V03I17 - 05142000
GIVING PROPS FOR GIVING PROPS
Today, the Ultimate Band List has featured the Windy & Carl site on their front page. The UBL was started years ago as part of American Recordings' website, branched off on their own, but soon was bought by Artist Direct
FRIDGE POSTCARD
Sam from Fridge is on his round the world trip and has sent us all a post card from San Francisco! Now where's our stinking card from that Four Tet bloke in Toronto???
SONAR 2000
V/Vm, Panacea, Coil and Pan American are all confirmed for this year's SONAR event in Barcelona. The three-day music fest also features apperances from Chicks on Speed, Merzbow, Autechre, Pan Sonic with F.M. Einheit, Add N to (X) and many fabulous other DJs and musicians. Check out the lineup at www.sonar.es and we'll hope to see you there,...
WHAT ABOUT THE SOUND?
Excuses, excuses about last week's issue - but we have now finally put the sounds on. So re-visit Volume 3 Issue 6 for the sound your eyes can follow!
THE THRILL IS GONE
Not to be forgotten, however, Thrill Jockey has moved their domain to a different provider and will pursue a web designer and structure elsewhere. The site that is still in the brainwashed directories at brainwashed.com/thrilljockey will remain untouched as an unofficial, unkept website. Wish them luck!
IN BRIEF
CHICKS ON SPEED, "WILL SAVE US ALL"
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Imagine a world where The Yeastie Girls get kidnapped by Pan Sonic and flown to Germany to make a pop record! These chicks are God awful at times but never anything less than fun. This debut full-lengther pulls some of their previously issued singles, "Glamor Girl" and "Mind Your Own Business" along with 11 other tasty delights. A new split 7" with V/Vm has just come out and another CD of other bits and pieces - "Unreleases" is next to impossible to find at this point. Get this when you see it as it's a fun ride of bored chick electronica with attitude, equipped with titty twisters and a cover of The Normal's "Warm Leatherette." Limited in the release, this CD is due to surface in about a week through the help of EFA distribution from Germany and Caroline in the USA. - Jon Whitney
ZIPPERSPY, "ICKI BEATS"
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The always charming and ever so wonderful Maria, a.k.a. Zipperspy released this CD full of chopped up beats with harsh abrasive wall of sound noises. For those not in the know, Maria's husband is none other than the Ron of RRRecords, so amidst her electro chop-up gabber drum and bass it's not terribly surprising to find tasty bits of old school noise and loops. Zipperspy is one girl to keep your eyes on as it's hard to keep up with the volumes of output she's putting out, and it's only getting better and better and better. I find myself listening to this one more and more in my walkman and thinking "wow." - Jon Whitney
HRVATSKI, "OISEAUX"
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Another Eastern Massachusetts native, Hrvatski has released this collection of yummy stuff from 1996-1998 on his label, Reckankreuzungsklankewerzeuge (yeah, it's pronouncable). His flavor is a choppity chopped up sonic bubblebath of abrasive beats, quick changes and obtrusive melodies. Many fans of Kid 606 shouldn't go without hearing this fella who's been playing in the same Macintosh-powered genre since before Kid could see R rated movies legally. It's less comical but truly imaginative, talented and thrilling to listen to. Those with existing heart conditions be warned. 60 second sound clips truly don't do this artist justice as each track has many different movements. Short attention span theater, indeed. Note: this disc was released with assistance from Forced Exposure and I've personally not seen it elsewhere... - Jon Whitney
BEDHEAD LOVED MACHA LOVED BEDHEAD
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Growing up together, the two brothers in Bedhead were separated from the two brothers of Macha when their families each moved away. Keeping in touch, Bedhead sent Macha some unfinished tapes, which Macha gladly completed. Presented here are the last studio recordings known of to surface from Bedhead, given a special treatment, with instruments added that you'd never expect like vibes and horns. Throughout the whole disc, you never forget the fact that it is truly the wonderful Bedhead people worldwide love. (I wish I could speak with more authority on Macha but alas, I'm in the dark.) The disc is sadly enough merely an EP at slightly over a half hour's worth of 6 songs (and 86 tracks). Introspective and beautiful, this disc ends on a cheery note as they break into a cover of Cher's "Believe" accompanied by a cheap drum machine and telephone touch-tones. - Jon Whitney
ARANOS, "MAKING LOVE IN SMALL SPACES"
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People into the collaborative efforts between Nurse With Wound and Aranos might be in for a little surprise with this one. Violinist Aranos has released his first solo post-Noise Museum full lengther on his own label, Pieros. On this disc, Petr Vastl (a.k.a. Aranos) has tapped more into his Gypsy roots, making a more folk sounding album crossed with influences of his Irish surroundings. It's a great listen but difficult to review for Nurse With Wound fans as it's much simpler and much different than his work with Steven Stapleton. There's no cut ups, noise nor sound manipulation going on here. Perhaps I'm not used to his singing, but then again how many Tom Waits fans really loved his voice the first time they heard it,... More difficult than that is the fact that no distributor is carrying it currently. To obtain it right now, you have to email Aranos himself at aranos@eircom.net and see what kind of deal he'd like to work out with you depending on where you live! It's good to be alive. - Jon Whitney
BACKWORLD, "ANTHEMS FROM THE PLEASURE PARK"
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There are a lot of very talented classically-trained musicians appearing on this Very pretty gloom-folk CD from World Serpent. Some from other bands as notable as Amber Asylum and Rasputina! Backworld's third album combines masterful sound arrangement, very pretty melodies and brilliant yet melancholy songwriting to bring you a musical delight. The Death in June influence is apparent in the song structure of tracks like 'Destroying Angel,' but Backworld's sound quality is far superior. The crisp clean 12-string guitar and dulcimer blend so well with violin and cello, and the vocals are mixed at just the right levels. Remarkably consistent in its high quality, and yet each song has its own unique sound and emotion. - Alan Ezust
JEAN-MICHEL, "MARSHMALLOW ROOMS"
1999 Eleganz Records
I listen to a lot of electronic music, but for a techno album to grab my attention - that's a feat. For me, most techno is just way too repetitive and irritating. Just because it has a really strong regular dance beat doesn't make it good!
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Jean-Michel is an unfortunately confusing band name for this one-man musical project by Thomas B?cker. It sounds very little like Jean-Michel Jarre, and people keep asking me what's the connection? French? New-age? Nope. Sometimes boppy and dancey, sometimes aggressive, and other times downbeat, blended in with some of the most beautiful acoustic guitar and restrained breakbeat you've ever heard. The build-up is long and gradual, but by the middles of the songs, you're drawn into it and there's no getting out. Some of the songs even have some jazzy improvisational interludes! 'Supernova,' one of the most brilliant pieces of trip-ambient-intelligent-techno I've ever heard, is constantly changing and shifting, yet carrying through the entire piece a kind of energy, mood and melody that is quite appealing. Since the piece is so diverse, it is almost a crime to sample just one minute of it, so I sampled two! I wish it was more widely available in North America; I'd tell everyone to buy it. Fortunately, a couple of big mailorder places do at least list it in their catalog now, although at very expensive import prices and with a "can backorder" status.
- Alan Ezust and Dan Levin
TWELFTH OF NEVER, "BLOWING BUBBLES THROUGH BROKEN WINDOWS"
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There is so much bad goth music coming out these days, it's been tough to motivate myself to listen to new bands, especially local ones. The thing I hate most is when a band comes out with a whole album where each song sounds basically the same, or a bunch of rock guitars sounding gloomy. Give it up already, it's been done too many times before. What I really like about goth music, especially of the kind you find on Heavenly Voices compilations or some of the recent stuff on World Serpent or Middle Pillar, is when it brings in another musical influence and blends it in, but then sinks a lot of energy into making it sound good. East meets west, old meets new - Qntal and Love is Colder than Death pop into my head here. Twelfth of Never's debut CD, Blowing Bubbles Through Broken Windows, is an example of the kind of stuff that turns my crank. Beautiful vocal harmonies, very lush ethereal soundscapes, and overflowing with brilliant ideas - each song has its own unique character and beauty to it. The creepy yet pretty song 'The Cycle' could easily score some of Tim Burton's next movie. Lots of crisp acoustic sounds, shimmering bells, flute and dulcimers? Wow! I sincerely hope that Hyperium puts Theanna on Heavenly Voices Volume 6,... And they're from Boston, no less. Oh, did I mention I liked the artwork too? - Alan Ezust
CHICAGO UNDERGROUND DUO, "SYNESTHESIA"
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Trumpet player Rob Mazurek has been fronting many incarnations of the Chicago Underground since the mid 90s. This is the second full-lengther from the Duo and stretches about 40 minutes over 8 random length improvised numbers. As the ensemble gets smaller, the directions get considerably more experimental and electronic. 'Synesthesia' opens up with a multi-part 12 minute long piece, "Blue Sparks,..." with a sound that could have easily been influenced by watching loads of 1960s sci-fi flicks. "Tram Transfer Nine" closes the CD with a cut up experimental track worthy of recognition of any experimental brainwashed band fan. Having the album engineered by John McEntire might have had a role in the more daring sound, but sources close to me say that McEntire merely strategically brings out what the band wants to really sound like and accomplish,... Another guest on the disc is the Sea and Cake's front man, Sam Prekop twiddling with a Moog midway through the disc. When you see the Duo in concert, the setup is simple Mazurek on trumpet and Chad Taylor on the drums AND vibraphone. More than just a percussionist, Taylor beats out the rhythms with his right hand while chiming in the melodies with the left. Tortoise/Isotope member Jeff Parker often joins in to complete more of the sound.
- Jon Whitney
THE DYLAN GROUP, "UR-KLANG SEARCH"
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More vibes chime in with the latest from The Dylan Group, another drum-and-vibes heavy outfit. With vibrophone virtuoso Dylan Cristy and music enthusiast/drummer Adam Pearce at the production helm, this disc grooves more on a dub tip than anything else they've done--without compromising the intensity of the ever so prominent vibes. A somewhat shocking pleasant surprise is the brilliantly executed cover of The Orb's "Towers of Dub." Hypnotizing and intoxicating, those into reverberated echoed dub a'la Twilight Circus and the swirling chiming melodies of vibes-heavy Reich-influenced Chicago bands will find something wonderful in this release. I truly adore it when a band can just jump into a laid back dub groove, and hold onto it as long as they please. Sadly enough, they will not hit Boston on their current US tour. - Jon Whitney
LOCKGROOVE, "SLEEPING ON THE ELEPHANT FOG"
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The playing on this rock-based record is top notch and the production is fine, but it's hard to figure out what exactly the band is focusing on. One of the challenges of being a talented band with a ton of influences is that albums going in all directions can show a lack of consistency. While I sincerely enjoy their first full-lengther, it's hard to decipher if they're going for a post-rock sound, a dreamy guitar washed drone, electronic experimentation or rock and roll jamming. Perhaps I'm wrong on all accounts, but the disc has been quite favorable on many different genres of radio shows on the local college station I DJ at,... - Jon Whitney
We know that sometimes these CDs are somewhat challenging to find, which is why we have a RECOMMENDED STORES section which can be used to obtain nearly everything available on the site.
RELEASES
MONDAY
Bentley Rhythm Ace - Theme From Gutbuster 2xCDEP (Parlophone, UK)
Leftfield - Swords 12"/two CDEPs [mixes by Two Lone Swordsmen, Cari Lekebusch & To Rococo Rot] (Sony, UK)
Like a Tim - Red and Blue Boxing CD/LP (Rephlex, UK)
Mouse On Mars - Rost Pocks CD/LP [singles/rarities collection] (Too Pure, UK)
Odd Toot - Mental Money CD/LP (Hydrogen Dukebox, UK)
Patric C - Hitler 2000 CD/LP (DHR, UK)
Luke Vibert - '95 to '99 (Analord) 12" (Planet ?, UK)
TUESDAY
Judgement of Paris - Conversion CD & Signals CD (Projekt/Relic, US)
Amon Tobin - Supermodified CD/LP (Ninja Tune, UK/Canada/US)
WEDNESDAY
Underworld - 8-Ball CD (V2, 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.
REPORT
WIRE
I've read so many bad things about them live from friends and anonymous email list members, etc,... , but I must say this: If you go to a Wire show and are not singing along with every single word of every single song, you probably will not get it. People who show up expecting to see anything other than a rock show are the ones most likely coming back disappointed. I've been listening to Wire for approximately a decade and a half and have wanted to see them live for that long. I saw the show in Boston last night and felt like that excited teenager all over again, that same teenager who drove 2 hours to see Wire only to find they cancelled the tour and I was stuck with a ticket for Erasure.
The band's plane was late coming in, the flight from Chicago they were supposed to be on was cancelled. They walked in the doors while the openers were playing, and without a sound check or anything, went right to the stage and banged out an assortment of classics from the 70s, 80s and one new track. Without dropping a note, without losing any feel or love of those awesome awesome songs.
Over the last 2 years I have seen in concert many bands from my youth I never had the chance and never thought I'd ever have the chance to see. Kraftwerk, Coil, even Bauhaus and now Wire.
I will be in the car on Monday, driving 3 1/2 hours to see it all over again in NYC. Fuck yeah! - Jon Whitney
REVIEWED
THE EXORCIST - 25TH ANNIV. ED. DVD
The 25th Anniversary DVD of "The Exorcist" is absolutely REQUIRED VIEWING for fans of the film, arguably one of the most perfect movies ever made. The DVD features a 74-minute documentary called "The Fear of God: The Making of the Exorcist" which is thoroughly researched and very well produced. "The Fear of God" includes fascinating commentary by "Exorcist" director William Friedkin, who looks and sounds like a major asshole, but hey: if it wasn't for him, the film would have definitely sucked cocks in hell. There's also some extremely interesting commentary by the author of the novel, William Peter Blatty, who also wrote the screenplay. It's clear that Friedkin and Blatty had very different ideas about how the film should have ended: Blatty wanted a more "positive" or "hopeful" ending; the DVD shows the abysmally cheerful ending which Friedkin left on the editing room floor (believe me: Friedkin made the RIGHT call). The documentary gives new interviews with all your favorite stars of the film (yes, Ellen Burstyn, Max Von Sydow, and Linda Blair), plus crew members and special effects team members. There are 8 completely amazing trailers for "The Exorcist" that were shown in theaters and 6 TV ads. The format of the DVD is widescreen anamorphic which is nice. My only criticism, and it's a small one, is that the narrator of the documentary is somewhat annoying: I think they should have used someone more scholarly or authoritative who could have added an air of reverence that the film so rightly deserves (like Anthony Hopkins?). Obviously, "The Exorcist" is a masterpiece on so many levels: the harsh juxtapositions between brightness and darkness, antiquity and modernity, the Old World and the New World, pin-drop silences followed by violent sounds at blisteringly loud levels... all of these were meticulously crafted by the director to explore and illuminate the invisible line between "good" and "evil." I'm probably preaching to the converted here, but for good measure I should mention that I don't even have a DVD player -- or a TV -- and I just bought a copy of "The Exorcist: 25th Anniversary DVD" -- a bargain at $17.49. - Michael Laird
"WEIRD AL" RESPONDS TO NAPSTER
I have very mixed feelings about it. On one hand, I'm concerned that the rampant downloading of my copyright-protected material over the Internet is severely eating into my album sales and having a decidedly adverse effect on my career. On the other hand, I can get all the Metallica songs I want for FREE! WOW!!!!! - "Weird Al" Yankovic
OF THE
WEEK
STINKYMEAT
Yet another online journal, www.stinkymeat.net is now chronicling meat being left out in the open to see what becomes of it... We wish them luck.
Subject: High Fidelity
Just wondering why you chose to post such an uniformed movie review for "High Fidelity". Everyone is entitled to have their own opinion but people who don't know what their talking about shouldn't be published. The reviewer, who appears to be British seemed to have no clue that the movie was taken from a book by Nick Hronby, one of the most popular modern British authors, and ridicules the writer of the "script".
Now if the writer of this review had read this book, he may have realized that it too focuses on the relationships of the record store owner. In fact the whole purpose in the case of the movie and the book was to show how music can color one's emotions, especially when love and relationships are involved. I think the concept is brilliant. To go to this movie expecting it to be about what its like to work in a record store or to be a DJ is missing the point.
Lets also consider that the movie was reset in Chicago instead of London. I grew up in Chicago and I find the new setting to fit the story perfectly. In addition, the locations were very authentic to the Chicago scene, but thats to be expected considering that John Cusack is also a Chicago native.
If the reviewer of "High Fidelity" had taken the time to examine the movie for longer than the hour he spent sleeping in the theatre he might have put together a more educated review. Instead all he did was use it to make fun of Americans. It seems like most of your reviews seem to be well though out and well researched. I'm curious how you let this one fall through the cracks.
It was posted because it was a well-written and entertaining review. Whether or not the editors of The Brain agree with his viewpoint is a completely different story. The wonderful thing about opinion is that it is only opinion! The joke about things like this is that we'll always get people like you to defend something you like. You can't defend taste - you like something or you don't like it. For the record, Peter Choyce is a US Citizen.
Subject: Coil in Spain?
Looks like the sonar.es site was updated today, the program indicates Coil will be playing on June 17th. Can you confirm the validity of this? Thanks.
Looks pretty valid from here...
Subject: Lard who is in your CD player?
Hey! As I was perusing your pages, I happened upon the "Musick to Play..."(cute reference) section of your brain page. I see you have a little Lard thing called "70's Rock Must Die"...what the hell is it? I've not come accross this before, and when I try to do a search for all that is Jello, I come up with either porn (no surprise) or women's hygiene.(surprise)
Would you be so kind as to illuminate me as to what that is? New, old, vaulted? Just hadn't heard of it prior to your mention of it.
O.K. Thanks!
A spectator, never a fan(atic).
Every week there's a different title for The Brain - as well as Brainwashed has a different company theme. Somehow I'm left wonderng if this really answered your question.
Subject: LPD Midi Files
are there any midi-files available from lpd?
thank you very much
The only ones we'd have would be on the website.
Subject: whas amorkisphord
i had a dog but it died thanx to you
it was my karma that ran over your dogma
Subject: the poo-poo song by NWW
I like the NWW website. Longtime fan of NWW here. Is there anyway I can get the compilation or the album that contains the poo-poo song on it besides the little clip of it on sylvie and babs?
It's on the Various Artists comp, "Ohren Schrauben" which is relatively easy to find, and still in print most likely.
Subject: Gloria
Hi! I have come across an mp3 of a song titled "gloria", which was credited to Tortoise. I haven't found this song in any of the discographies i've found. Not in the brainwashed one either... But i thought I'd try some social engineering. Have you heard of it? Or heard it, it's a beatiful little vocoded electropop piece. And it doesn't say "tortoise" like most of their stuff. So if it's mistakenly attributed to tortoise, I'd really like to know who recorded it...
Funny thing is I think I've heard this before. I'm pretty sure (if memory serves me right) they do this live every now and again and this might be indeed a live bootleg or something similar...
Subject: hey!
my emails are not brainwashed brain feedback fodder, you brat!
Bitch! I kept you anonymous. And still do...
YOUR CD
PLAYER?
A Silver Mt. Zion- He Has Left Us Alone,...
Coil- Queens of the Circulating Library
Coh- Vox Tinnitus
James Plotkin- The Joy of Disease
Etant Donnes- Offenbarung Und Untergang
Jim O'Rourke- Happy Days
Philospher's Stone- Preperation
- J.P.C., California, who didn't realize that in a recent interview, godspeed you black emperor! have informed the world that there will be no apocalypse after all.
Brainwashed Mothers Day Cards
PO Box 7
Arlington MA 02476
USA