Part two of the TVD Record Store Club’s look at the new or reissued wax presently in stores for May, 2016.
NEW RELEASE PICK: Orchestra of Spheres, Brothers and Sisters of the Black Lagoon (Fire) A historically-rich but forward-thinking sonic bouillabaisse from Wellington, NZ and pretty damned swell; at moments retro-futurist, dance-inducing, psychedelic, folky; there’s even a segment bringing Konono Nº1 to mind. Perhaps most beneficial is a playfulness that’s occasionally humorous and at other times darkly surreal. Their cover of Sun Ra’s “Rocket #9” sounds like a collab between ESG and Ari Up produced by Adrian Sherwood and it clinches this album as a success. A-
REISSUE PICK: Steve Reich, Four Organs/ Phase Patterns (Superior Viaduct) This repressing of a 1971 Shandar LP is simply mandatory for any collection of 20th century experimental music. Listening now to these two side-long pieces, “Four Organs” an uncompromising immersion in note suspension and “Phase Patterns” a wild plunge into the unity and discord of cycles and repetition, it’s strange to recall a time, specifically the later ‘80s, when some considered Reich to be safe and even passé. The artist may have softened and gained acceptance over time, but the man’s early work endures as remarkable. A+
50 Foot Wave, “Bath White” (HHBTM) Pretty terrific art-tinged power trio rock stuff from Kristin Hersh (guitar-vocals), Bernard Georges (bass), and Rob Ahlers (drums). Described on occasion as math-like, while that’s not off target it doesn’t adequately convey the high quality of the group’s songs, and does nothing to relate the value of Hersh’s lyrics and the mature strength of her voice. As befitting their lean orientation, the instrumentation is strong throughout, and I’m reminded just as much of Mike Watt’s recent output as I am of Hersh’s and Georges’ work in Throwing Muses. A-
Rez Abbasi & Junction, Behind the Vibration (Cuneiform) Pakistani-American guitarist-composer Abbasi is a veteran with credits ranging from Ruth Brown to Tim Berne to Tinariwen; this is the debut CD of his jazz-rock quartet Junction, and lovers of Fusion should investigate without delay. At its worst, the style on offer here was responsible for blatant chops-braggarts and proto-smooth jazz atrocities, but it also produced high quality stuff. Thankfully, Junction leans to the positive side of the spectrum; improv sparks do fly, noodling is sidestepped, and I dig Mark Shim’s post-Trane/ Henderson tenor sound. B+
Aksak Maboul, Onze Danses Pour Combattre la Migraine (Crammed Discs) Marc Hollander began the still extant and enduringly relevant Crammed Discs in 1980, but prior to that he was the main guy in Aksak Maboul, a Belgian avant-rock outfit that constituted part of the Henry Cow-affiliated Rock in Opposition movement. This first album from 1977 playfully leans to the avant side of the hyphen, the LP really hitting stride on side two with a version of Ellington’s “The Mooche” through “Mastoul Alakefak,” which very nicely prefigures electronica and post-rock. A necessary reissue. A-
Albert Ayler, The First Recordings Vol. 1 and My Name is Albert Ayler (Jeanne Dielman) Rarely does a groundbreaking musician’s growth get captured so thoroughly. First is live in Stockholm in October of ’62; opener “I’ll Remember April” features a mighty storm of tenor as the support is frankly out of synch. My Name comes from a Copenhagen studio in January of ’63; loaded with standards, the mismatch is even more entrenched and even more fascinating. Obviously Ayler required sympathetic collaborators but also needed to get away from interpreting extent material; his playing is riveting on both LPs. B+ / B+
John Bender, I Don’t Remember Now / I Don’t Want to Talk about It (Superior Viaduct) Cincinnati-based solo excursions into experimental-minimal synth territory from ’78-’80 that hold up very well to age, partially because they don’t latch onto any particular preexisting early synth model. Also appealing is Bender’s seeming disinclination to “make it” as he recorded a ton, apparently filling up (at least) 36 tapes in the two-year timeframe. Definitely possessing a loner vibe, the whole resists crossing over into questionable maneuvers or ineptitude. A-
Bent Knee, Say So (Cuneiform) This at first seemed an odd fit for its prog-jazz-experimental-leaning label, but only because Bent Knee’s pop and rock elements came forth more immediately than their avant tendencies; by the second song it was apparent this was an inspired choice. Third album, but first for Cuneiform and the first to make my acquaintance; for starters, Courtney Swain is a vocal powerhouse (she could make a killing singing pop-soul) who also dishes some mean keyboard here in a band full of major talents. This is ambitious pop meets art-rock on a large scale; an unlikely, beautiful thing. A-
Boyfrndz, Impulse (Brutal Panda) I’ll admit that until now I’ve missed the boat on these Austin dudes; this is their third full-length, and in its favor the contents weren’t immediately taggable. Produced by Jeff Zeigler (War on Drugs, Kurt Vile, Nothing, Mary Lattimore) the whole is vibrant as a math-prog foundation sporting occasional metallic flourishes gets blended with elements of pop; at a few points the soaring mix of catchiness and complexity brought a meeting of Mars Volta and Shudder to Think to mind. B+
Steve Cohn, Anspruchsvoll (Unseen Rain) Too much unaccompanied piano tends to be overly polite as those with tougher dispositions often falter into repetition of ideas. This debut solo disc from a decades-long veteran avoids both potential bugaboos; instead, Cohn’s avant-garde leaning pieces are frequently playful without succumbing to quirk, though I’m sure his penchant for vocalization will please some more than others. The impulse to emote stems from his lyricism, but he’s also capable of tough note clusters and assorted advanced ideas. A-
CTMF, SQ 1 and “A Song for Kylie Minogue” b/w “True” (Damaged Goods) Latest full-length and accompanying 45 from the umpteenth band of the incomparable Billy Childish, and it rocks viciously in league with his vast prior output but with flashes of organ bringing the American garage scene to mind. The A-side of the 45, a vociferous setting straight of the record regarding meetings and disagreements with a handful of musical celebs, is on the album; the flip is exclusive. Bassist-vocalist Julie Hamper is in fine form and prominent throughout. A- / B+
Death, Scream Bloody Gore (Relapse) Originally issued on the Combat label in 1987, the general consensus on this slab is that it’s the first album in the death metal genre. How impressive one finds that achievement will directly relate to the likelihood of buying this head-swimmingly expansive multi-disc reissue. Revisiting the core LP finds a potent combo of speed, crunch, and morbidity; it’s probably no huge revelation that the growth of this genre roughly coincided with the rise of the VCR, suburban teens in basements discovering the depravity of Euro-gore flicks, in this case those made by Lucio Fulci. A-
Jameszoo, Fool (Brainfeeder) The debut album of Mitchel Van Dinther, the producer known as Jameszoo, and he describes it as “naïve, computer jazz.” Okay. The combination of electronics and acoustic instrumentation is sometimes abstract and when exhibiting a more tangible form is still conversant with the fringe. Amongst the instances of wild skronk are a few collabs including one with Steve Kuhn, whose singing on “The Zoo” reminds me of a hybrid of Bob Dorough and Ken Nordine; if I rate it as my favorite moment on Fool I don’t think Van Dinther will mind. CD and digital are out now, the vinyl later. A-
M.A.K.U. Soundsystem, Mezcla (Glitterbeat) The energy and acumen of this NYC-based eight-member Afro-Columbian ensemble is undeniable, though Glitterbeat’s production brightness reduces the impact a bit (put a little sand in the gears, please!) and the components don’t fully click until second track “Thank You Thank You.” That leaves seven more that never really disappoint; I’m very appreciative of a battery of horns that do more than blast through charts and I especially dig the use of synthesizer. B+
Mixed Doubles, Unforced Errors (Naxos USA/ Composers Concordance) A guitar tandem that’s bound to draw comparisons to Rodrigo y Gabriella, though that’s not an especially apt association; as these seven selections unwind they reinforce an academic background (member Lisa Liu began studying classical piano at age 6) that if well-mannered avoids dryness. The whole is occasionally a little too polite, but the majority is appealing as standout “Compute” works up an energetic weave of pluck and strum. B+
Johnny Moped, “Everything is You” b/w “Post Apocalyptic Love Song” (Damaged Goods) I’ll admit to cringing a little (okay, a lot) when word of a new release from these long-gone oldsters passed through my periphery. How old? They made the cut of ’77’s killer Live at the Roxy WC2 comp, that’s how old. But I shouldn’t have worried, for It’s a Real Cool Baby turned out fine. This is its third single; the catchy keyboard-spiked ode on the A-side is from the LP while the flip offers an exclusive “full version” of one of the album’s goofier moments. B+
The Modern Lovers, s/t (Music on Vinyl) Opening with what’s probably the finest single-song distillation and reinvigoration of the Velvets’ inexhaustible template thus far documented, this is one of the great debut albums and one of the best of the ’70s. Leading off with “Roadrunner” is a dangerous maneuver rendered shrewd as the following tracks effectively eradicate the possibility of anticlimax. Loaded with gems, the fascinating blend of awkwardness and candor of “Hospital” is one of those impossible to (effectively) imitate moments that leaves me shaking my head in admiration every time. A+
Oxenfree, Beacons (Sneaking Bear) Indie rocking debut from a group the promo blurb compares to the New Pornographers. Similarities actually shine through, but so fleetingly that the heights of Mass Romantic or Electric Version are out of reach. I hear more Spoon frankly, mainly through the sort of swagger that comes from living in Austin, or in Oxenfree’s case Brooklyn, though this doesn’t hit Girls Can Tell or Kill the Moonlight levels either. On the other hand, for listeners who have spun all four records mentioned in this paragraph in the last month, this could be a nice addition to the shelf. B
The Pop Group, The Boy Whose Head Exploded (Freaks R Us) Categorized as an official bootleg, the tracks here derive from a handful of shows circa ’79-’80 with rugged but vivid sound and unflagging intensity. Let’s be clear; this shouldn’t be anyone’s first purchase by The Pop Group, but for those who own and cherish the studio output from of the era, this short and not so sweet dispatch is a worthy companion benefiting the band and not the pockets of some noxious entrepreneurial fatso. The “Rob a Bank” here blows doors off the studio version. A-
Scream, Fumble (Dischord) Cut in ’89, this didn’t originally hit the racks until ’93; delays of such lengths often portend quality issues, but this LP (their second featuring Dave Grohl on drums), while at times swept up in the metal-edged SST/ Caroline-era Bad Brains sound, is reliably solid if anthemic and heartfelt a la DC post-HC of the period. I’ll confess to losing track of the lineup shifts after Banging the Drum, mainly because their next album came out on a reggae label sporting the sloganeering title No More Censorship. I still haven’t heard that one, but I’m happy to have belatedly caught the follow-up. B
Seiho, Collapse (LEAVING) Osaka-based electronic composer with a snatch-and-grab, slice-and-dice, and interweave-and-overlap aesthetic; he also doesn’t hesitate to blend aspects of club music with experimental textures. Working in his favor is a fine-tuned sense of control; as out-there as portions of this relatively short LP can become, the proceedings never sound random as they end on a fairly amicable note. B+
Soapkills, The Best of Soapkills (Crammed Discs) Comp derived from the three self-released records by the Lebanese duo of Yasmine Hamdan and Zeid Hamdan; though they aren’t related, both were born in Lebanon in ’76, and under the sway of electronica and trip-hop they formed Soapkills in ’97. Three striking elements: how well they integrate those ’90s styles with Arabic classical and folk influences; how the sound, while far from lo-fi, benefits from a lack of excessive gloss; how consistent in quality this LP is from beginning to end. Overall, a totally welcome eye-opener. A-
Sun Ra, The Saturn Singles Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 (Jeanne Dielman) Early Sun Ra-aligned sessions reissued by an Italian label named in homage to the title character from recently departed master filmmaker Chantal Akerman’s greatest work; I can dig it. The contents of these two LPs first hit the racks as part of a revelatory 2CD back in ’96 including doo-wop, straight-ahead jazz, pop tunes, holiday songs, swank R&B and a wild-assed street performer known as Yochanan. This is only a portion of that set, and the incompleteness lessens the impact slightly, but this is still essential stuff. Get it however you can. A / A
Units, Animals They Dream About (Futurismo) Previously unreleased Bill Nelson-produced second album finds this influential and ill-fated San Fran outfit moving from the synth-punk solidifying their rep into full-on synth-pop; in a nutshell, it’s not as satisfying an experience, but they retain enough energy and edge in the transition to make this a fairly worthwhile exhumation. At a few too many points the arty humor does them no favors, but the Rachel Webber-sung title track is a gem and closer “Jack” is near enough to Digital Stimulation that fans of that album will want to check this out. B
V/A, A Tribute to Pet Sounds (The Reverberation Appreciation Society) As on prior doffs of the lid to this essential slab of American Music this latest entry unwinds in-sequence but with a swell bonus prologue of “Good Vibrations” by The Black Angles and an outro of “Hang onto Your Ego” by The UFO Club. Afflicted with no heinous blunders or truly exceptional moments, the whole thing goes down pretty okay and thrives on label-based organizational cohesiveness that’s in the same ballpark as Castle Face Records’ nod to the Velvets’ debut, just not as good (The Burnt Ones do appear on both records). B
Weekend Nachos, Apology (Relapse) This stuff has been called power violence, but it still sounds like hardcore to me. It’s beefed-up bulging of the neck muscles HC, but the form is still detectable in the barrage of content and therefore prone to the same potential issue; without something resembling songs this stuff will most surely fall flat on its face and when as hyper-aggressive as this flirt with self-parody. Good news: the final album from Weekend Nachos has songs, some with beneficial tempo changes and two considerably stretching out with ambitiousness. Reading the lyrics was a mistake. B
Wo Fat, Midnight Cometh (Ripple Music) Extant for roughly a decade, this Dallas-based stoner rock juggernaut shows no signs of deflated inspiration on their first album for Ripple. They have firm tabs on heaviness and can establish a groove without succumbing to boogie-itis, but their scenario really crests upon spreading out and leaning toward the psychedelic. Thus the lengthier numbers on this six-song effort resonate the strongest, particularly “Of Smoke and Fog.” The up-tempo chug of “Riffborn” is still welcome. B+
