NEW RELEASES
Thomas Fehlmann
Styrofoam
Tarantula
Can (remastered reissues)
Two Lone Swordsmen
John Carter (reissue)
Asja Auf Capri
Sebastien Roux
Slowdive (compilation)
Studio One Disco Mix
The Mice (reissue)
Brooks

The Telescopes (reissue)
My Morning Jacket
Tunde Williams & Lekan Animashaun
Lusine


ALSO AVAILABLE
Keren Ann (brand new album)
M.I.A./DIPLO

RESTOCK
Zeena Parkins & Ikue Mori

"Prefab"

"Goldhaar"

Plug Research is on a two album (so far) roll. First the new John Tejada and now this: Thomas Fehlmann (of Orb and recently, Kompakt fame) collaborating on a few tracks with one of the new downtempo scenesters, Dabrye. Just when the words "for fans of Boards of Canada" seemed to almost drift into some distant black hole, here comes another surprise that brings us right back into the middle of Ninja Tune's heyday. In a good way. What?! (Not said in the hip hop style, but actually, as in: "What?")

Right away, the album establishes itself as a multi-dimensional 'downtempo' album. Catchy, un-tired breaks, (in-the-pocket, in the Dabrye One/Three-style, though he's only on three of the tracks). Quite frankly, any other descriptive writing from this point will only make it sound like every other typical, two-bit acid jazz album, which it is NOT. So, maybe it's better to just say that Lowflow comes across a lot like a classic DJ Krush album without the strictly trad., repetitively looped drum hits, and without any dark, urban B-Boy posturing.

Instead, Fehlmann injects extra layers into the mix, in his own skillful way that gives it a bright, floaty, hazy, magical sheen -- the mastering done by Stefan Betke doesn't hurt either -- while keeping the song moving forward the whole time. The ease at which Fehlmann throws these tracks together is also what sets this one apart. He really explores the many ways one can weave through a looped break. Also, the atmosphere is actually 'pretty' without being just 'sweet' -- we have an actual, mature beatmeister on our hands here. (Worth noting are Dabrye's contributions on tracks 3, 6 and 11 which have just-that-much extra, broken 'soul.') A fresh, unexpected surprise from Dr. Fehlmann. [SM]

"Couches in Alleys"

"Ticket Out of Town"

Arne Van Petegem takes the next logical step with his newest album for Morr Music. With last year's pop masterpiece I'm What's There to Show That Something's Missing, Styrofoam stepped out from behind his laptop and started singing, melding his playful bedroom electronics into more vocal-heavy songs that were quite reminiscent of the Notwist. Here on Nothing's Lost, Arne calls in a few favors and has contributions from and collaborations with Alias, Lali Puna's Valerie Trebeljahr, Ben Gibbard of Death Cab For Cutie and the Postal Service, American Analog Set's Andrew Kenny and Bent Van Looy of Das Pop. These collaborations along with Arne's newfound confidence in his vocals create a really beautiful dynamic in which each of the guests adds his or her own style to the tracks.

The songs in general are altogether more pop and the arrangements are more elaborate and create a great electronic pop record that could be the Postal Service's little brother. That is the closest comparison, especially considering Gibbard contributes to many of the album's songs -- his vocals soar on the beautiful "Couches in Alleys" and his piano playing on "Your Eyes Only" adds new depth to the Styrofoam sound. The only song that I don't like is the leadoff track, "Misguided." It's not that it is bad, it's just that the lo-fi indie rap by Alias simply doesn't fit in. All in all, the other songs are great proving that Styrofoam is not an artist to be pigeonholed as just another guy in his bedroom playing around with his laptop. Arne has grown into a full-blown singer/songwriter with the chops to churn out another great electronic pop album. This is a must for anyone that bought his previous releases, the Go Find album, and the aforementioned Postal Service record. [JS]

TARANTULA
Tarantula
(Self-released)

"Palo Borracho"

Fans of Rachels and Godspeed You Black Emperor watch out: Tarantula are not satisfied with just being "soundtrack-y." This is powerfully played and orchestrated stuff. It's moody, climbing and soaring without wallowing in its own darkness. Aspects of chamber rock, math rock and classical composition combine to form a dynamically performed emotional rollercoaster. Cello, bass, drums (plus other percussion), guitar and violin climb and weave together in lyrical patterns, shift sideways and then suddenly stop and surge only to thrust in a new direction. With Tarantula you get not only a sense of music as emotional conduit, but also a sense of the language of music. Here, the music is as active as it is moving. Recommended. [SM]

Monster Movie
$15.99 CD





Soundtracks
$15.99 CD





Tago Mago
$15.99 CD





Ege Bamyasi
$15.99 CD

CAN
Monster Movie - Remastered
Soundtracks - Remastered
Tago Mago - Remastered
Ege Bamyasi - Remastered
(Mute/Spoon)

"Mother Sky"

"Vitamin C"

You can imagine the amount of e-mails and customer requests we've been receiving at the store anticipating these newly remastered reissues of Can's essential first four albums. There's no arguing that they were one of most visionary rock acts of the '70s. In many ways a reaction to the formulaic American pop songs which clogged the German airwaves, this Cologne-based ensemble shunned solos and steered clear of spotlighting individual members, instead emphasizing a collective approach to their music. Can created adventurous sounds that seemed to be born from a strange hybrid of Karlheinz Stockhausen, the Velvet Underground and Captain Beefheart. Their influence is immediately detectable in proto-industrialists Einstürzende Neubauten, post-punkers the Fall and PiL, and all the way up through to Pavement's noisy excursions, Stereolab's drony rhythms and spacey keyboards, and most recently Colder.

Though the group's later output would be spotty, these four albums show Can in their prime. Keyboardist Irmin Schmidt and guitarist Michael Karoli's dialogue between their respective instruments seemed all at once alien and off the cuff, yet strangely melodic while Hogler Czukay's metronomic bass and free jazz trained drummer Jaki Leibezeit's incredible open rhythms would lead you on a long, extended journey full of ever-changing moods.

Their first album, Monster Movie featured vocalist Malcom Mooney, an African-American sculptor and draft dodger living in Europe, whose sing-speak would rotate between breathy melodies, emotionally charged freeform rants, and primal gasps of breath. Soon after the release of their debut, he would suffer a nervous breakdown on stage and move back to the U.S. Can's second album Soundtracks was a stopgap of sorts, the group improvising over film scores which Schmidt had previously composed. It would also include the last recorded material with Mooney and introduce a new vocalist, Kenji "Damo" Suzuki, whose higher, elastic strained voice would prove to be more flexible for working around the band's repetitive explorations. Though not a proper album, Soundtracks includes one of Can's most accomplished moments, the almost 15-minute "Mother Sky."

Considered by many (including myself) to be one of the best albums of the '70s, 1971's double LP Tago Mago is the record in which they hit their stride and highlights all the band's strengths in rhythms, sounds, moods and song. Its 1972 follow-up Ege Bamyasi almost hits that mark as well, a little more refined, but just as playful and mysterious.

I compared the remastered reissues to the previous 1998 versions of the Can CDs and there's definitely a notable difference, they sound great, louder and crisper. These new reissues also include liner notes by David Stubbs and unreleased photos. While the term Krautrock is an umbrella word that describes a plethora of German bands, many very different in sound, style and approach, there's no denying that Can defined the genre. [GH]

"Feast"

Andrew Weatherall and Keith Tenniswood (a/k/a Two Lone Swordsmen) continue to forge a new road for the electro-dance-rock brew that everyone seems to be dipping into. One must remember that Weatherall has a long history of combining elements of rock, dub, electro, dance and punk, much in the same tradition as Don Letts, Mick Jones or John Lydon. His current incarnation of TLS unashamedly marries these styles into an original energetic vibe. The hard, crunchy, distorted, digital percussive rock rhythms of the two new songs "Feast" and "Showbiz Shotgun" bring to mind the music (not vocals) of !!!, the swagger of classic Primal Scream, and the cold electro-new wave of Colder, with a sly undertone of dub floating through as Weatherall holds down the vocals. Six tracks in all including dubs, remixes and instrumentals, this is a good primer for those who are missing out on Two Lone Swordsman's Love and Rockets meets electroclash full-length, From the Double Gone Chapel. It's much better than that reference sounds. Refreshing takes on the sound of today, check it out. [DG]

"Give a Hand to the Clown"

"Halleluja Roller"

I'm sure I wasn't the only one waiting for the next great Rev-Ola release, so the rest of you can quit holding your breath because here it is. A Rose By Any Other Name collects 25 songs culled from 45s by British soft rock songwriter/producer extraordinaire John Carter. In 1966, Carter beat out "Good Vibrations" and Brian Wilson himself to win the Grammy for Song Of The Year for "Winchester Cathedral" by the New Vaudeville Band. One year later, he penned the classic "My World Fell Down" for Sagittarius. Obviously, this guy had tremendous talent. Spanning the years from 1969 to 1976 (with the exception of one stinker from 1982, "The Power Of Advertising" by Omega Theater), A Rose By Any Other Name sees Carter and an army of co-writers and studio musicians recording under a bunch of different names and in as many different styles. Aside from the aforementioned dud about halfway through the disc, every track is an absolute pop gem. A tremendous little slice of bubblegum heaven, soft rock compilations don't get any better than this one here. [RH]

$14.99 CD

"Chanson Risk"

"Contre Temps"

Novi Ronde is the first full-length release from Asja Auf Capri, who are neither from Capri nor do they include anyone named Asja. (The name presumably refers to Asja Lacis, the woman who stole Walter Benjamin's heart and gave it to Karl Marx). A few of you may have already acquired a taste for Asja Auf Capri from their contribution to the Difficult Fun label's four-song compilation 7", which came out earlier this year. The group is based in London and consists of Anja Kirschner and David Panos who also participate in Antifamily, another Difficult Fun enterprise. Novi Ronde harkens back to a brief moment when electronic music was successfully wedded to the punk rock, DIY ethos before being reduced to a sterile instrument of studio gimmickry. The album borrows from the technological vocabulary of the Neue Deutsche Welle without being merely recidivist (you will be able to spend more than five minutes with Novi Ronde without reaching for your Der Plan records). In fact, true to the spirit of the NDW it is resolutely forward-looking. The album was recorded entirely without MIDI, using an old mono-synth and the occasional drumming and strumming of friends and well-wishers. It is imbued with the improvisational and collaborative geist that made this year's Antifamily EP so great, while being tempered by Kirschner and Panos' clever pop sensibilities (and even more clever editing and studio work). And the lyrics sound almost as good in English as they do in German, if we're allowed to judge from the translations posted on www.asjaaufcapri.org.

All of Kirchner's breathy German chanteusery is on display in "Chanson Risk", the opening track, which also appeared on the Difficult Fun comp. The following three songs -- among the strongest on the album -- are composed of layers of choppy fragments that recede before the ears and invite the listener to miss the forest for the trees. But for all that, they're remarkably coherent and pretty catchy. Blasts of errant sound on "Contre Temps" threaten to capsize the song mid-course, and when they finally do the results are no less appealing. "La Ronde Popular" has some of the mild synthesized funkiness of Pyrolator circa Ausland, but with better vocals. "ABC's Elan" and "Hoffman" from the second-half of the album are also not to be overlooked. The last track, "Brandstifter," delivers a final pop flourish whose three chord, 4/4 splendor calls to mind The Fall or Crawling Chaos. Novi Ronde succeeds in being versatile and coherent; and it rewards engaged listening. We'll look forward to future releases from Asja Auf Capri and Difficult Fun. [DB]

$12.99 CD

"H 67"

"Saratoga Springs"

Recently touted by Forced Exposure as "one of the most accomplished electronic/sound/art labels in the world," Brooklyn's Apestaartje brings the year to a beautiful close with their third amazing release of 2004. After appearing on last year's Object Set And Motion compilation and on 12K's E*A*D*G*B*E collection, Parisian electronic composer Sebastien Roux makes his full-length debut with Pillow. The album is very much in line with the well-established Apestaartje aesthetic, with minimal and melodic ambient drones gently washing under nicely processed and edited acoustic instruments (primarily guitar on this particular disc). Pillow is a particularly engrossing and subtle record that seems to fly by much more quickly than it actually does. It lulls you into a daze and when it ends you're suddenly jolted back into reality, completely disoriented and wanting to hit play all over again. Another one of the year's greatest electronic releases from the most consistent label in any of the five boroughs. [RH]

$26.99 CD

"Alison"

"Machine Gun"

With all the recent nostalgia creeping in for '90s shoe-gazers like Ride and My Bloody Valentine (who never really fell out of favor) it seems that Slowdive are finally receiving the attention that they deserve. Formed in late-'89, this Reading, England band are one of the best groups to come from the so-called "Scene That Celebrates Itself." During their five or so year career, they only released three albums and a handful of EPs and singles, yet you can still hear their influence coming out of bands like Mogwai and Sigur Ros. You can also hear electronic artists like Ulrich Schnauss and Manual taking cues from Slowdive's shimmering pop melodies and dreamy atmospherics. Morr Music's 2002 Slowdive tribute Blue Skied an' Clear probably plays another sizable factor in this "comeback."

Catch the Breeze is a double-CD set that compiles tracks beginning with the band's early singles like "Morningrise" and "Shine" all the way through to their last album, Pygmalion. Slowdive were all at once gorgeous and mysterious. Future Mojave 3 members Neil Halstead and Rachel Goswell's beautiful, breathy melodies were usually enshrouded in a swirl of hypnotically strummed guitar and ambient washes of sound and would leave dream poppers drooling on their shoes. This compilation includes almost all of Soulvaki, including "Sing," a collaboration with Brian Eno, and five tracks from Pygmalion, an album which never saw proper release in America yet would be cited by many as their most influential, the light blissful electronics inspiring a whole new generation of electronic music makers. With almost two hours of music represented here, there's no better Slowdive primer. [GH]

$18.99 CD

"Push Push" Lloyd and Devon

"Muddy Water" The Ethiopian

Another fine selection from Soul Jazz, Studio One Disco Mix highlights the 12-inch single's influence on reggae; however, don't think this is a bunch of discofied cuts. Yes, the grooves are many but the songs are still in their original versions, and of course, all the tracks are produced by the late Clement Dodd. The usual suspects like Alton Ellis, Jackie Mittoo, the Silvertones and the Ethiopian are gathered alongside great, lesser-known talents like Willie Williams, Norma White, Lloyd and Devon, and Winston Francis. Studio One Disco Mix showcases the late-night combo of rhythm and voice, where the vocal and instrumental versions are spliced together giving you more time to get lost in the groove. Skin up, light it, and feel the vibe. [DG]

"Rescue You Too"

"Little Rage"

If they'd kept it up for a few more years, they might have been remembered as the definitive indie rock band. Sadly, Cleveland's the Mice fizzled out in 1987 after one fantastic EP and a sublime LP, leaving lead singer/songwriter Bill Fox to release two critically acclaimed solo albums for spinART in the '90s before disappearing from the music scene altogether. They may have only released 16 songs in their entire career, but in just two years the Mice paved much of the way for now-legendary groups like Guided By Voices and Superchunk. Drummer Tommy Fox was only 15 years old when the band recorded For Almost Every Scooter, and the rest of the members weren't a hell of a lot older. Even if Bill Fox hadn't written such incredibly catchy power-pop songs, the band's exuberant youthful energy would have been unbelievable. Stylistically, it's British Invasion meets pop punk (we're talking Buzzcocks here, not Green Day), and maybe a bit like John Darnielle from the Mountain Goats singing along to the Replacements. Hearing this record for the first time made me remember what was so damn exciting about indie rock in the first place. The disc has grown on me tremendously since then, and I couldn't possibly recommend it more. [RH]

"Accidents"

"Burning Buxx"

Producer Andrew Brooks brings his thumping brand of gay electro funk and glitchy disco to Matthew Herbert's Soundslike label. The music is vocal heavy and includes a guest appearance from Antony (of the Johnsons), further reinforcing the singer's place in the same lineage as Boy George. This is campy, druggy nu-funk (a la Soft Pink Truth, Derrick Carter and Super Collider) that utilizes a lot of machinery sounds and adds a sharp edge to what is missing from much of the current disco redux: crunchy, pounding and guaranteed to shake your disco ball right out of the ceiling. Brooks created an ultra-updated record which is in line with Soft Cell, Yaz and Human League, but like the '80s disco remixes, all with a blender-slicing approach. This is a guilty pleasure for sure, unabashed and great fun. Check out the gay twist on their cover of PJ Harvey's "Mansize." Got your leather boots on? Recommended. [DG]

THE TELESCOPES
Untitled Second
(Rev-Ola)

"Flying"

"High on Fire"

Amidst Spacemen 3's emergence into pop prominence and Jesus and Mary Chain's success, and wavering in an airy and multicolored sonic panorama whose tour de forces included Screamedelica (and included visionaries My Bloody Valentine), were the wondrous Telescopes. As a rather elusive appendage to the Creation family, the Telescopes materialized in this imaginative era with their dazzling and adventurous noise-maelstroms. They were unafraid to experiment and discern the moods and emotions manifested from an innate within, where no doubt the experiential inspirations drew. And the psychical extractions were epic, swirling, multi-hued palettes of cools and warms, yawning into acid-drenched whirrs poised towards a tonal black hole -- just then to be embraced by the warmth of Joanna Doran's presence, with enough mesmerizing sugar-fuzz to linger and drown into an ocean of red. This is the second album recorded between '91 and '92, a rather soft and placid fruition with further ventures into psych-y dream pop. A gorgeous companion to the recently reissued soul-smoldering debut, Altered Perceptions. Highly recommended. [MT]

"Weeks Go Like Days"

"I Will Be There When You Die"

After releasing last year's stellar It Still Moves, My Morning Jacket seem poised to take on the world with their powerful, Americana inspired rock. Led by songwriter Jim James, this Louisville five-piece has been plugging away since 1999 with non-stop touring and a couple of early releases on Darla Records, and subsequently have developed into one of the best makers of original alt-country. These two volumes cull lots of the band's earliest recordings, much of the material 4-track demos made by James while attending the University of Kentucky, as well as rare singles and b-sides. Highlights on Chapter One: The Sandworm Cometh include songs from the hard-to-find Heartbreakin' Man EP, the sad melancholy of "Weeks Go By Like Days" as well as covers of "White Rabbit" and "Rocket Man" (Jame's soaring vocals in both will make the hairs on your arms stand on end). Some of Chapter Two: Learning's highlights are early versions of "I Will Be There When You Die" and "Just One Thing," as well as some playful Casio keyboard accompaniments, including an overdriven cover of the Pet Shop Boys' "West End Girls," and plenty of beautiful acoustic guitar ballads. Containing 14 tracks on each volume, these two releases are definitely geared towards the fan but they are far from thrown together with plenty of treats for the casual listener. Even the most primitively recorded songs present James as a serious talent who one day will deservedly find his name mentioned alongside southern rock's heroes. [GH]

"Mr. Big Mouth"

"Low Profile"

Honest Jons continue their great series of selected reissues with an Afro-beat double header. Out of the mythical camp established by Fela Kuti comes two albums from contributors to his Afrika 70 band, baritone saxophonist and vocalist Lekan Animashaun, and trumpeter Tunde Williams. Both are given a chance to lead and record their own compositions with Kuti's band. Until now only records by drummer Tony Allen, and Femi (Fela's son and alto player) have been released or reissued. This great collection gives a platform to those who helped develop and elaborated on Fela's polyrhythmic blueprint.

In true Afro-beat style, each respective album consists of two extended pieces, each song averaging 12-minutes. Both LPs are produced by Fela (who also plays keyboards) and feature Tony Allen on drums, with music and arrangements by both Williams and Animashaun. This strong, political music is not a toe out of step with the great rhythms and extended vibe that Fela established. Recorded in 1975 and 1976, Williams' Mr. Big Mouth side is mostly instrumental with some vocals during the chorus, while Animashaun's Low Profile (Not for the Blacks) album is more vocal driven. Includes informative liner notes by ethnomusicologist Michael Veal, fans of James Brown, '70-era Miles Davis, Fela, and new-schoolers Antibalas should not hesitate. [DG]

"Ask You"

"Make It Easy"

The new album from early post-rock-tronica/IDM act Lusine fulfills the promise of the title. Serial Hodgepodge almost strictly follows a "downtempo song followed by a 4/4 dance track" formula throughout the album with beatless emo-ambient tracks placed here and there to break up all the action -- a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Here, Lusine's sounds don't stray too far from the classic IDM/almost preset sound palette. It's like 1994 all over again without all the stress on being "experimental." All the 4/4 "microhouse" tracks consistently follow a herky-jerky Akufen nerd-funk style while pushing the envelope/changing it up by replacing Akufen's nervous glitches for straight drum break pads. Other recent electronica all-stars come to mind while listening to this album: track two sounds like non-dubby, American Mouse on Mars while track one has a neo-dreamy hip hop style with bits of cut up female vocals that come across like Prefuse 73 remixing Slowdive. Real White Funk. [SM]

"Que N'ai-Je"

Keren Ann's latest album literally just made it onto our store shelves. Recorded in New York, the singer's fourth proper full-length is softer than Not Going Anywhere, adding an even more intimate tone to her beautiful songs. Sung in both French and English, her gentle ballads effortlessly move through folk, rock and pop styles with more acoustic instrumentation including accoutrements like harmonica and violin which add to the melancholic atmosphere.

"Uraqt (Diplo Mix)"

Everyone's buzzing about this CD-mix and rightfully so. Diplo masterfully applies a funky brew of mash-up, dub and hip hop to M.I.A.'s forthcoming debut album Arular. There's plenty of other surprises along the way as well, including a couple of doses of Baile Funk. If you can't stop shakin' your ass to that "Galang" 12-inch, you need this! Get 'em while you can.

"Savage Flower"

Finally back in stock. This stunning collaboration between Zeena Parkins and Ikue Mori is one of Mego's most exciting releases. Phantom Orchard is an album of juxtaposition and contradiction as the warm organic tones of harp, electric piano and mellotron weave through a digital realm full of everchanging dynamics and intense emotion.