FEATURED NEW RELEASES
Babyshambles
Nine Horses (David Sylvian)
Fire Engines
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
The In-Kraut (Various)
Freude-am-Tanzen Compilation 1
Joyce with Dori Caymmi
Camping 2 (Bpitch Compilation)
Bigg Jus
Music for Plants (Various)
The Loft
AFX
Studio One Women (Various)

TV Party DVDs
Richie Hawtin
Dabrye

ALSO AVAILABLE
OHM+ Box Set w/DVD
Bright Eyes
Tony Hazzard
Howling Hex
Edith Frost

COMPLETE LIST OF THIS WEEK'S NEW ARRIVALS

"F**k Forever"

"Pipe Down"

It is 2:00 a.m. on Wednesday morning and I can already feel the hangover setting in. Tomorrow is going to be a rough one. Perhaps this is not the best time to write this review, or maybe it is…after numerous drinks and being witness to the live NYC debut of Arctic Monkeys, the UK's saviors of British rock for the upcoming 2006 (who, by the way, lived up to the best new band hype, especially for a group of 19-year-olds). But after a long night and one too many drinks I sit here listening to the new Babyshambles record. It has been a long time since the NME hype-machine has actually found credibility in my eyes. Libertines…nah didn't want any of that. Their only redeeming factors were their true love of rock n roll and co-frontman Pete Doherty, a man who has been featured more times in the Sun than he has in the NME--a feat for any budding rock star. Yes, the stories of his drug habits, robberies, and supermodel girlfriends are true; but behind it all, this man Pete Doherty can write a mean rock song. He is one rare talent and you don't need to hear it from Sir Paul McCartney or Sir Elton John, just listen to the songs. Whatever it is, Pete has got it.

His debut album, Down in Albion, is a shambolic mess, but behind it all is amazing songwriting. I am not just saying that because I am intoxicated, but because this man writes a brilliant song. Beneath the rumors and sloppy playing are truly great songs, and not just one of them, but an album's worth. Yes, Pete has given us 16 gems produced by the one and only Mick Jones. These songs, at times, recall the Clash, the Smiths and just about every great British band since the dawn of time. "Pipe Down" could as well be an outtake from London Calling. "F**k Forever" is every kid's middle finger to the world of disbelievers. "Sticks and Stones" is a Clash and Police-influenced monster of a song. There was a time when many people thought that this album would never be finished, let alone see the light of day, but Pete did it. Congratulations Pete you have just made the British rock record of the year. Forget the gossip and just listen to the music; maybe we will all learn something from Mr. Doherty. Oh yeah, there's nothing we can do about the hefty import price, for at this time there is no domestic release date in sight. [JS]

NINE HORSES
Snow Borne Sorrow
(Samadhi Sound)

"Wonderful World"

"Serotonin"

Just in time for those warm nights in front of the fireplace comes Snow Borne Sorrow, the first album from David Sylvian's newest project. Nine Horses is a formal collaboration between Sylvian, Steve Jansen and Burnt Freidman, with additional contributions from Stina Nordenstam, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and Arve Henriksen. Sylvian, much like Robert Wyatt or Bryan Ferry, often builds a picturesque world with mid-tempo rhythms, mature and restrained jazz overtones, synth washes, crackling electronic sparks and his unmistakable voice. Reminiscent of past recordings like Brilliant Trees, Sylvian offers a melancholy mood piece of politically inspired poetry and tales of human interactions. Instrumentation includes a toy piano, saxophone, clarinet, prepared piano, drums, upright bass, trumpet, vibraphone, guitar, flute, synthesizers, and occasional programming and loops. Like the barren trees that line the bustling city streets, this is bare and stark, yet rich with a quiet beauty that only few are able to capture. With a whisper, recommended. [DG]

"Jacqueline"

"Get Up and Use Me"

In the wake of the recent Orange Juice retrospective, Domino continues to resurrect the lost Scottish pop classics in the form of a much needed Fire Engines reissue. Where Orange Juice and Aztec Camera were perfect pop, and Josef K churned out a glorious Television/Magazine influenced racket, the Fire Engines existed in altogether different universe. Although Codex Teenage Premonition doesn't include any of the original singles and albums (legal issues?), it serves as a perfect introduction to Scotland's most irreverent pop band. The CD compiles early takes of songs that would end up on the first 45 and album, two raw (but great sounding) and suitably short live sets from 1980-81, and a couple of Peel Session tracks. Davy Henderson spits and yelps like James Chance, over guitars that spit out shards of broken glass and a rhythm section that often tries to outpace each other and everyone else in the band. Fire Engines definitely had more in common with the New York no wave scene than with its jangly Scottish contemporaries, but they possessed a pop sensibility that the Contortions and Mars, perhaps purposely, lacked. Check out "Discord" and "Candyskin" from the Peel Session, and if you can show me pop music as urgent, I'm all ears.

Fire Engines reformed briefly last year for a stint of shows, and released a split single with Franz Ferdinand where the two bands cover each other. Fire Engines' version of "Jacqueline," tacked on at the end of this CD, predictably outshines the original. Lastly, the one gripe I have, where's the booklet with the pictures and the backstory? Still, you need this. [AK]

"O Let It Be"

"Pushkin"

Whether you are a fan of the Palace Brothers, Palace Music, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, or Superwolf, you have come to expect curveballs, digressions, and an ever-changing approach to the ouevre of Will Oldham. Songs constantly remain in flux, and if you've caught him live, you've no doubt witnessed an about-face on any given tune. Documenting last summer's tour of the swampy south, the music similarly reflects such a muggy, slurred, laidback time. Hard-drinking sing-alongs like "I See a Darkness" and "Death to Everyone" get sung drunk, while a previously subdued song like "A Sucker's Evening" seethes with palpable dread, courtesy of Matt Sweeney's lead. Goes great with a longneck. [AB]

"Hippie Hippie" France Gall

"Wie a Glock'n..." Marrianne Mendt

"An Unknown Quantity" Bill Ramsey & the Jay Five

Stefen Kassel and Frank Jastfelder are the masterminds behind the Get Easy! and Mad, Mad World compilations, the two Lalo Schifrin anthologies, as well as retrospectives of Gary McFarland, Lee Hazlewood and Dusty Springfield. Now these two music connoisseurs have compiled this fantastic collection of hard-to-find German beat, soul and soundtrack grooves, complete with a full-color 16-page booklet. Spanning 1966 through 1974, most of these long-forgotten songs have never been released before on CD. Among the 20 nuggets are the highly-sought-after rare groove cut "Why Don't You Play the Organ, Man" by Memphis Black, Marianne Mendt's Kraut-mod classic "Wie a Glock'n…," a swaggering, Farfisa-driven cover of "Jumpin' Jack Flash" from German film music legend Peter Thomas, and "Marihuana Mantra," a funky Teutonic anthem to the wacky-tobacky by Kuno and the Marihuana Brass. Other highlights include Eugen Thomass' jew's harp-driven "Undergroovin'" (taken from the soundtrack for Hans-Jurgen Syberberg's art-house flick Scarabea), Bill Lawrence's eyebrow-raising sexploitation romp "Pussy Baby," and the German sung hit "Hippie Hippie" from original Ye-Ye girl France Gall. Speaking of the French, Vivi Bach and Dietmar Schonherr's "Molotow Cocktail Party" sounds like a Gainsbourg/Bardot duet; placing words like "anarchists," "fascists" and "capitalists" over a rollicking, orchestrated arrangement, the track is reminiscent of Serge's knack for political satire. If you've been missing those legendary Vampyros Lesbos parties from back in the day, here's your chance to get some go-go dancing started in your own living room. German softcore not included. [GH]

"Bodyrock" Wighnomy Brothers + Robag Wruhme

"Black Woman" Soulphiction

Freude-am-Tanzen has been quietly putting out consistent and excellent 12-inch releases for only the last year or so--smooth, deep, ever-so-lightly soulful minimal house, with a tiny bit of tech 'snap' in the sound. The first few had that deep swing-bounce of Herbert, but with a bit more push and without a bunch of clickety samples mucking up the works. Early releases featured the excellent Robag Wruhme and DJ Koze, (plus some others I can't remember off hand). As funky as those guys can be, the F.A.T. releases had an extra level of depth and sophistication, plus a nice housey bleepiness that kept it pumping. Tracks by Gamat 3000 and Soulphiction are German house with an extra bit of soul via the vocal samples: smooth and bouncy. Hermann and Kaden picks up the pace with a deep moody groover called "Sense;" it has pulsing, focused bass and an intelligent tech drive. An excellent compilation that will surprise and satisfy fans of early Ware, Forever Sweet, Richard Davis, Herbert and any other quality tech soul artist out there. [SM]

"Mercador de Siri"

"Fora de Hora"

After reviewing her Essential retrospective collection in our update a few weeks ago, we are happy to have the brand-new album from this timeless Brazilian artist available as a UK import. Joyce is the people's Brazilian pop singer, consistently managing to write (and sing) beautiful, subtle yet lush songs full of pointed socio-political content, while musically steering clear of the edgy psychedelia of many of her "Tropicalia"-era contemporaries. This record, a collaboration with the songwriter and guitarist Dori Caymmi, is, in Joyce's words, "a passionate love chant…to our Rio/Bahia roots: a tale of two beautiful cities both suffering with the challenges of metropolitan modern life." But lyrical content aside, (do you speak Portuguese?), what you are in for is a lovely and restrained suite of relaxed jazz-samba, built around Caymmi's lilting guitar (as well as Joyce's fine playing), Kenny Werner's piano riffing, and Joyce's excellent rhythm section, embellished with swelling strings and at the center Joyce's inimitable and passionate vocals (as well as several duets with Caymmi). This record is not for those hungry for the avant-garde, but it is a classic record of Brazilian vocal jazz, produced with gentle assurance by these Latin legends. [JM]

"Techtechtalk" Smash TV

"Quiet Please" Sascha Funke

"Washing Up" Tomas Andersson (Tiga Rmx)

Earlier this year, Ellen Allien and her Bpitch Control label celebrated their 101st release with the great Camping compilation, but rather than wait for another 100 releases, Miss Allien has hand-selected 17 more tracks that are sure to keep you from retreating back to your cozy sleeping bag. The second volume of Camping is not only an excellent overview of the German dance label, but it's a solid, unmixed selection of tracks, all of which have been vinyl-only releases until now, with the exception of Sascha Funke's "A Boy." While Allien and Bpitch are more often than not associated with electro-house, Camping 2 dispels this misperception, taking periodic dips into breaks, acid and techno territory. Over an hour long, Miss Allien (who gives us three tracks, including a Miss Kittin remix of "Alles Sehen") and label stalwarts like Smash TV, Kiki and Feadz are all represented. Other highlights include "Disco 2 Break" from the MFA (the same team who brought us Kompakt's smash single "The Difference That It Makes"), some dubby-tech via Modeselektor's "Fake Emotion" which features vocals from Paul St. Hilaire, and two tracks from Scandinavian producer Tomas Andersson, including his jam "Washing Up" (Tiga Remix). Also, I shouldn't forget to mention the deep, throbbing double-dose from Paul Kalkbrenner, whose "Gebrunn Gebrunn" will have you reaching for your glow-stick. Campers should always have a glow-stick on them in case of emergency, right? [GH]

"This Is Poor People's Day"

"Illustrations of Hieronymus Bosch..."

Having made his name as a member of the legendary Company Flow, Bigg Jus returns on yet another label, delivering another dose of poli-hop/edutainment (political minded hip-hop). Poor People's Day is a warning call and celebration of the struggle and oppression that has now become the American way. Less of a head twisting banger than his NMS project for Big Dada, or 2004's Black Mamba Serums v2.0, DJ GMAN's production (or orchestration) adds a raw swelling and swirling tension to the tracks, with the kind of string builds and moody piano loops that made Jay-Z holla. This is underground hip-hop at its most contentious and thoughtful, spitting rhymes that you have to read to fully interpret correctly--thankfully lyrics are included--and enough space in the beats to take two and pass it. Think of a less hyper KRS-One or a slower paced Mr. Lif. One of his most digestible and relevant releases of late. [DG]

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Music for Plants
(Perfectifon)

"Guitars for Plants" Mice Parade

"Chlorophyllic Optimal Antics" Flanged Confection

"Passing the Petal 2 U" Ariel Pink

Sometime in winter 2003, artist Peter Coffin set up a plant-filled greenhouse in the Andrew Kreps Gallery with enough small spaces in it to position band members and other sound artists. The performers would operate in shifts throughout the day to literally play music FOR the plants. Whether the progress was recorded science fair style I don't know, but if the musical results are any indication, it's safe to say that the music was created for the plants' benefit; I'll bet they were happy.

The music is generally open, calm and full of light. Some is improvised, though not heavy-handed, while most tracks have a sort of light structure that remains peaceful. In CD-1, there is a recurring feeling of that 'morning through the curtains feel' that I'm always commenting about. The tracks that most fit this description were submitted by the following list of artists: Mice Parade, Tetsu Inoue & Seed, No-Neck Blues Band, Languis, Fugu, Ariel Pink, This Invitation, and Kites. There are two CDs worth of songs that play through quite nicely and are all worth mentioning. Here goes, in order of appearance, and not already mentioned: HiM, Syntony, Deaken and Geologist (Animal Collective), Delia Gonzales and Gavin Russom, Sunburned Hand of the Man, Ara Peterson, Hiroshi Sunairi & Hideyuki Mari, Tony Goddess, Zs, Anthony Burdin, Weise & Koh, Kenta Nagai, Liam Gillick, Jutta Koether, Alan Licht, & Tom Verlaine, Black Dice, Arto Lindsay, DJ Olive, Phil Manley, David Grubbs, Electrophilia, Carter Thornton, LoVid, Flanged Confection, Christian Marclay, Tim Barnes, Chris Corsano, Sean Meehan, Barry Weisblat & Michael Evans, Rusty Santos, Roland Alley and Dearraindrop. Whew. [SM]

THE LOFT
Magpie Eyes
(Rev-Ola)

"Wide Open Arms (Live)"

"Up the Hill and Down the Slope"

In short, for 10 years or so, Creation released one amazing record after another (yes, including Definitely Maybe), then Britrock happened and someone signed 18 Wheeler, Three Colours Red, and Hurricane #1 and it was all but over. It hardly matters, as the legacy left behind is one of undeniable consistency and importance. The Pastels, Jasmine Minks, Ride, Primal Scream, Jesus & Mary Chain, Felt, House of Love, My Bloody Valentine, Telescopes, Teenage Fanclub, and…the Loft?

Perhaps because of its minimal output, Pete Astor's the Loft got somewhat lost in the Creation shuffle. With only two singles to its name, the group made devilishly clever melancholic pop music, with shimmering guitar lines and Astor's nasal musings as the two key components and with "Up the Hill and Down the Slope" (the band's second single), the Loft practically invent indie pop. On one of the b-sides to "Up the Hill…," they cover Richard Hell's "Time" and turn him into the Go-Betweens. Astor went on to form the Weather Prophets, another superb Creation band also reissued by Rev-Ola, and later the Wisdom of Harry, whose records were released by Matador in the US.

In addition to the two singles, Magpie Eyes also includes a 1985 studio session, compilation tracks, and live material. As always with the Rev-Ola reissues, this comes impeccably packaged with interviews, paper clippings, and pictures. Highly recommended for anyone into the British '80s, Orange Juice, the Clientele, and the aforementioned Go-Betweens. [AK]

AFX
Hangable Auto Bulb
(Warp)

"Laughable Butane Bob"

"Custodian Discount"

Oh, the days when Aphex Twin gave a flying f**k about what we thought. Hangable Auto Bulb is a CD reissue of two rare 12-inch EPs released in 1995 that fetched high prices on eBay for a while. Thankfully, they weren't only desirable for their rarity; the stuff holds up quite well and is super-listenable. These tracks (eight in all) are a rare snapshot of that period between Aphex Twin's pretty ambient stuff and his later, wild and crazy/nasty stuff--probably moments before the annoying 'drill n bass' genre/term was coined. Basically it's not too fast, not too hectic, not too blistering, precise, melodic drum and bass. The sounds and atmosphere of the songs are well-developed and the drum programming is soft and pleasantly precise. It's full of distant burst bass and snares that have the satisfying slap of a digitized bundle of sticks on metal. The oft-mentioned 'classical' feel is evident here, as well as the chime-filled, sweet childlike perspective--there are samples of toddler talk on track eight, "Arched Maid Via RDJ". This release could/should be considered a gauntlet thrown down to all drum and bass producers to create some new classic sh*t. [SM]

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Studio One Women
(Soul Jazz)

"Consider Me" Jennifer Lara

"Give Love Another Try" Claudette McLean

Where would the Studio One family be without the women? Penniless, hungry and disharmonious, for sure. If the phrase 'behind every man is a good (strong) woman' had a soundtrack, this album would be it. Jamaican giants Coxsone Dodd and even Bob Marley owe a lot to their matriarchs and missuses. Dubbed Jamaica's first DJ, Mrs. Coxsone Dodd, aka Doris Darlington, nurtured, fed, and put on the platters for the crew at '50s-'60s dancehall fave Nanny's Bar.

Rita Anderson, the soon to be Mrs. Marley began, along with other famous Jamaican singers like "Young Gifted and Black" Marcia Griffiths, with the Soulettes. The Soulettes cookin'"Deh Pon Dem" and teen queen tune "King Street" step up on this album and prove they are more than just backing singers for many a Studio One release. Marcia Griffiths has a place all her own in Jamaica's musical history, so it's no wonder she's got a stand-out on this release with the head swaying "Tell Me Now." There are really too many classics to list from Marcia with producers like Dodd and Lee Perry.

Jennifer Lara commands a presence here, too. Her deep, smooth voice would not be out of place on a modern R&B hit. Indeed, the album closes with "I Am in Love" a sweet lovers rock gem ripe for sampling. My favorite is Angela Prince's "No Bother with No Fuss"--so memorable I can't help thinking of Marley's "No Woman No Cry," perhaps an inspiration? Angela's song is more dancehall, though; speed it up and it would fit right in on current airwaves. And in case there's a chance for dancehall doldrums, the funky Jerry Jones number "There's A Chance for Me" rolls out juice.

There are so many more women not on this release who have been vocal coaches, education marms, sound system providers, and record shop workers that helped shape the soulful reggae of Studio One. A must have in your family of Studio One releases, Studio One Women will make sure you get schooled. And don't forget to tip your hat to the ladies behind the counter at your local record store. [LG]

TV Party Documentary
$19.99 DVD




Premier Episode
$19.99 DVD




Time & Makeup Show
$19.99 DVD




Halloween Show
$19.99 DVD




Crusades
$19.99 DVD

Glenn O'Brien's legendary NYC cable access series on DVD for the first time ever, and on sale here at Other Music almost exclusively! Excellent document of the whole Art-punk/New Wave/No Wave/Downtown 81 crossover scene. Five different volumes, including a great 90-minute documentary on the show, and four individual episodes, featuring a who's-who of guests such as Debbie Harry, Chris Stein, Mick Jones, James Chance, Robert Fripp, and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Spontaneous, rich, irreverent and excellent!

PREMIER EPISODE:
Originally aired on December 18, 1978, Glenn O'Brien invited good friend Chris Stein (Blondie) to be the co-host, with Andy Warhol paint assistant Walter Steding leading the TV Party Orchestra. Regulars include Jean-Michel Basquiat, Fab Five Freddie, Deborah Harry, John Lurie and DNA's Tim Wright. "The cocktail party that could become a political party." Extras include Kate Simon and Mick Jones, John Lurie, and more.

THE TIME & MAKEUP SHOW:
Originally aired on August 19, 1979, highlights include a TV Party Orchestra jam as a blindfolded O'Brien rolls a joint while smoking a joint. Steven Meisel performs a makeover on a hillbilly girl found in a bar across the street. Tim Wright and his girlfriend Marianne perform as a "punk Parisian" accordion/guitar duo. Also, Richard Sohl (Patti Smith Group), Robert Fripp, and artists Fab Five Freddie and Ronnie Cutrone answer phone calls from home viewers. Extras include George Clinton, Luigi Ciccolini and TVP at the Mudd Club.

THE HALLOWEEN SHOW:
Originally aired on October 30, 1979, Glenn is dressed in "a casual Dolly Parton lesbian look." Blondie's Chris Stein is a wicked witch and Debbie Harry is an umbrella. Fab Five Freddie is a nickel bag, explaining the dangers of things put into trick-or-treat bags. You won't want to miss the long segment with Jean-Michel Basquiat speaking to home viewers on the phone trying to talk them out of their "negativity." Extras include Blondie performing "Tide Is High," Klaus Nomi, and more.

THE CRUSADES:
Originally aired on February 17, 1981, at the start of the Reagan-era. The Middle East was a hot bed and TV Party decided something to do about it. O'Brien announces a new Crusade to take back the Holy Land. The TV Party Orchestra perform punk medieval music, including Fab Five Freddie's "Holy Land Funk" rap. Extras include James Chance and Anya Phillips, Tav Falco, and many more.

RICHIE HAWTIN
DE9: Transitions
(Mute)

"Seiltanzer/Visioning"

"Reduction and/Seduction"

Deep, jackin' mix CD plus bonus DVD follow-up to the previous, outstanding Closer to the Edit mix. Where Closer to the Edit was about the micro-editing of the tracks using loops and bits, Transitions explores the ability to layer more sounds into a mix than ever before. All 28 cuts are comprised of about three-to-nine tracks each, sampled from different artists. As before, the list is full of dope producers like Villalobos, Baby Ford, Mika Vainio, Carl Craig, Robert Hood, Luciano, Peter Speiss, Hawtin himself and signees to his own label: Heartthrob, False, and IA Bericochea. The groove is kept low and steady throughout the first 11 tracks, exploring depth and bass melody, and then picks up with some Detroit Grand Pubah samples by track 13. The mix isn't as pumping overall as Closer to the Edit but the overall feel is masterfully smooth, deep, funky, edgy and gradual. Would love to hear this done live on the dancefloor. [SM]

DABRYE
Additional Productions Vol. 1
(Ghostly)

"Angel Beat (Dabrye Remix)" Ill Suono

"Hyped-Up Plus Tax (2002 Live Version)"

Over the course of four or five years, Dabrye has managed to carve out a niche for himself in the cluttered world of hip-hop production. By utilizing a healthy dose of full-tilt distortion and deep-space sound effects, he has managed to set himself apart from the pack by having a truly distinct sound. Additional Productions Volume 1 is a collection of six remixes from a diverse group which includes Trans Am and T. Raumschmiere, as well as two new tracks--one live and one featuring the mighty Beans on the mic. During "Keep Life Right," featuring MC Soom-T, an undulating bass-line wobbles along while a snapping drum cracks through the muck. And on "Angel Beat," an almost off-kilter tinker bell beat skips along while the bass rips and tears for a sort of sweet and sour effect. There's even a concert recording of his first EP's "Hyped-Up Plus Tax," one of the tracks that initially got my attention, the live version more than holds up. [GA]

"Poppy Nogood" Terry Riley

Thought to be never seen again, Ellipsis Arts has not only repressed this 3-CD set, but also added a DVD. This collection exposes the history of academic electronics and electroacoustics in all its thoughtful and sometimes contrived glory. The opposite of populist (nary a toe is tapped here), it's an extended version of Caipirinha records' Early Modulations, only more listenable, and with hardly any overlap (only Schaeffer and Subotnick are duplicated). From disc to disc, the shifts from the academia and the scientific sound studio into loose-limbed extrapolations and sprawling improvisations are documented. Timbre-matching from track to track, there are rhythmic pieces (Hugh LeCaine, Raymond Scott, Reich, etc.), fantastical excursions (Tudor, Riley, Oskar Sala, Jean-Claude Risset, Louis and Bebe Barron), experiments with the voice (Charles Dodge, Robert Ashley), the conceptual (LaMonte Young, Maryanne Amacher), and where musique concrete turned into ambient music by the late-'70s (Jon Hassell, Alvin Curran). Over this period of time, you hear how a wider, warmer range of tones are drawn from the machines.

Downsides? A few only dogs-can-hear sine-wave/tonal pieces (Richard Maxfield and Pauline Oliveros' tracks, sadly--I would have liked different ones by them), and only one non-Westerner (Joji Yuasa). Also, a lot of longer tracks are edited at 7 minutes--which only affects the aforementioned conceptual pieces, really (and they were meant to be experienced in fully saturated sound environments, anyway). And I'm still not sure why it's labeled as covering 1948-1980 when it includes a gorgeous Messaien piece from 1937. The 96-page book annotates all 42 tracks, and proffers essays on the major studio/artist groupings from the U.S. and Europe through the years. Split between pieces of tape manipulation and electronically-generated sound, the artists (and technicians) here display their tools and how they're used. On the way, they reveal that sometimes the best art comes from limitations in process. [RE]

"At the Bottom of Everything"

"Old Soul Song"

Motion Sickness Live Recordings features 15 songs recorded during Conor Oberst and company's 90 day world tour. Includes several tracks from "I'm Wide Awake It's Morning" and covers of Elliott Smith's "The Biggest Lie" and Feist's "Mushaboom," plus a 24-page booklet which features a tour diary written by Rilo Kiley's Jason Boesel, who is also member of Bright Eyes' touring band.

$19.99 CD

"Abbot of the Vale"

"(Go Home Get Back) Go North"

Here, for the first time on CD, are the far too rarely heard second and third solo albums from British pop songwriter Tony Hazzard…not that his impossibly scarce first solo album Tony Hazzard Sings, which has fetched over $200 on eBay, is any more well-known. Mr. Hazzard mostly wrote for bubblegum groups like Manfred Mann, the Hollies, and Herman's Hermits, but the music on Loudwater House, from 1971, and Was That Alright Then?, from 1973, is a gloriously whimsical blend of country and folk pop, with beautiful string arrangements and plenty of pedal steel guitar. [RH]

"You Can't Beat Tomorrow"

"Apache Energy Plan"

Let's face it, Neil Michael Hagerty can do whatever he wants. Dude was in Pussy Galore and Royal Trux, only the best rock band of the 90s. Here, he goes the multimedia route and does a goddamn "variety show" DVD, complete with puppets and claymation and practice space footage. Half amazing, half a big f**k you. There's a CD too, with some drum machine tracks that are weirding me out but with sweet Hex-style jams too; "Apache Energy Plan" is classic Neil. [AK]

"Emergency"

After a four-year absence, Edith Frost finally brings us a new album. It's a Game marks a return to the sparser production of her first record, but her songs work through a variety of music styles, from traditional country-inspired ballads and vocal jazz, to more contemporary singer-songwriter fare. Frost's performances are always sincere, though heartbreak and sadness never sounded quite as lovely as this.

THIS WEEK'S CONTRIBUTORS

[GA] Geoff Albores
[AB] Adrian Burkholder
[RE] Robin Edgerton
[LG] Lisa Garrett
[DG] Daniel Givens
[GH] Gerald Hammill
[RH] Rob Hatch-Miller
[AK] Andreas Knutsen
[JM] Josh Madell
[SM] Scott Mou
[JS] Jeremy Sponder


THANKS FOR READING
- all of us at Other Music