New Releases for March 2008

Index of New Releases for March 2008

AURORA BOREALIS (UK)

Artist:	WRAITHS
Title:	Oriflamme
Label:	AURORA BOREALIS (UK)
Format:	LP
Price:	$19.00
Catalog #:	ABX 020LP

"Haunting the dank crypts below Edinburgh's cobbled streets, Wraiths seek to reify the shambling masses abandoned by God during the plague-years of this fog-bound city. These two tortured priests take the hymns of their past lives and pervert them into vast walls of howling sound; a blood-flecked gobbet of phlegm in the eye of their one-time Lord. Playing instruments as broken and wretched as their own decaying bodies, Wraiths conjure their blasphemous noise with no assistance from the modern world's difference engines and thinking machines. Wraiths are the horror of infection. None shall escape the harrow of the plague. Recorded live and under ritual conditions, Oriflamme was Wraiths' first creation. The insanely limited CD-R release was quickly consumed by collectors of the truly profane and now this vinyl presentation has been ordained by the ghastly monks themselves in conjunction with Aurora Borealis. Blackened death-ambient drone meets howling, metallic noise."

AUTOBUS

Artist:	WEIRD WEEDS, THE
Title:	I Miss This
Label:	AUTOBUS
Format:	CD
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	AUTO 005CD

"The Weird Weeds are a trio from Austin, TX that draws upon wildly divergent musical backgrounds and a common interest in non-traditional forms to create pop music that is experimental yet oddly palatable and well-conceived. Since 2003, they have released two full-length albums and one EP and have extensively toured the U.S. and Canada. Their members have collaborated with a huge array of musicians including Jandek, Tom Carter, Arnold Dreyblatt, The Cherry Blossoms, Xiu Xiu, and many more. For their third album (and first for Austin's Autobus Records) I Miss This, the band spent seven months recording at home and in the studio, a far more labor-intensive process than any previous record they've made. The album further develops their already highly refined approach, expanding their dynamic range and musical scope beyond 2005's acclaimed Weird Feelings. The songs go from the most raucous distorted guitar romps to the most delicate acoustic ballads, still continually indulging their penchant for complex harmonies, unconventional song structures, and strange noises. I Miss This is another meticulously crafted and beautifully executed album from a unique and talented band."

Artist:	SUNSET
Title:	Bright Blue Dream
Label:	AUTOBUS
Format:	CD
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	AUTO 007CD

"Bright Blue Dream is the first widely available LP from Bill Baird's new project, {{{Sunset}}}, following the break up of Sound Team. The record is a follow-up to his previous CD-R and cassette albums, {{{Sunset}}}, Silence! and Pink Clouds, which were released independently through 2006 and 2007. All of the distinctive song styles from {{{Sunset}}}'s previous releases are represented here, yet are more finely-tuned and expansive, brought together by a vividly colorful and meditative feel. Bill's craftsmanship and darkly humorous songwriting take an impressive leap forward with Bright Blue Dream."

AZTEC MUSIC (AUSTRALIA)

Artist:	MANDU
Title:	To The Shores Of His Heaven
Label:	AZTEC MUSIC (AUSTRALIA)
Format:	CD
Price:	$22.00
Catalog #:	AVS 031CD

"The elusive and mysterious Mándu is known mainly for his impressive vocals on two Lobby Loyde albums (Obsecration and Live With Dubs). However, there is more to his story. Mándu arrived in Melbourne (from Qld.) in the early '70s with hopes of securing a record contract. With a series of unsuccessful bands behind him, the singer had developed a new persona (Mándu) and written a peerless batch of songs that would form the basis of his extraordinary concept album To The Shores Of His Heaven. Ex-pop star-turned-label boss John Blanchfield was so blown away by Mándu's audition that he signed him on the spot and immediately put him into Armstrong's studios to rehearse and record. Inspired by the organic approach used by Van Morrison for his classic Astral Weeks album, Blanchfield, with producer-engineer Ern Rose, set about creating a purpose built ensemble utilizing some of Australia's most talented and creative musicians -- including guitar maestro Phil Manning (Chain), bassist Barry Sullivan (Wild Cherries, Chain), and drummer Gary Young (Daddy Cool). Keyboard player Peter Sullivan also works wonders with his absolutely beautiful string arrangements. The resultant album, To The Shores Of His Heaven, is one of the best and most original records ever made in this country -- and a must-hear for fans of Tim Buckley, Van Morrison and Terry Reid -- at turns gentle and ethereal, spacious and mystical. Sadly, despite the stellar musical backing, a striking image, and Mándu's incredible voice, the album was a disappointing flop. A follow-up single, a highly original take on The Rolling Stones' classic 'Gimme Shelter,' suffered a similar fate and after that, Mándu turned his back on a solo career. He joined as vocalist in Lobby Loyde's Southern Electric in late 1975 and recorded the classic Obsecration album before leaving on the eve of the band's move to the UK. Apart from teaming up with Loyde on the 1980 LP Live With Dubs, there have been only sporadic sightings of Mándu, a disappointing end to such a promising start -- luckily, we have this classic to remember him by. To The Shores Of His Heaven has been digitally remastered by Gil Matthews, packaged in a 6-panel digipak with a 24-page book with liner notes by Ted Lethborg, a review from Ian McFarlane and rare photos."

Artist:	HAREM SCAREM
Title:	Pilgrim's Progress
Label:	AZTEC MUSIC (AUSTRALIA)
Format:	CD
Price:	$22.00
Catalog #:	AVS 032CD

"Harem Scarem emerged from Melbourne's mid-'80s indie scene, but, it could be argued, were closer in sound to classic Australian blues rock from a decade before (Dingoes, Coloured Balls, Chain, Rose Tattoo etc.). Their sound was infused with a heady mix of punk spirit and Stax soul that also made them contemporaries of the likes of The Gun Club and the Beasts Of Bourbon. Harem Scarem first appeared on the Melbourne psychobilly compilation Asleep at the Wheel. They soon developed (via the Dogman EP and some key line-up changes) into a powerhouse live act, where Christopher Marshall's extraordinary, passionate vocals combined with Charlie Marshall's Stones-y guitar. With the classic line-up of the Marshall brothers, Barry Palmer (guitar), Glen Sheldon (bass), Peter Jones (drums) and Chris Wilson (harmonica & sax), the band went into the studio with John Archer (Hunters & Collectors) and emerged with this, their masterful 1986 album: Pilgrim's Progress. A shock decision to disband on the verge of a national breakthrough robbed Australia of a fine band -- and one that is ripe for reappraisal. Aztec Music's deluxe reissue of Pilgrim's Progress has been remixed and digitally remastered. The liner notes are written by Clinton Walker, David Nichols, (singer) Charlie Marshall and (manager) Michael Lynch. There are 6 bonus tracks (2 previously unreleased) and many rare photos in a 24-page booklet."

BANGOR RECORDS (CANADA)

Artist:	DIEBOLD
Title:	Listen To My Heartbeast
Label:	BANGOR RECORDS (CANADA)
Format:	CD
Price:	$15.00
Catalog #:	BAN 004CD

"Diebold formed in Montreal in 2002 as an exciting new experiment in controlled, technologically-enhanced two-party democracy. Sophie Trudeau (Godspeed you! Black Emperor, Silver Mt. Zion, etc.) and Ian Ilavsky (Sofa, Silver Mt. Zion, etc.) became roommates around this time, and decided to take politics off the kitchen table, agreeing instead to submit their dispute to arbitration in a designated soundproof area, using a mix of traditional and modern tools calibrated to maximize output and allowing the participants to explore policy, express vision, and reach consensus in a largely non-verbal, though highly aural, manner. The results, officially documented and made public here for the first time, provide a vital new roadmap for international peace and reconciliation, and can be instantly verified using any standard CD or phonograph record playback device. Diebold combines a simple, time-tested, user-friendly interface (drums, bass) with years of research into the potentialities of various signal-processing devices to create a stable, accessible system that anyone can understand, using the popular and well-known concepts of 'riff,' 'feedback' and 'distortion.' Diebold translates these through its patented bi-amplification routing architecture, allowing for a powerful and resilient stereophonic interpretation of basic gestures. Diebold also deploys portable, real-time 'loop' technology to outsource various routine procedures in an immediate and responsive manner, permitting certain 'multiplier effects' that virtualize participation and human agency when necessary. This album is available on CD and LP. Both formats come packaged in silk-screened jackets."

BELLA CASA (UK)

Artist:	VA
Title:	Delirium of the Senses: Psychedelia in Italian Cinema
Label:	BELLA CASA (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	CASA 007CD

"This album demonstrates the incredible aptitude of Ennio Morricone's golden generation of Italian composers for psychedelia. That most hallucinogenic of all films, Fellini's Toby Dammit is featured with a selection from Nino Rota's famous score along with a panorama of superlative performances and rare recordings from such masters as Morricone, Piero Piccioni and Umiliani, Berto Pisano and Claudio Gizzi (former music director for the films of Andy Warhol) whose main title for Roman Polanski's notorious What? is included here in digital format for the first time."

BLA BLA (ITALY)

BLACK DIRT

Artist:	PIGEONS
Title:	Virgin Spectacle
Label:	BLACK DIRT
Format:	LP
Price:	$21.00
Catalog #:	BD 001LP

"Beautiful dream-dementia pop from a couple tangentially related to the Sea Donkeys/Sublime Frequencies camp in Seattle." -S@1. "Pigeons and doves are so closely related, they are practically interchangeable in the minds of the people who classify such fowl. But in the eyes of the general public, the dove is a beautiful bird symbolizing freedom and peace while the pigeon is a dirty rat with wings that eats our city's garbage and craps on our cars. But maybe the pigeon is a crafty bird, content with its own beauty and happy to obscure it to avoid the glare of our ever intrusive public eye. Virgin Spectacle is a distorted, hungover, and elusive statement. And it's in French. Except one word at the end. Or more, if you are to believe those responsible. Regardless, amongst all the fog and feathers is a collection of comely pop and sonic excursions guaranteed to lodge itself in your waking subconscious. Hell, you might even dream of a few of these songs. The fine people who constitute the band named Pigeons would like you to believe that they have stumbled incidentally upon such charm, like a diamond in the mine. Don't believe it. Take yourself out of your particular urban situation. Look toward the skies, and see the besmirched bird for what it really is. They have laid out a sonic journey meant to disorient on the surface, but if you follow their flight you'll find yourself cruising along and singing in a language you may not understand. Edition of 500 Recorded at Black Dirt Studio" --Black Dirt. Black Dirt is the new in-house label from Jason Meaghers (NNCK, K Salvatore, Coach Fingers, D Charles Speer and the Helix, etc...).

Artist:	THORNTON, CARTER
Title:	Ten Fingers for Forefathers
Label:	BLACK DIRT
Format:	LP
Price:	$21.00
Catalog #:	BD 002LP

"Odd serially-inflected compositions for classical guitar. A wide breadth of obscure and fragmented influences represented here, all internal. Carter Thornton of Izititiz and Zakashi-Warashi." - S@1. "If you are a fan of the archaic format of music storage and delivery known as vinyl then you are also probably experienced in the art of search and rescue when faced with a pre-auction era, dusty, moldy shop filled to the rafters with such blasts from the past. Every now and then one comes upon a platter in one of these fading outposts, marked at about $3.99. Cover seams split, maybe some radio call letters scrawled in marker, maybe a booze/coffee/bongwater spill splayed like a Rorschach on the back. Perhaps it is the cover art itself that draws your attention... black and white photos seemingly from another time in content and message. Or perhaps it is the title of the album... the way it rolls off the tongue, its playfulness marked by a seemingly obscure reference. The fact that there are no song titles may pique your interest... why is this? Are there even songs on there? You can see the gaps in the grooves so there is some sound being broken up with seconds of silence. You wipe the grime off the grooves with your shirt sleeve and take the disc over to the crappy player up by the register. You pop it on, slip the needle in the groove, and immediately you have the thought 'What the hell is this?!?!?' You're hearing one of those rare recordings of a singular and personal vision. A solo guitar performance that not only operates outside any current or previous fashions, but one that seems to render the idea of recorded music as commerce a nonreality. Although you are carried away with delight by the sounds you are hearing, you can't help but wonder why this person recorded this music. His intent is as elusive as the music he is presenting. It seems as though you are there with the player, this audio mirage helped by sounds of his chair creaking, his arm brushing against the side of his instrument, his fingers scraping across the strings. You purchase the item straightaway, as determined to figure out the history of the recording as you are to wear out its grooves with repeated listenings. With Ten Fingers for Forefathers the proverbial chase has been cut right to. Take a listen and see if you can crack the sonic code contained therein. Edition of 500 Recorded at Black Dirt Studio" --Black Dirt

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Artist:	CAPSICUM RED
Title:	Appunti per un'Idea Fissa
Label:	BLA BLA (ITALY)
Format:	LP
Price:	$34.00
Catalog #:	BBL 11051LP