Before I jaunt off to Cleveland for the weekend, I should probably post one more Kraut classic. If you're into Amon Duul or Kalacakra then he's something else you're bound to enjoy because it is very much in keeping with that style. Bongos and bong rips encloud this album. And no snickering about Cleveland either. It's where I shared an important first kiss, it's home to a few Michael Simon restaurants, and it's often voted the most miserable city. So I always fit right in.
This'll sound like a lie, but it ain't. God's honest. My mom even told me so, and I have verified it with my own eyes. My dad is in a Kenny Chesney video. You can see him for a half a second or so, but he is there. And if your not familiar with that hick (I doubt my father is) think cowboy hats, songs about football, and general suckitude. He's a prime example of why country music currently rots. This doesn't sound anything like that. And this cover may beat out Come On Pilgrim in a hairy back battle. Sheesh...pass the nair.
On a more lighthearted note, I recently received my first blog related e-mail. And it was quite nice to hear from someone. Unfortunately, I couldn't locate a particular prog track he was searching for. So instead, here's this prog masterpiece. I bought a pretty beat up copy of this years ago for a dollar or so and instantly was a fan. Even though it's pretty organ heavy, I still class it pretty high on my prog list. 
Someone recently posted a comment that maybe I should tone down my hatred. I'm not trying to insult that person, because his/her comment is valid and was really in reference to a particular album. While there's definitely merit to this person's assertion, it's just something that I just can't do. Sorry. I'm too old, bitter, set in my ways to renounce my passion for resentment. Hence this album. I never said I was a nice person.
This one also seems to fit my mood as of late. And I can't believe I've been running this blog for this long and have yet to post any Coil. I'm must be slipping. So let's correct that mistake now. I dunno why, but I have this feeling that Radiohead really ripped this band off and will never admit it. Anyways, fuck them. They're overrated and boring. This, however, is essential.
Today I had to face a classroom full of blank stares and try to get them to talk about Sir Philip Sidney. That was followed by a class who refused to even answer yes/no questions. To combat this plague of apathy I decided to play this fun, little record. There's some talk that they were the first German punk band, but I can't tell you if this is true. I can tell you that it was includes a former member of Amon Duul II. And that'll seem pretty odd once you hear the direction taken here.
Here's another case of a band that I was sure I would definitely hate just based on the people I knew who liked them. For some reason, all of the people I knew that would yak my ears off about Roz Williams greatness had little else to talk about. So I figured they probably weren't the best people to listen to. But then something made me give them a chance and I quickly regretted having missed this band for so long. Just another example of me blowing it. Don't make the mistakes I've made. Download from me or you can always grab it at mtv's website (really, that's not a joke).
Even though this one has Hedayat backed by Gong it has remained fairly unknown. And Gong fans are an odd lot. I like the band plenty and typically dislike their over-obsessive fans. They almost always wear stained tee shirt of horrid, festival circuit, old man psych bands. Stringy, greasy hair is of course to be found. Sweatpants too. Anyways, most of those guys are going to dig this. And I've read that there's a William S. Burroughs connection too. So if you're in junior high school and going through your Beat phase, then this might interest you too.
Normally, I steer clear of organ driven, heavy psych. Don't know why. I love the organ (no smirking) but it just doesn't work for me in that context. Too extraneous, and too overwhelming. However, here is an example of how it actually can work. Yes, it's another fairly obscure Kraut band that release this lone platter. And again, this really avoids the pitfalls that often plagues the inflated krautrock market. Some pretty heavy shit. And if you're wondering diluvium is when a body of water is formed after a flood. Or at least that's what I remember it being. Thanks Earth Science.
Oh, look dear. His name is Snakefinger. And look, he's got a snake for a finger. How cute. Serpentor still has the belt for best human/snake hybrid creature, but Snakefinger's got him in a figure four leg lock and isn't giving up just yet. I mean the dude's got some serious cred. Paling around with the Residents, covering Kraftwerk, playing bad ass guitar all definitely qualify him as a contender. But I do not believe that he ever visited Cobra-La, so I guess he's never gonna win that battle. Go Joe.
Hmm...seems like lately I've been living my life by a pretty strange maxim: if it seems stupid, I should probably do it, and if it seems reasonable I'll soon find out that it was a stupid idea. And not posting this earlier is an egregious blunder. Looking through my mediafire account I realized that this was uploaded many months ago. Yet it took this long to finally post it. What a mistake, as this is something everyone should definitely have. When people want to argue the best psych record argument, club them over the head with this and they will certainly shut their ugly faces. Simon House (Hawkwind) and Tony Hill (the Misunderstood) do some serious mind bending with their respective violin/guitar mastery. God, thinking back on how awesome this is I'm feeling even dumber than when I started this write up.
Is it weird that it's a beautiful, cool night, I'm drinking a cold beer, and yet, I'm sitting here sweating my ass off? Dunno how that happens, but that feeling is reminding me of all those years getting my mind melted in the New Mexican desert. Had it existed when I lived out there, it probably would have been the perfect soundtrack. Like that last Conifer post, this one does a little genre bustin'. Metal, psych, New Age (?) and so many more sounds get the old blender toss and comes out not sucking. Huh, looking at this and the last post I'm starting to fear that this is look like an Aquarius list. Albeit one with much shittier write ups. Well, I aim to disappoint.
It's easy to love Illinois music, but my love lack geographic restrictions. So here's to...Maine. Vuh? say you. Well, yes music is being produced there too. And it's pretty darn good. These fellas combine the usual elements (psych, metal, indie rock, etc.) but still sound unique. A cursory listen to Surface Fire will show how you can listen to ZZ Top (love 'em) and Slint and still not really sound like either while kinda sounding like both at the same time. You following me there?
I've been informed that there's several readers from my home state of Illinois. For those goons, here's another album from the Land of Lincoln since I'm all nostalgic after having a long discussion with a stranger last night at a bar about Chicago. I'm sure plenty of you are familiar with the Poster Children. I like 'em just fine, though I think I'm a little biased heard them for so many years. But give me this side project instead please. Here' they drop the pop and go electro. But in that krautish way. Kinda like Can et. al. You can buy this for less than a buck, or you can grab it for free, you cheapskate.
Perhaps you're thinking I'm posting this because I'm superficial and I've got a thing for this cover. You're right on both of those. You may also think this gets upped because it comes Morrissey approved and I not so secretly want to cut my hair like his. Right once more. But aside from all those other reasons, this is just some fucking great pop. Ne Me Quite Pas has always been one of my favorite songs since high school French class, and her version will never top Brel (check out that weird clip of him on youtube where it looks like he's crying as he sings), but it's still worth owning. Don't worry Sandie, I'll always love you.
Yes, it's on Alan Licht's top ten minimal albums of all time. That's probably grounds for many of you to pick this up. Though you young'uns probably don't even know who Alan Licht is anyways (read here). Okay, so if yer young and need a hipster name to attach to this, Arthur Russell is involved and he's cool now, so there you go. But really, why discuss other people when Lauten is so great. Don't be scared off by the Opera title. This is true bliss.
Okay, I know it's a little cheap to post a comp, and typically I try to avoid them, but this is worth it. At least, I think so. So she's almost always written about as some sex puppet for Serge Gainsbourg, which is unfortunate. I'm not saying that guy wasn't pulling some arch manipulation, but to consider her only in that context diminishes how great she was. Maybe I'm wrong but I have a hard time thinking she was that way. But maybe I just don't want to believe that because I once had a crush on a girl who looked nearly identical to her.
Sometimes, not too often, but sometimes, I think that Alice beats out her hubby for some of the most beautiful out sound, higher key, spiritual soul soothers. Here, the High Priestess is joined by Ron Carter and Rashied Ali for one super stoopid cosmic jazz. The harp in jazz context almost always works for me. Here's no different. I think eventually she'll get her true props as a real pioneer that definitely was not just cashing in on her husband's legacy. But I suppose there'll always be the naysayers. Fuck them.
So here's an example of what should be found on those Halloween mixes we're all starting to prep for rather than doing the things in life that are of actual significance. Weird, homemade sounding proto-electronics paired with the decadence of Baudelaire's words makes for scary times for all. This is the type of things that weird out your party guests. And no one is going to be impressed that you have Reign in Blood. My mom has Reign in Blood. It's filed next to her James Taylor albums.
If for no other reason than they were just mentioned in my last post. Since the best holiday ever (no, I'm not talking about Felt hat day, dumbo) is soon approaching, this is mandatory. Crank this up and frighten all those little brats. And people, let's not just default with metal. Sure there's plenty of scary to be found there, but it just seems a little too obvious. Be creative when planing your Halloween mixes and go with something that really will give you the creeps. Oh yeah, rockabilly monster songs are also strictly forbidden.
I'm sure few will squawk about the fact that I didn't choose their early hardcore stuff. But you know what, even thought I still might own some shirts from when I was in junior high doesn't mean that I still have to act like I was back then. We grow up, become pathetic, like lousy things, wear terrible clothes, and then, well...But sometimes people grow up and actual do something of value. And I'll stand by this album all the way. At this point their expanded sound started to resemble something much more British and dark. More like Siouxie or Joy Division than Bad Brains. And that just shows sometimes you can grow up a little and not be completely ruined.
Proggers take note. Here's another classic one for you off the NWW list. As it is French, I suppose many of you will look towards Magma, Heldon, Univers Zero, and Art Zoyd. That's not a bad way of guess what this sounds like. Maybe a little more Canterbury at times, but definitely in league with all the aforementioned classics. I'm nursing one of those late summer/early fall colds that I love so much, and with the congestion and general lack of sleep, this seems like a befitting soundtrack to that moments where you feel so shitty it almost feels like you're high or something. 
Their first album, precociously title "We are Ever so Clean," is a goodun. I know Bob Pollard likes it. You probably like it too. But this is the one I choose. Not nearly as poppy as their opening salvo. Instead, Brian Godding & crew get almost Beefheartian on the opening track "Peace Loving Man." Not really my favorite title, but still a pretty fantastic song. In a time where most of the music I hear is this bullshit commercial (I mean on tv, not mainstream commercial) music that all seems to be song by the same woman--the one with that thin, reedy voice that makes the skin crawl--sometimes I just have to blast this and clean my brain.
Sunny, late summer days like these require songs of this sort. The combination of traditional Andean musics, psych, prog, and pop seem made to soundtrack days like this. This is probably one of the more popular Peruvian psych bands (and there was lots of good shit going on down there) and, I dunno, maybe they are my favorite. But even though I have a penchant for list making, I'm not going to get into that. Instead, I'm going to sit outside and enjoy a cup of tea in my new owl mug that was just gifted to me by my lady. Ah, today seems so much better than a few days ago when I got punched in the face.
You all have that Sand album, right? So then you already know how fucking amazing it is, and when I tell you this is what they became you'll be interested. Sand, though lumped in with the Krautrock crowd, didn't seem like patchouli stank hippies. They proved that to be the case when they reformed as this odd, electronic, post-punk, industrial, minimal synth anomaly. I was completely surprised by this the first time I gave it a listen. Das ist gut.
You already know about this one, huh? Well then, be my guest and you write the review...mad libs style:
If the dreamer undertakes the process of tanning leather then it is likely that he will soon embark on a journey to an exotic locale. This journey will prove pivotal in the professional life of the dreamer as an offer likely will be tendered that may or may not lead to great financial gains. If the dreamer is wearing leather he may soon make unexpected lifestyle changes. He may question his sexual orientation, grow a horrendous goatee, or appear in a commercial for a cellular phone. One thing is certain about these dreams, they never portend any sexual advancements from females. 
I've recently seen that several profiteers believe that they can dupe people into paying nearly $200 for a measly cd version of this album. Since I'm always up for spoiling other people's fun, I say download it and let those assholes find someone else to snooker. Collector scum be damned. This is one you can place on the shelf next to Comus and Jan Dukes de Grey. At least, I guess you could if you didn't arrange your records alphabetically and had some pretty odd filing methodology. It's not as dear to me as those two majestic works, but the comparison might lead a few of you to give it a chance, and I'm all for that.
I've heard people say this is in someway a companion piece to Robert Wyatt's epic Rock Bottom (one of my favorite albums of all time). Well, right up front I should say that this isn't as good. But really, I think there's only a few albums that actually are. But this still is great. You know when Elton Dean (Soft Machine) and Brian Godding (Blossom Toes, BB Blunder, etc.) are swinging by then you're bound to produce something magical. This will probably go down well if played at your next sewing circle.
Someone I know once accused me of stealing this album from him. I didn't and fuck you for asking. I do however own a copy and if I didn't and the opportunity to purloin a copy presented itself there's little doubt that the owner would be suffering. Why the risk, you ask. Because this is simply one of the best psych records of all time. Bill Holt recorded this all on his lonesome and more or less predicted the entire elephant 6 sound. And this was all by himself. I know this is pretty standard fare these days, but back in my youth this was a revelatory listening experience. Definitely one of those that you must download if you don't already have it. I've seen that the cd version of this breaks down the two side long tracks into several. That's not what you're getting here. Just the two songs, the way they were intended to be heard.
In these rare moments of optimism I feel like it would be silly not to just embrace it. After a day of trying to get my students to talk about anything, even the Jersey Shore and Ke$ha (her favorite bands are Fugazi and Dinosaur Jr. or so I've read), positive vibes are something I could use. If you lived in a town full of kidiots and the closest Italian Beef stand is 500 miles away, I'm sure your vibes wouldn't be all that positive either. So we have things like this. Kinda like that Pharaohs record I posted some time back. Hey, we can't be cranky all the time.
Just cut my hair (yes, I cut it myself) and with this new style I feel like this blog needs some new tunes to celebrate my shorn locks. And anytime I get a drastic haircut I always get in the mood for something sunny and optimistic. Don't know why, but cutting long hair has an uplifting effect on me. And these tunes seem to fit my new mood. I see the term "acid folk" and references to the Incredible String Band bandied about when this disc is mentioned, but that seems a bit off. It's true, they're Brits and Peel liked em, but I dunno, I just think this sounds different. But good too. Now I need to think if the beard stays or goes.
