Since we're bunkered down in this winter's first major blizzard we decided to revisit this video by Alice Cohen for her track "Memories Of Glaciers" off 2009's "Walking Up Walls" album on OESB.
Also - in case you've missed them - here's a couple other recent Alice Cohen animated videos - one for Linda Hagood's song "Marsupial Shenanigans" and the other for the track "Totem" by the Baltimore band Weekends. Enjoy.
Just received an awesome darkwave/experimental X-mas comp titled "No Silent Night - The 2nd Coming" from Brooklyn artist MAYa - it features a bunch of her musically talented friends who recorded holiday-themed songs under various pseudonyms. It's a not-for-sale cd-r handed out to friends of the artists but we received permission to make it available to blogland as a free download - so Merry Christmas everyone!! A Soundcloud jukebox is above and here's a Mediafire link to the whole compilation.
It kicks off with a great cover of the Pretenders' classic "2000 Miles" by Alice Cohen (who is billed here as "Lilac Frost") -- i'm not exactly sure who's who in the rest of the cloaked artist listing but some of the standout tracks to my ears include "It's Christmas Time" by Acorn Falling, "Last Christmas" by George Michael's 8" Stocking, "Suzy Snowflake" by Orange Dawn, & "Blue X-mas" by Elvis's 9.5" Mistletoe. Most of these songs fit into the World Serpent aesthetic so don't be expecting H-Pop memory zones as there's something more sinister at play here.
MAYa has two 10" vinyl albums on the Discalcula label that are well worth checking out -- here's a couple excellent videos for tracks from these records:
Above is the brand new video for the track "Kill A Man With A Joystick In Your Hand" by D'eon. Make sure the volume is on if you don't hear anything -- Vimeo's been buggy lately but the volume control is in the lower right-hand corner of the video box... Altered Zones was supposed to run this video last week but had a last-minute change of heart because she/he/they decided it either:
1) lacked entertainment value
2) trivialized violence
3) was too political yet too ambiguous
4) exploited middle-eastern women who had filmed themselves dancing
5) was "tasteless bad art" relying on "shock value"
6) all of the above
anyways we'll just sidestep those Censored Zones -- here it is for you to decide for yourselves.
But here's some background info about the video just in case your thoughts are more informed by actual thought than the jerk of one's knee:
The subject of this song is REMOTE WARFARE. It also explores the connection between violent videogames and modern forms of warfare. As D'eon said to me after viewing a draft of this video:
"i think you struck a good balance between social commentary and also not being too politically aligned. i also like the shot of the map of india being relabeled pakistan.. hahaha.. but yeah i think you captured what i was trying to get at with the song-- like comparison between war and videogames, and the fact that the generation that grew up on violent videogames are now soldiers etc etc."
It's important to note that neither this song or video have a direct political slant. They both serve more as observations of the current situation and we are neither trying to criticize or glorify the actions of either side. This is a meditation on modern reality, and no effort is being made to distinguish "wrong" from "right". Let's just think instead about "what is". Modern technology-based violence is contrasted with more direct forms of violence and both are contrasted with the biggest wars being fought globally right now every minute of every day - video games. To quote Chocolate Bobka's post from today:
"Single person shooters reign supreme, with millions, perhaps even billions, of youths stuck in front of a flat screen monitor virtually killing friends and foes without thought-- blowing up sanctuaries and humvee's and screaming "fuck yeah!" into an XBox 360 headset, while Mathieu in Finland gets pissed, and in return, blows your fucking head off. The Halo/Call of Duty consciousness has all but embedded itself in our collective realm. It's not just the figment of right-wing Mom's in Kansas worried about their son playing Call of Duty for 19 straight hours without taking a piss break. And, as WikiLeaks pointed out, the brutal violence of video games isn't just from video games. It's a reality, one oft sugarcoated by local news rooms, who shock audiences with lurid tales of violence, before awing them into submission with stories of first graders singing Christmas Carols at old folks homes."
FINALLY BACK IN STOCK!!! WE JUST MADE A SMALL RE-PRESS OF JAMES FERRARO'S "LAST AMERICAN HERO" L.P. -- THIS VANISHED SUPER QUICK WHEN IT ORIGINALLY CAME OUT SO NOW'S YR CHANCE TO PICK IT UP IF YOU MISSED OUT THE FIRST TIME.... SHOULD BE AVAILABLE AGAIN IN YOUR FAVORITE RECORD STORES AS WELL... HUG THEM AND BUG THEM IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES.... && WE ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT WAL-MART IS CARRYING A VERSION WITH MODIFIED COVER ART AND WITH ALL SUBLIMINAL MESSAGES REMOVED... THIS INCLUDES "BACK-MASKING", "WHISPERS", "BETA-BRAINWAVE SIGNAL JAMMERS", AND "ENCODED SOLOS". PICK UP THE NON WAL-MART VERSION IN THE OESB STORE. CATCH THE VIDEO CLIP BELOW. THANKS FOR SHOPPING!!!
Special bonus DVD that will go out with all recent and upcoming OESB webstore orders -- WHILE SUPPLIES LAST!!! Nearly 2 and a half hours worth of viewing featuring "a few OESB music videos, movie trailers, news clips, sports footage, and assorted audio-visual documentation of extreme dementia" ... check the sampler below:
Above is a video from a Pacific City Nitelife Vision Band concert in Portland, Oregon - December of 2009 -- not exactly a Monopoly Child Star Searchers gig as the Nitelife Band throws down more of a Moroccan street fest vibe but this serves as a great prelude to the seduction jams of "Bamboo For Two". Speaking of "Bamboo For Two" we had some slight delays at the pressing plant but everything's sorted out now and shipments will begin later this week. And there's still some extra copies of the "Please Remember To Rewind" free bonus DVD that will be thrown in with all orders - first come/first serve styley... it's 2.5 hours of strange,, hit up the STORE to reserve your copy...
Aiming at multiple birds simultaneously here... above is the poster for tonite's Pigeons/Fabulous Diamonds show in San Francisco at Bottom of the Hill.. another stunner by Alice Cohen, i think she's got scissors for hands like that Johnny Depp guy had during his goth phase...
By all reports the Pigeons/Fabulous Diamonds tour has been a resounding success -- they just played with the Monopoly Child Star Searcher himself in Portland, Oregon & today in San Francisco there is an in-store scheduled at the mighty Aquarius Records at 5 p.m.
Here's a live clip filmed by Matt of Acid Marshmallow of the Pigeons in-store at Permanent Records in Chicago on November 2nd.. thanks Matt!!
Pigeons November 2nd, 2010 at Permanent Records in Chicago
& since we're already on the subject of Alice "Scissorhands" Cohen there's some news to report from her technicoloured universe... first up: her recent set on Arthur Radio has just been posted for stream & download... about halfway thru the program she performs a live solo set on their studios and then she hits the mic for a brief interview and spins some hand-selected tracks...
Download the radio show HERE (right-click "save as")
And there's some more Alice Cohen news -- her recent film "Trance Actions" is being featured on the DVD in the upcoming issue of The Report -- brought to you by the good folks over at Chocolate Bobka --- and there's an upcoming screening of her new film "Ear Candy" on the big screen at Anthology Film Archives on December 1st at 6 p.m.
The clip above features audio excerpts from the newest "romance audio dispatch" via Pacific City's Monopoly Child Star Searchers -- it's called "Bamboo For Two" & Mr. Charles Berlitz himself pays a special visit to the screen nearest you for an intimate and personal introduction... be sure to check his love poem to the feathered Belafonte as it depicts a jungle courtship of utmost tenderness... the album takes flight next week so prepare a landing area and please enjoy this preview...
and by request HERE is a stationary version of Berlitz's rainforest erotica -- use the magnifying glass utensil for visibility assistance...
Monopoly Child Star Searchers Nigtlife Band Presents: Bamboo For Two
A Night's Creativity. A Parroted Companions guided tour to the most Romantic details of a Jungle's sensbility. Imagine the elements of your most recent landscaped vision coming to life and allowing you to witness a hearts perception of the natural world. Charles Berlitz has reported this eventful experience in the form of a Romantic Poem, and the Star Searchers have invented the soundtrack. Olde Engsh Spelling Bee and Pacific City Sound Visions invite the listener to experience the first Studio album in Pacific City's history! Featuring James Ferraro as Rocco Martini, Lieven Martens of Dolphins Into the Future, and Eva Van Deuren of Orphan Fairytale; Playing the most exotic keyboard melodies this side of a Parrots hotly lit Plumage. This album is the first in series of Romantic Audio recordings that will later include the titles: "Make Mine, Macaw" and "The Garnet Tucan". Do enjoy the excitement of this one of kind journey to Pacific City's Nightlife and relax your mind's physical limitations....
Yes, band shake-ups are fairly common -- "nothing lasts forever" -- yadda yadda -- but it is rare that an indie rock band reaching the top of their game has an implosion/resurrection this bizarre. In fact it is highly doubtful that Big Troubles (re-christened "The New Big Troubles") will even be allowed to play most of their usual venues because of liquor laws. So it's back to their origins -- suburban garages and root beer parties in rec-rooms. Expect their chops to develop quickly and make no mistake about this -- The New Big Troubles definitely mean business.
Rumors that the remaining original members are auditioning for the Outer Limits Recordings band are yet unconfirmed -- but former Ducktails sideman/rising comedian Sam Franklin of The Old Big Troubles did issue an official statement in the form of an email to OESB this morning:
"Sam's out, Ian said he'll do it when it "feels right"/"when I fucking give a shit again, OK?" and Luka plays whenever the bus is running on time. All who remains dedicated to Big Troubles is Alex. Alex and the children he has collected, recruited, kidnapped and outright stolen. Music enthusiasts: meet The New Big Troubles."
OESB invades the International Rome Film Festival programming this year - many of our video artists and their music videos are being featured in a special program that highlights some of the most innovative "hypnagogic" / "post t.v." work made over the last couple years. Titled "Post T.V. - Lo-Fi For The Eyes" & carefully programmed by the fine folks over at Rome's video house & dvd label AAVV. We are honored to have OESB video artists like Luke Wyatt, Megazord, James Ferraro, and Kevin DiTrapano featured alongside Paper Rad, Alizia Zivich (of Demons), Dan Lopatin (OPN/Games), and the mighty Forcefield. Forcefield was an artist co-op that rose out of Providence's Fort Thunder scene - ground zero for most strains of American weirdness over the last 15 years - i saw Forcefield play a small and mostly empty club with Lightning Bolt back in 1995 & they had the most insane video backdrops during their set -- it was the definitive precursor to what's all the video rage right now today...
Here's an english translation of the program notes:
November 4th - h.22.30
International Rome Film Festival
Special Event - L’Altro Cinema | Extra
Auditorium Parco della Musica - Rome
curated by Lorenzo Gigotti and Valerio Mattioli
During the last couple of years a new generation of artists spread around Europe and the USA have coined a new visual language never heard of before. It represents a reflection of the past and a manipulation on the concept of memory by meditating on an Era throughout totemic-mysterious aspects (on the two decades, 80’s and 90’s in the way that these become filtered from a more dreamy rather than realistic memory) perceived as an origin and principle of today’s informational society.
Together they form one of the most vital and influential networks of all times: from their pockets came out records, unconventional video clips, artworks that were instructive to others and video art experiments full of absurdities. The english critic David Keenan, wrote on the the magazine The Wire about some of this work and called it “hypnagogic pop”, as on the web, the webzine Pitchfork replied speaking of “glow-fi”, a term which blends the concept of low fidelity ( lo-fi) and the visual feel of glow (soft light, fluorescent, twilight).
The protagonists of this breathtaking season are underground, often active on multiple levels (music, illustration, performance, production of fanzines) and are all accompanied by the same feeling of do it yourself attitude. Veterans of the web era, they research the imaginary half way between video art in its most esoteric expressions and some strange form of late psychedelic pop, purposely portrayed in its DIY aspect. Lo –Fi , in fact.
“Post Tv” presents for the first time in Italy the most significant names of the scene, in the attempt to deliver a portrait of an aesthetic that exploits the web, re-writes the usual creative context and the circulation of the moving image, being these artistic, cinematographic or even within the television system.
The artists:
Cadeo - Cosmotropia de Xam - Kevin DiTrapano - James Ferraro - Forcefield - Todd Ledford - Daniel Lopatin - Michele Manfellotto - Megazord - Takeshi Murata - Paper Rad - Daniel Swan - Sunset - Television - TV Carnage - Luke Wyatt - Alivia Zivich.
Here's the program notes with bios for each artist: ENGLISH / ITALIAN
Luke Wyatt was specially invited to speak at tonite's screening about his work. Have fun in Rome Luke!!
and here's some selected videos by participating OESB artists:
Super psyched to receive "album of the week" honors from both Norman Records and Boomkat for the new Stellar OM Source l.p. -- here's Boomkat's review:
"Another highly sought-after pressing from the Olde English Spelling Bee, this time from Christelle Gualdi aka Stellar Om Source, featuring Daniel Lopatin aka Oneohtrix Point never* Intrepid sci-fi soundtrack-y synth excursions from the mind of electronic visionary, Christelle Gualdi aka Stellar Om Source, collated by the good folk at Olde English Spelling Bee. 'Trilogy Select' is essentially a directors cut of tracks taken from Stellar Om Source's trio of self-released CDr albums made between 2005-2009 - 'Ocean Woman', 'Alliance' and 'Crusader', including one track made with fellow cosmonaut, Daniel Lopatin (Oneohtrix Point Never). Her sonic concepts were hatched at international bases in The Hague, Lisbon, New York and Paris, instinctively capturing the naively romantic futurism of low grade '80s sci-fi and privately pressed synth music with a sensitivity to sustained, shadowy moods and suspension tank atmospherics. Her music revels in the saturated colours, tones and shapes her synths make, creating vividly kinaesthetic relationships between her lo-fi holographic harmonics so they seem to glow like console radiation from the cockpit of a one woman shuttle. There's a beautiful balance of honest, earnest and adventurous intent, mixed with a feel for fun and engrossing narrative romance, never going too academic or up her own arse and tempering the temptation to totally cut the anchor line with her blunted cosmic hooks. If OPN's 'Zones Without People' or Dylan Ettinger's 'New Age Outlaws' really took you there, this is a must. Comes with free download coupon redeemable directly from the label and 12" insert housed in glossy, full colour sleeve." - Boomkat
and here's a couple of recent live videos from Stellar OM sets:
while your out tonight listening to records in reverse and getting off slashing tires in the night in your purple mohawk and heels sacraficing your soul to the sound all dolled up in shiny leather as a human cockroach with studs remember to pick up a copy of NIGHT DOLLS WITH HAIRSPRAY for the ultimate halloween night experience set your brain on fire with the out of this world sound from the planet airhead entertainment!!!!
AVAILABLE halloween night!!!!
the one and only blue haired new wave freakazoid from planet shock tart,the Glaminator himself Jimmy Ferraro of the legendary “The Blow Up Dolls of 143rd St.” comes now with his first solo fully produced juke box hit smasher!! guaranteed to run shivvers up the spines of all the lipstick and studded weirdos and queernight glammer’s with big hairsprayed hairdos out there. this one is for all the blow dryer dreamers somewhere out there singing in the mirror of their shampoo perfumed bathrooms beckoning a mysterious moon lit love.for the leather punkster muffins with green tongues and pockets filled with cheez whiz on the subway, where a world just outside the subway window leads to the back alleys of 143rd st. where the garbage pail kids from hell in metal bras all dolled up in New York Cities finest 99cent store eye shadow, blush and glitter sing the soundtrack to the seedy nether worlds of the teenage fantasy machine...Leather High School!! which is Saved By The Bell meets Marquis De Sade in it’s principle or shall we say in it’s male Principal who is a masochistic cross dresser underneath that pretty little socially acceptable mask of his.
tune into the sound that all the lunatic love puppets are craving, the magical pop radiance that outshines their topiary styled hairdos and made them into hopelessly romantic cheetah spotted glam dolls from the underground. armed with their glammy sound that is much like the soundtrack spilling out of a 1970’s Time square erotic/b-movie theater, they parade the night streets as TERROR THIRSTY GLAMzoids wishing upon their neon pop shooting stars, terrorizing New York City with their studs,high heels and air guitars,THIS IS THE RECORD THAT MADE THEM DO IT!!
so if you wanna sing along in a friday night’s bubble bath or stalk the midnight streets dressed as a baroque pervo in make up pick this one up, for Night Doll’s With Hairspray has it all!!!!!!!
Nationwide tour starts tonite at Brooklyn's Union Pool -- complete schedule is at the bottom of this post. Pigeons are touring in support of their recent OESB records and two brand new releases on Soft Abuse - including a limited tour-only 7" -- check the Soundcloud jukebox below for selected tracks from all of their recent releases. Melbourne, Australia's Fabulous Diamonds are touring in support of their recent album "Fabulous Diamonds II" on Siltbreeze/Chapter.
All right. Info for both upcoming Outer Limits Recordings 7" singles in the two blog postings below. All the tracks have been mastered (the videos feature unmastered audio) and are streaming via this Soundcloud gizmo along with a new bonus track "Sugar Pie" that is downloadable.
Anyone digging these tracks should be sure to check out the Outer Limits "Foxy Baby" l.p. on Not Not Fun from last summer - we have some in the OESB store and are offering a special "triple pack plus" bundle of the "Foxy Baby" l.p. plus the two new singles plus a mystery Outer Limits Recordings cd-r that will be limited to 40 copies...
In other Outer Limits Recordings news:
Pitchfork's Marc Masters interviews Sam at length ++HERE++
Awesome new Stellar OM Source video directed by AAVV Videos in Rome, Italy.
From her new lp "Trilogy Select" which is available now in the OESB Store.
She has some UK shows this week - starting tonight:
October 26th - Cambridge, U.K. at The Portland with Heatsick & Hungry Soul
October 27th - London, U.K. at Cafe Oto with Heatsick & Hungry Soul
October 28th - London, U.K. at Hoxton Bar & Kitchen
with Teengirl Fantasy, Twin Shadow, Kitten
October 30th - Nijmegen, Netherlands at Extrapool
November 6th - Amsterdam, Netherlands at Subacultcha
>>>EARLY STORM WARNING:
be sure to check the OESB Store for pre-order info on the upcoming OESB batch that will be shipping mid-November. It's a real hypnagogic bloodbath to be sure. Also, a free DVD titled "Please Remember To Rewind" will be included with all pre-orders -- it promises to feature "an assorted audio-visual documentation of extreme dementia". That sounds about right.
Live footage from the Big Troubles set from Tuesday at Bruar Falls for the track "Phantom Vibrations" which isn't on any of their records (yet)... This gets across their ridiculously massive live sound pretty damned well so earplugs are recommended for the timid... "Deja Vu" because they're playing Bruar Falls again tonite at 9:40 p.m. Great line-up for today's show -- a Cake Shop / Inflated Records showcase -- see the poster below for full details:
Avoid certain Emo fads, like cutting yourself (very dangerous). Remember that cutting doesn't make you anymore emo, it just makes you stupid and hateful to yourself, and honestly, if your really true to the Lord, you'd know that He doesn't want you to do that.
Remember the stereotypes that are not true and explain to people who think differently: Emos cut themselves (this is not true), Emos cry a lot (not true), Emos have no friends (again, not true).
Emos are often dissed, just as Christians often face persecution. Don't let it get to you!
Don't confuse this with goth. Goth and Emo are two different things.
If you feel God doesn't want you to be Emo, don't be. God has great rewards in store for the faithful! But remember that God rewards not your 'being Emo'. He rewards the motives in your heart that pleases Him, and the deeds that are done because of these motives.
Sign up HERE via Google Groups to join the OESB mailing list - it's anonymous and low-key - just an efficient way to get the occasional email update about new ongoings in the OESB universe. Any special offers like the upcoming free DVD will be announced to the list first. Just click "Join this group" on the right-hand side of the screen. You don't need a Gmail account to join the group but you will need to verify any non-Gmail accounts with Google in order to join. Your email address will not be shared with any other companies and isn't even viewable to other group members. It's best to stay stealth and move in for the sneak attack.
Above are the two tracks making up the Pigeons recent "Hearts" 7" on OESB plus a track from the "Si Faustine" album titled "Wrong Man".
Pigeons have 3 different shows for CMJ this week:
1) Today - Wednesday, October 20th at the Chocolate Bobka showcase at Piano's - they're scheduled to play around 5 p.m. - other acts include Laurel Halo, Young Prisms, La Big Vic, Family Portrait, Woodsman, and Dent May. Full details HERE.
2) Friday, October 22nd - Unofficial Rose Quartz/Microphone Memory Emotion showcase at Shea Stadium - playing with Fluffy Lumbers, Andrew Cedermark, Ecstatic Sunshine, Family Portrait, and more - full details HERE.
3) Saturday, October 23rd - Issue Project Room following the screening of a new film on Sublime Freqencies titled "THIS WORLD IS UNREAL LIKE A SNAKE IN A ROPE". They will be playing with Climax Golden Twins. Full info HERE. and more info on the screening HERE.
Greatest Hits will be premiering some new material with a 6-member live band (that's a SEXTET) that includes Ian D. of Big Troubles on bass and Ryan H. of Luke Perry on guitars/keys... Spectacle guaranteed & great line-up for this show from top to bottom so come on out...
and speaking of spectacles --- here's the new Alice Cohen animated video for the Greatest Hits track "Ambulence":
Above is a brand spanking new video for the Greatest Hits song "Uptown Girl" aka "You're Just An Uptown Girl" and it's not going to be on any commercially available release. It's web-only so everyone Tweet this to High Heaven and let's make this the #1 song playing on Friendster (apologies to the Mael brothers). Directed by L.A.'s Natalie Rodgers in 3-D Partyvision. Download this via Soundcloud right right below. Get down on it.
Greatest Hits have a couple CMJ engagements next week - a live band performance on Tuesday, Oct 19th at Bruar Falls with Big Troubles and Gary War (Rose Quartz/Friendship Bracelet Showcase) and then on Friday, Oct 22nd they'll be the house DJ's for the Altered Zones showcase at Death By Audio featuring John Maus and Excepter. Mark your calendars - BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE!!
There's a couple new guest mixtapes out in blog-land that were curated by Greatest Hits. Click the host-links for full tracklist info.
First there was a guest mix by Raw Thrills/Greatest Hits throatslinger Zak Mering over at Rose Quartz that featured previously unreleased jammers by Outer Limits Recordings and a new James Ferraro project called Warp dropped into the stew. Download that one HERE.
And over at Delicious Scopitone is a two-hour long mega-Teutonic Oktoberfest blaster that can be downloaded HERE. And here's GH's brimming with national pride description for the mix:
"We were teenagers, we were dangerous, and we were German. Growing up against the stark backdrop of East Berlin, the youth culture was buzzing with provocative and experimental visual arts and music. Fueled by exposure to krautrock, new wave, flexi-pop, and post-punk along with federal subsidies from countless organizations, we strive to help reinvent a country in dire need of addressing its historical shortcomings. Armed with an affinity for free art and events, and a renewed sense of national pride, we are proud to share our music, and the music that continues to inspire us for the American Youth."
OESB's only avant-metal band from Boise, Idaho is currently on a U.S. tour. Formerly known as PussyGutt and recently re-christened as Wolvserpent - the duo of Blake Green and Brittany McConnell will be playing tonite in Far Rockaway, Queens. Above is their set from last Tuesday night at Acheron in Brooklyn. Courtesy Torsten of Unartig - lots of excellent live footage at his website. Wolvserpent's new album on 20-Buck Spin is streaming HERE & for the uninitiated there's some reviews below of the first two PussyGutt lp's on OESB (there's still a handful of copies of each over at the OESB store).
WOLVSERPENT TOUR DATES:
Oct 10 Far Rockaway NY @ Red Light District w/Ehnahre
Oct 11 Baltimore MD @ Golden West w/ OAK, w/Ehnahre
Oct 12 Chapel Hill NC @ Nightlight w/Ehnahre
Oct 13 Charlotte NC @ The Milestone w/Ehnahre
Oct 14 Atlanta GA @ Eyedrum w/Ehnahre
Oct 15 Nashville TN @ Little Hamilton w/Loss, Mourner & Ehnahre
Oct 16 Memphis TN @ Poplar Lounge w/Ehnahre & Dead-I-On
Oct 17 Little Rock AR @ Downtown music w/Pallbearer & Ehnahre
Oct 19 New Orleans LA @ Mudlark Theatre
Oct 20 Austin TX @ Red 7 w/Javalina
Oct 21 Las Cruces NM @ The Trainyard w/Yazata
Oct 22 Phoenix @ American Legion Hall w/GOG
Oct 24 Las Vegas NV @ Brass Lounge w/Dead Neon
Oct 25 Salt Lake City UT @Burt’s Tiki w/Subrosa
Oct 29-31 @ VAC Boise ID
Nov 4 Seattle WA @ The Comet w/(a) Story of Rats
Nov 5 Portland @ Plan B
Nov 6 Eugene OR @ The Gup w/Rye Wolves & Vivimancer
A mysterious duo from Idaho, here expanded to a trio, offer up 4 sidelong tracks of damaged and mysterious outsider doomdrone on the always reliable Olde English Spelling Bee label. We weren't too sure what to expect, and we missed their performance here a few months back unfortunately, but just have a gander at the list of instruments: bass, violin, crystal goblet, tractor, forest samples, clay pots, tubular bells, organ, synth, gong, drums, bowed cymbals, guitar, sound manipulations, electronics, LEAD guitar, amplifiers and feedback. Those last few are your first clue that this isn't just any old drone record. Although the first few minutes had us fooled. A gorgeous expanse of shimmering low end, glistening harmonics, and a soft distant doomic plod, little bits of static and hiss, a slow slithering blackness, which eventually builds to a stumbling groovy doom jam, with big boomy practice space drums, some seriously downtuned riffage and thick swirls of Hawkwind-ed FX, that lopes and lurches until it fades out into a long slowly unwinding smear of softly buzzing bass.
The second side is a sprawling heavy industrial soundscape of collaged sounds, wind, that tractor mentioned above, all looped and layered, clanging percussion, everything constantly shifting and changing shape, a dark meandering journey through a black forest of sound, a bit like Nurse With Wound meets Wolf Eyes, a chunk of surreal dark ambience, haunting and ominous and while not heavy per se, still distinctly doomy...
The second lp begins with creepy gypsy violins (one of the band members is a classically trained violinist) over a back drop of creaks and moans, a sort of haunted house mood music, beneath abstract riff fragments and random bits of effects building into a slowcore crawl, a mellow doom, each note ringing out and drifting off before the next one hits. Doomy, funereal, soft focus, with those strings a constant presence, super dark and emotional, adding a weirdly cinematic element to Pussygutt's sound.
The final side is another doomy crawl, distant drums, massive slow motion slabs of downtuned guitar, very simple and hypnotic, dark and creepy, not so much heavy as moody and intense, finishing off with a harrowing Hitchcockian string outro which gives way to the sounds of the forest, birds and wildlife, all coming to life beneath the full moon...
LIMITED TO 550 COPIES. Each one hand-assembled copies. Packaged in heavy-duty gatefold sleeves with four spraymounted panels that were custom offset-printed on silver stock with two coats of black ink for extra darkness, so much black ink in fact that, it almost makes your eyes water. Maybe a few huffs inside the sleeve will better prepare you for the mind altering weirdness inside...
Despite my undying love for the Virgin Prunes and the sporadic donning of black eyeliner before I head down to the local Key Foods, I'm not that 'dark' of a guy. Although I'm obviously down with the drone, Sunn and all their followers never made sense to me. It just seemed they took a great sound and dumbed it down for metalers and other mouth breathing types by adding alotta horseshit to it. Whenever I see a black record cover with silver ink, I usually fall asleep by the time I have a chance to laugh at the band name and/or record title. Hey...whatever floats your rod in the water and puts asses in the seats, I guess.
When and if I do throw some sounds on in this bunker these days, it's usually something I'm familiar with and/or something that doesn't require too much listener/sound participation. Alittle A.F. when the tub needs a hard scrub, some Dusty when some wine is being sipped and spilled, etc. New vibrations don't get too much spin time 'round here, but once in awhile someone will slip me something they think I'd like and I throw it on and by god, they're right to think I'd dig it. Such is the case with this double LP entitled 'Sea of Sand', a collaborative effort between Boise, Idahos' Pussygutt and Seattles' Story of Rats. I was firstly taken with how beautiful the package was. A jet black gatefold with paste-on artwork that must of been glued on by the most OCD person in the universe; totally immaculate. The sounds that take up both these slabs are certainly heavier than a two ton turd, but it's an effortless vibration that seems to just naturally permeate from the sound. The first record in the set sounds like it was one continuous jam spread out between the sides. For most of it, the amps humm and purr as if they themselves (not the humans in the room) are actually waiting for the riffs and drums to kick in. When they do show themselves, they're perfectly brief and direct and burrow back into the clouds of roar to await their next outing. Since I didn't look at the clock once while both of these sides heaved mighty grey smoke from their surfaces, I'm supposing this record must be good.
An actual violin played like it actually should be played opens Side C while field recordings of dry leaves crunch off in the distance. Somewhere down the line (Once again, I lost track of time) strings ring open and randomly hang/float, making me think more of the Dead C. than former members of False Liberty in bathrobes. Side D is heavy, slow and minimal but in a pretty engaging way. It might be that my ears are tuned differently, but when I hear this slow sludgy thing done right, I envision the songs that closed out both Infest 7"s going on forever like I wished them to all those years ago. Somewhere in all the strumming and clanging, in comes the ringing of bells and the quacking of ducks in the far distance and the record is over.
It's been awhile since I've actually got lost in a record; let alone a double set. These people have actually put together a record that's an experience; something you can't just make the bed and sweep the floor to. Put it on, sit down and take it in, chief. P.S.—Do not handle this cover after the eating of greasy foods. You'll just ruin it.
The return of Pussygutt, a male/female duo from Idaho, who traffic in slow brooding black ambience and ultra doom, and whose last two records have been huge favorites around here, which makes sense as we really can't get enough of sidelong tracks, and sprawling expansive stretches of slow rumbling drones, and minimal slabs of blackened doomic crawl, and gathering Strengths does NOTHING to disappoint, offering up a single two part track, spread out over two sides, beginning with what sounds like oboes or some sort of woodwind (it's in fact a clarinet), long layered tones, emitting endless overtones, laid atop a barely there bit of low end rumble, strange melodies emerging from the constantly shifting layers, eventually joined by mysterious strings, chiming bells, super cinematic and soundtracky, and yet another instance of 'why don't these guys score movies', the music sublime and emotional, not what you'd expect necessarily, slowly building in intensity, until finally, the hammer falls, and a black cloud of rumbling doom descends, hardly overwhelming, but instead wrapping around those keening strings, creating a haunting otherworldly bit of black doom chamber music.
The flipside starts off a bit folkier, shimmering drones drift over simple hand drums, the melodies simple and melancholy, a muted firelit psychfolk, smoldering and dreamlike, eventually building to something much more epic and intense, never exploding into a frenzy of doom, or exploding at all, instead, just hovering, and ratcheting up the tension, again, totally cinematic and dramatic, like some timeless ritual being performed by cloaked figures gathered before a fire, while in the background cities crumble and the sky turns to ash.
Intense, and intensely beautiful. LIMITED TO 550. Each one hand numbered, and housed in super striking, silkscreened heavy sleeves.
