Browse by Artist: HIGNEY, KENNETH

Artist:	HIGNEY, KENNETH
Title:	Attic Demonstration
Label:	KEBRUTNEY
Format:	CD
Price:	$13.00
Catalog #:	ADCD 516

Restocked & back in vogue? Reissue of this loner/Real-People album originally issued in 1976 by Higney himself, originally reissued on CD in 2004. One of the classic Paul Major discoveries. "Kenneth Higney was a struggling singer-songwriter when he cut Attic Demonstration in 1976, a demo record of such massive outsider vision that it dropped straight into the void, as well as the deep pockets of a band of committed record collectors. Initially intended as a calling card to help him get his songs covered by other artists, Higney soon branched out into selling the disc as an actual album, placing low key ads in a couple of NY papers and sending out a bunch of review copies. Only Trouser Press took the bait, saluting Attic Demonstration's 'cross between Lou Reed and Neil Young without the aid of melody.' Now 'officially' available for the first time, Attic Demonstration is one of the most endearing and intensely human 'real people' discs to turn up for a while, boasting Modern Lovers-styled road ballads sung with a Jagger-esque sneer and propelled on pegleg rhythms that would do The Shaggs proud, through meandering tonal wastelands where Higney's eye wateringly unarmoured vocals are supported by minimal chord patterns that progress according to the position of the stars. Best of all is the addition of both sides of Higney's funk/punk tribute single, where he namechecks contemporaries like The Dead Boys and Johnny Thunders and rhymes 'dirty downtown bar' with 'the sissy music of John Denver'. Almost too good to be true." --David Keenan/The Wire.

Artist:	HIGNEY, KENNETH
Title:	Attic Demonstration
Label:	ONE KIND FAVOR
Format:	LP
Price:	$20.00
Catalog #:	OKF 001LP

"Often considered the Holy Grail of 'real people' records, Kenneth Higney's Attic Demonstration was never actually intended to be an official release. It was recorded in New York City by Higney and his accompanist Gordon Gaines (R.I.P.) as a vehicle with which to sell Higney's songs to other artists and was only pressed to vinyl in 1976 when he grew tired of duplicating cassette tapes. Apparently the Jandekian dissonance of the 'A. Demo.' sound was an unintended by-product of the one take demo sessions. Be that as it may, Attic Demonstration is a strange sonic world all of its own. It is neither too weird to be unappealing to 'regular' music listeners nor is it one of those discoveries that leaves you wondering what all the hype was about. Acoustic guitar ballads of nearly atonal desolation mix readily with rock 'n' roll numbers featuring hiccuping drums and alien sounding electric guitar. Higney's vocals are by turns sneering and mournful as he sings about lost love and the desire for fame all filtered through his uniquely bent worldview. Although a few ads were placed for the record in The Village Voice and The Aquarian, the fame that Higney sought eluded him (a semi-positive review in Trouser Press notwithstanding). That is, until the album was discovered and distributed by record dealer Paul Major. Attic Demonstration has been featured in the Acid Archives and copies of the original LP have soared in price over the years, but you no longer have to pay $100, $200 or even $300 to obtain a copy of this monumental album on vinyl. One Kind Favor and Kenneth Higney have teamed up to bring you an official reissue of Attic Demonstration remastered, with all the original artwork and with liner notes by the artist."

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