V02I12 - 03211999
Things are right on schedule according to Brainwashed Recordings. There are sound samples now available for the solo Edward Ka-Spel 7" single, and copies are steadily being liquidated of Brainwashed 001.
MORE COIL SONGS
If you're not paying attention to the Coil song of the week then you are definitely missing something. For the next few weeks, we will feature songs never before released as opposed to all previous songs being rare, difficult to find and not in print.
IN BRIEF
A cool Michigan breeze starts off the album, followed by industrial
(think loading docks and heavy machinery, not Neubauten) noise somewhere
on the far horizon, all welcoming you to Monaural's debut album. After
releasing their first recording some four years ago, an Ep on Burnt Hair
Records, some band members have fallen away, leaving the band to emerge
a more streamlined trio. The ringing wall of guitars from that Ep are no
longer there, leaving the bass, beats, and a single reverbed-out guitar
to fill the space. And they do a great job filling it. Local Detroit Dj
Scott Zacharias leads with the beats, both live and programmed, and the
bass soon follows. An obvious debt to Bill Laswell is paid on a track
called "Last Exit", but instead of sounding like that jazz juggernaut it
comes across more like some of the better late 70's fusion (Herbie
Hancock's "Moonchild", maybe). The jazz influence can be heard clearly,
as well as drum 'n bass, reggae, funk, and avant rock. It's not
groundbreaking, judging by the oft-name checked influences alone, but it
is for the most part enjoyable. However, there are weak moments. On
"Brek", the first three minutes is filled with their best Fridge
imitation, and while it is skillfully good, it's hard to really enjoy it
when you've heard this stuff a thousand times. Only the last minute of
the tune, when effects are dropped in to break everything into static,
holds anything of interest for me. And two tracks, out of the album's
eight, are minute and a half filler that would have been better used
bookending a LONGER album! It seems as though Monaural has given up
their search for the perfect long-form song they experimented with on
their "Rhodes" Ep, concentrating more on finding that happy medium
between the chill room, dance floor and rock stage. Not a disappointing
album by any stretch, but not one that should have taken three years to
make. If you must buy this album (and I do plan on keeping mine), do
yourself the favor and track down their ellusive debut Ep, because you
need to know that an album this good came out of something better.
- Jason Olariu
TABATA "BRAINSVILLE"
With a sticker on the from proclaiming Mitsuru Tabata to be the "high-end
guitarist for Zeni Geva," I expected nothing more than piercing shards of
guitar feedback, and upon playing the disc I was very heavily pleased with
the tones that emerged from my speakers. Beginning the album, "Sleeper's
Concentration Camp" undulates in pulsating tones of various pitches in some
twisted fanfare that brings to mind Loren Mazzacane Connors as processed by,
well, a Japanese noise artists. The album continues to churn out heavy walls
of guitar distortion with distorted blues overtones for the next forty or so
minutes. The shifting guitar reverberations and various interplayed
harmonies show Tabata's mastery of his instrument and his ability to
manipulate the strings into a symphony of exotic textures and rhythms. - Carter Adams
JOI "ONE AND ONE IS ONE"
Several years before Talvin Singh exposed the world to the sound of the Asian Underground - a fusion
of traditional East Indian and Bengali music with UK club beats produced predominantly by second
generation Asians living in London's east end - brothers Forook and Haroon Shamsher were rocking
clubs throughout England with their Joi sound system. Releasing a scarce handful of singles and
compilation tracks in their half-decade of work, the duo has finally completed their debut full- length for
Peter Gabriel's esteemed Realworld label, and it's a wonderful debut indeed. The traditional sounds of
tabla and sitar collide with breakbeats, techno loops, ambient washes and even a bit of rock'n'roll
guitar. Along the way, they're joined in places by the nimble and gorgeous vocals of Susheela Raman,
and the brothers call upon the mixing talents of drum'n'bass pair Spring Heel Jack for the track
"ESY-SHJ" and Pressure of Speech's Tom Kent on the moody "Mission". To coin a cliche, Joi is a joy
to listen to.
- Greg Clow
JEGA "SPECTRUM"
Well, one more label to remove from the "buy everything from" list and add it to the "hit and miss" list. Out on Mike Paradinas' (Mu-Ziq) label Plaet MU (in association somehow with Autechre buddies' SKAMM label), "Spectrum" by Jega finally arrives in the USA one year later through Matador. While this album is heralded as one of last year's better electronic records, I have to disagree. The tunes are really bland and unexciting, the sounds are all store manufactured, and the token drum 'n bass dittys are completely formulaic. On top of that, this version on Matador has two bonus tracks, so you have 75 minutes of noodly techno garbage that never seems to end.
- Jon Whitney
RELEASES
Add N To X - Metal Fingers In My Body 12"/CDEP (Mute, UK)
Dot Allison [ex-One Dove] - Mo Pop 7"/12"/CDEP (Heavenly, UK)
Marc Almond - Tragedy CDEP (Bluestar, UK)
Aphex Twin - Window Licker 12"/two CDEPs [2nd CDEP features a QuickTime video of the track] (Warp, UK)
Baby Mammoth - Swimming CD (Pork, UK)
The Black Dog with Ofra Haza - Babylon 12"/two CDEPs (Warner, UK)
Current 93 - Calling For Vanished Faces 2xCD ["best of" compilation with one unreleased alternate version] (World Serpent, UK)
Current 93/Michael Cashmore/Christoph Heeman - untitled CD [collection of exclusive tracks & alternate versions; ltd to 2000 copies] (World Serpent, UK)
D.J. Rap - Everyday Girl 12"/two CDEPs [mixes by DJ Sneak, Rae & Christian, Kenny Ken, & DJ Rap] (Higher Ground/Sony, UK)
Kreisel [Mike Ink] - Kreisel 99/12 7" [ltd edition] (Kreisel, Germany)
Lamb - B Line 12"/two CDEPs [mixes by Herbaliser, Andy Votel and Global Communication] (Fontana, UK)
* Legion of Green Men - Floating in Shallow Water CD (Swim~, UK)
Signaldrift - .060 CD (OMCO, US)
Speedranch & Jansky Noise/Various - Welcome to Execrate CD [with James Plotkin, Mixmaster Mike, Stock Hausen & Walkman, Lloop, Byzar, Passarani 2099, Jega, DJ Olive, Twisted Science, and more] (Leaf, UK)
Teebee & K - Black Science CD (Beatservice, Norway)
Tipper - SuperSport 10"/12"/two CDEPs [mixes by Andre Estermann, Bargecharge, Subphonic, Laudanum Vapour Gardens and Tipper] (Higher Ground/Sony, UK)
TUESDAY
Aphex Twin - Window Licker CDEP (Warp/Sire, US)
Future Pilot AKA - Vs. A Galaxy of Sound CD/LP [mixes by Cornershop, Scanner, Kim Fowley, The Pastels and more] (Beggars Banquet, US)
* Kreidler - Appearance and the Park CD [with bonus remix by Daniel Miller] (Mute, US)
Rod Modell - The Autonomous Music Project CD (Amplexus/Lunar/Soleilmoon, US)
Loren Norell - Indonesian Soundscapes CD (Soleilmoon, US)
Pizzicato 5 - The International Playboy & Playgirl Record CD (Matador, US)
Roots Manuva - Brand New Second Hand CD/2xLP (Big Dada/Ninja Tune, UK/Canada/US)
* Slick Sixty - The Wrestler 12" (Cup of Tea/Mute, US)
Various - Source Material CD (Source/Astralwerks, US/Canada)
Various - Virgin Voices Vol. 1: Tribute to Madonna CD [with Heaven 17, Astralasia, James Hardway, KMFDM and more] (Cleopatra, US)
Xorcist - Nomad CD (Pendragon, US)
THURSDAY
Monday Michiru - Remix Album CD/2xLP [with mixes by Rob Playford, Incognito and more] (Polydor, Japan)
Steve Reich - Reich Remixed CD [mixes by Coldcut, Howie B, Andrea Parker, Tranquility Bass, Mantronik, Ken Ishii, DJ Spooky and more] (Nonesuch/Warner, Japan)
For a more comprehensive release schedule stretching far into the future, please check out the NEW RELEASES brought to you by Greg and Feedback Monitor.
Subject: Futureworld
Sorry, but I look at your website religiously, and I thought I'd take the time to compliment you on the new, vaguely annoying as hell design. It's so goddamned bright I thought my eyes had been fried!! That'll teach me to surf the net in the dark. Seriously, though, bravo on all you've done Trans Am-wise on the net. Thanks for giving us this page for news and media with some cool photos to boot.
I'm a bit confused... is Futureworld to be released on March 23rd or April 1st? April 1st is not a standard release date, and I've seen that date once before on SonicNet. Sounded to me like the guys in Trans Am or at Thrill Jockey were having fun with the general populace with an early April Fool's joke. All the online stores still say March 23rd -- please say it ain't so! I've been waiting for this album for a long time, so I'm a bit anxious...
Once again, thanks for the brilliant site!
I only post the dates I'm given, I was originally given the 23rd, but recently I was given the 1st... I don't work in the record company offices, so I don't know what's going on all the time. As for the website, thanks! It's quite obnoxious, but it looks good I think...
Subject: N.W.W.
Hi!
I just wanted to thank you for such a great website on Nurse w/ Wound! I
really enjoy the mp3's also :-)
Talk with you later!
Much thanks to you and everyone who helped make that site as intense as it is. Maybe we can eventually get that exquisite corpse of sorts back...
OF THE
WEEK
If you don't have a sound card and flash capabilities then don't bother checking out www.MEGACAR.com. I don't know if this is a joke, I certainly don't have $300,000.00 to spend on a car with a T1. Who's gonna be the ISP for that thing anyhow???
THE RESURGENCE OF STICKMAN THEATRE
Well, Stickman theatre hasn't been revived but there is a place with new animations devoted to killing stickmen. It's a lousy design but the scenes are entertaining at www.stickmorgue.com.
CELEBRITY
OF THE
WEEK
After numerous appearances on Real People and countless showings of the Hershey's commercial with him as Messy Marvin, Peter Billingsley landed a role in what was to become one of everybody's all time favorite movies, A Christmas Story. Sadly enough, after that movie, he only made a few guest appearances on T.V. shows like Who's the Boss and The Wonder Years. He hasn't made a film since 1993's bomb "Arcade" but allegedly he's making a comeback doing spoken word recordings, reading his favorite Christmas stories.
YOUR CD
PLAYER?
1.) Meat Beat Manifesto (Actual Sounds + Voices)
2.) Meat Beat Manifesto (99%)
3.) Coil (North)
4.) Miles Davis (On The Corner)
5.) Tortoise (TNT)
6.) Just about every Talking Heads/David Byrne album
7.) Coil (Time Machines)
- Ben, a 14 year old in Wisconsin who thinks we don't care about a teenager with good music taste. Truth of the matter is, if we didn't care, we wouldn't put your list up.
Brainwashed Organic Farms
PO Box 7
Arlington MA 02476
USA