Brainwashed Radio: The Podcast Edition

Cow in Maui from Veronika in Vienna

Two new shows just for you.

We have squeezed out two extended release episodes for this weekend to get you through this week. They contain mostly new songs but there's also new issues from the vaults.

The first show features music from Rider/Horse, Mint Field, Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe, Anastasia Coope, ISAN, Stone Music, La Securite, Bark Psychosis, Jon Rose, Master Wilburn Burchette, Umberto, Wand, Tim Koh, Sun An, and Memory Drawings.

The second episode has music by Laibach, Melt-Banana, Chuck Johnson, X, K. Yoshimatsu, Dorothy Carter, Pavel Milyakov, Violence Gratuite, Mark Templeton, Dummy, Endon, body / negative, Midwife, Alberto Boccardi, Divine.

Cow in Maui from Veronika in Vienna.

Get involved: subscribe, review, rate, share with your friends, send images!

Amazon PodcastsApple PodcastsBreakerCastboxGoogle PodcastsOvercastListen on PocketCastsListen on PodbeanListen on Podcast AddictListen on PodchaserTuneInXML


MARK EITZEL (Dallas, Austin)

You never really know what to expect at an Eitzel show. It could be a religious experience or quickly deteriorate into self deprecation, or a bit of both depending upon Mark's mood.
Fortunately for these two shows, Mark was affable and tolerated himself and annoying audience members, for the most part. Mark is backed by a 3 piece band on this tour: Kristin Sobditch - keyboards and occasional bass guitar, Brian Gregory - bass guitar, guitar, pedal steel guitar and backing vocals and Andrew Clark - beats, electronics and mixing.
The sets drew mostly from the latest CD, "The Invisible Man", plus some American Music Club classics and two yet to be released new songs. Songs I'm sure were played at both shows: "The Boy With the Hammer", "Can You See?", "Sleep", "To The Sea", "Shine", "Steve, I Always Knew", "Bitterness", "Anything", "The Global Sweep of Human History" (nice drone finale), "Seeing Eye Dog", "Proclaim Your Joy" (very rocking, with customized anti-George Bush lyrics in Austin), "Greeting Cards" (new) and "Soap Opera Star" (new, solo). The band leaves stage during the solo songs where Mark plays with electric guitar. In Dallas the solo AMC songs were "Last Harbor", "Western Sky" and "Blue and Grey Shirt". I can't recall what they were in Austin, but it was only 1 or 2, plus "I've Been a Mess" (on acoustic guitar) at the very end. They played between an hour and hour and a half total.
Mark really gave his all vocally, moreso than on "The Invisible Man", and is quite animated while playing. Not to disrespect the band as they were solid and sounded great, but it's when Mark plays solo that I'm totally enthralled. He completely loses himself in the songs (the only other person I've seen like that live is Michael Gira of SWANS/The Angels of Light). He closes his eyes and tends to wander back away from the mic during instrumental sections and will begin singing again oblivious that he's off mic. But it doesn't matter because the audience is perfectly silent, entranced. I think he came close to crying during "Last Harbor" in Dallas. I felt all tingly during most of "Soap Opera Star". Just stunning. It must be difficult to draw upon that much emotion night after night. Surpringly, Mark announced on stage that he'd be selling CDs after the show. There were 2 for $10 apiece: "Eitzelsuperhitsinternational tour CD" (unreleased studio demos from 1999) and "Mark Eitzel - Live on WMFU NYC Solo/Acoustic 4/16/01", both of which will be available on an Eitzel web site after the tour.

THE YOUNG GODS

After taking several years off from the road - except for the occasional performance in their home country of Switzerland, or nearby France - The Young Gods returned to European stages to do a short tour. I went to see them on their stop in Hamburg.
The concert was poorly promoted, the only poster announcing the show was put up in front of the venue while we were waiting to be let in. Regardless of that, quite a few people showed up, I would say about 150 to 200 give or take a few. This was a good amount of people for the size of the venue, it wasn't too crowded, but neither too empty.
When listening to The Young Gods' music, they may at first sound like your typical Industro-Metal band, with distorted guitars and everything. The bigger is the surprise when you see them live, and the only guitar used on stage is an acoustic one used to generate some feedback. Everything else is sampled and put to good use by keyboard player Al Comet. Add a drummer and singer Franz Treichler with his irresistible french accent, and you end up with The Young Gods.
I kind of pity the people who live next to or above the venue, the Westwerk. The amount of volume and noise The Young Gods put up on stage for the next 90 minutes was just insane. One of the loudest concerts I've ever been to. You wouldn't think that three guys can pull off noise like that and enjoy it. Apparently they do, as you could see that they were having an excellent time up there on stage.
During the show, the emphasis was on their current release "Second Nature". They played most of the songs from that album, mixed with some old classics. The slower songs like "In The Otherland" or "Laisser Couler" definitely benefited from the intimacy of the small venue. I can't imagine these songs would come across that well when being played in a big concert hall. Highlights of the concert were "Skinflowers", the stomping "Astronomic" and "Kissing The Sun". The performance was well received by the audience, so the band had to come back on stage twice before the lights finally went on. The show ended with one of the Kurt Weill cover tunes they do so well, which put a nice end to a fantastic show. Make sure you catch them live if they ever play a show near you.

ADD N TO (X)

I might dog them on their recorded releases, but boy can these guys put on a great show. It's seemingly a simple formula - three folks with analogue synths and an occasional bass plus a live drummer. The feel however is far more punk rock than they have ever expressed on any record. Sure they play all the hits and new songs, but they also end the night with a cover of the Stooges, "I Wanna Be Your Dog." It's furious, sexual and powerful, and don't miss them if they're in your town.

CHRIS CONNELLY AND THE BELLS

This was the sixth time I've seen Connelly solo. There wasn't anything particularly exceptional about the show - just me, one of my favorite singer/songwriters of all time and 3 or 4 dozen others in the same room - which for me is exceptional in and of itself. Chris and company were in great spirits, Chris telling a few short stories inbetween songs and thanking people. This was the stripped down, road version of the band with Chris on acoustic/electric guitar and vocals, Henry Polk on electric bass and MaryDee Reynolds on electric and acoustic guitars and backing vocals. And Chris' old drum machine. They played 10:30 to 11:30.

The set covered over a decade and five albums:

    Heartburn, Diamonds Eat Diamonds, The Early Nighters, Blonde Exodus, Ghost of a Saint, Twilight Shiner, Model Murmur, London Fields, Blonde Exodus II
All of them were faithful to the original/studio versions with the exception of "Ghost of a Saint" which had a new musical backing and slower, almost bluesier feel. The band played and sounded great, but Chris seemed to struggle a bit vocally on a few songs. The female backing vocals are a welcome addition live. Henry is always solid. Chris had a cool liquid-y effect on his guitar for a few songs. The merchandise table was wells stocked, most importantly with the limited (100 copies) "Confessions of the Highest Bidder" spoken word CD which will be available soon from chrisconnelly.com .

Bonnie Billy, "More Revery"

Will Oldham is an odd fellow, and a bit of an overrated one, if you ask me. He's the musical equivalent of Miramax: releases a bunch of product, hopes that one connects with an audience, but if it doesn't, so be it. At least Oldham has some artistic integrity, though, as he's displayed in the past. And you'd know it from "More Revery."

Continue reading

Chicago Underground Quartet

This self titled release is the first official Chicago Underground as a quartet, although Tortoise/Isotope 217 guitarist Jeff Parker has appeared on previous trio discs including last year's 'Flamethrower' as the fourth member within what was described as shifting trios within the quartet.

Continue reading

MICHAEL GIRA, "UNTITLED (ACOUSTIC/SOLO CD)"

At the heart of much of Michael Gira's songs with SWANS and The Angelsof Light is the bare essence of Gira, simply the voice and guitar. Onthis Young God Records web site exclusive, that's about all you get.Recorded alone at home, often as they were written, the 13 songs arenew save for 2 SWANS reworkings ("Love Will Save You", "Remember WhoYou Are"), a fully orchestrated studio leftover from the first Angel'salbum sessions ("God's Servant", previously released on the "PraiseYour Name" 7") and a live performance at Tonic NYC ("Irish Queen").Gira unabashedly intones to the basic, often quiet, accompaniment ofhis acoustic guitar plucks and strums. The sound is, somewhatsurprisingly, full, rich and complete. But then again, it's not asurprise if you've ever heard or seen Gira perform solo as I have, hisemotional involvement with each song transcending the need forinstrumental adornment. Simple and simply perfect. Lyrically Gira drawsupon many of his trademark subjects: love, longing, loss, sex, betrayaland bitterness, as well as the influence of artists and authors(Madison Smartt Bell, Paul Theraux). The disc is signed and comes in aheavy vinyl folder with lyric sheet and self portrait cover assembledby Gira for $17. Gira will headline the opening night of the NeurotSound Series: Beyond The Pale August 16th in San Francisco and anAngels of Light tour will likely take place in September.

 

samples:


VERT, "MOREMOOSEICFORME"

No, your stereo speakers did not just get thrown into a pool of water.Your CD-player is not being soaked in a pit of acid. You're justlistening to Vert, the newest to join the gang on Mouse On Mars' Germanlabel, Sonig. This four-song EP, available exclusively on vinyl, pushesthe envelope of far-out space-rhythms in a manner similar to MoM'sstyle circa Niun Niggung to the point where it sounds as if they mayhave borrowed each others' sample bag. Aside from the overlap in sound,it is truly enjoyable in that there is not much else that can only bedescribed zany dance dub or country-western Atari-esque samba music.The reverb is way up, the grooves are kickin with an extra pep, and yetthere is a nice primitive feel to this music that is so completelydrenched in digital. They recently toured with Mouse on Mars andTortoise, so if you for some reason missed that show and it seems thatmelting beebop is your cup of tea, I'd recommend this. What is Vert?

 

lightning bolt, "ride the skies"

Following in a long, long line of angry young men who like to bang onthings, Lightning Bolt take noise-rock into new territory. Where theBoredoms look back to Sonic Youth and Television, Lightning Bolt havetaken on Kraut Rock and No Wave in their sound. The band, a duo, ismade up of drummer/vocalist Brian Chippendale and bassist Brian Gibson.On "Ride the Skies," their sophomore effort, they have attempted forthe first time to capture the powerful essence of their live sound,adding much improvisation and ending several songs with wild walls ofsound. "Forcefield" opens the album with a four-minute frenzy ofdistortion and drum fills. The only somewhat intelligible vocals on thealbum appear on "13 Monsters," which opens with a wild tribal rhythmthat leads into bass arpeggio by Gibson that sounds like it would be athome on the first Suicide album. With "The Faire Folk," the band showstheir softer side by combining a Michael Rother-influenced disco groovewith a light bass harmony and hummed vocals. The highlight of thealbum, though, is "Wee Ones Parade" (which should be titled "DuelingDolphins") which opens with a short introduction featuring Gibsonplaying against.. himself, but shortly breaks into the most aggressivepiece of music on the record. As a whole, the album is very cohesiveand manages to maintain a live feel without losing sound quality. Fansof Ruins and Crash Worship alike should check this one out.

 

samples:


The Pilot Ships, "The Limits of Painting and Poetry"

To anyone who wants to give Radiohead's "Amnesiac" the prize for mostdisparate, disconnected release of the century: "The Limits of Paintingand Poetry" has it by a longshot. This, the second release by The PilotShips, follows their brilliant 1997 debut album. It's familiarterritory for the Ships, as nothing here is really very shocking from asonic palette perspective. What's interesting is the variation of songstructure and instrumentation. It's as though, at times, the Shipscannot decide what kind of music they want to make. Piano starts thesong, but then it's interrupted by processed and delayed guitar. Andwhat is that buzzing, exactly? "The Limits..." is an amazing release,however, as each song, as disconnected as it is from every other on theCD, is a full and complete listening experience. For the most part it'scinematic in tone -- this release could easily be the soundtrack to afine movie about the dissolution of human relationships or the decay ofthe land around us -- and the combination of unrelated sounds is a joyto minnow through and pick apart. Listening to this release onheadphones is a special treat. A song like "Knotted," for instance, hasso many sounds present that when one appears, randomly, and is thennever heard again, you have to rewind the track and make sure it wasn'ta noise outside your window or in your room. Then the static fadesdirectly in to "Sides," the next track, but it's changed, somehow. Afascinating listen, and no one who hears it can honestly justify whyit's taken this long to release.

 

samples: