No New Records

The Speaking Canaries

2010-11-24T13:26:00.000-08:00

I've already posted on The(e) Speaking Canaries before. I just found this LP at a local record shop ($4!) and have been listening to it fairly non stop. You can find another of their albums here.

Get Out Alive: The Last Type Story (2003)

Van Halen meets Sonic Youth! This album features Damon Che playing guitar, percussion, vocals, and more. I kinda hate this guy. Sure he has a reputation for being arrogant, but I hate the fact that he can play guitar as well as he plays drums. Disgusting. Some tracks do feature Noah Leger, the original drummer from the early days of the band (he also has played in Hurl, Milemarker, Taking Pictures, etc). This version is the LONG VERSION which contains longer tracks than originally released on the CD/LP. Of note- Last side of town part 1&2 is great (the LP has only part 2).

Fela Kuti

2010-09-16T08:40:00.000-07:00

There are few things that can cheer most people up like afrobeat. Come on- we've all been there: dancing alone in our houses to the trance-like rhythms, singing along to words we cannot audibly recognize or translate. It's fun. Never mind that many of these songs are fiercely political and speak of situations that most of us are too privileged to be forced to experience. But still, without knowing the message or the meaning, most can still appreciate the energy and emotion of the music.

Open & Close (1971)
I found this album used somewhere in California a few years back. Such a great record. Blazing horns, driving percussion, vocals that sound more like hollering than singing... It is a super fun album. Tony Allen (called the greatest afrobeat drummer, and by others the greatest drummer that ever lived) plays on this album, blending Nigerian polyrhythms with more straightforward funk. You can't not dance to this.

Last Day On The Force!

2010-05-16T10:31:00.000-07:00

This was a short lived positive straight edge, vegan, political hardcore punk band I was in, named after a Lethal Weapon 3 reference. It was so sloppy, but really fun. Other members were Eric the Red, Ian, Q, Cliff (!), and Deanna. 2 vocalists made for even more ridiculousness. We played a handful of shows in Pittsburgh and even played the mighty Woodcock Township Building in beautiful Meadville, Pa. We made a 7 song demo that I recorded using a 4 track one afternoon at the Mr. Roboto Project. We probably made a 100 copies or so and sold them on a sliding scale along with D's handmade soaps. Amazing.

Last Day On The Force- Demo (2002?)
I ripped this from the original cassette tape, so the quality is probably fair at best, which is actually pretty fitting. These are songs about veganism, bicycling, political correctness, and becoming so punk you actually end up like your parents. It was a fun band to be in, and it probably couldn't have happened in any other town than Pittsburgh.

The Awakening

2010-03-15T20:20:00.000-07:00

The Awakening were an amazing hardcore punk band from Columbus, OH. Three great dudes who totally ripped. I was lucky enough to get to play a handful of shows with them with some of the bands I was in while I lived in Pittsburgh.

The Final Feast- 2001
This was a limited pressing of 1000 on Behold the Youthquake records. 4 fast songs that really leave you wanting more. These songs were also released on their demo (but I've never heard it). I'll need to rip The Burning Wind 7" when I have time and throw that up here as well. The Awakening recently released a discography with some unreleased songs. I haven't had the chance to check it out yet, but really look forward to it. For now, this will do... UNLEASH THE EARTH EATING MACHINE!!!!

Black Widow

2010-01-25T22:23:00.000-08:00

I first heard Black Widow while on tour with CU back in 2002. I managed to score this album in a used records bin for $5. This is for all lovers of satanic folk. Doesn't all music sound more evil and KVLT when played with a flute? This band- while sounding high and pagan-like- used to be called Pesky Gee!. Seriously. Black Widow was so KVLT and evil, that they even consulted with a High Priest of Wicca aka "The King of Witches" Alex Sanders. Seriously.

Sacrifice (1970)
This was their first release after renaming the band. The occult themes brought along underground success, however when the band tried dropping the dark overtones to achieve more mainstream success, they were a flop. These songs are often hilarious- what I expect would happen when a D&D nerd got high and decided the game was real life. COME TO THE SABBAT!!!!

Necracedia

2010-01-01T11:08:00.000-08:00

It took me so long to find the mp3 files of this lp. A great punk band hailing from Pittsburgh around '86 to '92.

Now I See Clearly (1991)
This is the second album released by Wreck Age Records. This is Necracedia's first and only full length. Classic mid-tempo punk.

Fight For Change 7" (1990)
This ep has a bit more of a rock feel at times, but it still rips.

[sorry for such the delay between posts- hopefully I'll get better...]

Iron Lung

2009-09-06T08:47:00.000-07:00

Iron Lung is the team of Jon and Spencer. Two really nice guys that started Reno but have since moved to Seattle. They've been in a ton of other bands. I first saw them in Pittsburgh probably in 2001. They had just released this 7" on 625 Thrashcore. For only two people, they create a fierce wall of sound. Jon uses anywhere from 4 to 6 stacks of amplifiers- I believed all Matamps the last time I saw them. Spencer crushes the kit with ferocity and precision. It truly an amazing performance. The lyrics are witty and the between-song banter is often hilarious. They even released a limited edition (100) live cassette called "The Iron Lung Comedy Half Hour" [which I am lucky enough to own- I'll try to rip and upload eventually]. They have a ton of splits, 7", comp tracks, and a few full lengths. Check them out if you can!

Demonstration in Pressure and Volume (2001)
This is Iron Lung's first 7". They had released a demo, a split 7" and a few comp tracks before this. Its a blazing record. Arc Lamp is about the best 30 seconds ever!

Jóhann Jóhannsson

2009-06-15T15:35:00.000-07:00

Jóhann Jóhannsson is an Icelandic composer who creates some of the most beautiful music in the world. His projects have ranged from electronic improvisation to full orchestra recordings. He has collaborated with artists including Sigur Ros, Mum, and others. A good friend introduced me to Jóhannsson's work about 5 or 6 years ago.

Englabörn (2002)
This was Jóhannsson's first solo album; his other work included the band Apparat Organ Quartet who consisted of 4 vintage refurbished synthesizers and drums. Englaborn is scored for string quartet, keyboards (piano, harmonium, organ), glockenspiel, electronics, and percussion. It was originally created as a score for a play by Hávar Sigurjónsson. This album consists of many shorter tracks, creating swells and ebbs of sound.

Virðulegu Forsetar (2004)
This albums is devastatingly beautiful and powerful. From the opening chord, it grips and pulls you with a slow but immense draw. The album was recorded in the Hallgrímskirkja Church in Reykjavik. (photos of this church from my my trip to Iceland)This album only has four tracks and is much slower and gradual than Englaborn. There was a CD/DVD release of the album where the DVD was audio only- providing the music in 5.1 digital surround sound. I have never had the opportunity to listen to the DVD in a proper environment, but I believe it would be pretty amazing.

IBM 1401- A user's manual (2006)
This album's theme is centered around the first computer brought to Iceland- the IBM 1401. Johannsson uses original recordings made on this computer that his father created. Additionally there are audio instructions for the computer laced between the music. Much less heavy, this album is more whimsical and light. This is the first part of Johannsson's planned trilogy on technology and iconic American brands. Johannsson just release the second part of the trilogy, Fordlandia, in November of 2008. I haven't heard this album yet, but greatly anticipate it.

Turing Machine

2009-06-05T00:50:00.000-07:00

I don't remember where I first heard this band. Probably from the rotation at the radio station or from a friend. I totally forgot about this album until yesterday. I pulled it off the shelves and really enjoyed remembering this. This is a great mix of post rock, math rock, and of course great instrumentation. The rhythms are great- time changes, syncopation, and great melodies. They released a second album about 4 years after this one, but I have never heard it. I'll have to check it out.

A New Machine for Living (2000)
This album was released on the Jade Tree label. A turing machine is an abstract device that simulates computer logic and is used to explore the limits of computation. As archaic as their name suggests, the band pushes the limits of rhythm and dynamics to produce something altogether original. This can be difficult when most "math rock" bands utilize finger tapping, chaotic drumming, and time changes as stock within the genre.

Trans Am

2009-05-12T16:40:00.000-07:00

I first heard of Trans Am back in 1997/1998. I had just discovered Sunny Day Real Estate and my world was changed. A friend suggested that if I like SDRE, I should check out Trans Am.

So I did...

And to this day I still do not see any connection between SDRE and Trans Am. But I am thankful for that recommendation.

Most Trans Am albums have some amazing songs- driving bass, pounding drums, and a rhythmic hypnotic pulse that is great. Their instrumentation changes. It typically involves drums, synthesizers, bass, with guitars, electric percussion, and samples filling the void. For as many great songs on a Trans Am album, there are usually as many filler songs. Maybe I just don't appreciate the noise/electronic/sample ridden songs as much as others, but it is the harder songs that brought me to appreciate Trans Am in the first place. I saw them once at CMU probably back in 2000. It was a great show. So here are a bunch of albums that I have from them. They have a couple newer albums; TA- an album with an 80's glam cover, and an album where Trans Am combines with The F-ing Champs. Both of these albums I listed to while I was a DJ at WPTS, but never really got too psyched (in all honestly I never listened to each album in its entirety).

Trans Am (1996)
This was their first full length release on the Thrill Jockey label (as all of their following releases are). It has their drum/bass pulses with some righteous lead melodies reminiscent of 70's rock.

The Surveillance (1998)
This was actually the first Trans Am album I heard. There are some great tracks on this album. I believe it may be a concept album, but I never really got the concept...

Futureworld (1999)
This album has some fantastic songs- super driving, rhythmic, and with the addition of vocoder/synth vocals. This may be my favorite Trans Am album... "No future here in the future"

Red Line (2000)
This is a pretty diverse album. A mix of loud rhythms and soft quiet ambient instrumentals. I haven't listened to this album in a while, but thought I would put it up with the rest of my records.

Thee Speaking Canaries

2009-02-03T10:59:00.000-08:00

Thee Speaking Canaries initially started in Pittsburgh; Damon Che of Don Caballero decided to change things up and play guitar and sing, rather than punish the drums. It also features Noah Leger on drums (he also played with Hurl, Milemarker, and Taking Pictures) and Karl Hendricks (of the Karl Hendricks Trio). This lineup existed from about 1991-1995. The band was on hiatus for a while and Che relocated to Chicago. They reformed in 2004, however only Che remains of the original lineup. The new lineup includes Adam Crane and Eugene Doyle (who plays guitar in Don Cab, but drums for TSC).

Songs for the Terrestrially Challenged (1995)
This is the second album released by the band. Two versions of this album were released on different labels. There was a hi-fi and a lo-fi version. The lo-fi is more rare and some believe to be the superior version. It was only limited to 500 copies and the liner notes were hand written with polaroids pasted inside. This is a rip of the hi-fi version. Where Don Cab can be described as prog-rock-metal-jazz, Thee Speaking Canaries is more of a 80's heavy metal-indie rock-van halen-esque sound. Che has some great songwriting. His ability to play the drums and guitar well is rather sickening. I guess it gives him a reason to throw cymbal stands at people (I'm looking at you Juice). Nevertheless; this is a great album and I'll always be on the lookout for the lo-fi version in the used bins...

Rachel's

2008-12-26T14:49:00.000-08:00

The Rachel's consists of a main trio: Rachel Grimes on piano, the late Rodan's Jason Noble on bass and organ, and Christian Frederickson playing violin. In addition, each of their album features various horn players, percussionists, and other musicians playing what eventually makes up a small orchestra. Orchestral is one of the best ways to describe this band. At the heart, there is absolutely a post-punk approach to the songwriting and cadence, although the intricate composure of the songs, chord and time changes as well as the sheer diversity in the instrumentation makes the album more like a orchestra rather than a punk band. Selenography is one of their best albums, but I will post the first album I heard of theirs.

The Sea & The Bells (1996)
I first listened to the Rachel's, particularly this album, one day as I was falling asleep, trying to take a nap after school. The melodies were enchanting. I suspect this may have been a concept album, the songs too powerfully create an atmosphere of an open ocean to go unnoticed. You feel the ebb and flow of the currents, the high and low tides, and the crushing of the surf. As I was drifting off to sleep, I suddenly awoke truly frightened by the ghostly and haunting melodies of some of the later songs. It isn't often that an album has the power not only to create such positive but also harrowing emotions in the listener. Truly a great album. Check out their other albums, you won't be disappointed!

Face to Face

2008-12-01T19:18:00.000-08:00

I listened to these albums last month for the first time in probably 12 years. It was great. I remembered all the words and it brought back some great memories of playing in my first bands. One of my earliest bands when I was in 9th grade covered Disconnected for a little while. So fun! I actually saw them in a small bar in Philly in 1995. They were recording a live album that night and I think you can hear my friend Ed yell about the place smelling like feet on the album...

Don't Turn Away (1992)
This is the first Face to Face album I heard. It has the quintessential photo of the guy with his head resting on crossed arms (see also Minor Threat, Neurosis, etc). This is by far their rawest album, and many say their best. Originally released on Dr. Strange records, and re-released on Fat Wreck Chords.

Big Choice (1995)
This is a poppier album with less of an edge. This is more melodic, and the songs tend to get stuck in my head more so than Don't Turn Away. Really fun album, if I ever start lifting weights this will be the album I listen to during working out... How I remember all the lyrics to these songs while not listening for 12 years is crazy. I wish I remembered other things half as well...

Francisco López

2008-10-30T13:09:00.000-07:00

My good friend (Mikey C) turned me on to Francisco Lopez years ago when we both went to the University of Pittsburgh. We both had radio shows on WPTS and I believe that is where he first heard of Lopez. Francisco Lopez is an avante-garde minimalist composer who uses many field recording in his works. I have three albums of his. Some may find these unlistenable, others mellowing and soothing, others confused. Many of his records come with no artwork and he often performs in total darkness with blindfolds passed out to the audience. These three albums were released on Alien 8 recordings.

Untitled #123
This was the first album that I heard from Lopez. The instrument in this album was a grain silo in Montreal that was microphoned in various ways. Over the course of one year, many artists utilized this grain silo for various projects. This album (like many of Lopez' works) utilizes silence, sub-frequencies inaudible to human ears, and sound textures to create a canvas opening itself to the listener. I once listened to this album alone in my apartment while studying. The opening few minutes are mostly silent, so I soon forgot that I was listening to an album. I suddenly was hearing a hissing noise that was becoming slowly louder. I started freaking out because I couldn't figure out what it was. I honestly thought that my stove had developed a gas leak and pulled it out to look behind the oven for a broken gas line. I was trying to smell where the gas may be leaking from. After several very nervous minutes, I remembered that I was playing a cd and soon discovered that the gas leak was just the silophone. Amazing.

Addy en el pais de las frutas y los chunches
"Addy in the land of fruit and thingymmujiggs"
This is a collection of field recordings made in Costa Rica during the rainy season of 1995. Lopez layers these landscape recordings together to create a soundscape where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. This has been reported to be Lopez' favorite work he has done.

Untitled #104
This album is very different from the above, and probably the most unlistenable. Instead of using field recordings and sound textures, this album consists of layers of Metal- and when I say metal I mean death, black, doom, and dare I say new wave of british. I am not sure if he took samples of albums, created the sounds himself, or simply mic'd 3 or 4 bands playing at the same time. Harsh, but still creates swells and troughs with these tones...

Savage Republic

2008-10-22T21:43:00.000-07:00

Tragic Figures (1982)
This is the first LP of the LA based no-wave/ industrial/ punk band fronted by Bruce Licher. They had numerous lineup changes and their shows often utilized handmade percussion instruments (pieces of metal, garbage cans, etc). They play droney melodies supported by tribal like repetitive percussive rhythms. Bruce Licher released the Independent Project label. Most of the albums he released were hand letterpressed and numbered. The artwork for his records is always great.

Ceremonial + Trudge (1985)
This album is the follow up LP to Tragic Figures. The songs on this album continue the general feel and many people believe it to be a stronger, more accessible album. I picked up all of the Savage Republic albums at a single store in San Francisco- great find! These guys were said to have influenced Godspeed You! Black Emperor- not the easies connection, but it comes out at times.

Growing

2008-10-17T23:32:00.000-07:00

Double Cassette: Above Sea Level/Below Sea Level
Growing was a two piece instrumental minimalist band that released some pretty great albums. I believe they added a member or two and possibly vocals (?) to their later works, but I haven't heard them. This is a limited edition double cassette released by growing back in 2005ish. These cassettes were recorded with the intentions of both being played simultaneously. The liner notes state that synchronizing the cassettes is impossible. Because I do not own two cassette decks on two different stereos that happen to be within the same proximity of each other, I decided to rip each cassette and combine them. The left stereo speaker is Above Sea Level and the right speaker is Below Sea Level. [combined=above/below sea level]. Less atmospheric and captivating than their other albums, but still really good. I am sure this is better when listening on two different stereos, but this will work...

Christie Front Drive

2008-10-17T16:32:00.000-07:00

I think I first bought 'Stereo' when I was in 10th or 11th grade. Such an amazing record (minus the filler tracks). Last year I wanted to start a band that sounded like CFD crossed with Tiny Hawks. I still think that would have been incredible. The melodies in this record are great. I think this album is great for autumn weather driving.