This follow-up to 2008’s beloved Shadow Music of Thailand ambitiously expands the scope of its predecessor to cover three decades of Thai pop in Sublime Frequencies’ characteristically non-comprehensive and freewheeling fashion. As expected, the result is yet another exotic, raucously fun, and thoroughly kitschy classic.
Hotter than July. This week's episode has plenty of fresh new music by Marie Davidson, Kim Gordon, Mabe Fratti, Guided By Voices, Holy Tongue meets Shackleton, Softcult, Terence Fixmer, Alan Licht, pigbaby, and Eiko Ishibashi, plus some vault goodies from Bombay S Jayashri and Pete Namlook & Richie Hawtin. Solstice moon in West Midlands, UK photo by James. Get involved: subscribe, review, rate, share with your friends, send images!
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The far off screaming of a tortured mass inaugurates Nightmares' 7" EP, sending a chilly wave of numbing synthesizer noise out into the world. Jonathan Canaday, David Reed, and Mark Solotroff's work together is as severe and indomitable as the product of their solo productions might suggest. Though not as frightening as their namesake implies, Nightmares' noise is oppressive and dense and more than a little uncomfortable.
Although specified as a double EP, this release is more of an album split into two distinctly different sets, each of which showcase a specific element of Clare Adrienne Cameron Hubbard’s sound. The first set of tracks are sparse acoustic and vocal pieces that have a more intimate sound while the second adds in a significant amount of digital textures and processing to give an entirely different character. While both differ, there is a consistent intimacy that pervades both sets.
Possibly deemed too weird to exist upon its original release in the late 1970s, this mysterious LP has been given a second chance in a more modern world with this limited release, surely motivated by Julian Cope’s outspoken love of it. Some 30 years later, this CD issue is still a difficult prospect, combining early krautrock experimentations, brain-damaging blues forays, and a healthy dose of surrealistic psychedelia.
The irascible and idiosyncratic Michael Hurley has left an alternately memorable and inconsistent wake of releases behind him in his 40+ years of toiling in folk music's lunatic fringe, but he seems to be in the midst of a creative renaissance as of late. This eclectic, lived-in batch of songs is nothing revelatory, but oozes with shambling, offbeat charisma nonetheless.
Isis are undeniably one of the most popular hard rock independent label bands in the business while Aereogramme deserve to be right up there with them, headlining mega shows with the same numbers. Both have soft and loud moments, both Aaron Turner and Craig B can coo like a dove and scream like Satan's spawn, but, even as this is one of the best In the Fishtank releases, I'm skeptical if it will gain new fans for either entity.
Despite being a duo, Hototogisu have always had the vibe of a recluse within their music. There’s always been a distance and privacy in their sound since Matthew Bower (Skullflower / Sunroof!) and Marcia Bassett (Double Leopards / Zaimph) first teamed up a few records into Hototogisu’s discography. Within the morass of sounds there’s always been a huge human element, but it’s never been a consciously communicative voice. Hototogisu have always been unique in the field of drone rock, pushing competition into either straight up plagiarism or shunting them into reinvention.
The latest release in an impressive line of ‘Merz’ titled releases onImportant may prove to be Merzbow’s most easily enjoyable and finestbeat related work to date. Masami Akita continues to fight thegood fight on behalf of the animal kingdom though his arsenal of noise,static, fury and a trusty drum machine.
Deerhoof have always done an admirable job of spanning the wide gulfbetween pure pop and pure noise. The most recent release from the San Franciscoquartet is their strongest synthesis of noise and pop yet.
Thisguy who seems to care about the welfare of animals and suffers from asevere case of misanthropy has me entranced. Masami Akita'spredisposition to releasing animal-related albums has spawned yetanother record that has perhaps no sonic relation to its title or PETAsponsorship.
