Category Archives: Music Review

4th Of November 2011 Update

4th Of November 2011 Update of New and Key Restocked Items
at Redscroll Records


We added a CLEARANCE RACK! About 100 or so LPs marked down (many below cost) to make room.  We are constantly running out of room!







LPs & 12″s
______________________
Alaric “Alaric”
Animals As Leaders “Weightless (180 Gram + D/L; Die-cut Sleeve)”
Burial Hex “Actaeon/Iron Fist”
Craft “Void (Gatefold 2LP)”
Daybreaker “The Northbound Trains EP (+ D/L)”
Dieb13 / Gustafsson / Siewert “(Fake) The Facts”
Dream Affair “Endless Days”
Far East Family Band “Nipponjin: Join Our Mental Phase Sound (180 Gram)”
Ferraro, James “Multitopia”
Florence + The Machine “Ceremonials (180 Gram)”
Gallagher’s, Noel High Flying Birds “Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds (Heavyweight Vinyl)”
Girl In A Coma “Exits & All The Rest (+ CD)”
Gudnadottir, Hildur “Without Sinking (2LP)”
Heavy Times “Jacker”
His Electro Blue Voice “Wolf/Worm”
Hive Mind “Elemental Disgrace”
Holiday Shores “New Masses For Squaw Peak (+ D/L)”
Human Eye “Fragments Of The Universe Nurse”
In Trance 95 “Cities Of Steel And Neon”
Indignant Senility “Consecration Of The Whipstain (2LP)”
Kashmere Stage Band “Texas Thunder Soul 1968-1974 (Expanded Deluxe 3LP+DVD)”
King Dude “Tonight’s Special Death”
La Roux “Quicksand / In For The Kill (Includes Skream Remix)”
Leo, Ted “Ted Leo 5-10-2011 Live At Third Man”
Like A Stunt Man “YOY (180 Gram + D/L)”
Little Dragon “Machine Dreams”
Little Dragon “Ritual Union”
Lucky Luke “Travelling For A Living (Ltd. Ed. + D/L)”
Lustmord “Zoetrope: The Original Soundtrack Expanded & Revised (2LP)”
Lustmord “The Monstrous Soul (With Adi Newton; 2LP)”
Mcneill, Lloyd Quartet (Lloyd Mcneil Quartet) “Washington Suite (Special Edition /1000)”
Noothgrush “Live For Nothing (Live At KZSU / Live At KFJC)”
Olivia Tremor Control, The “Dusk At Cubist Castle (Music From The Unrealized Film Script; 2LP Reissue)”
Olivia Tremor Control, The “Black Foliage: Animation Music Volume One (2LP Reissue)”
Oneohtrix Point Never “Replica (/1000)”
Other Lives “Tamer Animals (180 Gram + CD)”
Owen “Ghost Town (180 Gram + D/L)”
Pas De Deux “Cardiocleptomanie”
Perry, Lee “Scratch” “The Return Of Pipecock Jackxon”
Pink Playground “Destination Ecstasy (Ltd. Ed. + D/L)”
Pulp “Different Class (180 Gram)”
Qluster (Cluster) “Rufen (180 Gram + D/L)”
Quilt “Quilt (Ltd. Ed. + D/L)”
Rebolledo “Super Vato (2LP + CD + Postersticker)”
Ritter, Josh “Golden Age Of Radio (Ltd. Ed. + CD Including Bonus Tracks)”
Roberts, Luke “Big Bells And Dime Songs (+ D/L)”
Roedelius Schneider “Stunden (180 Gram + D/L)”
Russian Circles “Empros”
Stereo Total “Underwater Love: A Pink Musical (Special Edition /500)”
Sultan, Mark “Whenever I Want (+ D/L)”
Sultan, Mark “Whatever I Want (+ D/L)”
Sykes, Jesse & The Sweet Hereafter “Marble Son (+ CD)”
Sykes, Jesse & The Sweet Hereafter “Like Love & Lust: The Open Halls Of The Soul”
Sympathy Nervous “Automaticism (Clear Vinyl)”
Teenage Panzerkorps, Der “Kauf Nicht Von TPK”
Television Personalities “They Could Have Been Bigger than The Beatles (1972) [RiSe]”
Television Personalities “The Painted Word (1972)”
Throbbing Gristle “The Second Annual Report Of Throbbing Gristle Recorded During The Year Ending September 3rd 1977 “
Tickley Feather “Hors D’Oeuvres (+ D/L)”
True Widow “I.N.O. E.P.”
Various Artists “Guitar Mood 2: More Rare Instrumentals From The New And Olde Worlds”
Various Artists “Orgelvark: En Stadig Samling Svensk Syntmusik (1986) [Minimal Wave]”
Various Artists “Fac Dance: Factory Records 12″ Mixes & Rarities 1980-1987”
Various Artists “A Greater Administration Of Lower Interests (Carsten Jost, Lawrence)”
Waits, Tom “Franks Wild Years: Un Operachi Romantico In Two Acts (180 Gram)”
Wax Idols “No Future”
Webb, TK “TK Webb (Ltd. Ed. + D/L)”
White Denim “White Denim 4-1-2011 Live At Third Man”




Electronic LPs & 12″s
______________________
Alias G “Delite Tonite / Pulsate”
AnD “Non Compliant / Reverberate / Molecular Deconstruction”
Anstam “Dispel Dances”
Author “The City / Teacher”
Banton, Solo “Music Addict EP”
Black Samurai “Information Critic (Ft. Daddy Freddy & The Ragga Twins)”
Bogdan Irkuk (A.K.A. Bulgari) “The Thracian EP (W/ Prins Thomas)”
Brackles “Spider / Take Me Home”
Buraka Som Sistema “Komba”
Burns, Willie “Willie Burns”
Dettmann, Marcel “Translation”
Distal “Angry Acid / French Science”
DJ Food “Magpies, Maps And Moons: Songs For Stolen Moments”
Dro Carey “Cancy Red / Hungry Horse”
Dubmatix “Clash Of The Titans: The System Shakedown Remixes”
Dusty Kid (Dustykid) “Polybolo / Argia (Popof Remix)”
Ernestus, Mark / Konono “Masikulu”
Greene, Jacque “Greene 01 (10″)”
Justice “Audio, Video, Disco. (+ D/L)”
King Midas Sound “Goodbye Girl”
Kito & Reija Lee “Sweet Talk”
Knwledge “Klouds”
Kuedo “Severant (+ D/L)”
L-Vis 1990 “Lost In Love”
Machinedrum “Let It (Feat. Melo-X)”
MAM “MAM Edits”
Midnight Magic “Drop Me A Line”
Mosca “Done Me Wrong / Bax”
OneAuff (One Auff) “Heavy Heady”
Planetary Assault Systems “The Messenger (2×12″)”
Pole “Waldgeschichten”
Quantax “Cinematics/Who Needs Attack (10″)”
Robot Koch “The Other Side (2XLP)”
Samoyed “Spit EP (Spit/Maybe Yes) (10″)”
Sante And Lorber “Rootdown / You Know”
Slugabed “Sun Too Bright Turn It Off”
Stingray Enters The Unknown “The Sadist EP”
Sully “Toffee Apple (10″)”
Thelem “Lucid Dream”
Trentemoller “Reworked/Remixed (2×12″)”
Vakula “Saturday Remixes (Deetron, Jeff Sharel, Legowelt, Fudge Fingas)”
Various Artists “Surreal Estate EP (XI, Distal, Sepalcure, Kuru & UFO!, DJG, Bravo & Teeko)”
Various Artists “RDY#6”
Various Artists “Ghettoteknitianz E.P. (DJ Rashad & Gant-Man, DJ Earl, Traxman)”
Walton “Aggy / Mangled Riddim / 808 Vybzin / Skrilla”
Willie Burns “Willie Burns = House (I’m Gonna Get You / Windows Down / Waste Your Time / Another Night)”
XXXY “Kerpow / Down Wit U”
XXXY / IKE Release “XXXY / IKE Release”




Hip-Hop 12″s & LPs
___________________
Black Milk “Black Milk 4-8-2011 Live At Third Man”
Jordan, Geno “You’re A Peachtree Freak On Peachtree Street”
M.E.D. “Classic (2LP)”
M.E.D. “Classic (3LP Album & Instrumentals)”




7″s
______________________
Best Coast “When I’m With You”
Karen Elson “Vicious”
Front Bottoms “The Beers”
Grave Babies “Pleasures”
Insane Clown Posse (With Jeff The Brotherhood and Jack White) “Leck Mich…”
Oberhafer “Gotta Go”
Purity Ring / Braids
Yorke, Thom/Modeselektor “Ship…”




CDs
______________________
Animals As Leaders “Weightless”
Cloaks “Versions Grain”
Damu “Unity”
Fishbone “Crazy Glue”
Four Tet “FabricLive 59”
Patton, Mike “Solitude Of..”




DVD
_____________________
Backyard The Movie (CD/DVD)




Book
_____________________
Baker, S. “Studio One Covers”
“Art Of Worms” (Tapeworm)


Reviews
______________________



Anthony Pappalardo & Max G. Morton Live… Suburbia Book 
(Powerhouse Books)
Last Saturday, we were hit with a freak snow storm that sent trees crashing down onto power lines causing most of the state to be without electricity. my house and Redscroll were both luckily spared. When I woke up Sunday morning, I had a few free hours to myself thanks to the nor’easter so, I reached for my new copy of “Live…Suburbia”. Through personal essays and collected color photos, authors Anthony Pappalardo (In My Eyes, Radio Silence) and Max G. Morton (Heartworm) set a tone for what growing up as part of a subculture in the suburban landscape of the 1980s was like. A pre-internet era, where people couldn’t just “google” anything that was foreign to them. Where you had to dig deep and be patient if you wanted to get outside the box and not end up a fucking norm. I recommend that you flip through the book first, just look at the pictures, transport yourself back in time, then start into the essays.
[Reviewer: Josh]


Planetary Assault Systems The Messenger 2×12″
(Ostgut Ton/Kompakt)
I’ve recently been getting some heavy nostalgia for the late 90s/early 00s and specificaly the maximalist feel that came along with that time; barrages of sensory overload. The Digital Hardcore Records label (Alec Empire of Atari Teenage Riot’s baby) was great for that.  Industrial Strength records just turned 20 (I went to the 20th anniversary party and enjoyed it).  Draw back a bit from those approaches (the in-your-face non-stop thumping approach) and you’d find acts like Zipperspy who were more adventurous with maximalism; drawing into a more experimentalist slant while not losing the rhythm behind it.  Mash Up Soundsystem was good for that approach too; breakcore on a more adventurous journey (not relying on gangster movie samples and 808s for instance).  Planetary Assault Systems is perhaps a modern take on that (maybe it’s a stretch for anyone but me to see it this way; then again, I’m the author here so what I say goes).  Mix in the Modern Love camp (Andy Stott, Demdike Stare, Claro Intelecto…) and make it a bit hyper. Minimal maximalism?  Take the ride.  Syncopation in afro-centric rhythms while not completely full (leaving some tasteful spaces to realize how silly you look dancing to this; we all look silly dancing no matter how skilled -> fact). I should put this on 45 RPM and really get a workout going.  See ya. 
[Reviewer: Rick]


Purity Ring / Braids Belispeak / Peach Wedding 7″
(Fat Possum)
Yo, you like girls singing all demure-like over some off-beat mostly electronic business?  So do I?  Did you get that free Labyrinth Ear release a while ago? No, you should get that here.  So sickeningly sweet and dreamy, but without any twangy guitar rattling or straight-forward drumming weighing it down (I’m serious). Thank you Twin Peaks for influencing so many people to just slow down and take care and party. Slow it down to 33 1/3 and get extra syrupy and it’s still good (at that speed they actually sound like they could be the same band). I listened to this probably more times on the wrong speed. I admit it. Try it. 
[Reviewer: Rick]


Yacht Shangri-La CD/LP
(DFA)
Right from the get-go, it’s clear that there’s something peculiar about this disco-sounding electropop/dance-punk album. The promo copy’s description tells the listener that the disc “contains information key to the building of a new utopia.” It kicks off with the super-danceable “Utopia,” pulsing with a sunny city-of-the-future vibe before the polar opposite “Dystopia;” a slower, funkier and obviously bleaker track with vocals that are still delivered with similar emphasis. The meanings behind the messages are up for debate; I know it’s been quoted in several reviews already, but lyrics like “I love you like a small-town cop/ Yeah, I wanna smash your face in with a rock” play a significant role in understanding just what YACHT is conveying. Instead of brainless euphoria, it sounds like a form of self-awareness in which they acknowledge that they want to try and enjoy life in a very imperfect world. It would make for a very unique night of club dancing. 
[Reviewer: Mark]

14th Of October 2011 Update

14th of October 2011 Update of New and Key Restocked Items
at Redscroll Records

LPs & 12″s
______________________
Afghan Wigs, The    “Gentlemen”
Blackshaw, James    “Holly EP”
Boots Electric (Jesse Hughes Of Eagles Of Death Metal)    “Honkey Kong”
Brain F    “Sleep Rough”
Chubby Wolf    “Turkey Decoy”
Class Actress    “Rapprocher (+ D/L)”
Coltrane, Alice    “Transfiguration Live (180 Gram Ltd. Ed.)”
Cormans, Thee    “Halloween Record (W/ Sound Effects)”
Devine, Kevin    “Between The Concrete & Clouds”
DMZ    “DMZ (180 Gram)”
Elitist    “Fear In A Handful Of Dust (+ D/L)”
Ettes, The    “Wicked Will”
Feist    “Metals (180 Gram + D/L)”
Fitz And The Tantrums    “Pickin Up The Pieces”
Friedberger, Matthew    “Death-In-Life”
Full Of Hell    “Roots Of Earth Are Consuming My Home”
Glass Candy    “Warm In The Winter / Beautiful Object”
Hollis, Mark (Of Talk Talk)    “Mark Hollis”
Hyun, Shin Joong    “Beautiful Rivers And Mountains: The Psychedelic Rock Sound Of South Korea’s Shin Joong Hyun 1958-1974 (2LP)”
Jovontaes    “Things Are Different Here”
Kunitaka, Sato    “Wandering Shadow Of Southern Streets: Blind Itinerant Musican From Amami Island”
Lewis, Jeffrey    “A Turn In The Dream-Songs”
Low Places    “Spiritual”
M83    “Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming (2x 180 Gram LP)”
Master Musicians Of Bukkake    “Totem Three (PICLP)”
Mellow Grave    “Smoke Filled The Room, We Slept”
Menahan Street Band    “Make The Road By Walking (+ D/L)”
Mpese Mpses Band / Canadoes Dance Band    “Mpese Theme (DrumTalk Remix) / Fine Woman (Sofrito Edit)”
My Brightest Diamond    “All Things Will Unwind (+ D/L)”
Native    “Wrestling Moves”
New Order    “Western Works Demos 9-7-80 (Unofficial)”
Night Birds    “The Other Side Of Darkness”
Parrish, Theo / Burnt Friedman    “Meets Mancingelani / Meets Zinja Hungwani”
Pharoahs    “Uhh Uhh / What ???”
Polyps, The    “Ants On The Golden Cone”
Psandwich    “Northren Psych”
Rangers    “Pan Am Stories”
RazorxFade    “RazorxFade”
Real Estate    “Days (180 Gram + D/L)”
Shiflet, Mike    “Sufferers”
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin    “Tape Club (2xLP 180 Gram + D/L)”
Sun Ra    “The Mike Huckaby Reel-To-Reel Edits Vol. 2 (Friendly Galaxy / Space Is The Place / To Nature’s God)”
Superheavy (Mick Jagger, Joss Stone, Damian Marley, Dave Stewart, A.R. Rahman)    “Superheavy”
Talk Talk    “Laughing Stock (BING074)”
TieDye    “Fisherman’s Bend (+ 2 Exclusive Remixes)”
Various Artists    “Disco Not Disco: Post Punk, Electro & Leftfield Disco Classics 1974-1986”
VHS Head    “Midnight Section”
VHS Head    “Trademark Ribbons Of Gold”
Weekend    “Red (+ D/L)”
Xeno & Oaklander    “Sets & Lights (+ D/L)”

Electronic LPs & 12″s
______________________
Abstraxion    “Jus Acid”
Age Of Love, The    “Remixes”
Agoria     “Speechless (Remixes Vol. 1) (Feat. Carl Craig & La Scalars)”
Analogue Cops, The (& Blawan & Ryan Elliot)    “Big Family E.P.”
Answer Code Request    “Subway Into”
Antiparallel    “01”
Artists Formerly Known As, The    “Speed Bomb – Skudge”
Auser, Roberto    “Lovemaker (Original) / Lovemaker (Moguh Edit)”
Barem    “After The Storm”
Bibio    “Toys”
Blue Daisy    “Sunday Gift (2LP + CD)”
BNJMN    “Second Kiss (Nightvision / Nightvision (Andy Stott Remix))”
Brunn, Benjamin    “Dust P. 1 (10″)”
Captain Planet    “The Ningane EP (Bastard Jazz Presents)”
Chromeo    “When The Night Falls (Feat. Solange Knowles)”
Com Truise    “Fairlight (45RPM)”
Dday One    “Loop Extension | Deluxe (Ltd. 2×180 Gram Vinyl)”
Driphouse    “SPECTRUM 008”
Emika    “Emika (Ltd. Ed. + D/L)”
Exaltics, The    “They Arrive”
Fear Ratio, The    “Morning Blues Plaid Remix / Guv Three Deadhand Mix”
Fengler, Marcel    “Sphinx EP”
Field, The    “Looping State Of Mind (+ CD)”
Glass Domain    “Fairy / Interlock”
Hackman    “More Than Ever / Nobody Minds”
Henning Baer    “Fierce Hundred EP”
Jordan, Dan    “Slamdunk / Michigan Flake”
Jupiter Tuning Centre & Boogie Arkestra    “Jupiter Tuning Centre & Boogie Arkestra EP”
Kan Kick (A.K.A. Kan Zulu)    “Rummage To Royalty”
KRTS    “Hold On”
L.A.M.    “Balance Of Terror”
Lando Kal    “Maneuver / Run It”
Las    “Power Surge / Power Surge (Desto Remix)”
Long Arm    “Organic”
Martyn    “Ghost People (Ltd. Ed. + D/L)”
Other People Place, The    “Sunday Night Live At The Laptop Café (Ft. Mystic Tribe A.I.)”
Pink Skull    “Psychic Welfare (+ D/L With Extras)”
Rashim, Abdulla    “Asayita”
Sabo & Zeb (Feat. Nappy G) / Nickodemus (Feat. Zeb)    “Afro Azucar / Gibraltar (Sabo & Zeb Remix)”
SBTRKT    “2020 (2×12″)”
Sistol / Pole    “The Synth Remixes”
TEETH    “Swarm Part One (10″)”
Tresher, Greg    “Lights From The Inside: The Remixes Pt. 1”
Tresher, Greg    “Lights From The Inside: The Remixes Pt. 2”
Tyson    “After You’re Gone”
Various Artists    “Brooklyn To The Balkans And Beyond”
Velo, Mary    “Methods – Original Mix / Random – Original Mix / Methods – Conforce Remix”
Yves De May    “Counting Triggers (2×12″)”

Hip-Hop 12″s & LPs
___________________
Apollo Brown    “Clouds (Colored Vinyl)”
Evidence    “Cats & Dogs (Ltd. 2x Coloured Vinyl + D/L)”
Greneberg (Roc Marciano, The Alchemist + Oh No (Gangrene))    “Greneberg (PICLP)”
J-Live    “S.P.T.A.: Said Person Of That Ability (Pronounced Spitta)”
Strong Arm Steady    “In Search Of Stoney Jackson”

10″s
___________________
Mr. Chop    “Switched On (2×10″)”
New Navy    “(ULUWATU)”
Protestant    “Stalemate”

7″s
______________________
Carrying The Fire “Passed”
Children Of God “Coup De…”
Ding-Dongs “4 Song EP”
Tim Hecker “Dropped Pianos”
King Khan & BBQ Show “We Are The Reason”
Kurt Vile / Woods
Low Places
Real Estate “It’s Real”
Mark Sultan “Livin My Life”
Triac “Always Meant To”

CDs
______________________
Alaric
Bjork “Biophilia”
Group Inerane “Guitars”
Antoni Maiovi “Battlestar Trans…”
Martyn “Ghost People”
Primus “Naugahyde”
Sandwell District “Sandwell District”
Various “Black Power And Liberation (Spoken Word 6xCD)”
Various “(Vol.1) Ranters, Reformers… (Spoken Word 6xCD)”
Various “(Vol.2) Ranters, Reformers… (Spoken Word 6xCD)”
Wilco “Whole Love (Deluxe)”

Reviews
_______________________

Björk Biophilia CD/LP
(Nonesuch)
All right, so let’s just go with the obvious question. I know it’s the obvious question because it’s the one I have heard already a good couple dozen times. “Is it better than the last few albums?” First of all, last few? Few? I think the amount of Bjork releases gets distorted because of the amount of time in between each – or maybe the Drawing Restraint soundtrack is being counted or all the singles?  I’m not sure really.  Secondly, Bjork is great and I’m totally biased.  I like Volta and I like Voltaic too (the live one consisting of songs from the former – maybe this is included in the “few.”). I like Medulla and I like Selma Songs (also a soundtrack and arguably not a proper Bjork album).  I absolutely love Vespertine and Homogenic and Post and Debut.  I even find the more folky solo things before those pretty endearing (let’s not even begin to discuss those though).  Biophilia is great.  My slanted prejudice view had me believing this before I heard one note, but each note I’ve heard (I’d say I’m on my 12th or so listen) since has been a reassurance of that thought. It’s great. There are fun breakcore/hard-tek elements which doubly draw me in.  The light strings and her voice make this a minimal journey at times and then the maximalist bursts of drums balance it.  Yes, it’s better than Volta.  I said it there.  There, I said it.  It’s got way more elements than I can begin to discuss here in my short review. Listen for yourself.  If you’re like me you already know you like it.  This is just some reassurance.  Oh, and the LP got pushed to a 24th of October release so we only have the CD right now. Oh and since this is fairly a non-review I’ll give you another heads up from my ears/guts – the TEETH 10″ that’s on this update is easily the most soothing disc to my inner bass fiend this week.
[Reviewer: Rick]

Exitmusic From Silence 12″

(Secretly Canadian)
There’s a great deal of emotive passion on this EP. Originally a duo consisting of Brooklyn-based couple Aleksa Palladino and Devon Church, the addition of drummer Dru Prentiss and electronic musician Nicholas Shelestak enhances their forceful, provocative electronic sound. There’s an epic, dream-like sound throughout, as if it were recorded in a vast marble palace by the ocean. This ethereal sound, complete with breathy, resonant vocals, is reminiscent of bands like Sigur Rós. The vocals sound incredibly mournful; Palladino delivers them in a way that sounds like crying out her message so the whole world can hear it. It will be interesting to see what this group experiments with in the future. They certainly know how to convey the theme of loss, and make sure the listener knows exactly how they feel.
[Reviewer: Mark]

RazorxFade RazorxFade LP

(Not Normal Tapes)
RazorxFade is a straightedge outfit from Chicago, IL. Midwest Wolfpack.These dudes play fast pissed off hardcore with just the right amount of squealing feedback and plenty of punch-anything-that-moves mosh parts. They’ve got an early Boston influence for sure, but if you like bands like Tear It Up, Cokebust or even Colin Of Arabia, you’ll probably dig this. Most bands coming out with this style shouldn’t put out more than a 7″ worth of material at a time (I feel this way about 75% of all hardcore). It gets old and boring fast, much better in little bursts. Not RXF, this 10 song LP is well written & structured and leaves me wanting more! I hope they make the trek to CT soon.
[Reviewer: Josh]

7th Of October 2011 Update

7th Of October 2011 Update of New and Key Restocked Items
at Redscroll Records


At some point I (Rick) rearranged the inventory during the week so that I didn’t keep the last week’s stuff in line.  I think this is everything, but there is the possibility we got more than what is listed below.  Give us a call if you’re curious about anything in particular.  Heck, give us a call anytime you want us to get something you don’t see listed.  


LPs & 12″s
______________________
Aklaff, P “House Of…”
Ambarchi / Talia “Hit & Run”
Andrew Jackson Jihad “Knife Man”
Austra “Feel It Break (+ D/L)”
Austra “Sparkle”
Bolt Thrower “In Battle There Is No Law (Reissue 180 Gram Ltd. Ed. Coloured Vinyl)”
Bonnie Prince Billy “Wolfroy…”
Bridge & Tunnel “Rebuild”
Casiokids “Aabenbaringen Over Aaskammen (180 Gram + Poster + D/L)”
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah “Hysterical”
Copyrights “Sent…”
Dark Ages “Can America…”
Diop/Tall “Diamonoye”
Future Islands “On The Water”
Heavy Breath “The E.P.s”
High Places “Original…”
Hundredth “Let Go”
Lattermen “Turn…”
Less Life “Today Will Be…”
Lifeless “No Love…”
Lights “Siberia”
Lil Wayne “Tha Carter IV (Deluxe Edition Red Vinyl + 3 Bonus Tracks)”
MonoMono “Dawn Of…”
MonoMono “Beggar…”
New Found Glory “Radiosurgery (+ CD)”
Ridgemont “Colder…”
Roll The Dice “In Dust (Ltd. Ed. Double LP + CD)”
Saves The Day “Daybreak”
Scott, Simon “Bunny”
S.C.U.M. “Again Into Eyes (180 Gram + CD)”
Skeletonwitch “Forever Abomiation (180 Gram Triple-Gatefold + D/L)”
Spalding, Esperanza “Junjo “
Street Eaters “Rusty”
Various Artists “Studio One ’63-’80”
Water Borders “Harbored Mantras”
Wild Flag “Wild Flag”
Youth Lagoon “The Year Of Hibernation (+ 7″ + D/L)”




Electronic LPs & 12″s
______________________
Aquarius Heaven “Can’t Buy Love EP”
Azari & III “Azari & III”
Bakongo “Amhara”
Curly, Nick “Sun City EP”
Darkness Falls “The Void (Ltd. Ed. + 7″)”
Gescom “Skull Snap”
Joker “Here Come The Lights (Feat. Silas – Turboweekend)”
Kahn “Way Mi Defend (10″)”
Magician, The “I Don’t Know What To Do (Feat. Jeppe)”
Martyn “Masks / Viper”
Muller, Florian Project, The “As Usual EP”
Plastikman “Nostalgik.2”
Remain + Mlle Caro “Remain + Mlle Caro”
Second Life “Inner Love (Give It Up)”
Sensational Meets Koyxen “Sensational Meets Koyxen”
Skudge / Substance / October & Appleblim “Skudge Remixes Part 4”
Stott, Andy “We Stay Together”
Tropics “Parodia Flare”
Trueby, Rainer “Jeck”
Vaz, Andy “Straight Vacationing”
Venegas, Felipe “I Ching”
Walls “Coracle (Ltd. Ed. White Vinyl + CD)”
We Love “Timeless”
ZZT “Vulkan Alarm!”




7″s
______________________
Brain Tumors
Cold World / War Hungry
Ergs! “Blue”
Naked Raygun “7” Series #3″
Whirr “June”




CDs
______________________
Saves The Day “Daybreak”
Various Artists “Studio One ’63-’80”




Reviews
______________________

Elzhi (And Will Sessions) Elmatic LP
(Fat Beats / Jae.B Group)
Elmatic… Illmatic. That’s the essence of this – Elzhi’s (pronounced EL – ZI (as in eye)) The Detroit take on Nas’s quintessential New York classic.  Outrageously bold to do this and then beyond bold to release it physically (and not just like a Wugazi joint – which in my opinion is worth only one full listen).  I’ve listened to Illmatic more times than I can exaggerate about (a number so big that if I thought to exaggerate I might actually hit it on the head).  I was listening to this while the last Detroit vs. Yankees game was on last night.  “Detroit State of Mind” came on and destiny was sealed.  Elmatic may never be the classic that Illmatic is (it can’t be – it relies on that to exist), but it is a nice fresh approach and much more than a hot mixtape (not to undermine the worth of a hot mixtape). Illmatic in Detroit – plain and simple and great. 
(Bonus: Hear it here.)
[Reviewer: Rick]


Matahari Never The Same 7″
(Get Young)
Get Young Records, CT’s transplanted gift to Boston, brings us an EP by Matahari entitled, “Never The Same.” It takes real balls to invest a few grand out of your own pocket to help propel someone else’s band forward. And with releases this year by Cold Snap, Heavy Breath, and Canvas it goes without saying that Rich & co. deserve your respect and attention. I haven’t heard Matahari before this and the bio I read online has them pegged for fans of Converge and Trap Them, but I don’t hear that at all. Converge gets tagged on to so many band descriptions and pretty much no one ever sounds like them, except The Secret. They would certainly fit in well with the left-of-center hardcore scene of the early 2000s. With an intricate guitar vibe and zero dance parts Matahari bares more of a resemblance to bands just over the post-hardcore lines like Draw Blood, Defeater or maybe even some of the non-mosh Botch stuff. 
[Reviewer: Josh]


Primus Green Naugahyde LP/CD
(ATO Records / Prawn Song)
Primus is one of those bands that’s truly inimitable; anyone trying to clone Les Claypool’s signature style, including songwriting, vocalizations and sense of wit, should expect to be labeled an obvious rip-off. He’s played in several bands since 1999’s Antipop, but Green Naugahyde is a true return to a form Primus has become known for (think the driving-tempo sound of Frizzle Fry and Tales From The Punchbowl, with additional ideas from Sailing The Seas Of Cheese.) Although it’s impossible to really “expect” anything from a band as insane as they are, they deliver what a typical Primus fan would look forward to: drug-injected funk-metal riffs, bizarre lyrics and, of course, lots and lots of ultra-dense, cool-sounding slap bass. Unlike the moshpit-ready jams of Antipop (they didn’t want to sound out-of-place at the Family Values Tour, after all,) the tracks on Green Naugahyde concentrate on head-bobbing funkiness (“Tragedy’s A’Comin’” and “Lee Van Cleef” are great examples of that uninhibited, deep-fried-in-cartoony-bass goodness.) Although Primus appear to have a pretty light-hearted demeanor, they have a strong grip on communicating dead-serious subjects such as our consumerist culture (“Eternal Consumption Engine”) and lamenting a friend doomed by drug abuse (“Jilly’s On Smack.”) All in all, this is strong addition to their discography, successfully maintaining their fun, uniqueness, and total insanity. 
[Reviewer: Mark]
(*Note: This Primus got back-ordered on us and we’re still waiting on its arrival.*)

30th Of September 2011 Update

30th Of September 2011 Update of New and Key Restocked Items
at Redscroll Records

LPs & 12″s
______________________
Adrian Younge Presents Venice Dawn    “It’s Me (Official Serato Control Vinyl)”
Aids Wolf    “Ma Vie Banale Avante-Garde”
Antioch Arrow    “Gems Of Masochism”
Axelrod, David    “The Auction”
Black Flag    “Damaged”
Broncho    “Can’t Get Past The Lips (+ D/L)”
Butthole Surfers    “Live PCPEP”
Charalambides    “Exile (2LP)”
Ciccone Youth    “The Whitey Album”
Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi    “Rome (Starring Jack White & Norah Jones)”
Dinosaur Jr.     “You’re Living All Over Me (Reissue)”
Dinosaur Jr.     “Bug (Reissue)”
Dinosaur Jr.     “Dinosaur (Reissue)”
Dream Boat    “Widow “
Dreamers Of The Ghetto    “Enemy/Lover (+ D/L)”
Drift, The    “Blue Hour (+ D/L)”
Earth Crisis    “Neutralize The Threat”
Ernestus, Mark    “Mark Enestus Meets BBC”
Exitmusic    “From Silence (+ D/L)”
Faith    “Subject To Change (+ D/L)”
Far Out Fangtooth    “Pure & Disinterested”
Festival Of Dead Deer, The    “The Many Faces Of Mental Illness (A Collection) (Ltd. Ed. Color Vinyl)”
Foster The People    “Pumped Up Kicks (Single 12″)”
Frente Cumbiero Meets Mad Professor    “Frente Cumbiero Meets Mad Professor”
Fungi Girls    “Some Easy Magic”
Germs, The    “Forming (Pic)”
Hawkwind    “Space Ritual Vol. 2 (180 Gram Ltd. Ed. Coloured Vinyl)”
Hulk Out / All Those Opposed / Third Death    “Hulk Out / All Those Opposed / Third Death”
Into It. Over It.    “Proper (White 12″)”
Jack’s Mannequin    “People And Things “
Kitchen’s Floor    “Look Forward To Nothing”
Klag, Daniel    “Weird Fiction”
Kyuss    “Blues Fro The Red Sun (180 Gramm Pressung)”
Life Of Agony    “20 Years Strong – River Runs Red: Live In Brussels”
Loney Dear    “Hall Music (180 Gram + D/L)”
Minus The Bear    “This Is What I Know About Being Gigantic (Clear Vinyl /1000 + D/L)”
Minus The Bear    “Highly Refined Pirates (Transparent Blue Vinyl /1000 + D/L)”
Misfits    “Twilight Of The Dead”
Nirvana    “Nevermind (4LPs 180-Gram Vinyl; Expanded Artwork; Remastered + Lots Of Extras)”
Now Denial    “Fuck Now Denial (+ D/L)”
Now Denial    “Power To The Mountain (+ CD)”
Omegas    “Blasts Of Lunacy”
Orcutt, Bill    “How The Thing Sings “
Orthrelm    “2nd 18/O4 Norildivoth Crallos-Lomrixth Urthiln”
Ramones    “Brain Drain (180 Gram)”
Rene Hell / Three Legged Race    “Violin Petal (Auden) / Whipped Secrets”
Revocation    “Chaos Of Forms”
Salmon, Kim And The Guys From Mudhoney    “Until…”
Shakir, Anthony Shake / Ayhun, Oni    “… Meets BBC”
Shitty/Awesome    “Shitty/Awesome”
Silver Jews     “The Natural Bridge”
Siskiyou    “Keep Away The Dead (180 Gram + Art Print Poster + D/L)”
Sleep ∞ Over (Sleep Over)    “Forever”
Some Girls    “All My Friends Are Going Death (Ltd. Ed. Color Vinyl)”
Some Girls    “Heaven’s Pregnant Teens (Ltd. Ed. Color Vinyl)”
Stepkids, The    “The Stepkids (+ D/L)”
Swiftumz     “Don’t Trip”
Talk Talk    “Spirit Of Eden”
Talk Talk    “Laughing Stock”
Talkdemonic    “Ruins (+ D/L)”
Teams    “Dxys Xff”
Three Mile Pilot    “Chief Assasin To The Sinister”
Three Mile Pilot    “Na Vucca Do Lupu”
Tone, Yasunao    “MP3 Deviation #8”
Tune-Yards    “Gangsta (Album Version, Adrock Remix, Cut Chemist Remix, Instrumental, A Cappella)”
Type O Negative    “Bloody Kisses (180 Gram)”
Various Artists    “Jungle Magic (Sofrito Tropical Disco V.2)”
Various Artists    “Porno Groove II (PIC LP + D/L)”
Veronica Falls    “Veronica Falls”
Vex Ruffin    “Crash Course EP”
Villalobos, Ricardo & Loderbauer, Max / Peverelist    “… Meets BBC”
We Were Promised Jetpacks    “In The Pit Of The Stomach (+ D/L)”
White Dog    “Triturate”
Whitman     “I’ll Be Waiting (/300 + D/L)”
Young Adults    “Black Hole”
Zola Jesus    “Conatus (Ltd. Ed. Clear Vinyl + D/L)”
Zounds    “The Redemption Of Zounds”
Zs    “The Hard EP”

Electronic LPs & 12″s
______________________
Aquarius Heaven    “Can’t Buy Love EP”
Azari & III    “Azari & III”
Bakongo    “Amhara”
Curly, Nick    “Sun City EP”
Joker    “Here Come The Lights (Feat. Silas – Turboweekend)”
Kahn    “Way Mi Defend (10″)”
Magician, The     “I Don’t Know What To Do (Feat. Jeppe)”
Martyn    “Masks / Viper”
Plastikman    “Nostalgik.2”
Skudge / Substance / October & Appleblim    “Skudge Remixes Part 4”
Tropics    “Parodia Flare”
Trueby, Rainer    “Jeck”
Venegas, Felipe    “I Ching”
We Love    “Timeless”
ZZT    “Vulkan Alarm!”

Hip-Hop 12″s & LPs
___________________
Exile    “4TRKMIND (+ D/L)”
False Tropics    “Sample Based Beats”
Ice Cube    “AmeriKKa’s Most Wanted (2xLP)”
J Dilla (Jay Dee)    “Donuts (“Smile” Cover 2xLP)”
Oddisee    “Rock Creek Park”
Timbo King    “From Babylon To Timbuktu (2xLP)”

10″s
______________________
Spanakorzo / Swing Kids    “Fly By Wire”
Stetson, Colin    “Those Who Didn’t Run / The End Of Your Suffering”

7″s
______________________
Branko “Branko!”
Children Of God “Coup De…”
Domestic War / In The Day
Egg Hunt
Fury Of Five / Mushmouth
H2O “California”
Hatewaves “The Tombs (5″)”
Low Places
Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings “He Said I can / It Hurts To Be Alone”
Negative Lifestyle “Panic”
Redgrave “Mantis”
Regents “On Boarding”
Social Circkle “Expiration”
Swing Kids
Terrible Feelings “Impend…”
Triac “Always Meant To”
Watery Love “Die With Dignity / Leave Me”

CDs
______________________
Body, The & Braveyoung “Nothing Passes”
Danny Brown “XXX”
Cvlts “Lvst” (CDR)
Opeth “Heritage”
Revocation “Chaos Of Forms”
Textures “Dualism”
Wynne, J. “300 Speakers…”
Zola Jesus “Conatus”

Magazine
____________________
Wire #332 October 2011

T-Shirts
____________________
Death In June – Whip-hand Logo (Natural & Grey Colors)

Reviews
____________________

Bad Sports Kings Of The Weekend LP
(Dirtnap)
This Denton, Texas trio plays straight-up fuzzy garage punk. Their sophomore effort Kings Of The Weekend is highly reminiscent of the earliest wave of punk, when bands like The Ramones were still crafting a faster, simpler and catchier evolution of rock n roll. There’s something really refreshing about that classic style of punk, where the songs are typically around 2 minutes (or shorter) and the biggest life concerns involve girls, not politics. The record kicks off with “Off Switch” – a high-octane rocker that jolts the listener’s attention before transitioning into the more traditional, poppier “Can’t Just Be Friends.” The fidelity stays true to the raw sound without drifting into excessive distortion. Other highlights include “Teenage Girls” (a great example of how these guys handle their early punk sound to help carve their own identity) and “I’m In Love With Myself” (who’d have thought a song about narcissism could be so catchy?) There’s not much else to say – this band stays true to form, and they rock hard in the process. I bet their live shows are a rush.
[Reviewer: Mark]
Dream Boat Widow LP
(AMDiscs)
I’ve definitely been reviewing things lately that have a lot of similarities. I am noticing this now as I sit to write this review (well, a little before this). Melancholic and chill and electronic production heavy jams. Am I in a rut? More like a groove (Like a record, get it? Sorry, excuse that.). I thought about switching it up this week just for variety’s sake, but this album is worth my time (and yours). The record label is in the Czech Republic and the music is very much off the radar of most music news outlets (blogs, magazines, etc.; note most, not all). Luckily for us all, AMDiscs does a good job at keeping their own site up to date (one which I check with regularity). I’ve just brought a slew of their physical releases into the shop and they are pretty varied themselves, but I am drawn to Dream Boat. I am drawn to them because it’s in a style I enjoy (as noted), but also because they are somewhat local. Yes, it’s true. I even asked them to play the Iceage show we did a while ago – unfortunately the scheduling wasn’t ideal and it didn’t work out, but I do hope to have them by sometime to perform. Providence, RI is where they call home though I know one of the two works in NYC (because of the conversation about the Iceage show and scheduling). Yea, so, this record: really great and chill and droned out at times, but also pretty upbeat for quick spells with some dubbed out beats and treated angelic-type voices; both masculine and feminine (not quite to the level of the chipmunk-like Balam Acab voices, but a similar idea). Czech it out (oof!).
[Reviewer: Rick]
Terrible Feelings Impending Doom 7″
(Deranged)
I was having trouble finding something I really enjoyed to recommend this week. Don’t get me wrong, plenty of new stuff came out this week that I’m sure rules, but for me nothing was doing it. Maybe it’s a personal funk, drawing a blank, whatever. I took a stack of 7″s I wasn’t familiar with on labels I generally enjoy and started my hunt. After a fistful of duds I landed on this new two song jammer on Deranged Records, originally released on Sabotage / Lack Of Sleep Records in Europe where they’re already into the second pressing. Swedish band, Terrible Feelings, play moody, melodic punk with elements of surf rock; jangly guitars and minimal artwork comprised of upside down crosses on the inside = I’m sold. The song titles are “Impending Doom” and “Death To Everyone” and the lyrics don’t get any more upbeat from there, but the vocals are the real stand out on this. The singer, Manuela Iwansson, has a beautiful, passionate voice that ties this all together.
[Reviewer: Josh]

23rd Of September 2011 Update

23rd Of September 2011 Update of New and Key Restocked Items
at Redscroll Records

LPs & 12″s
______________________
Alias      “Fever Dream (/1000 + D/L)”
Annapurna Illusion    “Life Is An Illusion”
Apple, Fiona    “Extraordinary Machine (180 Gram)”
Ayshay    “Warn-U”
Baird, Meg    “Seasons On Earth”
Cave    “Neverendless”
Destroyer    “Kaputt (+ D/L)”
Diamond Catalog    “Magnified Palette”
Disco Zombies, The    “Drums Over London (All 3 Rare Singles Plus Unreleased Songs + D/L With More)”
Dream Theater    “A Dramatic Turn Of Events (180 Gram 2LP)”
Drums, The    “Portamento (+ D/L)”
Dum Dum Girls    “Only In Dreams (+ D/L)”
Eddy Current Suppression Ring    “Walking In Unison”
Evangelista    “In Animal Tongue (+ Art Print Poster + D/L 180 Gram)”
Feeding People    “Feeding People”
Fucking Wrath, The    “Valley Of The Serpent’s Soul (+ D/L)”
Guelewar    “Halleli N’ Dakarou”
Hagar The Womb    “A Brighter Shade Of Black”
Hawk And A Hacksaw, A    “Delivrance”
King Blood    “Eyewash Silver”
Lekman, Jens    “An Argument With Myself (+ D/L)”
Mates Of State    “Mountaintops (+ D/L)”
Megafaun    “Megafaun (2xLP Gatefold + D/L)”
Mogwai    “Earth Division EP (+ D/L)”
Oneida / Mugstar    “Collisions Volume.02”
Pack A.D., The    “Unpersons (+ D/L)”
Pangea    “Living Dummy”
Picastro + Nadja    “Fool, Redeemer”
Pink Floyd    “Mojo Proudly Presents: Return To Dark Side Of The Moon (Collectors’ Vinyl Edition!)”
Pink’s, Ariel Haunted Graffiti    “Worn Copy (+ D/L)”
Radiohead    “Bloom (Jamie XX Rework) / Separator (Anstam RMX) / Lotus Flower (SBTRKT RMX)”
Radiohead    “Good Evening Mrs Magpie (Modeselektor RMX) / Bloom (Objekt RMX)”
Russell, Arthur    “Let’s Go Swimming”
Rwake    “Rest (180 Gram)”
Sakata, Akira & Chikamorachi    “Live At Hungry Brain (/700 + D/L)”
Social Climbers    “Social Climbers”
Spits, The    “The Spits (First Self-Titled)”
Stooges    “The Stooges”
Tammar    “Visits (/500 On Pink Ice Vinyl + D/L)”
Teeth Of The Sea    “Your Mercury”
True Sons Of Thunder    “Spoonful Of Seedy Dudes”
Trust    “Bulbform / F.T.F./Bulbform (Alternate Mix)”
Twin Sister    “In Heaven (+ D/L)”
Various Artists    “Turkish Freakout! 2: Psych-Folk 1970-1978 (/1000 With 7″ 2xLP Gatefold)”
Various Artists    “Japan 3.11.11: A Benefit Album (Unreleased Tracks From Of Montreal, Deerhoof, Xiu Xiu, Owen, Joan Of Arc…)(/2000 2LP 180 Gram Red Vinyl)”
Vibrators, The    “Pure Mania (Reissue)”
Warbringer    “Worlds Torn Asunder (Ltd. Ed. Color Splattered Vinyl)”
Wilco    “The Whole Love (+ CD)”
Yob    “Atma (Gatefold)”

Electronic LPs & 12″s
______________________
Afrikan Sciences    “Means And Ways EP”
Apparat    “The Devil’s Walk (Special Ed. 180 Gram + CD)”
Biome    “Space  “
Boman, Axel    “Lucky Tiger EP”
Boratto, Gui    “III (2LP + CD)”
Bottin    “Artifacts 03”
Captain Planet    “Cookin’ Gumbo (+ D/L)”
Conforce    “Dystopian Elements EP”
Copeland, Inga    “Inga Copeland”
Damu    “Ridin EP”
Dub War    “The Funky Deal / To The Depths”
Duster Valentine / Aardvarck    “(My Back Is) Against The Wall / (Just Washed) That Pig (Extended)”
Fixmer, Terence    “Le Terrible”
Flugel, Roman     “Fatty Folders (2LP)”
Kan Kick (A.K.A. Kan Zulu)    “From Artz Unknown”
Kieran, Phill & Paap, Jochem    “Workshops Vol. 01”
Klaus    “Tusk EP”
Legowelt    “Poverties Paradise EP”
Modeselektor     “Monkeytown (2LP)”
Old Apparatus    “Zebulon (10″)”
Pangea    “Hex / Fatalist”
Pants, James / Noble, Tom    “Selected Sounds Remixes Pt. 1 (Klaus Weiss)”
Plaid    “Scintilli”
Plastikman    “Arkives 1993-2010 (6 × Vinyl, 12″)”
Pritch & Trim    “Stereotype / Kiss My Ass”
Randomer    “Obtuse”
Red Stars Over Tokyo    “Hits Of Sunshine”
Resoe    “Black Void”
Runaway    “Indoor Pool”
SBTRKT / OBJEKT    “SBJEKT#01: Wildfire / Dub/Tool”
Skudge    “Man On Wire / Kutd / June”
Sully    “Carrier”
Summers, Steve    “In The Mode For Love”
Ta-Ku / Pavel Dovgal    “Finest Ego: Faces 12″ Series”
Vibezin    “From The Crates EP”
Voigt & Voigt    “Speicher 69”

7″s
______________________
Dead In The Dirt “Fear”
Dow Jones & The Industrials “Can’t Stand…”
Gun Selectah
Hunt, Rollin “Criminal”
Sic Alps “Battery Townsley”
Stacian “3”
UV P0P “Just A Game / No Songs Tomorrow”

CDs
______________________
Atlas Moth “An Ache For The Distance”
Baker, Aidan “Lost In The Rat Maze”
Bullion “You Drive Me…”
Chomsky, Noam “Noam Chomsky Box (6xCD)”
Dream Theater “Dramatic…”
Extreme Noise Terror “Holocaust In…”
Fucking Wrath, The “Valley Of…”
Hyun, S.J. “Beautiful Rivers”
Madlib “Raw Medicine (MMS#12)”
Mournful Congregation “Unspoken Hymns”
MZ.412 “In Nomine…”
Neurosis “Sovereign (Remastered)”
Oswalt, Patton “Finest Hour”
Russell, Arthur “Let’s Go Swimming”
Sakata, Akira & Jim O’Rourke…
Thundercat “Golden Age…”
War On Drugs “Slave Ambient”
Weekend “Red”
Wild Flag
Yob “Atma”

Tape
______________________
Cave “Neverendless”

Magazine
______________________
Maximum Rock N Roll #341 October 2011

Reviews
_____________________


Dead In The Dirt Fear 7″
(Southern Lord)
Southern Lord has been releasing a ton of great hardcore bands lately like, Baptists, Xibalba, and now Dead In The Dirt. With a name lifted from Chris Colohan’s notebook, you know these dudes are going to rage. Dead In The Dirt is a vegan straight edge hardcore/power violence band from Atlanta, GA featuring members of Foundation. They’ve got the intensity of Cursed, the tone of His Hero Is Gone and the speed of Dropdead. The 7″ has 10 songs, none longer then two minutes and the info sheet has not just lyrics, but one or two line descriptions about the content of the song, which I dig.  I caught their recent secret set and I was not disappointed at all, they did a cover of Left For Dead’s “Skingraft”, which is also recorded on this 7″! Pick it up!
[Reviewer: Josh]

Fleet Foxes Helplessness Blues CD / LP

(Sub Pop)
It’s been three years since Seattle, Washington’s Fleet Foxes has released new material. Their self-titled debut went platinum in the UK and sold upwards of 400,000 copies in the US. They’ve responded to their success by releasing a sophomore follow-up, entitled Helplessness Blues. The album came out on May 3rd of this year and has since reached number four on the Billboard 200 charts. Despite the popularity of their latest release, I personally wasn’t blown away by Helplessness Blues. Maybe I haven’t given it enough of a listen, but it didn’t make me want to have the tracks on repeat for the rest of the week. Upon hearing Fleet Foxes’ self-titled for the first time, I fell in love immediately. There were so many songs that stood out. It was a memorable album. I hadn’t even gotten into this band until the winter of last year (I know, how un-hip of me!) but as soon as I did hear them they became a staple in my collection of winter-themed songs.

I have yet to see Fleet Foxes live, though I wonder if seeing them would even compare to the recorded product, as what makes them so good (in my eyes) is how well put-together the albums are, from the production to the way the tracks flow into one another. Helplessness Blues features the stunning production quality reminiscent of their first album. Most (if not all) of the songs are full of the echoing harmonies and folksy guitars they are known for. The title track ‘Helplessness Blues’ sounds like a B-side of the self-titled. Fleet Foxes have always been a ‘winter band’ for me, and I feel that this album will fit right into that category once the weather gets a little colder. The lyrical subject matter isn’t as ‘wintry’ as the self-titled’s, but the echo-y quality of the vocals and the driving guitar riffs make up for that.

I believe that once I listen to Helplessness Blues on a regular basis, I will fall in love with it just as I did with their first release. Hopefully certain tracks will stand out and be able to stand alone as ‘singles’, for lack of a better term. Good albums are marked by those memorable songs that everyone loves to sing along to. Although I may not find Helplessness Blues to be as strong of an album as Fleet Foxes, it is still a refreshing listen. I hope it will grow on me as time goes on, especially as fall and winter come upon us and I’m looking for that one album to play on repeat while I lay in bed on the first snow day of winter.
[Reviewer: Liz]

Garrincha & The Stolen Elk Void LP

(Weird Forest Records)
This is the first full-length from Davy Bui and Matt Kretzmann – they’ve been active since 2002, releasing a number of cassettes. Merely describing this record is a serious challenge: undoubtedly, it would best be classified as experimental, but the sound changes so much that it feels like experiencing déjà vu from a very, very unusual dream. The atmosphere contains lots of manipulated sounds (such as slowed-down hymns and bizarre voice samples) and numerous instrument sounds enter and exit unexpectedly. Opener “I Don’t Believe You” begins with morose church music that gradually shifts into an abstract, alien ambience. The track closes with avant-jazz played over what sounds like grainy audio of heavy objects caught in a tornado. The first half of “Tower of Babble” shifts from simple rainfall and comfortable electronica patterns to harsh bagpipe-esque drone, and the second half mixes bleak, drugged-out guitars with high-BPM drum machine spurts. The final three tracks are part of a series called “First Rites, Last Communion.” Like the earlier tracks, all three are unpredictable. It’s like a combination of a drug trip and vague memories from an ancient religious service (as the label’s website describes, this sequence is “heavily comprised of processed Asian church ceremony field recordings.“) There’s also plenty of droning, noise, choral singing, and moments of curiously calm electronic ambience. Overall, this is a really unique and innovative album, recommended for those who want to explore strange new places.
[Reviewer: Mark]



HTRK Work (Work, Work) LP

(Ghostly International)
HTRK (apparently pronounced “Hate Rock” or as HTRKTR “Hate Rock Trio”) are simply a slowed down new wave band with dreamy swirling instrumentation and slow syncopated rhythms. Just before this full length they released a 12″ that featured a Suicide cover on the B-Side which is also excellent and recommended. The haunting elements of the music are reflected in the breathy delivery of the vocals by Jonnine C. Standish. According to their website, “The new HTRK album revolves around themes of submission, dysphoria, sentimentality, tech-noir and corporate life.” It fits. The vocals weave in and out of the music rather than float atop them with occasional interaction (more MBV than Portishead in other words). Electronic production elements of this wrap the listener up in layers of dub warmth and (I hope you have some subs) massaging bass. Listening to this now I quite honestly just lost track of time staring blankly into space and loved every second of it.
[Reviewer: Rick]