The Coachmen-Failure to Thrive

Another in the "before they were famous" series. This one is probably a bit more known than some of the others I've posted simply because it was Thurston Moore's first band. No, it doesn't sound like Sonic Youth, but it doesn't need to. This stands up just fine on its own. He just happens to be in the band, but it doesn't sound like it's his band alone. Up beat, angular, catchy and fun. Sure, I like Sonic Youth more but that doesn't mean I don't like this too. I thought more people would be aware of this by now. It's not a well guarded secret or anything.

Here

John Cage with David Tudor-Present Variations IV

By now, I surely doubt that there is anyone who requires an explanation as to who John Cage is. And I'm not gonna give it. If any soul actually needs me to explain this man's work then they should probably hop into his steam punk, time traveling submarine and go back to when new music started. While you're jaunting around you might as well familiarize yourself with, oh say, Shakespeare. Perhaps Rembrandt as well. And what the shit is with these steam punks anyways? It reminds of a sphynxian riddle "are steam punks ugly because they are steam punks or are steam punks steam punks because they are ugly?" No joke, I have never seen any fool all done up in this nonsense that didn't deserve even more ridicule that s/he received. I'm holding off on all trends until nuclear Phoenicians starts happening. Then I'll be all over that shit.

Here

Leitmotiv-2 x 7"s

Man, getting these two images to line up was a massive pain, but well worth it since this double header is a must own. Writing that last sentence i was reminded of a girl I used to be friends with and how one drunken party she earned herself that nickname. But I shouldn't really tease since I remember some good times where shared in a tool shed together. And at least she wasn't known as "stairway to heaven" as another girl I know was dubbed. But enough about blow jobs. Here's one for all the fake post-punk kids moping about nowadays. What do you call yourselves anyways? Post-post-punks or just ill informed plagiarists? Please respond, I'd really hate to offend.

Here

Poison Dwarfs-Wechselbad

Yes, it is from 1980's German (that's a good thing in my book) but it doesn't really sound like all the bands you could rattle off from that time period in that particular region of the globe. I just think this one would pair nicely with the Blago Bung album below. It's more synthy and experimental but it's also one of those cassettes that people from very disparate interests could find enjoyment. And with things being as shitty as they are I think we could all use a little bit of that in our lives. Too bad it is in such a grotesque form.

Here

Blago Bung-Kärleken & Döden

I don't think I can actually tell you anything about this album aside from it's Swedish (I think) and it is good. I can tell you more about what I hear but music descriptions always seem so boring to be. Don't you agree? Of course you do because you're a charming, well reasoned individual with impeccable tastes. And it is for those reasons that you would want to download this great relic of the 80's. Then you can write your own descriptions and they'll be much more meaningful. Reference those pangs of nostalgia conjured up by the winsome production and recall the time you bought that expensive gift for that girl you were long friends with but secretly loved and the day you were planning on giving it to her she told you about her new boyfriend and how you vowed never to love again. But there's no need for the long face there guy, it's only music and your memories are fake anyways.

Here

Drums of Death: Field Recordings In Ghana

I could care less about John Zorn. I know some people obsess over every note the guy squeezes out, but the guy does a lotta squeezin' so it gets a bit old. Oddly, he's listed as the producer of this album of field recordings of traditional Ghanian funeral music. I think that it just proves that he's better at getting people together and letting them do what they do then actually playing music. This album would be most appropriate for nights alone with a bottle of cough syrup and a loin cloth. And don't be afraid to dance. No one is watching anyways.

Here

Bob Bannister-Dives and Lazarus:Death Chants, Breakdowns, and Tape Loops

Dear lord, did Ptolemaic Terrascope ever get it right by including this disk on its top 100 records list. And it's the one that I mention to other psych heads and have never gotten a straight response. The phonies will claim that they actually know what this is, but they don't. You know those types who've heard everything but for some reason only seem to talk about whatever the current trend is. Don't trust them people. But for most of us, this isn't an album that gets much cred. And that means people are really missing out on something special. At its core, the album consists of traditional folk tunes. That's fine as it is and it's nothing to sneer at. Then there's all sorts of interesting dronal textures that surround the tunes. This album definitely proves the point that experimentation can be done with subtlety and taste rather than the heavy handed "hey look at me getting weird" posturing that kills so many albums.

Here

Arbete och Fritid

More NWW listers for open eared listeners. These Swedes reach for the weirdo outer cosmos propelled by trad Noric fuel and prog rock juice. My love of Swedish psych has now been long documented (and links quickly erased) so if you look back at some of the old posts you'll find a list of kindred spirits who participated in some strange transcultural synthesis. Normally, I'd say keep your horns away from my rock, but it somehow isn't some horrible bleating here and finally, in one of those rare turns, works. This album is all over the place and is only better for it.

Here

Creeps in Service-Creep Scanner Mix #1

This has been sitting in cold storage for some time and seeing as how all of my links are now dead, I figure I might as well start fresh with this one. I do not claim to be some sort of mix master so rather than compiling all these choice for you sluts I opted to take a thematic approach. Theme #1: Creeps. Don't worry, there's no Radiohead here (way too obvious). Instead, I poached tracks about creeps, creepers, and people creeping. If I was a smarter man I'd make some nice cover art and doing it up proper but I'm a simpleton so instead you get some Victorian children. And children always seemed like little creeps anyways. Let me know if the mix goes down well. I already have ten or so made but if this one sucks I guess there wouldn't be much point of posting them.

Here

Creep Scanner Under Lockdown

Well, it seems that mediafire has locked me out. So I contacted them and am waiting to see if they will eventually unlock my files. I'm guessing the will not. If my account remains in limbo then I suppose I'll just start up a new one. Oddly enough, it might still be a mediafire account since it's the service I prefer. Are there any suggestions that might be better?

And too make things seem a little less dire, I've decided to transcribe a bit of dialogue I had with two very drunk girls last night. To set the scene, I was at my local, by myself (natch), enjoying a beer and trying to draw the least amount of attention to myself:

Girl 1: "Hey, do you want to get busy?" (She seriously said this as her opening line)
Me: "Huh?" (with bemused/repulsed look on my face)
Girl 1: "Well, my friend and I think you're cute" (clearly a lie)
Girl 2: "Has anyone ever told you you look like Jude Law?"
Me: "Yes." (True: I've heard this one pretty often (always from drunk girls)).
Girl 1: "Yeah, you have glasses and a leather jacket."
Girl 2" "Wait does Jude Law wear a leather jacket?"
Me: "I assume he has at some point."
Girl 1 & 2: "Oh."

Inane conversation continues until I finish smoking my cigarette and I flee their stupidity. So that ends the story about how a turned down a threesome with some very idiotic girls.

It might be some time before I'm back in the game, so if you're someone who might be curious about what I'll be doing I've provided a list:

1.) Bird watching
2.) Walking
3.) Train watching
4.) Buying antiques
5.) Drinking
6.) Reading
7.) Grading Papers
8.) Sleeping
9.) Practicing yo yo tricks
10.) Playing with my cat

I think that documents the fascinating life I currently lead. But being an adult in a town with no friends leaves little room for exciting adventures. So don't worry if this blog is suspended for a while. You're not missing out on much.

Til then,
J.O.

Culturcide-Tacky Souvenirs of Pre-Revolutionary America

They’re called a punk rock band but I’m not too sure if everyone else out there considers singing over a Bruce Springsteen record (you can still hear the boss (burn in hell Clarence Clemons with your shitty saxophone)) to be punk rock. All those “classic” 80s artists get ridiculed, and I’m all for it. It’s definitely an artifact of the times. And those times were pretty shitty too (in case you’re too young to remember). This won't make much sense to you if you were born after 1982. But then, you won't make much sense to me if you were born after that date. Fuck you Ronald Reagan.

Here (Reup 6/6/12)

Brother Ah-Sound Awareness

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. Definitely not a yawn, but rather a climactic sigh of pleasure that you will feel when these cosmic tones soothe your soul.

Link Removed

Ville Moskiito-Retkikertomuksia

I’m too old to fuck around with the internet and figure out what this is all about. My knowledge of Scandinavian languages is pretty shit, but I figure this to be Finnish. Have no clue if that’s right though. So if you’re the type of person who trolls blogs voice little corrections to my posts, why not reinsert your main into your mum’s cunny (guess who’s read Pepys too) and leave the writing to the drunken losers. The only thing lamer than my bullshit ecrits is those who want to actually correct them. I think reading more than one of my posts will surely convince you that I spend the minimum amount of time drafting these shit stains. I don’t even fucking edit them let alone fact check. So if I sez this is a mantis dragging its rigid appendages across some Venusian stringed instrument, darling, you really don’t need to tell me it was made on Jupiter.

Here (Reup 6/6/12)

Angelic Upstarts-Teenage Warning

Feeling pissed and sick? I’m no doomsday prophet or anything but it’s hard to keep your head up when you’re constantly getting shit on. Polling the hand full of friends I still have left on this planet (family doesn’t count in these stats), the general sentiment seems to be, at best despondence, and more frequently, all out hatred of a nihilistic sort. Now, as bleak as I can be, I suppose I have this kind of Yellow Kid ignorance that lets me blissfully float through the mire until I reach my isolation chamber and can hibernate with a few films for the evening. Nevertheless, I experience all of the above feelings simultaneously and that’s why an album like this is something that is cherished rather than risible. The angst isn’t canned like the recent vintage. You can be a dick and force this into a genre and dismiss it with the drop of a pube, but that’s facile and lazy. You don’t have to be Leonard Cohen to write about frustration.

Here (Reup 6/6/12)

The Spinanes-Imp Years

There’s been numerous 90s posts lately and plenty of positive responses so I’ll toss another log onto the fire and let that fucker burn for a few moments longer. This band has connections with a million other things and I don’t plan on listing them since this is best listened to without those preconceptions that have the potential to diminish the listening experience. Part of me just wanted to watch Naked again for the millionth time (one of my top 3 films for cert) but then I thought I might as well have one of those rare turns of kindness and give something that will definitely give to you. You know what I mean? If not then give it a listen and I think you’ll see.

Here (Reup 6/6/12)

Th'Faith Healers-Imaginary Friend

There must be something wrong because now I have a feeling of writing even more. Was it the long break? Is it the spirit of Christ compelling me? Perhaps it’s Casper the friendly ghost? Most likely it’s that these idle hands need something to do, and masturbation becomes tedious after the 7^th or 8^th time. So that just means I might as well idle away the hours writing more drivel for people who have the time to waste reading it. Whatever the reason maybe, I might as well up this one. Shoegaze is still being ripped off by people and I doubt those copious royalty checks are finding their way towards this band. They should be. A perennial dollar bin find, this album still can show the young turks a thing or two. I don’t believe there’s a pop band out there now with the sack to close out the album with a 40 minute track. No wait, I take that back. Don’t prove me wrong, but do shut up.

Here (Reup 6/6/12)

Roland Young-Isophonic Boogie Woogie

This one will pair nicely with that Philip Corner I posted earlier. Yes it is jazz, but white people need not fear it. And it is weird in a sense. Not weird for weirdness sake as some jazz can become, but weird in the way that it creates unexpected moments that’ll catch you off guard. That might be a bad thing if you’re a rapist or a dog trainer or something, but as a music fan that seems to be those rare moments of joy. I wouldn’t say this is an easy album, but at the same time, I can see enthusiasts of all sorts of music relishing in Young’s heady brew.

Here (Reup 6/6/12)

Velvet Cacoon-Genevieve

I know some internet pals live in Portland. And I have physical friends that live there as well. Regardless, I fucking hate Portland. Never once did I get more cockeyed looks and rude comments than in that city. Yes, the beer and food are both plentiful and delicious. Many good record & book shops are to be found. And I seemed to fall in love with a new girl at every corner I turned. Still, the people there are terrible. I’m guessing there’s a few people who’d like to fight me over these words. Fuck you. My scrawny Mid-Western ass with definitely win. I’ll even buy you a plane ticket down here. Now, setting all geographic animosities aside, I will say that this band , who unfortunately resides in that most pretentious of cities, is actually worth the listen. I know there was all this mystery and controversy surrounding this band but I could really give a fig about that. And speaking of figs, I had some delicious ricotta and candied fig ice cream today. Yummy.

Here (Reuped 6/6/12)

Tony, Caro and John-All on the First Day

I’m sure that cooler blogs than mine have posted this plenty, but my shoddy memory doesn’t bring any of them to mind at the moment, so I say it’s fair game. And I don’t even know what the etiquette is anyways. I just know that this is a good un and should be heard by more. If that means that someone’s beard gets twisted then so be it. And fuck, this reissue’s been around for a decade or so. You should have it by now. But if you don’t, well then, here’s you’re chance. British folk that is perfect for these fucked up January days that reach mid 60s when it should be about 10. Oh well, that just means I get to stroll around the Herman Moore sculpture garden by myself and glower and young couples in love. This snow better start up soon.

Here (Reuped 6/6/12)

The Amps-Pacer

Okay, I doubt many will cop to the fact that most of the time, this is a better all around listen than all your beloved Pixies records. See, I love 60s girl group sound. Not that bullshit that kids like at the moment (next year I predict cod piece rock will hold that position) but the real deal. Now, I can make some stupid pun but will hold back for the moment. But yes, this is the Deal sisters whom we all know by now. But I’ll be damned (okay, I probably am already) if this doesn’t top the slag heap of contempo bands that sound like note for note copies of this album. Why are you all so terrible and this band is so good? Go back to knitting owls or whatever it the fuck it was you used to do before you picked up a guitar.

Here (Reuped 6/6/12)

Cardiac Arrest-The Obvious Identity

Cardiacs love is strong with the readership it seems as every entry into their catalogue is heavily downloaded by you, the reader. Might as well go back to the time before they were the Cardiacs and were known as the much more descriptive Cardiac Arrest. Different name, same band. Get it.

Here  (Reup 6/6/12)

The Desperate Bicycles-Remorse Code

The British, D.I.Y., cassette culture, messthetics, bed sit recordings, whathaveyou has always been some of my most loved music. It’s probably because it reminds me about all that music can potentially be about. Spontaneous, inept, jovial, challenging, insightful, inquisitive. Basically, the exact opposite of the drang of repetition and pastiche (at best) or plagiarism (what it actually is) that we hear these days. And these guys are definitely some of the old masters of that style. They still have the ability to get excited about things when excitement is at an all time low in my life. The only thing I was excited about this last year was buying a Burberry trench coat and hording mid century modern furniture. Oh, and that yoyo I got for Christmas was pretty exciting too since I now have a new hobby.

Here  (Reuped 6/7/12)

The Second Coming-The Return E.P.

Well friends, it’s been some time, hasn’t it. I figure I should pull a Jesus and bring this shit back from the crypt. Ugh, do I need to fill you in on all the bullshit that’s been going on? It’s all rather pointless as usual. I’ve had a student murdered, the standard disappoints, more heart break…you know, the stuff that makes life oh so swell. But what the hell, I’ve gotten more followers from keeping my fingers still then when I was posting on a regimen. Several nice comments and e-mails have livened up my spirits a bit so I might as well get something out before I fall back through some rabbit hole. Naturally, I might as well herald my return with this blatantly titled release. And thinking of that Jesus analogy I just threw out there leads me to think on the fact that we both have beards, we both look really gay, we both will probably never get laid again. Hmm…uncanny. So yeah, the 7”. Right. Lovely, dark stuff. But did you think I was going to post something cheery?

Here (Reuped 6/7/12)

Sproton Layer-With Magnetic Fields Disrupted

Another in the before they were famous category. Pre-Mission of Burma (still destroys bands a quarter of their age) Michigan psych. It’s funny to see Roger Miller looking so young. It’s a pleasure to hear him destroy minds. This isn’t anywhere in the same zip code as Burma, but that doesn’t imply suckitude. One of the wise things Mike Watt did was to finally get this out to the public. Definitely wiser than having Eddie Vedder sing on his album. “Sister Regis” always seems to find its way on to my mix tapes for some reason.

Here (Reuped 6/7/12)

Juan de la Cruz-Shake Your Brain

Leaving you feel like you just got kicked in the dick comes this release from a gang of Filipino hard rockers. For a country not really known for their rocking ways, this album certainly smokes. Wally Gonzales’s guitar sobs uncontrollably rather than pussily weeping gently. Yikes, it’s stuff like this that makes me feel like I should start doing drugs again. Or at the very least, get into some bar fight. Listen to “I Wanna Say Yeah” and just try to resist the urge to take out one of those stupids who keep interfering in your life. If that fancy doesn’t strike you, then brother you are a better man than I (but I suppose that’s already obvious).

Here (Reuped 6/7/12)