songs like the eight-minute title track and the rumbling live closer, "Negativ Nein," are still a fascinating blend of rhythm and random bashing, tonality and atonality, with anguished vocals by Blixa Bargeld that often seem to have little connection with anything else in the piece. The brief tracks, like the 80-second "Sehnsucht," are even more extreme explorations of pure noise. Starting as early as the next album, Einstürzende Neubauten would begin slowly introducing more mainstream musical concepts into their aesthetic, making Kollaps as undiluted a listening experience as there is in the entire catalog.
COUNTRY, BLUES AND ROOTS
SKIP JAMES- 1931 SESSIONS LP (mississippi, usa)
13.98usd/7.11gbp/9.00eur/1461jpy (approx)
*Twelve songs from Skip's first recording session including 'Devil Got My Woman,' 'I'm So Glad,' 'Hard Time Killing Floor Blues' and 'Illinois Blues.' Better sound quality than any reissue we've heard. It is Skip James though, so expect pops and crackles. A rarely seen photo of Skip is hand glued to each cover. Arguably one of the greatest blues musicians of all time in all his misanthropic glory. This record is equally sad as it is beautiful.
JAZZ
SUN RA ARKESTRA- CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE: LOST REEL 1 2CD (transparency, usa)
16.98usd/8.64gbp/10.93eur/1775jpy (approx)
*restocked a lower price… Volume one in a new series entitled The Lost Reel Collection, and this one is the holy grail of SIN RA history! Two-CD set of THE ARKESTRA playing live in a SF warehouse in 1971, and a lecture by Ra from his legendary 1971 residency at UC Berkeley. Recently the Transparency label was approached with a collection of eleven reel-to-reel tapes of previously unknown Sun Ra recordings. None of this material is on any tape trader list or in any discography. The recordings are all super-high-quality and are being officially released on the Transparency label. Both discs of The Creator of the Universe are from mid-1971. Disc One is a concert at a warehouse in San Francisco, the centerpiece of which is a very dramatic and intense 20 minute ‘Declamation’ by Ra urging the black race to rise up into freedom and identity, punctuated by the horns of the Arkestra. Completely amazing, this piece is ranked by one aficionado as the peak of Ra's career. Disc Two is one of the classes given by Ra during his teaching residency at UC Berkeley. This is a Sun Ra album like no other!
SUN RA ARKESTRA- INTERGALACTIC RESEARCH: LOST REEL 2 CD (transparency, usa)
13.98usd/7.11gbp/9.00eur/1461jpy (approx)
* Two separate concert recordings from 1971 and 1972 on one CD. The first features a haunting ‘Egyptian Lounge’ piece, “Intergalactic Research” that takes the listener to some magical place. The second has wild synth playing and ARKESTRA freakouts all around JUNE TYSON’s beautiful vocals.
SUN RA- SHADOWS TOOK SHAPE: LOST REEL 3 2CD (transparency, usa)
16.98usd/8.64gbp/10.93eur/1775jpy (approx)
*This recording is from a concert during the early 1970s. There is no further information on this recording except that the original reel tape was labeled "Spacemaster Concert." JUNE TYSON recites "The Shadows Took Shape," a SUN RA poem never heard or seen since.
SUN RA- DANCE OF THE LIVING IMAGE: LOST REEL 4 2CD (transparency, usa)
16.98usd/8.64gbp/10.93eur/1775jpy (approx)
*Recently discovered rehearsal tapes believed to have been recorded in the San Francisco area in December 1974. Identified (by ear) in the session are Sun Ra, John Gilmore, Marshall Allen, Danny Ray Thompson, James Jacson, Damon Choice, Akh Tal Ebah, Eloe Omoe, Clifford Jarvis, Dale Williams, and others. As an Arkestra member once commented, "The best music always came from the rehearsals", and here is some solid evidence to back that up.
SUN RA- UNIVERSE SENT ME: LOST REEL 5 CD (transparency, usa)
13.98usd/7.11gbp/9.00eur/1461jpy (approx)
*Imagine the suspense and anticipation one would feel when loading a 1970s Sun Ra reel onto a deck for the first time in more that 30 years & not knowing what to expect. As the tape starts, familiar sounds of the Arkestra begin to be heard from that magical time period so long ago. There is a great sense of relief and accomplishment to know music that laid dormant for far too long, and was from one of the most original creators ever, would now be preserved for all to finally hear. Volume 5 of "The Lost Reel Collection" features music from two separate tapes. The first tape is from a 1972 short recording at the Seaport Museum in New York City. The acoustics sound like an outdoor concert. The featured track is Discipline 27-ll, which is purely instrumental and may be the earliest recording of this particular version. In 1973, Ra declamations like "Life is Splendid" and "What Planet Is This?" were added on top of the music theme. The second tape is from a 1973 recording in Paris, France. Although the acoustics are quite different, it's a natural segue from the Seaport Museum tape. Opening with the Discipline 27-ll theme and the by-now more familiar declamation there which we title as "The Universe Sent Me" with this release. The beauty of the "reed" section is clearly heard during this track due to the apparent close proximity of the tape machine and the microphone setup. Once again, as with the first 4 volumes of "The Lost Reel Collection", the listener is in for a real treat.
SUN RA AND THE JET SET ARKESTRA- LIVE AT CLUB LINGERIE 2CD
(transparency, usa)
16.98usd/8.64gbp/10.93eur/1775jpy (approx)
*Another excellent Ra set from Transparency, documenting an Arkestra show that took place at Club Lingerie, Hollywood, 14/12/85. Great, boomy live-in-a-room feel that takes you straight there. Features texts by Le Sony'r Ra in a chunky jewel case. Some heavy percussive ritual on here along with some snappy re-takes of primo material. –david keenan
SUN RA ALL STARS- MILAN, ZURICH, WEST BERLIN, PARIS 5CD (transparency, usa)
39.98usd/20.34gbp/25.73eur/4179jpy (approx)
*Five complete concerts from Milan, Zurich, West Berlin and Paris during the autumn of 1983. Featuring SUN RA, LESTER BOWIE (Art Ensemble of Chicago), DON CHERRY, MARSHALL ALLEN (Arkestra), JOHN GILMORE (Arkestra), ARCHIE SHEPP, PHILLY JOE JONES (Miles Davis Quintet), and more!
SUN RA AND THE JET SET ARKESTRA- LIVE AT MYRON'S BALLROOM 2CD
(transparency, usa)
18.98usd/9.65gbp/12.21eur/1984jpy (approx)
*three solid hours of the Arkestra live at Myron's Ballroom in downtown Los Angeles, April 2 1981. They hadn't played in Los Angeles for ten years and are therefore seriously fired up! A great set totaling 184 minutes.
GLOBAL
BANA KADORI- AGWAMBO CD (kanyo, usa)
14.98usd/7.62gbp/9.64eur/1565jpy (approx)
*Lush vocal harmonies over smooth, danceable beats have made the sweet benga sounds of bana kadori a mainstay on the Kenyan music scene for almost 30 years. Formed in 1979 as a backing band for the legendary Ochieng Kabasseleh, the “Band of the Children of Dori” has spent decades fine tuning their own intoxicating blend of Luo benga and Congolese rumba – a sound that exhilarated audiences on the group’s first US tour in August and September of 2007. It was toward the end of this summer sojourn that bana kadori hooked up with Kanyo’s own Nyathi Otenga Flying Studios in a basement in Bethlehem, PA to document their latest collection of sonic confections. The result is Agwambo – a 74-minute powerhouse built from the rolling rhythms and memorable melodies that have won bana kadori the hearts of music fans from Nairobi to New York. From the confident strut of “Alwalla Ja Kadel” to the laid-back swing of “Ochot Mayaka”, Agwambo finds the group at the height of its powers – and nowhere is this mastery more audible than on the album’s exceptional title track. Here, bana kadori expresses their support for Raila “Agwambo” Odinga, a leading candidate in Kenya’s upcoming general election. Over a traditional rhythm, the group urges Kenyans of all backgrounds to unite at the polls and vote to reverse decades of corruption. This optimism can be heard in the song’s playful bassline and chiming guitars and, while bana kadori’s is not the first musical homage to Raila Odinga, it is certainly the most charming. bana kadori is a group that has definitely secured its place in the history of benga, all whilst keeping an eye trained toward the future. Kanyo is pleased to present their latest work, though, with Agwambo, we’re sure the pleasure will be all yours!
OPIYO BILONGO & BILONGO GOLDEN STARS- WHAT DO PEOPLE WANT? CD
(kanyo, usa)
14.98usd/7.62gbp/9.64eur/1565jpy (approx)
*debut release for kanyo by Opiyo Bilongo and Bilongo Golden Stars. This occasion also marks the first time that Mr. Bilongo’s music is available outside of his native Kenya, where his original brand of dangerously funky benga music has made him a household name. Though this is his first international release, U.S. audiences are already familiar with Opiyo Bilongo’s infectious guitar lines and unique vocal stylings through his involvement with Extra Golden, the Kenyan-American collaboration whose Autumn 2006 concerts have already reached legendary status. In fact, the group performed several of Mr. Bilongo’s compositions during that time. Of those, “Hera Mar Kionjo” and 2004’s monster hit “Yuak Debe Sauti Moja” are included here. The latest in a long line of Kenyan benga greats such as D.O. Misiani and Colella Mazee, Opiyo Bilongo started his musical career in the 1990’s. After playing with several different Luo dance bands throughout western Kenya, he hooked up with benga legend Osito Kale, as a rhythm guitarist. A couple years of constant touring later, and Mr. Bilongo was ready to break out on his own. He recorded Nyako We Sanda, whose title track became a hit, and has never looked back. Suddenly popular, Mr. Bilongo needed a band and, so, Bilongo Golden Stars was born. By 2004, Bilongo and his new group were becoming quite deadly on the benga scene. They got together with Extra Golden guitarist Ian Eagleson in Siaya and recorded not one, but two follow-ups to Nyako We Sanda. What Do People Want? brings together the best tracks from both of those releases. 2007 is already shaping up to be the year of Opiyo Bilongo, with What Do People Want? dropping at the beginning, and a new Extra Golden full-length due out by the end. In the Luo language, “Bilongo” means “taste hawk”. You may not find that idea particularly appealing, but if you don’t get hip to Opiyo Bilongo now, you’ll surely be “eating crow” later.
MULATU ASTATKE FEAT. FEKADE AMDE MASKAL- ETHIO JAZZ LP
(l’arome production, france)
17.98usd/9.15gbp/11.57eur/1879jpy (approx)
*shop favorite restocked… The Ethio Jazz album by Mulatu Astatqé is a jewel of the modern Ethiopian music and a mythical album, since the beginning of Ethiopian music reissues (mainly on Buda Musique). An incredibly groovy Ethiopian record, originally from 1969-1972. Amazing orchestral 'Ethio-groove' filled with US soul, jazz, sometimes Latin and the deepest Eastern rhythms, even including some great nasty and dirty fuzz guitars. A true gem of Ethiopian modern instrumental music, which illustrates perfectly this symbiosis of strong rhythms and quality arrangements of subtle yet deep Ethiopian melodies. A must for all '60s/'70s collectors! In the Ethiopian musical landscape, Mulatu Astatke is a unique musician, composer, arranger. His real contribution consists in his action for instrumental music, in a country where orchestral traditions doesn't exist. For the last 30 years, he is the leading head of the Ethiopian musical scene. First vinyl reissue and definitely one of the most important Ethiopian music albums.
OS LOBOS- Miragem LP (mandrax, italy)
33.98usd/17.28gbp/21.87eur/3552jpy (approx)
*Next stop, Brazil. 1971 psychedelic album that was released by the Top Tape label (same as Modulo 1000), Os Lobos Miragem is a great album; some distorted psychedelic guitar here and there, organ and piano arrangements, some acoustic guitar. Includes highlights as the psychedelic Byrdsy 'Miragem' or 'O Homem de Neandhertal.'
MULATU ASTATKE- 4 TRACK ALBUM SAMPLER 10” (soundway, uk)
11.98usd/6.09gbp/7.71eur/1252jpy (approx)
*shop favorite repressed/restocked… Mulatu Astatke is perhaps the most important and influential musician to come out of Ethiopia in the second half of the 20th century. His inspired synthesis of jazz and Afro-Cuban styles with the ethereal musical traditions of his home country has produced a body of work that stands alone in the fields of spiritual jazz and soulful, meditative grooves. As a sampler for our forthcoming CD release Mulatu Astatke - From New York to Addis Ababa we are proud to present a 10" EP containing a selection of rare tracks, originally issued on small run 45s in Ethiopia and unavailable ever since. These tracks show the diversity of Mulatu's music -- running from heavy and driving funk, to Afro-Latin rhythms and deep and introspective jazz.
V/A- NIGERIA SPECIAL PART 1: MODERN HIGHLIFE, AFRO-SOUNDS & NIGERIAN BLUES 1970-1976 2CD (soundway, uk)
24.98usd/12.71gbp/16.08eur/2611jpy (approx)
V/A- NIGERIA SPECIAL PART 1: MODERN HIGHLIFE, AFRO-SOUNDS & NIGERIAN BLUES 1970-1976 2LP (soundway, uk)
21.98usd/11.18gbp/14.15eur/2297jpy (approx)
V/A- NIGERIA SPECIAL PART 2: MODERN HIGHLIFE, AFRO-SOUNDS & NIGERIAN BLUES 1970-1976 2LP (soundway, uk)
21.98usd/11.18gbp/14.15eur/2297jpy (approx)
*shop favorite restocked on vinyl, cd stocked for the first time… Since 2002, Soundway Records has been synonymous with high-quality and groundbreaking compilations of music from Africa, the Caribbean and South America. Nigeria Special is the most ambitious project yet for the label -- a truly in-depth, double album look at Nigerian music in the early to mid-'70s, encompassing a broad range of styles. Compiler and DJ Miles Cleret has spent five years working on this album -- involving trips to Lagos and around Nigeria interviewing musicians and researching recordings, as well as a suitable amount of time scouring dusty record stores and warehouses for elusive sounds. This compilation presents some of the best un-reissued and forgotten sounds from Nigeria, covering the amazingly vibrant and diverse styles that emerged and flourished at the time. Everything from highlife, jazz, Afro-beat and blues to more traditional styles are represented to give as comprehensive a survey of the scene as possible. The 32-page booklet covers a history of the time plus in-depth information on the artists and musicians, as well as a look at the amazing pop-art cover designs of Nigerian records.
MULATU ASTATKE & HIS ETHIOPIAN QUINTET- AFRO-LATIN SOUL LP (worthy, usa)
14.98usd/7.62gbp/9.64eur/1565jpy (approx)
*shop favorite restocked… This 1966 LP by Astatke (billed to Mulatu Astatke & His Ethiopian Quintet) isn't shaded by nearly as much African/Ethiopian influence as his later work, which was recorded between the late '60s and mid-'70s. As the title might lead you to believe, it is indeed more in the Latin soul-jazz bag than the later material, sometimes leaning toward the R&B-informed boogaloo sound of the mid-'60s. On his own compositions and arrangements (which comprise about half the LP), sometimes more exotic and African colors bubble closer to the surface, as on the eerie vibe parts he lays on 'Mascaram Setaba.' -- Richie Unterberger/amg
MULATU ASTATKE- MULATU OF ETHIOPIA LP (worthy, usa)
14.98usd/7.62gbp/9.64eur/1565jpy (approx)
*shop favorite restocked… Mulatu Astatqé (also sometimes spelled Mulatu Astatke, as he is on the liner notes to this release) might be most known to international audiences through his tracks on the excellent Ethiopiques CD anthology series of Ethiopian music. Long before those tracks were compiled for that series, however, he had an American release with this 1972 instrumental album, on which he's billed as 'Mulatu of Ethiopia.' Like much of the best of the circa-early-'70s contemporary Ethiopian music on Ethiopiques, it's a fine, at times captivating blend of late-'60s American soul and jazz with Ethiopian music, resulting in something not quite comparable to anything else. -- Richie Unterberger/amg
REGGAE, DANCEHALL AND CALYPSO
V/A- BASIC REPLAY CD (basic replay, germany)
18.98usd/9.59gbp/12.19/1995jpy (approx)
*Basic Replay is a reggae reissue label run by Honest Jon's in London and Basic Channel/Rhythm & Sound in Berlin, and this album is a sampler of its releases since starting in 2004. All except two of the tracks are now available on cd for the very first time. This assemblage includes the best of the label's dancehall hits, classic deep dub stunners and reggae essentials that you must own. The Ackie and Tenastilin tracks are from the London dancehall, killer shots from 1986 and 1992. Basic Replay's hit 12" reissue of "Rambo" was the subject of feature articles in Wax Poetics magazine and Natty Dread (France). Also available is a hit from Professor Grizzly and Ijahman Levi's rare, resplendent first version of "I'm A Levi" (recorded in London in 1974) and the apocalyptic "Ayatollah," recorded by Jackie Mittoo post-Studio One, in New York. From Canada, King Culture's stunning dub of Barry Brown is surely the deadliest cut of the mighty "Cuss Cuss" rhythm. The Courtney Melody, Chuck Turner and White Mice tracks are classic no-mercy Stateside digi-sufferers from just a few years ago, the track from Andrew Bees (the Black Uhuru singer) is in the same lofty tradition. Keith Hudson's LP masterwork Flesh Of My Skin is represented by its opener, featuring Count Ossie; alongside cruelly brilliant, deeply grooving productions by Niney The Observer (via Gregory Isaacs) and Prince Jazzbo which epitomize the label's appeal to the reggae cognoscenti over the last three years, but also beyond, to fans of dubstep, techno, anything tough and worth a listen.
KEITH HUDSON- PLAYING IT COOL CD (basic replay, germany)
18.98usd/9.59gbp/12.19/1995jpy (approx)
*shop favorite/top seller restocked on cd… Keith Hudson -- as is Lloyd Bullwackie Barnes, his collaborator here -- was a one-off innovator with impeccably classical lineage: his first studio recording involved former Skatalites; his earliest releases provided solid-gold hits for Ken Boothe ('Old Fashioned Way,' 1967), John Holt, Delroy Wilson, U-Roy and the rest. Playing It Cool & Playing It Right was released in 1981 on the Joint International label, in NYC. It was originally intended that one of Hudson's teenage sons would voice the dubs: in the event the Love Joys, Wayne Jarrett, and most inimitably Hudson himself featured at the microphone. Like Wackies, Hudson was a Studio One devotee -- 'I used to hold Don Drummond's trombone for him so I can be in the studio,' he once recalled -- and the album follows Coxsone's recent strategy of overdubbing signature rhythms. The Studio One sides were aimed at the dancefloor; Hudson's reworks of tracks like 'Melody Maker' are more psychological. Here deep Barrett Brothers rhythms are remixed deeper with reverb, filters and other distortion, pitched down, everything; and overlaid with new recordings, often heavily treated, of guitar, percussion, keyboard, voice. Playing It Cool is legendary, strange, utterly compelling music.
RHYTHM & SOUND- RHYTHM & SOUND CD (rhythm and sound, germany)
17.98usd/9.09gbp/11.55eur/1890jpy (approx)
*shop favorite restocked… Berlin's Basic Channel Crew has been most influential in the field of minimal Techno-Soundscapes. With the sub-labels Maurizio, Main Street Records, Burial Mix and Rhythm & Sound Mark Ernestus und Moritz Von Oswald created platforms for different aspects of their own productions, and with Chain Reaction for productions from their musical environment. The present CD contains most of the material released on the Rhythm & Sound label -- only on vinyl 12"/10" so far -- since it's launch in 1998. The material is remastered and partially edited for CD format, to create a continuous flow through the wide spectrum ranging from minimal, abstract electronics to driving uptempo grooves with a stronger influence of classic Jamaican dub elements in the best Basic Channel tradition, including highlights like 'Smile', the only vocal track (featuring Savage), 'Mango Drive' a re-shape of the Chosen Brothers' 1979 unreleased Reggae tune 'Mango Walk', or 'No Partial', inspired by the essential, though never generally released 'Higher Fieldmarshall Dub' by the Wailers Band. Packaged in a stunning 'nature' digipack again.
V/A- WACKIES SAMPLER VOL.2 CD (wackie’s, germany)
17.98usd/9.15gbp/11.57eur/1879jpy (approx)
*After eighteen more projects in Rhythm & Sound's Wackies reissue program, here is the overview of the releases following Wackies Sampler Vol. 1. Wackies Sampler Vol. 2 features one outstanding tune from each release. This compilation is as essential as it gets for any reggae listener, ranging from dub and roots to dancehall inna '80s style, with less reggae music. The tunes taken from 12" here appear for the first time on CD within this reissue program.
LOVE JOYS- LOVERS ROCK REGGAE STYLE LP (wackie’s, germany)
17.98usd/9.15gbp/11.57eur/1879jpy (approx)
*repressed/restocked… Rhythm & Sound/Basic Channel inaugurates its Wackie's reissue series with Lovers Rock by the Love Joys aka cousins Sonia Abel and Claudette Brown, originally from Brixton, England. This women's roots album is a milestone in reggae, a refreshing departure in a tradition dominated by men. With the classic Wackie's sound magnificent behind them -- 'Lovers Rock', showcase style, in extended versions -- the duo beautifully and skilfully meshes social critique and affairs of the heart, from a woman's point of view. Lovers Rock is one of the best and rarest albums on the legendary Wackie's label produced by Lloyd 'Bullwackie' Barnes in 1982. Musicians include: Jah T, Clive Hunt, Rolando Alphonso.
CLIVE FIELD MARSHALL- POOR HOUSE ROCKERS LP (wackie’s, germany)
17.98usd/9.15gbp/11.57eur/1879jpy (approx)
*shop favorite repressed/restocked… On its original release in 1981, Clive Field Marshall's Poor House Rockers album sold out so quickly that Wackies was unable to supply his customary distributors outside New York; and it has been high on Wackies-collectors' lists ever since. The rhythms nod again to The Heptones at Studio One and Bob Marley. Others are voiced elsewhere in the Wackies catalogue by Barrington Spence, Junior Delahaye and the Love Joys; some had appeared on the 'Presenting Prince Douglas' set the previous year. Clive himself is compelling, witty and ebullient in the dancehall style pioneered by Lone Ranger, ranging over subjects including Jamaican tourism and landlordism, Carter and Reagan, banks and bulldogs, and -- outstandingly, on Delahaye's ineffable but unissued 'Acting So Strange' -- the in-thing beaver hat and sheepskin coat.
HOUSE, TECHNO AND DISCO
M.I.A.- KALA 2LP (interscope, usa)
15.98usd/8.13gbp/10.28eur/1670jpy (approx)
*domestic version of shop favorite restocked at a much lower price… Even before M.I.A. (Maya Arulpragasam) debuted in 2005 with ARULAR, the blogosphere was already abuzz about her, engaging in the kind of discourse normally reserved for academic dissertations. Whether hailed as a canny postmodern pastiche or dismissed as inauthentic cultural pirating, the music, a lively pan-global mash-up of regional dance music styles, seemed to be emanating simultaneously from every ghetto, favela, and council-flat within earshot. As if to call out her detractors, M.I.A. returns for another shot of explosive, politically charged and globally conscious dance music on her second album, KALA. Lacking the patchwork quality of the debut, KALA is a more cohesive and polished affair, though it matches its predecessor for shear visceral thrills. Recorded across several different continents, and featuring the production talents of Timbaland, Switch, and Blaqstarr, as well as longstanding collaborator Diplo, the globetrotting beat makers mine sources as varied as funk carioca, Baltimore bounce, and the occasional ludicrously placed sound-effect (a squawking chicken). The gloriously bombastic lead single, "Boyz," kicks off the party with a blaring horn loop, carnival percussion, and a stuttering Bollywood vocal sample, while M.I.A. merrily chants the chorus in her sing-song faux patois. The twittering, beat-heavy "Bird Flu" sounds a bit like what you might expect--jagged beats create syncopated poly-rhythms, while birds chirp feverishly against Arulpragasam's bratty invective. But the irreverent cultural re-appropriation doesn't stop at her borrowing from the third world; clever nods to the Clash, New Order, and even Jonathan Richman appear in unexpected and cheeky combinations, offering further proof that M.I.A.'s potent cross-cultural grab bag is as sonically audacious as ever.
SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO- ATTACK DECAY SUSTAIN LP (interscope, usa)
12.98usd/6.60gbp/8.35eur/1356jpy (approx)
*domestic vinyl in stock for the first time… after a series of successful singles and remixes the Simian Mobile Disco boys have finally put together a full album's worth of their stylish electro(house).
GIFT CERTIFICATES
gift certificates are always available in any denomination and come in a envelope ready to be stocking stuffed, slipped into pockets or dispensed in any way you see fit. they can be paid for in cash, credit card (visa, master card or discover) or paypal in person, phoned in or via email. gift certificates not paid for in person can either be mailed to you, or we can keep it in shop if the recipient plans to use it for mail-order.
ADDRESS
tequila sunrise records
525 w. girard avenue
(btwn 5th and 6th streets)
philadelphia, pa 19122
SUBWAY: blue or orange line to girard ave TROLLY: 15 to 5th street BUS: 57 to girard/3rd-4th st; 47 to girard/7th-8th st.
MAP
t/us: 1215 965 9616
t/uk: 0203 004 8357
e: ajv@tequilasunriserecords.com
u: www.tequilasunriserecords.com
m: www.myspace.com/tequilasunriserecords
b: www. tequilasunriserecordshop.blogspot.com
HOURS
monday: closed
tuesday: 12:00-6:00pm/est
Wednesday: 12:00-6:00pm/est
thursday: 12:00-7:00pm/est
friday: 12:00-7:00pm/est
saturday: 12:00-6:00pm/est
sunday: 12:00-6:00pm/est
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