sabato 19 maggio 2007

May 2007

Thursday, May 31, 2007

Angel'in Heavy Syrup

Angel'in Heavy Syrup

Biography :
Although guitarist, producer, and theorist Jojo Hiroshige is one of the leading figures on the Japanese noise music scene, his protégées in the all-female quartet Angel'in Heavy Syrup could not be further from the sort of extreme noise terrorism Hiroshige is best known for. Their quiet, meditative music is clearly influenced by the gentler side of '70s Krautrock and progressive rock; think of the gentler moments of Can or Gong, made even more ghostly and delicate by the group's low-key instrumentation and gossamer vocals. This is music in constant danger of becoming so airy it might drift off into the ether, were it not rooted by subtly polyrhythmic drums and hand percussion seemingly based on traditional Japanese court music. Angel'in Heavy Syrup was formed in 1990 by singer and bassist Mineko Itakura and guitarist Mine Nakao, who are the only constants in the lineup. Drafting drummer Yoko Mandrake in to complete the original lineup, the trio found favor with Hiroshige, who signed them to his Alchemy Records imprint and produced their first album, Angel'in Heavy Syrup I, which was released in Japan in 1991 and in the United States by Subterranean Records the following year. Before their second album was recorded, some lineup changes took place. Mandrake was replaced by Tomoko Takahara, who played flute in addition to drums and percussion. The trio also recruited a second guitarist, Fusao Toda, which meant that Nakao now had a foil with whom she could create ever more delicate spun-sugar curlicues of electric guitar sound. The pair also adds glockenspiel and chimes beginning with 1993's Angel'in Heavy Syrup II, adding an even more fragile ghostliness to the band's sound. Though the album primarily consists of extended, improvisatory ambience, it also includes a peculiarly wonderful deconstruction of Sonny and Cher's "I Got You Babe." The new lineup held together long enough to record their third album, Angel'in Heavy Syrup III, released in Japan in early 1995. Later that year, American avant-rock distributor Charnel Music started a new label, Circular Reasoning, for the express purpose of releasing this album in the United States; as a bonus, the label added "Introduction I: Naked Sky High," the opening track from Angel'in Heavy Syrup II, which had never been released in the U.S. The group remained quiet for nearly half a decade after their third album, finally returning with Angel'in Heavy Syrup IV in late 1999. Takahara was gone, and as if to admit that they're incapable of keeping a steady drummer, her replacement Naoko Otani is credited as a guest musician. Their first album to be released simultaneously in Japan and the United States, the beautifully packaged Angel'in Heavy Syrup IV was also the first to feature English translations of Itakura's Japanese lyrics in the liner notes.
~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide

MySpace URL: http://www.myspace.com/angelinheavysyrup


Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Above The Ruins - 1986 - Songs Of The Wolf



Above the Ruins was Tony Wakeford's band after parting with Death in June and before forming Sol Invictus. Raw, dark driving rock, with little hint of the folk style to come.



New Dawn on 30 December 2003
Fans of Sol Invictus: Get This!!! A fine compliment to the Against The Modern World material, in fact "Make Us Strong" and "Under Western Skies" wouldn't have sounded so out of place on that first Sol LP
. Musically, this sounds like a cross between early DIJ, Joy Division and early Sol Invictus. Lyrically, more "political" than Tony's later works---though I often sense that political ideas remain, subtly or inadvertently, in some of Tony's later work. (The words to the song "Waiting" would, oddly enough, show up years later on NON's In The Shadow of The Sword LP!!!)

Source : http://strangefortune.com/cd.php?id=1


thanks DeadMessiah for this one !!!


Download it Here :

Sunday, May 27, 2007

Ex-Voto - Anno Domini

(poor alice music)
CASSETTE TAPE

This tape features songs form 1982-1986 and Features the following songs:

FALLING APART
ROUNDHOUSE

WAITING FOR THE DAWN

LIFETIME

I CRY

HAND TO HOLD

IN A MODERN TIME

HOLLOW SOULS

IF I NEVER

THE RETURN

I'LL WAIT FOREVER


L.A USA gothic/death rock band .
If you like bands like the Sisters of Mercy, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, 45 grave, Bauhaus etc, etc. This should be right on the mark!


Download It Here:
http://rapidshare.com/files/33364232/exvoto.rar



Friday, May 25, 2007

The Ectomorph - 1991 - The Furious Sleeper


extremly rare out of print CD of The Ectomorph's only album, released on the Woronzow label in 1991. Very nice psychedelic rock including two cover songs (A question of temperature & The garden of earthly delights). If you like bands like FLYTE REACTION or BEVIS FROND you have to check this one out!

Tracks:
1- Show me no mercy
2- Fields of Agincourt
3- The man who dreamt himself
4- Walk with fire
5- Sherlock's brain
6- The illuminated lung
7- A question of temperature
8- The face in murder's mirror
9- Dark breakfast
10- With the drink
11- Savage god
12- Diverse humours
13- The garden of earthly delights

CD@224
Download

posted by Tydalwave

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Various Artists - 1990 - Badger A-Go-Go



Badger-A-Go-Go

If you played in a band in the late '80s, then you know that your scene wasn't anything without a regional compilation album to document the breadth and eclecticism present in your town/county/state's musical population. While many of these records were immediately relegated to the dusty shelves of the "local" section of your favorite music emporium, there were those that deserved better. Badger A-Go-Go is a surprisingly strong record, with enough recognized and "unsigned" artists -- and beyond that, actual good songs -- to keep a college radio listener entertained. Who knew the diversity present in the state of Wisconsin: Paul Cebar the Milwaukeeans' laid-back, almost whimsical take on "Can't Sit Down," the Husker Du-influenced Liquid Pink, the guitar pop of Squares, and the more established individual sounds of EIEIO and Die Kreuzen. Fear not, there are a few bum tracks (and it wouldn't be a regional compilation without them), but the depth of good bands and songs will ease the pain of listening to Appliances-SFB's "Play With Pain." The compact disc reissue includes bonus tracks by Liquid Pink.
- Kurt Edwards, All Music Guide

I could add that this a VERY varied record and this means that you got the power-pop of Cherry Cake and the Squares, the cow-extravaganza version of "Blood on the Saddle" from Brian Richie (starts like the great Tex Edwards & Out on Parole and ends like Eugene Chadbourne), one of the more "soft" tracks of Boy Dirt Car, and Plasticland (in one of their wildest tracks). Note that this is the LP version, so there are no bonus tracks by Liquid Pink.

Danelectro - Liquid Pink (2:23)
I'm Gonna Emphasize - Plasticland (2:29)
Downer Street - Squares (3:24)
The American Way - Dummy Club (1:49)
K.I.D. - Boy Dirt Car (3:28)
Can't Sit Down - Paul Cebar & The Milwakeeans (3:01)
Seasons of Wither - Die Kreuzen (4:38)
Helvetica - Couch Flambeau (2:54)
Grievance in F#m - Blowtorch (2:30)
Mrs. Wilson - Cherry Cake (3:15)
Stop at the Left...Look to the Right - F/i (3:07)
Play With Pain - Appliances SFB (1:38)
Blood on the Saddle - Brian Ritchie & Ghostly Trio (2:23)
Gonna Get Some [Alternate Take] - E-I-E-I-O (1:59)
My Mother Still Likes Me - Voot Warnings (2:24)

If you're further interested you can find Plasticland, Boy Dirt Car, F/i, Die Kreuzen, E-I-E-I-O, in blogland, and maybe more (let me know if you do).

Violent Femmes - 1984 - Hallowed Ground


This album is a folk-influenced epic, dark, angst-fuelled, and sorrowful yet also sweet
Hallowed Ground is the second album by the Violent Femmes.

It was released in June of 1984.
Great lyrics and dynamic way of playing

Violent Femmes are :

Gordon Gano – vocals, acoustic guitar, fiddle
Brian Ritchie – acoustic and electric bass guitar, celesta, marimba, jew's harp, vocals
Victor DeLorenzo – drums, percussion vocals
Mark Van Hecke - piano, organ
Tony Trischka - banjo
Christina Houghton - autoharp
Peter Balistrieri - vocals
Cynthia Gano Lewis - vocals
Drake Scott - cornett, sackbut
John Zorn - alto saxophone, game calls
John Tanner - clarinet
Producer - Mark Van Hecke
Engineers - John Tanner, Warren Bruleigh

Please Enjoy....
http://rapidshare.com/hallowed_ground.rar

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Blind Idiot God - 1988 - Undertow


from Wikipedia:
Blind Idiot God is an instrumental rock trio initially formed in the mid 1980s in St. Louis, Missouri by Andy Hawkins, Gabe Katz and Ted Epstein. They socialized with the St. Louis punk/hard-core scene, including members of Drunks with Guns and Ultraman. The band later moved to Brooklyn, after signing a contract with SST records, headed by Greg Ginn of Black Flag. Ginn signed the band after hearing their self-produced cassette demo, which was passed around by fans in St. Louis.Though at its core heavy metal, Blind Idiot God's music was informed by punk, dub, and classical music composers György Ligeti and Igor Stravinsky. In a 1997 Guitar Player interview, Hawkins reports, "When I listen to a lot of metal and hard rock, I think 'Great Intensity! Boring chords!'"Blind Idiot God have recently resumed activity after a long hiatus (with Tim Wyskida of Khanate replacing Epstein) and have played a few shows in the New York/Brooklyn area within the last 6 months. Apparently, they are going to record new material in the near future.

Tracks:
1. Sawtooth
2. Clockwork Dub
3. Atomic Whip
4. Watch Yer Step
5. Drowning
6. Major Key Dub
7. Alice in My Fantasies
8. Rollercoaster
9. Dubbing in the Sinai
10. Wailing Wall
11. Purged Specimen


@320
Download

posted by Tydalwave

Sunday, May 20, 2007

The Screamers - Demos 1977-1978


from All Music Guide:
'The Screamers are the Great Lost Band of the first wave of L.A. punk rock. They were among the first bands to emerge on the West Coast scene and were wildly popular in Los Angeles for several years, able to sell out two- or three-day stands at some of the city's most prestigious rock clubs. The Screamers also cleared new paths for the sound and image of rock music, abandoning electric guitars for a keyboard-based sound that was as muscular and abrasive as any other band on the scene, and embracing video and theatrics in a manner that put them far ahead of their time. However, the band never released a record and outside of several bootlegs of demos and live performances, there has never been an official aural document of their trailblazing music.The Screamers, however, had some trouble holding on to a stable lineup; while du Plenty, Gear, and Barrett stayed in the group until the end, Brown was replaced by Jeff McGreggor in late 1977 and Paul Roessler took over for McGreggor in mid-1978. More importantly, the group didn't release a record and no one seems sure about why. Some have suggested the Screamers were holding out for a big-money record deal, others have said major labels weren't sure if the group's appeal would translate to vinyl, and many felt the band's highly visual live show demanded a medium that, in an era before VCR's could be found in every home and MTV was not even a gleam in some cable programmer's eye, simply didn't exist.In 1981, with the first wave of Hollywood punk bands fading away and the suburban hardcore scene beginning to rear its head, the Screamers quietly disbanded.'

"The best unrecorded band in the history of rock'n'roll" - Jello Biafra

Tracks:
1- The beat goes on
2- Thru the flames
3- Sex boy
4- If I can't have what I want (I don't want anything)
5- She's the girl
6- 122 hours of fear (Part 1)
7- 122 hours of fear (Part 2)
8- Punished or be damned
9- Government love affair
10- Peer pressure
11- In a better world
12- Vertigo
13- Magazine Love
14- It's a violent world


@192
Download

posted by Tydalwave

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Swell Maps - 1980 - Jane From Occupied Europe


Robot Factory
Let's Buy A Bridge
Border Country
Cake Shop Girl
The Helicopter Spies
Big Maz In The Desert
Big Empty Field
Mining Villages
Collision With A Frogman
...Vs. The Mangrove Delta Plan
Secret Island
Whatever Happens Next...
Blenheim Shots
A Raincoat's Room
The Stairs Are Like An Avalanche
New York

Noisy and experimental, Britain's Swell Maps experienced little commercial success during the course of their chaotic career, but in hindsight they stand as one of the pivotal acts of the new wave: not only was the group an acknowledged inspiration to the likes of Sonic Youth and Pavement, but their alumni - most notably brothers Nikki Sudden and Epic Soundtracks - continued on as key players in the underground music community. Although Sudden (vocals/guitar) and Soundtracks (piano/drums) formed the first incarnation of the Swell Maps as far back as 1972, the group did not begin to truly take shape until 1976, when the siblings enlisted bassist Jowe Head and guitarist Richard Earl. In the spirit of punk's "do-it-yourself" mentality, they formed their own label, Rather Records, and issued their debut single - the brief, jarring "Read About Seymour" - in the early weeks of 1978. Local media support soon won the group a distribution pact with Rough Trade, but they did not resurface until over a year later with the single "Dresden Style."
In mid-1979, the Swell Maps released their full-length debut A Trip to Marineville, a crazy-quilt of punk energy and Krautrock-influenced clatter. After the release of the speaker-shredding single "Let's Build a Car," the group recorded one final studio LP, Jane from Occupied Europe, before breaking up. Each of the members followed their own career paths, playing solo and forming bands: Sudden formed the Jacobites, Soundtracks joined Crime and the City Solution, and Head played with the Television Personalities. - Jason Ankeny

Download It Here :

http://rapidshare.com/files/32141424/swellmaps.rar


Ruth's Refrigerator - 1990 - Suddenly A Disfigured Head Parachuted


Liner Notes:

The songs on this record were all written by members of the group except for the one that wasn't and also the one which had lyrics written by Y. Yung (Picasso's problem); for instance, Ruth wrote the first track, Terri wrote he needs a dog and western shore, Robyn wrote mind the paprica, joe , Blodwyn wrote hi felicity and Alan wrote all the others. All the music was absolutely definately rehearsed, recorded, played, produced and mixed by members of the band and not fat, bald session musicians. Ruth's Refrigerator is a real pop group and not one created by cynical record company executives who got together a group of people with no musical talent but happened to be highly sexually attractive...although, purely by coincidence, most of the group are very sexually attractive indeed, especially Robyn. Also, after making this record they plan to become a teenage vocal group a bit like New Kids on the Block and be produced in a big expensive studio by Stock, Aitken and Waterman, whose work they particularly admire on the records of their big hero Jason Donovan. Ruth's Refrigerator would do almost anything to be more like Jason Donovan; they will probably change the name of the band to 'Jason Donovan' soon. What they most want to do though, is to be in an Australian soap opera , preferably one starring a big sheep dog called Rex who, each week, foils desperate criminals in the world of corporate finance and then goes home to his puppies who have an interesting range of personal problems all to do with relationships and growing up. The members of the band would like to play his wacky neighbours, the Sandersons.'

Out of print CD release from 1990, the first of only two studio albums from Ruth's Refrigerator.
If you like The Deep Freeze Mice you'll certainly dig this too.

Tracks:
1- She lies in state
2- Your dog is rich and your cat is good looking
3- Alan's Refrigerator
4- He needs a dog
5- Picasso's Problem
6- The red queen
7- Mind the paprica, Joe
8- Gro Harlem Brundtland wants some fish
9- On a western shore
10- Innocent boy
11- Hello Anne of green poplars
12- Examine the insects and kill them
13- Hi Felicity
14- Fish in the air birds in the sea
15- Spot the Bear theme
16- Hello Anne
17- The red queen
18- I am Big Chief Radio Luxemburg
19- She's not there


CD@192
Download

posted by Tydalwave

Thursday, May 17, 2007

MX-80 Sound - Out of Control


From the Head Heritage review:
MX-80 Sound were one of those bands ahead of their time. I suspect they were a main influence on Sonic Youth, the Swans and Live Skull among others.

MX-80 played rather dissonant, discordant heavy-rock. The main influence you hear is Captain Beefheart and the Stooges, although with some elements of Pere Ubu, Television and even early Siouxsie and the Banshees, and sometimes even managing to sound uncannily like Joy Division. There seems to be quite alot of sarcastic working-class humor here as well, with Richard Stim intoning the lyrics in a mock matter-of-fact monotone which now reminds me of Wolf Eyes...Beefheartian heavy metal with lyrics mocking pop-culture and suburban passivity...
This is the Quadruped two-in-one CD release which combines their 2nd (Out of the tunnel, 1980) and 3rd album (Crowd Control, 1981) on 1 disc. Sadly underrated and unknown, this CD is already out of print which is a shame as this may be my most favourite band of all time!

Tracks:
1- White Night
2- It's Not My Fault
3- Follow That Car
4- Fender Bender
5- I Walk Among Them
6- Someday You'll Be King
7- Frankie I'm Sorry
8- Gary And Priscilla
9- Man In A Box
10- Metro-Teens
11- Face Of The Earth
12- Crowd Control
13- Why Are We Here
14- Obsessive Devotion
15- Theme From Halloween
16- More Than Good
17- Night Rider
18- City Of Fools
19- Theme From Sisters
20- Cover To Cover
21- Pharao's Sneakers
22- Promise Of Love

@320

Download Part 1: Out of the Tunnel (1980)
Download Part 2: Crowd Control (1981)


hope you like it :-)

posted by Tydalwave

Monday, May 14, 2007

The Cure - Live [Athens 27.07.1985] (video)


A video of the first visit of Cure in Athens back in '85

Enjoy !


Download Link :
http://sharebee.com/58dbcb5b

The Birthday Party

The Birthday Party:

Nick Cave (vocals, saxophone, piano, drums)
Rowland S. Howard (vocals, guitar, saxophone)
Mick Harvey (guitar, piano, organ, snare drum, background vocals)
Tracy Pew (clarinet, acoustic & electric bass)
Phillip Jackson (trumpet)
Phil Calvert (drums)

Birthday Party - 1981 - Prayers On Fire

Principally recorded at A.A.V. Studio 2, Melbourne, Australia in December 1980 and January 1981. All tracks have been digitally remastered. Nick Cave is widely acknowledged as one of our most mature songwriting talents these days, but there was a time when he seemed to be the most unhinged soul in Christendom. The Birthday Party's performances, whether in the studio or on stage, were always compelling, and they left behind no more powerful document than this shattering record. PRAYERS ON FIRE, an intense, disquieting effort, was their first international release after relocating to London from Australia. While the violence of the group's urban rockabilly rumbles underneath, often to no obvious linear structure, Cave's lyrics are informed, acute, but utterly unyielding and savage. Check the no-compromise ferocity of "Nick The Stripper" and "King Ink," still among his best songs.


Download It Here
http://rapidshare.com/files/31819538/prayersonfire.rar

Birthday Party - 1982 - Junkyard

The Party's second and final full studio album, also the final release with the five-person lineup, was perhaps its scuzzy masterpiece, its art/psych/blues/punk fusion taken to at times outrageous heights. Right from its start, nobody held back on anything, Cave's now-demonic vocals in full roar while the rest of the players revamped rhythm & blues and funk into a blood-soaked cabaret exorcism. Nearly every tune is a Party classic one way or another, from the opening slow, sexy grind of "She's Hit," Cave's freaked tale of death and destruction matched by clattering percussion and a perversely crisp guitar from Howard, to the ending title track's crawl toward a last gruesome ending. Tips of the hat to literary influences surface at points, notably "Hamlet (Pow, Pow, Pow)," though the protagonist isn't so much the indecisive tragic figure of Shakespeare as a Romeo-quoting criminal on the loose. The ultimate Party song sits smack dab at the center -- "Big-Jesus-Trash-Can," a hilarious and blasphemous blues/jazz show tune with some great brass from Harvey to top it all off. Guest performers crop up at points; future Bad Seed Barry Adamson plays bass on "Kiss Me Black," while Anita Lane contributes two sets of lyrics if not her direct vocals. Later CD versions included three extra tracks. "Blast Off" and "Release the Bats" were originally issued as a single; both seethe with rage and fire in spades. The latter is at once powerful and a bit of a tongue-in-cheek goth goof, with Cave serving up lines like "Don't tell me that it doesn't hurt/A hundred fluttering in your skirt." The other bonus, a second version of the album's "Dead Joe" recorded in London, is if anything even more frenetically gone than the original, a car crash sample punctuating the lyrical reference to same all the more.
~by Ned Raggett AMG

Download It Here @256:
Birthday_Party_-_1982_-_Junkyard.rar

Birthday Party - 1982 - Drunk on the Pope's Blood [Live]

As a document of the Birthday Party at the peak of their powers, It's Still Living is impressive. Though the sound is marred by technical glitches (mainly the sounds of the amps crackling and shorting out), the performances are stellar. Frontman Nick Cave sounds possessed, howling against the elements with abandon, while guitarist Rowland Howard spits out shards of jagged guitar. In between songs, he even treats the audience to his typical black humor, explaining that "Release the Bats" is the audience's favorite but the band's least favorite, and introducing "Junkyard" by comparing the venue unfavorably to one. The song selection is fairly comprehensive, pulling tracks from the Party's two full-length albums, Junkyard and Prayers On Fire, as well as the EP Drunk on the Pope's Blood, and if the release seems a tad short, it still contains virtually every essential track the band performed live. The Live 1981-82 collection may have surpassed this set (especially since it is longer and sounds clearer) but this raw recording is still a worthy introduction to the Birthday Party.
~by Victor W. Valdivia AMG

Download It Here @256 :
Birthday_Party_-_1982_-_Drunk_on_the_Pope_s_Blood.rar

Saturday, May 12, 2007

DarXtar



Darxtar - 1991 - Darxtar

01 The Traveller
02 I Wish To Xplain
03 Aberrant Station
04 Live to Live
05 Bevis on the Radio
06 The Distant Sun
07 Wings



Recorded at studio terra in 1990. To say the least, a highly unexpected CD release, and a genuine ugly duckling story. Home-made cassette recording with no ambitions turns to shiny 5" plastic disc and conquers the world! Well not really, but at least it had some impact on the underground psychedelic movement that was rising in Europe at the time. This pair of Swedish freaks apparently had something going that appealed to this community; No nonsense down to earth space rock 70's style! Doesn't raise an eyebrow today, but in the wake of the 80's polished heavy metal wave, this release, and similar low budget psychedelic projects, was seen as a revelation to many a hibernated hippie. If you are new to darXtar, this is not the CD you ought to grab, but to the die hard fan, it is irreplaceable.



Darxtar - 1996 - Sju

01 Obstakel
02 7
03 This Alien Nation
04 Eastern Wind
05 It's Enough

DarXtar - "Sju" (SBM 1996, SBMCDA 002)
From Aural Innovations #1 (January 1998)

From Sweden, DarXtar is a band that should easily appeal to fans of Hawkwind and early spacey Pink Floyd. The band consists of K.Soren Bengtsson on vocals, guitars, and keyboards, Patric Danielsson on vocals, harp, sax, and keyboards, Soren Martensson on vocals and keyboards, and Marcus Pehrsson on vocals and bass. With three members sharing the keyboard duties you can tell there's going to be a good bit of cosmic exploration.

The disc opens with "Obstakel", a heavy guitar and keyboard piece that really serves as an intro to the 16 minute "7". "7" has become a personal space classic for me. Unlike a lot of good space bands who like to experiment with various sounds and effects, DarXtar is comfortable with a recognizable identity. "7" is a dreamy, Pink Floyd influenced piece that carries me away with its gorgeous keyboards and tasteful guitar licks. This disc would be worth the price for this tune alone.

The last three songs on the CD features the rockin' Hawkwind influenced side of the band. "This Alien Nation" is a real rocker with an array of swirling electronics. "Eastern Wind" has a more 60's psych edge to it. And, finally, "It's Enough" is a super heavy rocker with crunching guitars and moaning vocals. If "7" eased you into a relaxed meditative state this song will make short work of that.

I haven't heard any of DarXtar's other releases, but Sju should certainly appeal to fans of both the dreamy and the heavier side of space rock. But man, I do love that "7"!
~ Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz

Get both albums here

More info about DarXtar here & here

Friday, May 11, 2007

Astronauts (UK) - 1981 - Peter Pan Hits The Suburbs


Inspired by the UK punk explosion Mark Astronaut formed the band with a few friends in 1977 and began playing local gigs in their hometown of Welwyn Garden City.By 1979 The Astronauts were regularly appearing at free festivals and gigs in London organised by a hippy collective known as Fuck Off Records and from these began a close friendship with London punk bands Zounds and the Mob.That year the first Astronauts ep was released on local label Bugle Records and musically it reflected the hippie drug culture combined with the energy of punk.'All Night Party' still sounds like the paranoid nightmare it did back then.The record established the Astronauts on the local gig scene among the non mainstram hippie/punk/biker crowd.Also in 1979 an ep was released under the assumed name of RESTRICTED HOURS on the Stevenage Rock Against Racism label.'Getting Things Done' attacked the political apathy of smalltown life while 'Still Living Out The Carcrash' was musically a typically nightmarish theme.

By 1980 gigs throughout England with Zounds had won over an army of fans and the 'Pranksters In Revolt' ep sold all its copies within weeks.Musically the 4 songs were not as adventurous as the first ep although the lyrics were as incisive as ever.Like many great bands from the postpunk era the Astronauts were completely ignored by the UK music press which then as now was only interested in anything trendy,fashionable or middle class.Local fanzine Zero began to champion the band as did the local newspapers.
'Peter Pan Hits The Suburbs' was released in 1981 to widespread acclaim.Incredibly it received great reviews in virtually all the UK music press.The typical Astronauts audience at the time was largely hardcore punks attracted by the energetic gigs and a handful of hippies so the album was something of a surprise.Full of heartfelt folk ballads and featuring legendary jazz saxophonist Lol Coxhill the album was not what fans had expected but appealed to a different audience.The contradiction of heavy chaotic punk performances and structured melodic alternative pop/folk/ambient songs continues to this day.

Review by Hangover Heart Attack
http://hangoverhard.blogspot.com/


RapidShare Link
or
SendSpace Link

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Abecedarians - 1990 - The Other Side of the Fence


  • Eureka EP 1986 (Southwest Audio Reproductions)
  • Eureka EP (Re-release) 1986 (Caroline Records)
  • Resin LP 1987 (Caroline Records)
  • Scream Compilation LP 1987 (Geffen Records)
  • AB-CD CD 1988 (Caroline Records)
  • The Other Side of the Fence double EP 1990 (Independent Project Records)
Abecedarians have roots in both post-punk and atmospheric 4AD pop, much like the Joy Division/New Order axis. The group first appeared along with fellow Southern Californian bands Jane's Addiction and Kommunity Fk on the Scream compilation, signing to England's Factory label for the single "Smiling Monarchs" in 1985. Abecedarians moved to Caroline one year later for debut album Eureka, and Ab-CD Resin followed in 1988. Two compilations have since been released: The Other Side of the Fence (which collects unavailable early demo tracks on a 10" record) and Ab-CD Resin, which is the album to get considering it collects virtually all of Eureka and Ab-CD Resin, plus the Factory single. ~
John Bush, All Music Guide


Download It Here :
http://rapidshare.com/files/30055027/abecedarians.rar


or here :
http://www.zshare.net/download/40993896c44eb9/

Monday, May 7, 2007

Hundredth Monkey update


You may remember the Hundredth Monkey - Mute Lament post from Nov.30,2006. If you don't, the link is active and I strongly recommend it, because it's a really beautiful record.

Well, Tim Konspiracy (Kummerow) sent me an e-mail about it and I think it might be of interest, so here it is:

"Here are some updates for you:
Benedict Arnold & The Traitors (including 4 out of 5 of the original members from 1979-1980, as well as Brad Frost from the Hundredth Monkey), will soon be releasing "Star Spangled Bummer," our musical view of the disastrously criminal Bu$hler (mis)Administration.

http://www.BenedictArnoldAndTheTraitors.com

You can see our animated (by Brad Frost) "music video" for the song Death Penalty For Pot on youtube.com:

We are busy recording new "Hundredth Monkey" songs for future release. Band members are Brad Frost, A.J. Marik (from the current BA & The Traitors) and myself, Tim Konspiracy (Kummerow).

Thanks and Best Wishes!

-Tim K"

www.freshwidow.com
www.MarcelDuchamp.org
www.kummerow.com

In the next few days I'll post the Hundreth Monkey 7" and some unreleased songs (waiting for permission).

Holy Barbarians - 1996 - Cream

Holy Barbarians - 1996 - Cream

Tracks :
01 Brother Fights (4:21)
02 Dolly Bird (4:09)
03 Cream (5:38)
04 Blind (4:02)
05 Opium (4:39)
06 Space Junkie (3:19)
07 She (4:06)
08 You Are There (4:47)
09 Magick Christian (6:34)
10 Bodhisattva (3:56)

Ian Astbury
- Vocals / Occasional Guitar & Tambourine
Patrick Sugg - Guitar/Backing Vocals
Matt Garrett - Bass
Scott Garrett - Drums

In the spring of 1995, The Cult disbanded, with Ian Astbury forming a short lived project called the Holy Barbarians, whose name was taken from a 1959 Lawrence Lipton novel. Only one album released titled "Cream" named after the UK nightclub that Ian Astbury frequently visited. Extensively toured ( Feb - Nov 1996) throughout the UK, Europe and North America.


Shortly after the breakup of the Cult, frontman Ian Astbury formed the band Holy Barbarians. Joining him for the band's first release, Cream, was Scott Garrett, who had drummed in the final incarnation of the Cult. Produced by Astbury and Matt Hyde, the album doesn't deviate too far from the previous sound. Guitarist Patrick Sugg is a melodic player, and his understated playing makes Astbury's lyrics seem even more pretentious. Much of the album is mid-tempo, psychedelic-tinged groove rock. "Brother Fights" is a keeper, with Sugg's fluid guitar work, and "Bodhisattva" features some buzz-saw guitar and Eastern rhythms. "Opium" is Cream's standout track, with some lonely, twang guitar and a hypnotic rhythm.

Friday, May 4, 2007

Prefab Sprout - 1985 - Steve McQueen


One of the undeniable treasures of the 80s , the second album from Prefab Sprout, and a masterpiece of gentle soul that forever changed the sound of adult pop!

Ideal 80's pop album - sophisticated, featuring excellent melodies and beautiful female back vocals. A classic!

Tracks

A1 Faron Young 3:50
A2 Bonny 3:45
A3 Appetite 3:56
A4 When Love Breaks Down 4:08
A5 Goodbye Lucille #1 4:31
A6 Hallelujah 4:21
B1 Moving the River 3:58
B2 Horsin' Around 4:40
B3 Desire As 5:20
B4 Blueberry Pies 2:24
B5 When the Angels 4:29


The Reviews

1
From a little sleepy village just outside of durham came a songwriter who's purity and simple yet clever lyrics still send a shiver up and down my spine! the album received so much acclaim and hung around the charts for months without ever having a huge hit but 1984 was the time of culture club, duran and the new romantics and the pure guitar based pop only evolved later in the 80s.
it was a masterpeice beyond its time and still sounds as good today over 20 years later..from the rockabily/country pop of "faron young" and "when the angels" to the perfect pop of "appetite" and "goodbye lucille" to the heart stopping classics like "when love breaks down" "bonny" and "desire as".

2
More than two decades on, the material wrought by Paddy McAloon for "Steve McQueen" still has the feel of a masterclass delivered by some amiably eccentric, terrifyingly brilliant Professor of Song. He would go on to wreak further, if infuriatingly intermittent, miracles – "Jordan: The Comeback" and "Andromeda Heights" – but "Steve McQueen" remains as rich and complete a single songbook as has ever been authored.
Though often self-consciously arch, occasionally verging on too-clever-by-half, McAloon never allowed his intelligence to dominate his passions: for all the playful wittiness poured into the music and lyrics,
"Steve McQueen" remains a piercingly sincere evocation of heartbreak. The best songs here - and the quality really varies only between a million miles better than average and certifiable thundering genius - are as eloquent as anything by Leonard Cohen, as angry as Elvis Costello at his most spiteful, and accompanied by the melodic grace of Brian Wilson. “Appetite”, “Goodbye Lucille” and especially “Bonny” are supremely pretty songs, freighting some pretty ugly truths.


3
Smart, sophisticated and timelessly stylish, Steve McQueen is a minor classic, a shimmering jazz-pop masterpiece sparked by Paddy McAloon's witty and inventive songwriting. McAloon is a wickedly cavalier composer, his songs exploring human weaknesses like regret ("Bonny"), lust ("Appetite") and infidelity ("Horsin' Around") with cynical insight and sarcastic flair; he's also remarkably adaptable, easily switching gears from the faux-country of "Faron" to the stately pop grace of "Moving the River." At times, perhaps, his pretensions get the better of him (as on "Desire As"), while at other times his lyrics are perhaps too trenchant for their own good; at those moments, however, what keeps it afloat is Thomas Dolby's lush production, which makes even the loftiest and most biting moments as easily palatable as the airiest adult-contemporary confection.

Download Link @
256 :

Thursday, May 3, 2007

Modern English - 1982 - After The Snow

  1. Someone’s Calling
  2. Life In The Gladhouse
  3. Face Of Wood
  4. Dawn Chorus
  5. I Melt With You
  6. After The Snow
  7. Carry Me Down
  8. Tables Turning

"I'll Melt With You" will forever be the one specific moment that's Modern English's place in pop history, but the album it came from, After the Snow, isn't anything to sneeze at. Indeed, in transforming from the quite fine but dour young miserabilists on Mesh & Lace to a brighter incarnation who still had a melancholy side, the quintet found exactly the right combination best-suited for their abilities.

Like contemporaries B-Movie and the Sound, Modern English used punk and post-punk roots as a chance to introduce a haunting, beautiful take on romance and emotion, while the contributions of Stephen Walker on keyboard helped make the album both of its time and timeless. That said, the secret weapon on the album is the rhythm section of Michael Conroy and Richard Brown, able to shift from the polite but relentless tribal beat clatter on the excellent "Life in the Gladhouse" to the ever more intense punch of the title track, the album's unheralded masterpiece. None of this is to denigrate the contributions of singer Robbie Grey and guitarist Gary McDowell. The former's seemingly mannered singing actually shows a remarkable fluidity at points -- "After the Snow" again is a good reference point, as is the fraught, slow-burn epic "Dawn Chorus" -- while McDowell works around the band's various arrangements instead of trying to dominate them. Some songs, like "Face of Wood," even find Modern English -- often dogged with Joy Division comparisons early on -- predicting where New Order would go before that band got there itself. Still, "I Melt With You" is the main reason most will want to investigate further. A perfect pop moment that didn't have to strain for it, its balance of giddy sentiment and heartfelt passion matched with a rush of acoustic and electric guitar overdubs just can't be beat.

by Ned Raggett AMG

Download It Here :
http://rapidshare.com/files/29122152/afterthesnow.rar

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Biblical Proof of UFO's

Biblical Proof of UFOs - 1998 - Biblical Proof of UFOs

01 Sixteen And Three
02 Sinkpisser
03 Jan Michael Vincent
04 Budapest Best
05 Dirty Dishes And Broken Bones
06 The Universalist
07 Axial Tilt Is The Reason For The Season
08 Providence
09 Liber Scivias
10 Arson Tells It Like It Is
11 Pamela Channeling
12 Cigar
13 Chris Smith Goes To The Vatican

This instrumental Cleveland act plays a heavy math rock sort of style comparable to a blend between their local contemporaries in Craw and Keelhaul, to name but a few, with lots of quirky rhythms and note-based riffing. This is of course different in its own right, though. It's definitely a little more streamlined and melodic, with tracks like the epic "Budapest Best" bringing in some excellent droning lead lines and clean guitars, falling back on heavier chord progressions and chunky time signatures more in keeping with some of the other material herein (and this style as a whole). None of the work is what I would call technical per se, either. They're clearly talented, and the performances are really tight, but the writing is pretty straightforward in some ways. The time signatures never get too wacky, the basslines tend to follow the guitars, the drumming is on point but nothing flashy, etc. But I certainly find some of the guitar riffs to be creative and interesting, and I love that they write songs based around feel rather than showy instrumentation (a common problem with instrumental acts), so I do like this stuff. There's a great balance of dynamics throughout, literally and atmospherically, with a good number of tracks reaching a darker and heavier vibe, while others mix it up with some lush harmonics and flowing clean breaks, and a scarce few get pretty damn rocked out (see "Sinkpisser" and "Arson Tells it Like it Is", for example). "The Universalist" has lots of winding changes and some killer arpeggiated riffs that are right up my alley (not to mention some random post-hardcore stylings), "Providence" has some sludgy chords that are a little different than most of the other chord progressions, "Liber Scivias" is softer and more repetitive - using some dissonant feedback that works to separate it from the other songs significantly, etc. The recording is a little thick and could be mastered slightly louder ("Cigar" is way louder than the other songs for some reason), but it sounds really good, so those minor issues mean little in the end. A little added brightness would help bring things out a little more, as the guitars are pretty dense since the bass tone is well defined to let the notes sit out front more than average, but it sounds very warm and natural, which is just what I want to hear for this kind of approach. The layout is honestly not that attractive. The color scheme is a little ugly, the typeface isn't that hot, the imagery... ehhh. It's alright. It's pretty skimpy, it works, but the visuals do sort of rub me the wrong way from the start. It's consistent, if nothing else. My only minor issue with the record as a whole is that it feels a little long. 46 minutes ain't so bad, but 13 tracks feels a little heavy-handed to me. No big deal, though. I had never heard of this band prior to this, and I have no idea what they're up to these days (if anything), but this is good stuff. Likely underappreciated, but that's all too often the case with bands of this nature. One would hope the traditions of their city of residence would score them a decent local following, but you never can be sure. Fans of the aforementioned Clevelanders and this brand of instrumental rock in general should definitely give this a shot.

Biblical Proof of UFOs - 2004 - Interstellar Messages

01 You Would If You Loved Me
02 Summersong
03 Passive Aggressive
04 Drawing A Blank
05 Enfant Terrible
06 It's Hard
07 Hollywood Hitman
08 Rich
09 Nursery Rhyme Number 1
10 Two Minute Warning
11 Little Girl Lost
12 Grand Guignol

Biblical Proof of UFO's isn't your average stoner rock band, if you can even call them that. These guys just rule with their terrific pop sense and actual genius song writing. Interstellar Messages is one nicely crafted song after another, and an added bonus of having guest vocals from one Mr. John Garcia on two of the tracks, now you can't shake a stick at that!

The songs themselves are very similar in style, and it's safe to say that BPoUFO's is definitely cutting their own style. It's damn near as good on a pop hard rock level as the Queens 'Songs for the Deaf' in that sense. The melodies and intricate weaving of sounds and textures.

It's really hard to compare these guys to any one band because when I listen to Biblical Proof of UFO's it really does something to your emotions. Part of me feels the same sort of high energy guitar blasts of Fugazi, but the songs are way more pop oriented than Fugazi...I think it's mainly the attack of the guitars. Some of the guitar riffs are thick overdriven warm melodic chords, and at other times the guitar sort of has that same kind of style and sound that is present on Slint's 'Tweez'...the string harmonics. Either way there is plenty of little parts thrown in, one time unique twists that aren't overdone or that make it practically unlistenable like some of the over the top math bands. No, these guys have style and have a lot of that 'less is more' attitude in their writing. It's obvious that these guys are pros, but they don't crank their chops on 10 all the time if that makes any sense. Simple melodies and straight forward parts with just enough little twists to make it more than interesting. The percussive work on this CD is slamming tight as well throughout...the guy sounds at times like he is just pummeling his drums to death!

The vocals are incredible and probably my favorite part of the band. There are a ton of harmony back up vocals/overdubs all over this CD. This band could easily sound like something completely different if they had some hardcore screaming, but it's nice when a band actually sings over a sometimes heavier than normal sound than you would normally hear with this style of pretty pop vocals. A perfect example of this is Goatsnake. Bibilical Proof does NOT sound like Goatsnake so don't get me wrong. The songs that John sing on are actually hard to tell it's him because it's such a different style then what you would normally hear from him. It’s all fucking aces though…the vocals are great.

Interstellar Messages is full of pretty catchy melodies, sing along anthems and heavy ass riffs back to back with just plain beautiful guitar work. Like I said, it's intricate and delicately put together pop music in a perfect world. If you are a fan of Disengage, Queens of the Stone Age, Masters of Reality then you will certainly fall in love with this one. It's definitely a not for the moment CD- and if you like your 'heavy' in your 'pop' then this is a must listen, this one has no holds barred staying power. File this one around the corner from the Desert Sessions in your collection near Songs for the Deaf.

Biblical_Proof_of_UFOs.part1.rar
Biblical_Proof_of_UFOs.part2.rar

Enjoy !!!

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

Chameleons - Script of the Bridge (1983)


The Chameleons
(called The Chameleons UK on some American releases) were a dream pop/post-punk band that formed in Middleton, in the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England in 1981 (see 1981 in music). They consisted of singer and bassist Mark Burgess, guitarist Reg Smithies, guitarist Dave Fielding, and drummer John Lever. Their body of work is still critically acclaimed within the music press as they had an undeniable influence on bands as diverse as The Smiths, Protokoll, The Comsat Angels, Puressence, Interpol, and Oasis.


The band initially released three studio albums in the 1980's, to solid critical acclaim. After their third release, Strange Times, in 1987 they abruptly disbanded following the sudden death of band manager Tony Fletcher. The Chameleons were, for all practical purposes, extinct for well over a decade before releasing - to the delight and even disbelief of its ardently loyal fan base - a final studio album in 2001, entitled Why Call It Anything. The band quickly dissolved once again in 2002 due to personal differences, after a successful reunion tour which took them across Europe and the United States. Though having never attained the level of commercial success or fame enjoyed by their contemporaries (e.g. U2, Echo and the Bunnymen, Joy Division), The Chameleons' early impact can still be felt throughout much of popular music today.~Wiki

Chameleons