12 January 2010

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Albums and Singles

As some of you may know, Jack Rose suffered a fatal heart attack on Saturday, December 5th 2009, and passed away at the very young age of 38.  He was an incredible guitar player, a contemporary legend, a warm spirit, and dear friend.  So it is with great sadness that I offer to you his last record, "Luck In The Valley", for consideration in the coming months...  We are still without words...

"Luck In The Valley" is set for release on February 23rd.

A native of Virginia and resident of Philadelphia since 1998, Jack Rose first rose to prominence with the drone/noise/folk unit, Pelt.  Pelt can be counted among the early influential new music underground bands such as UN, No Neck Blues Band, Charalambides, Tower Recordings and Six Organs of Admittance.  Rose recorded and toured with the band up until 2006.  Rose released his first solo LP in 2002, "Red Horse, White Mule", of post-Takoma, American primitive guitar.  Along with the influences of John Fahey and Robbie Basho, Rose also incorporated North Indian classical, early American blues, bluegrass and minimalism into his singular style.  2005 saw the release of his fourth LP, "Kensington Blues", which incorporated all of the aforementioned influences and his playing/composing fully flowered.  That LP is now considered a classic of contemporary guitar music.

In 2008 and 2009 Rose released "Dr. Ragtime and Pals" and "Jack Rose and the Black Twig Pickers" respectively.  Those recordings featured many additional players like Glenn Jones, Micah Smaldone, Harmonica Dan and the Black Twig Pickers.  The songs drew heavily on pre-war influences, either written by Rose or were his arrangements of early American classics.  "Luck in the Valley" will be the third album in this set of recordings that Rose jokingly refers to as his "Ditch Trilogy".  Rose continues his exploration of pre-war American music with a set brand new material featuring the Twigs, Jones, Harmonica Dan and Hans Chew along with a handful of solo pieces.  This recording set out to capture the energy and feel of the classic three-track shack recordings by the Wray Brothers and Mordicai Jones.  "Luck In The Valley" was written and recorded over a period of nine months off the road, an unusually long time for Rose to be at home and woodshedding.  The album finds Ro
 se employing new themes and techniques that haven't appeared on previous releases.

Like all pre-war recordings and all of Rose's releases, this album was recorded live.  It was not created using overdubs but rather by recording a few "takes" and selecting the best performance out of those.  Rose stated, "I wanted the songs to have an immediacy and spontaneity as they were being recorded.  All the musicians chosen for the record know how to play the songs without overworking the material, but at the same time creating memorable accompaniments on the spot."   Several of the songs are in fact the first takes like “Blues for Percy Danforth”, “Lick Mountain Ramble” and "Woodpiles on the Side of the Road".   Also Included in the set are three covers:  “St. Louis Blues”, “Everybody Ought to Pray Sometime” and “West Coast Blues”.  All of these pre-war classics are Rose’s unique arrangements.

The album title refers to the old red light section of St. Louis and was a code for procuring the services of a prostitute.  Says Rose "I read about it on some liner notes to a reissue of pre-war St. Louis recordings and I liked the ring of it."  An avid record collector with an encyclopedic knowledge of pre-war American music, Rose has been acknowledged as a rising star among contemporary guitar players.   "Luck in the Valley"  finds Rose at his best surrounded by like-minded friends on a recording that is enriched by a sense of history but entirely new, vibrant and warm.

12 January 2010

Administrator

Albums and Singles

Telefon Tel Aviv “Immolate Yourself” (BPC207)

The waiting is finally over! After all the ups and downs of the past year, we can happily report that Joshua Eustis now firmly intends to continue Telefon Tel Aviv as a solo project. In order to mark his decision with a bang, the wonderful title track ‘Immolate Yourself’ is being released as the second single from the current LP. The song has been entrusted to highly acclaimed and diverse remix artists who have skilfully stripped down the epic album track to more club-friendly formats.

The A side is delivered by label-mate Thomas Muller, whose finely detailed techno soundscapes can now be enjoyed on five BPC 12" releases. His ‘Immolate Yourself’ remix takes a much more direct approach. He reduces the lush arrangement of the original to a powerful basic framework, leaves out the vocals almost entirely, and creates a surprise when the track crumbles into sonic chaos towards the end.

Miss Fitz aka Maayan Nidam has had singles released on labels including Raum Musik and Freak n' Chic, and these have been remixed by renowned artists such as Ricardo Villalobos. Her version of ‘Immolate Yourself’ also makes a clear break from the album track and serves up her very own brand of abstract, dancefloor-friendly house. Once again, all the opulence of the original is thrown overboard; a dry beat is placed at the centre of the arrangement and enriched with sinuous vocals.

Ben Klock needs no further introduction – he is the epitome of the bleak, hard minimal sound. His album ‘One’ is currently available on Ostgut Ton, and as a remixer he has earned the highest acclaim for his version of Depeche Mode’s ‘Peace’. Ben’s ‘Jack Mix’ is fittingly titled and lives up to all the expectations of the name. The track is stripped back to a resounding, hammer-like beat framework – minimised for maximum effect.

BPitch legend Sascha Funke delivers a surprise with another astoundingly reduced remix, at least by his standards. He turns away from the melodic richness of his current album ‘Mango’ in favour of repetitive fragments and an extended arc of tension which will surely make his ‘Immolate Yourself’ remix a massive after-hour hit.

TRACKLISTING:
A) Immolate Yourself (Thomas Muller Burning Man Remix)
B1) Immolate Yourself (Miss Fitz Remix)
B2) Immolate Yourself (Ben Klock's Jack Remix)
Immolate Yourself (Sascha Funke Digital Bonus)

ARTIST: Telefon Tel Aviv
TITLE: Immolate Yourself
RELEASE: 11.01.2010
FORMAT: 12” / Digital
CAT NR.: BPC207
EAN: 880319447716
LC: 11753

distributed by Kompakt / Finetunes

12 January 2010

Administrator

Albums and Singles

12 January 2010

Administrator

Albums and Singles

This is a terrific reissue of pieces Spiegel created at Bell Laboratories between 1974-77 when computers were as big as fridge-freezers. Included with her landmark 1980 LP are 15 superb additions, including the entire Appalachian Grove series and "Kepler's Harmony of the Worlds," her contribution to the golden record launched aboard the Voyager spacecraft.

Unseen Worlds

The Expanding Universe is a pioneering work in the fields of music composition and computer programing. Just as important, from the musical perspective, it is infused with an obvious appreciation of John Fahey's radical guitar instrumentals, in particular, and J.S. Bach. It was processed with the Generating realtime operations on voltage-controlled equipment (Groove) hybrid system developed by Max Matthews and F.R. Moore at Bell labs. Spiegel was fascinated with analog synthesizers in the late 1960s and already had a degree in music composition when she began trying to combat some creative frustrations inherent in the limitations of technology. On a basic level these included lack of memory, the rules of logic, and the degree of spontaneous interaction between human and computer. In video interviews Spiegel comes across like an exceptionally charming astronaut: super sharp, humble, expressive, and excited by exploration and expression. Her explanations are clear and intelligent to the point of being seductive.

In this same period Laurie Spiegel also created one of the first paint programs as later she designed "Music Mouse - An Intelligent Instrument" for Apple, Amiga, and Atari computers. Her apparent disillusionment with the focus on product over research and experiment put her off the electronic-computer music "scene" and she supported herself by programming and teaching mainly, although her music has been used in movies and television. She reminds us that computers were envisaged as labor-saving devices and in a musical application this allowed for easy repetition of melody and rhythm and for the composer's intentions to be amplified and increased beyond their imagining.

In terms of how The Expanding Universe was created, Spiegel refers to a "synergistic oscillation" between what the technology suggests to the artist and the original creative need or vision the artist brings to the technology. She insists that this principle is no different than writing for an instrument such as violin or a drum. Back in the lab, the move from analog to early digital systems, with stepwise incremental capability, eventually allowed Spiegel "freedom to define any world you wanted, and work within it." My description of her video interviews applies equally to her music: very clear and intelligent, with a humble yet profound spirit, where nothing is disguised or exaggerated for gimmick. These pieces retain a revolutionary freshness and an honesty of which Fahey would be proud. They also reflect an appreciation for nature and Spiegel's ability to play banjo and lute.

The limited edition LP on transparent vinyl is likely to become a collectors item. "Folk Study" is added to the original tracklist of "Patchwork," "Old Wave," and "Pentachrome," on side A. "The Expanding Universe" is on side B. It comes with download codes for the whole 19 track CD set. Both include a 24 page booklet featuring Laurie Spiegel's notes and period photographs. This is a sensational release.

12 January 2010

Albums and Singles

This is a terrific reissue of pieces Spiegel created at Bell Laboratories between 1974-77 when computers were as big as fridge-freezers. Included with her landmark 1980 LP are 15 superb additions, including the entire Appalachian Grove series and "Kepler's Harmony of the Worlds," her contribution to the golden record launched aboard the Voyager spacecraft.

Read more …

12 January 2010

Albums and Singles

12 January 2010

Albums and Singles

12 January 2010

Administrator

Albums and Singles

Paul Dickow has reinvented himself. His newest release as Strategy is a huge surprise and an even bigger statement. It comes out left field on the fledgling Peak Oil label four years after the last Strategy full-length. A series of 12" records released in the last year by Under the Spire, Endless Flight, and 100% Silk are its closest brethren, but none of them sound anything like this. Paul’s rhythms are bolder and his melodies sharper this time around. Lyrics are featured prominently throughout and the atmospherics that once defined his sound have been toned down in favor of tighter instrumental performances and punchier songs. Coming along with the new sound is a gaggle of new collaborators, including Thomas Meluch (Benoît Pioulard), members of the Evolutionary Jass Band, and Scott Ryser of Units.

Peak Oil

"Sugar Drop" is the first song on the first new Strategy album in four years. As far as I can tell, it signals the death of the old Strategy and the start of something new. It begins with a familiar but hollowed out sample from "I Have to Do This Thing," then quickly cuts away to a stomping rhythm and Paul singing "I’ve got a sweet tooth." But, the vocal bit isn't a sample. It isn't repeated or blended into a haze of effects. Instead, Dickow continues with verses and a refrain, a keyboard solo, and a band-oriented sound that gives equal space to all the instruments. "Objects of Desire" continues down the same path, with strong, funky rhythms, vocals pushed to the fore, and a brighter overall sound that favors instrumental separation to fuzzy atmospherics. Had I not recognized the opening sample as a Strategy sample, I might have checked to see if the right album was playing.

Dickow’s writing is also more concise this time around. Side A gives us four songs in just 17 minutes, only one without vocals. That terseness lends the first side lots of momentum, which culminates in the manic pulse of "Baby Fever." Horns, fluttering synthesizers, and a thumping rhythm section all dance together before boiling over into a sax solo that absolutely explodes from the horn. The lyrics in this song's first half sound a bit of a mismatched to me, but by the time the sax is done wailing, the vocals have ceased to matter.

It's a barn-burning side-ender that segues naturally into side B’s first song, "Friends and Machines," which utilizes the same horn and rhythm combo found at the end of "Baby Fever." This time around, the combo anchors an instrumental jam that’s lead by a staccato guitar part and a bubbling assortment of hand drums. Cooler sounds and a more relaxed vibe permeate this song—and the whole second side—but cooler does not mean duller. Dickow continuously adds layers and new elements to this song, building tension and then releasing it through his use of texture and color.

The album ends with "Saturn’s Day" and "Dilemmas," two slow-burning numbers that effectively open the parachute and bring the album slowly back to the ground. Both remind me of Paul’s work with Nudge and Fontanelle, partly because they are even more band-oriented than the songs on the first side. There’s even a guitar solo on "Saturn’s Day." Heady and druggy sounding, they're more soaked in reverb and echo, too, and closer to Paul’s past efforts as Strategy. Maybe that’s an indication that he’s erasing the boundaries between his various projects and drawing them all together, becoming less encumbered in the process. Dickow’s writing may have become more concise and structured over the last four years, but somehow Strategy sounds looser and better than ever.

samples:

• Sugar Drop
• Objects of Desire
• Saturn's Day

 

12 January 2010

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Albums and Singles

Her first solo full length in over six years, this album leans more into Bailiff's electric guitar and lush atmospherics rather than the more stripped down folk sound. It has a distinctly current sound, but in a way that triggers memories of the best of early 1990s alternative rock, which was a formative time in my musical development. That’s not to say that Bailiff's more folk inclinations are gone, however: the hushed, spectral voice and the slow, acoustic lead "Your Ghost is Not Enough" calls to mind the earlier, more folk heavy work, even with its transition into a more electrified conclusion.

Kranky

A strong asset is Bailiff's penchant for balancing hypnotic repetition with sometimes drastic transitions.The slower, melancholy paced "Sanguine," for example, may have a restrained, sad opening, but slowly grows faster and more complex, while retaining the hypnotic vocals and sparse organ accompaniment.Towards its end, it builds to a swirling, psychedelic tinged work that rivals the best of Spacemen 3's forays into the genre.

The best moments are, for me, the ones where the sound takes a more drastic turn in one direction or another.For example, the light, spacious piano opening and angelic vocals that open "Goodnight," are stripped away by a noisy, dense guitar passage and a stiff, metronomic drum machine that, other than Bailiff's feather light voice and restrained volume levels, could be the makings of a very good doom metal song.

"Take Me To The Sun" and "Firefly" might not have as drastically different of a sound, but are comparably uptempo and catchy when compared to the more atmospheric, skeletal songs.The former is more hypnotic and spacey, and with the liberal use of reverb and drum machine is a bit reminiscent of the Jesus and Mary Chain’s Darklands. "Firefly" just stands on its own as a strong, beautiful piece of hypnotic, droney rock music that is less about unadulterated repetition, and includes some very nice guitar soloing.

Like my favorite moments of the Old Things compilation, a good portion of At the Down-Turned Jagged Rim of the Sky makes liberal use of electric guitar and drum machines, which I have always found a captivating combination, more so than straight forward folk music, which Bailiff also does quite well.However, the combination of delicate, fragile beauty (in the vocals and instrumentation) with occasionally raw, dissonant moments, works together undeniably well.Plus, this is exactly how an album should be:a suite of songs that flow perfectly into one another, yet each has its own unique feel, be it pensive ambience orcatchy pop songwriting.

samples:

• Your Ghost is Not Enough
• Goodnight
• Firefly

 

12 January 2010

Administrator

Albums and Singles

If the term spastic ever needed an audio equivalent, Survival Tricks would easily fit the bill. While it is rooted in an improvised rock context, bits of jazz, noise, and techno fly around like shards of broken glass in an album that is as equally abrasive as it is spectacular.

ugExplode/Public Eyesore

Unlike, say, the work of Torture Garden-era Naked City, this is not a work of surgical jump cuts and stop/start genre hopping precision, but something more in league with Boredoms' earliest (and best) works.This is immediately apparent on the rapid percussion and repetitive guitar scrapes of "Lend Some Treats," which quickly drops out in and out of snare rolls and bass guitar hits, occasionally settling into some sort of vaguely funk groove.

When the band settles into a more stable mood, such as the scatter-shot but propulsive "Grimy Super Soaker," it almost starts to resemble an '80s synth band and their gear being pushed down the stairs during a recording session.However, for all its chaos and noise, there is an underlying song-like structure that keeps it engaging, rather than just being a random blast of sound.

The longer "I Heard You Could See Baltimore From There" does do a better job at staying in one place, at times settling into a more pop-like, though still highly unconventional structure.While it’s the closest thing to an understated track on here, that is not saying much.

At times, this overly kinetic sound leans into grating, abrasive territories, such as the constant, repetitive scrape of "Electrolytes in the Brine" that simply goes on too long for such an abrasive approach.The following "A Throbbing Sphere" goes for similar repetition, but its shorter length and less trying sounds make it far more effective.

Normal Love is one of those bands that make description extremely difficult.They’re anything but subtle, and at times, the rapid pounding and crashing can be exhausting.The album as a whole is a bit of an endurance test, but in bite sized chunks, Survival Tricks is a great freakout in the vein of early no wave noise rock that is best absorbed in small doses.

samples:

• Lend Some Treats
• Grimy Super Soaker
• I Heard You Could See Baltimore From There