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   April 9, 2008  
       
   
         
 
FEATURED NEW RELEASES
Cilibrinas do Eden
Jay Reatard (Limited 7")
Peter Moren
Man Man
Ocrilim (Vinyl EP)
Total Life (Vinyl EP)
Fleet Foxes
Clinic
Teiji Ito
Imaginational Anthem 3 (Various)
She Keeps Bees (Vinyl EP)
No Age (7")
Tapes 'n Tapes
The Breeders
R. Stevie Moore
 

O Sirhan O Sirhan (Issue #2 w/DVD)
T2
New Orleans Funk 2 (Soul Jazz Comp.)
The Microphones (2-CD reissue)
Cut Copy (Download comes w/bonus EP)
Foals
Wye Oak


ALSO AVAILABLE
Nick Cave (Domestic)
Spoon
Dark Meat
Dead Child
Colin Meloy


All of this week's new arrivals.

 
         
   
   
   
   
   
       
   
 
 
APR Sun 13 Mon 14 Tues 15 Wed 16 Thurs 17 Fri 18 Sat 19



  ROCKSTAR GAMES PRESENTS DEEP SPACE'S 5th ANNIVERSARY! w/DJ SPOOKY THAT SUBLIMINAL KID & FRANCOIS K.
Win two tickets to Deep Space's 5th Anniversary and special private party beforehand. The private, open bar, pre-party will feature a François K. DJ set in honor of the release of Grand Theft Auto IV. Rockstar Games will hook you up with gear too! To enter, send an email to contest@othermusic.com. The winner will be notified on Friday, April 14th.

MONDAY, APRIL 14
CIELO: 18 Little West 12th Street
10 P.M. to 4 A.M. (extended hours!)
$15 cash at the door
www.deepspacenyc.com
myspace.com/deepspacenyc
www.rockstargames.com/iv/events
 
   
   
 
 
APR Sun 13 Mon 14 Tues 15 Wed 16 Thurs 17 Fri 18 Sat 19

Eivind Opsvik

  ENTER FOR TICKETS TO SEARCH AND RESTORE: JAZZ AT THE KNIT
Another great installment of Search and Restore, a series which seeks to present great live experimental jazz at a fair price and in a laid-back atmosphere that encourages experimentation and risk-taking, from the artists as well as the fans. So far, the shows have been garnering excellent reviews and this Monday's performance at the Knitting Factory tap bar should be no different, featuring Eivind Opsvik's Overseas (Eivind Opsvik, Kenny Wollesen, Tony Malaby, Jacob Sacks) and the James Carney Group (James Carney, Dan Weiss, Tony Malaby, Chris Lightcap). Other Music has two pairs of tickets to give away and you can enter by emailing tickets@othermusic.com. The two winners will be notified on Friday, April 11th. For those of you not able to make it to the show, as well as those who want to remember the night, look for a live recording of the evening on Other Music's Digital Site in the coming weeks.

MONDAY, APRIL 14
KNITTING FACTORY: 74 Leonard Street NYC
$10 students /$13 everyone else - $12 in advance gets you into both sets
8 P.M. Sharp / All Ages / No Drink Minimum

 
   
   
 
 
APR Sun 13 Mon 14 Tues 15 Wed 16 Thurs 17 Fri 18 Sat 19



  OTHER MUSIC CELEBRATES RECORD STORE DAY
On Saturday, April 19th, Other Music is excited to be taking part in Record Store Day along with hundreds of other independently owned music shops across the country. Throughout the day we'll be selling limited vinyl singles and EPs (exclusive to shops participating in Record Store Day) from the likes of Vampire Weekend, the Breeders, Stephen Malkmus and Built to Spill, along with give aways, prizes, and special deals, not to mention guest DJs from lots of great bands who will be stopping by to spin their favorite tunes throughout the afternoon. We hope that you can come by the shop and celebrate the day with us, and for those of you not in New York City, please make sure to visit your favorite local record store and show them your support!

DJ SET SCHEDULE:
TAPES 'N TAPES - 12:30 to 2PM
BLACK KEYS - 2 to 3PM
DEAD MEADOW - 3 to 4PM
INTERPOL - 5PM

OTHER MUSIC: 15 East 4th Street NYC

 
   
   
 
 
APR Sun 20 Mon 21 Tues 22 Wed 23 Thurs 24 Fri 25 Sat 26

Antipop Consortium

  UPCOMING OTHER MUSIC IN-STORES
ANTIPOP CONSORTIUM: APRIL 22 @ 8PM
Reunited and it feels so good! Legendary hip-hop experimentalists Antipop Consortium are back together performing at Other Music! Please make note of the date change above.

OTHER MUSIC: 15 East 4th Street NYC
Free admission / Limited Capacity


 
   
   
   
   
   
       
   

 

 

     
 

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  CILIBRINAS DO EDEN
Cilibrinas do Eden
(No Smoke)

"Bad Trip (Ainda Bem)"
"Gente Fina e Outra Coisa"

Whoa! Where did this one come from?? An album's worth of totally awesome unreleased material from Rita Lee of Os Mutantes recorded for Philips in 1973! Cilibrinas do Eden consisted of Rita and friend Lucia Turnbull -- backed by the rest of Mutantes supposedly -- and these ten songs mix that band's psychedelic leanings with crazy Moog freakouts and straight up rock n roll that echoes of the Beatles and T. Rex. It's really hard to believe this material has been existed in complete obscurity for so long, as it ranks way up there with some of the best Mutantes stuff (and as a bonus, you get two great Mutantes outtakes). Limited to 500 copies so don't snooze on this genius. [AK]
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

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  JAY REATARD
See Saw / Screaming Hand
(Matador)

Everyone's favorite lo-fi punk troubadour returns with the first in Matador's highly anticipated and extremely limited 7" series. Naturally, Jay Reatard brings songs that are filled with high-speed guitar rifts and his signature-accented vocals delivering some of the best melodies that I've heard years. It seems that Jay has been stepping away from the full-on punk rock blast of his Blood Visions album and adopted more of a power pop sound here. Either way, he's a force to be reckoned with and these two songs are only a teaser of what's to come. Word has it the singles in this series are pretty rare, and that they will become more limited with each successive release. Buy it now, before you are kicking yourself for having to drop a pretty penny on this in a month's time. [JS]
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

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  PETER MOREN
The Last Tycoon
(Quarterstick)

"Tell Me in Time"
"Twisted"

The solo debut of Bjorn and John-less Peter Moren is pretty much what you might expect from the man from "Young Folks," if you really think about it. The ten tracks on Moren's The Last Tycoon are not Writer's Block revisited, but instead find the Swedish singer-songwriter pushing PB&J's hooky chamber-pop sound to a more restrained, folksy and melancholy conclusion. These songs and their emotion are stripped bare, but still playful and inspiring, with melodic acoustic guitar and Moren's plainspoken vocals fleshed out with simple handclaps and percussion, restrained string arrangements, piano and other understated production flourishes. The results are lush, heartfelt, and simply beautiful, a more sober presentation of the songwriting and style that have made Peter Bjorn & John international pop stars. [JM]
 
         
   
   
   
   

 

 

     
 

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  MAN MAN
Rabbit Habits
(Anti-)

"Mister Jung Stuffed"
"Rabbit Habits"

Bizarre Philly-based six-piece Man Man may not have been the first band ever to inspire kids to grow thick black moustaches, or to spray-paint their name in a murderous scrawl all over the city, or to nearly drown one of their bandmates for the sake of sound effects, but they might have been the first to widely appeal to hipsters through making what sounds like constipated pirates having a hootenanny. The group has deemed their third full-length, Rabbit Habits, their "pop album." While it is more of a cohesive collection of songs than past records (which always seemed like more of a document of their high-energy live show), a quick dissection reveals not only a healthy dose of Man Man's ever-present brand of gypsy-rock, but also spare piano ballads, plenty of banjo and harmonica, and the dizzy swing of lurching New Orleans-style brass. Point is, Man Man is one of the few bands today that's got the balls to keep pop largely analog, confident enough in their own skill and ingenuity that they can create great goofy pop with just a bathtub full of instruments and a throng of rough shouting. While there are some exploratory exceptions on Rabbit Habits -- such as the post-B-52s sounding "El Azteca" which sounds either more swampy or interstellar than Mesoamerican -- for the most part, Man Man continues to joyously slop together raucous, spastic pop that is at once totally distinctive and at moments reminiscent of Enon, the Fiery Furnaces, and of course Tom Waits.

Perhaps the most appealing part of Rabbit Habits is that many songs could soundtrack those old, stuttering cartoons with -- you guessed it -- rabbits taking exaggerated strides towards some vaguely funny calamity. There is something very turn-of-the-century about Man Man's music, both in the melodies -- as with the lightning-fast xylophone work in "The Ballad of Butter Beans" -- and their subject matter, which ranges from quarantines and shoe-shines to failed American industries like whaling. This makes it even more interesting that Man Man achieves their goal of "making the kind of music that connects with kids;" Rabbit Habits finally provides fans with a satisfying record of carefully shaped songs by which to remember the acrobatic, live show with which they instantly fell in love. [KS]
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

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$10.99
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  OCRILIM
Ment
(Brown Sounds)


TOTAL LIFE
Ken Bradshaw
(Brown Sounds)

From the same people who brought us the insane Yamatsuka Eye "Lift Boyz" disco edit comes a couple of new, limited (500 copies each) 12-inch slabs from two known and loved New Yorkers. First up is the latest from Ocrilim (Octis) -- a/k/a Orthrelm's Mick Barr. Barr gets a lot of deserved attention, respect and admiration for his seriously intense solo guitar performances that inspire sympathy-tendonitis just from watching! This EP strays a bit from the tranced-out, mentally twisting, acrobatic brain-metal solo-isms he's known for and adds a new world of quasi-tribal, ethno-tronic embellishment that touches on Afro-electronic/Moroccan trance meets the earthy throb of Boredoms. The results are an even more mysterious and unexpected exploration similar to what OOIOO do, but with more tribal community/Art Ensemble of Chicago/call-and-response/Universe, and without any cutesy "Pocahontas" stylings. The first side alone covers so much ground, with wooden pipes and flutes, hand drums, gongs and electronics all sharing center stage and thankfully without sounding too "free" and jammy. This is very multi-directed dynamic stuff that uses texture, speed, sound and overdubs to its advantage and it's probably one of my favorites I've heard from him so far. Excellent stuff!

Second is a solo outing from Total Life (a/k/a Kevin Doria from NY duo Growing.) Starting with a surfer's audio dream of beach swell sounds, this EP defies any expectation of intimate dronings and kicks right into it. A barreling drum roll and loops of a guitar chord and vocal basically rock on and on with the same type of exhilarating energy of an imagined Lightning Bolt/Animal Collective lock-groove that almost gets overtaken at times by the sound of the surf. This, matched with the rolling hugeness of the second song, is what reminded me that the EP is a tribute to an old school wave-master. Track 3 is a friendly, buzzed-out brain massager and the flipside continues the massage, shifting back into a huger, grindier version of the second track. It's thicker and way more blown out -- maybe a soundtrack to the positive confusion experienced within the tube of a 40-foot wave. This one rides the whole art object/record line really well. Nice jams! [SM]
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

$5.99
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  FLEET FOXES
Sun Giant
(Sub Pop)

"English House"
"Drops in the River"

The tour only debut EP from the much-talked-about Fleet Foxes finally sees proper release through Sub Pop. Sun Giant is a gorgeous slice of baroque folk pop, filled with beautiful vocal harmonies, immaculate instrumentation, and songs that are not immediately catchy but slowly draw you in. In my mind, definite comparisons include fellow labelmates Band Of Horses and Grand Archives, as well as various classic rock luminaries like Fairport Convention and Neil Young. Vocally, singer Robin Pecknold is a dead ringer for Jim James, and if it weren't for the harmonies, you'd swear this was a new My Morning Jacket record. Sun Giant is a beautiful start for what is sure to be one of the year's best new bands, and with five songs clocking in at just under 20 minutes, it is just enough to tide you over for their highly-anticipated full-length due out this summer. [JS]
 
         
   
   
   
   

 

 

     
 

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  CLINIC
Do It
(Domino)

"Memories"
"Corpus Christi"

After four albums and two singles collections, Clinic shows no signs of pulling away from their initial musical statement, or straying too far from the elements that comprise their unique, all-encompassing hiss of cosmopolitan retro-poison. Vocalist Ade Blackburn still mewls like a guy who's stuck his hand in the cobra's basket one too many times. Drummer Carl Turney still rides the toms in the same limited selection of rhythms as have been present throughout Clinic's career. And yet the group sounds new and invigorated; guarded still, but working with their finest batch of songs since Internal Wrangler, and the results show. Blasts of church bells, Tannoy vocal samples, tense pick-and-drag acoustic guitar, and radio interference wind through this brief yet attention-getting set of new tunes, part "Black Angel's Death Song," part Bedazzled, and entirely Clinic. They remain one of Britain's most vital musical exports, and if you slept on them in the past, you'd be a fool to continue doing so. [DM]
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

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  TEIJI ITO
The Shamanic Principles
(Tzadik)

"Axis Mundi"
"Quetzalcoatl IV. Travel Song / A Great White Eagle"

If you haven't already done so, add another name to the list of neo primitive/ethno-universal jam-masters. Teiji Ito's The Shamanic Principles is his newest batch of recordings made available -- both pieces are from the early 1980s. All lovers of ahead-of-their-time thinker/composers like Moondog, Harry Partch and Henry Flynt will love Ito. (And many of us do!) There is a similar effective rawness, sincere use of ethnic themes/instrumentation, focus and genuine love for the references he's using. Included in this album is his final scored piece entitled "Axis Mundi" (Center of the World). Now I've heard many "music to trip to" recommendations, but I have to say that if the guy on Altered States had "Axis Mundi" playing during his peyote experience, he would have had a much better time!! The entire 32-minute earth-epic was made using Stone Age principles and two or three very portable, self-made "kits" of instruments that included a tambourine, a deerskin Shaman drum, rattle, scraper, bullroarer, flutes and whistles -- all that fit in their own handmade leather pouches! The overarching theme of "a celebration of life which takes us on a journey as we enter a world of ancient wisdom" is evident throughout the piece even without the aid of liner notes. Once the intro effectively aligns your chakras it gently introduces a gentle chant, rhythm and spirit-lifting flute melodies. A wonderful, universal, gently fortifying piece of music. Also included is the 30 minute "Quetzalcoatl," a work inspired by experiences in South Dakotan Sioux Indian reservations where Ito and Co. witnessed the biggest pow-wow of that year as well as a healing ceremony. This piece, which involved dancers, singers and musicians, would be performed at Sioux Cultural Centers and pow-wow grounds with the elders' blessings. [SM]
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

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  VARIOUS ARTISTS
Imaginational Anthem 3
(Tompkins Square)

"Goblins" George Stavis
"Sleep Architechture" Greg Davis

The Tompkins Square label continues to expand the boundaries of their ongoing homage to the acoustic guitar with this, their third collection of modern maestros and unsung legends of the past. These are the rare compilations that have a vision and a unifying theme that elevates the music beyond a series of songs, to a document of cultural importance, as well as a damn good listen. The guitar, and its many possibilities, is explored with depth and nuance here that is inspirational. These are the masters of the six-string, the 12-string, and even the five-string in the case of banjo master George Stavis, who makes an appearance. The international roster features players from all corners of the globe, including young talent like Cian Nugent of Ireland, British player Ben Reynolds and the American Shawn David McMillen, as well as several of their mentors, like Steffen Basho-Junghans, Richard Crandell and Mark Fosson. [BC]
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

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  SHE KEEPS BEES
Pile Up EP
(Self-Released)

Word has been spreading about the genuine quality of NYC singer/songwriter Jessica Larrabee's She Keeps Bees project. We've been telling customers how it has the feeling of early Cat Power but with a perspective, vibe and down-to-earth twang all its own. She has followed up her excellent Minisink Hotel CD with a limited, hand-collaged 12-inch EP that commits two songs off of the album to wax, as well as two exclusive new tracks! The hand-collaged cover is made up from '60s newspaper/fashion ads that sport very nice, subtle artistic flourishes. These are limited to a scarce 100 copies and we are only going get 17 copies total at the shop -- some of which are already spoken for! So act fast! [SM]
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

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  NO AGE
Eraser EP
(Sub Pop)

LA noise-punk duo No Age explodes into Other Music again this week with another must-have vinyl release. Last March, Randy Randall and Dean Allen Spunt unleashed five vinyl-only EPs through five different DIY labels, the highlights of which were culled together to form Weirdo Rippers, one of 2007's most jammed-to records. This spring, we have No Age fever again because of Eraser, the band's first release on indie giant Sub Pop. No Age fans will find the content of this four-song 7" as comfortably familiar as many who stumble upon the band find Randy and Dean to be, with their boys-next-door vibe. Eraser follows the format of Weirdo Rippers, which packed a measured blend of both raging punk sing-alongs and ambient gems (albeit still rumbling with plenty of distortion).

Leaking just one song from their upcoming full-length debut Nouns, Side A belongs entirely to "Eraser," a sublime pop jam whose bouncy, ecstatic intro builds with Randall riffing on just two chords and Spunt steadily smashing his sticks into a tambourine. Before you know it, No Age characteristically switches gears and pulls one of their two-part pranks where shoegazey pop turns into abrasive, mind-numbing punk, as in last year's volatile crowd favorite "Neck Escaper."

No Age crams three covers on the B side; because one can only sing along to the Wipers for so long before you're wiped out, the dudes ended up teaching themselves tunes by Nate Denver's Neck, the Urinals, and the Nerves when a snowstorm stranded them in the car together for 14 hours. On "Don't Stand Still," Nate Denver's disconsolate lyrics are paired with driving lo-fi eighties dance-pop. The Urinals' "Male Masturbation" is a faithfully rehashed (but even faster!) version of the one-and-a-half-minute, Ramones-esque, power-chords-only sing-a-long -- complete with wild cheering from buds at the end to drive home the have-a-blast-ness of the LA Smell crowd. "When You Find Out" is an underwater-style ambient interpretation of the full-on jangly power-pop song by the short-lived mid-'70s trio the Nerves, authors of the Blondie hit "Hangin' On the Telephone."

Fans and newcomers alike will agree that "Eraser" totally delivers -- but even though the recordings are essential, there's always the looming feeling of something more important when it comes to No Age --that's the mile-high mosh pit of good, clean fun. [KS]
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

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  TAPES 'N TAPES
Walk It Off
(XL)

"Hang Them All"
"The Dirty Dirty"

Toting less pep but more insight, Minnesota's Tapes 'n Tapes return with their anticipated sophomore record on XL. While there hasn't been a massive change of agenda for their follow-up to 2006's The Loon, Walk It Off trades in some of the anthemic chameleon-rock clatter for a more subdued, introspective vibe. Although there are still head-bobbers, such as the speaker-punching opener "Le Ruse" or the frenetic single "Hang Them All," Walk It Off contains noticeably more emotion than Tapes' explosively catchy debut. The ballads stomp heavier and climb higher, with vocalist Josh Grier dragging his pipes through darker, more complex moods. But that's not a bad thing; it just shows that they're getting more nuanced. Like a worn Hollywood standard, Walk It Off builds drama in a classical manner, with the album's most soulful (and often surprising) work popping up as it moves to a close. Delightful anthem "George Michael" takes to the streets with an excellent vintage rock horn section, and finale "The Dirty Dirty" is just as startling a switchback as "Jakov's Suite" was on The Loon, channeling desert highway stoner-rock with lock-step guitars and droning, detached vocals. All in all, Walk It Off is consistent enough to show that Tapes 'n Tapes have found their sound while unexpected enough to keep things nice and interesting. Even if you haven't lived and loved with The Loon, you'll still go home happy with a nice set of catchy tunes. [DS]
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

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  THE BREEDERS
Mountain Battles
(4AD)

"Overglazed"
"Bang On"

The new Breeders' album, Mountain Battles, finds the band back in style and in full force. What really needs to be said other than that this album picks up where Last Splash left off? The Deal sisters have their own way with everything -- from raw, booty shaking pop-rockers ("Bang On," "It's the Love") to longing-filled epics ("Overglazed," "We're Gonna Rise") to narcotic, tropical luau pop ("Night of Joy") to Breeders/Pixies ethno-indie pop ("German Studies" and "Regalame esta Noche"), swaying dirge pop anthems ("Walk It Off") and even heartfelt acoustic country ("Here No More"). This album totally reminds me why they should be inducted into the Bust Magazine Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They totally deal with classic themes and work them into their own distinctive songs. You hear everything from Patsy Cline, Black Sabbath and Bowie married to that Beatles/Pixies/Pavement/Guided by Voices thing that they do so well. The venomous charm of "Gigantic" / "Into the White"-era Kim Deal lives on! Grab your partner, put on your overalls or baby doll dress and Doc Martens, and get down to the new Breeders album, dudes! When are they gonna get a Bust cover story anyway? [SM]
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

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  R. STEVIE MOORE
Meet the R. Stevie Moore!
(Cherry Red)

"Goodbye Piano"
"She Don't Know What to Do"

For most, it would be a next to impossible task to compile a single-disc retrospective from a man who has put out hundreds and hundreds of self-released cassettes and CD-Rs over the past 30-plus years. Yet for R. Stevie Moore, this might be a perfect venture, having skated along a career as something of an eccentric side note in the history of recorded music. Moore is relatively unheard of, despite noteworthy admirers and noticeable influence in the world of slightly psychedelic, lo-fi, indie-pop home recording, from Robert Pollard/Guided by Voices, to Elephant 6-ers, to more recent cohorts such as Ariel Pink. This retrospective is an excellent entry point for fans of off-kilter pop that have not yet encountered the effervescent warmth of this prolific character. Meet the R. Stevie Moore! highlights the first decade of his career, from 1974 to 1986, and while running through a gamut of styles, the core character of his music here is slightly tongue in cheek, Kinks-loving, psychedelic rock-n-roll played with child like amusement. The intricacy of the amateurish recordings is beyond charming; it's magical. Full of neat sound surprises, unbelievable structural twists, and beautiful mistakes, this retrospective is a lo-fi treasure, and will hopefully expose people to the roots of home recording that is embedded in the gifts of R. Stevie Moore. [JW]
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

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  O SIRHAN, O SIRHAN
Magazine & DVD
(O Sirhan, O Sirhan)

Housed in a striking Marshall McLuhan/Flux box-esque package and multi-pamphlet layout, the newest issue of O Sirhan, O Sirhan has landed and we have some of the first available copies in the shop! Put together by True Primes' Che Chen (who's also a member of the OM staff), this issue is a yearlong effort that fulfills what his first issue only hinted at. Aside from the hand-stamped/slip-sealed box it's housed in, Issue #2 has separated its features by offering them in separate pamphlets/booklets in varying paper/print types! The interview with Mark Gergis of Sublime Frequencies/Porest is its own color-covered pamphlet, as is the hand-cut, insert-filled interview with artist Bruce McClure. There's also a tract of poetry from True Primes member Rolyn Hu. The booklet on the history of LSD with testimonials from Laura Huxley, Timothy Leary, Myron Stolaroff offer refreshing views and very human perspectives and anecdotes regarding awareness enhancing drugs. The issue includes a wire-bound "songbook" from Jessica Rylan that has Xeroxed images of her personal handwritten musical diagrams that she uses for her performances using her homemade synth patches. Full of notes, drawings and charts, they come across like the Radio Shack version of Cage's diagrams. Then there's the 80 minute DVD with a film by Benjamin Dowell, a video/sound piece by Sun City Girls' Sir Richard Bishop, a piece by Porest (Mark Gergis), Sherlock Terry, a projection piece by Bradley Eros, a performance by Can't (Jessica Rylan), and projection pieces by Bruce McClure. [SM]
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

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  T2
It'll All Work Out in Boomland
(Acme Gramophone)

"Highway"
"T2"


T2
T2
(Acme Gramophone)

"In Circles"
"Questions and Answers"

Welcome to the short-lived world of T2, an ambitious British power-trio extant for the blink of an eye in 1970-72, long enough to produce one full-length and switch lineups, but not long enough to produce more than a footnote in the history of progressive rock. These are the finest reissues yet of the group's 1970 album It'll All Work Out in Boomland, as well as the self-titled disc of unreleased demos. The group, which teamed up Bulldog Breed's Keith Cross and Bernard Jinks with Gun drummer Peter Dunton, worked in the long form, with no single in sight, but manage to leaven the burly heaviness of contemporaries like Black Sabbath and Deep Purple with a lyric beauty that met jazz and psychedelia head on; you probably won't find too many sidelong opuses as enthralling as their "Morning," from Boomland, a garish, acid-drenched bent between major chord Who-esque pummel and twisted musical conversation which predates Yes's work in this area by some years. T2, the unreleased effort, finds the band mitigating their formidable stance through shorter, more accessible songs; while the sound quality of these acetate-sourced tracks doesn't match the force of Boomland, the material more than makes up for it, running the gamut of classy progressive rock sounds without getting overly dramatic. Recommended for genre fans. [DM]
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

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  VARIOUS ARTISTS
New Orleans Funk 2
(Soul Jazz)

"The Rubber Band" Eddie Bo
"Soul Pusher" Joe Chopper

Brilliant new compilation that mines the endless supply of high karat gold that is New Orleans music. Volume one of this series, and Saturday Night Fish Fry, are still my favorite Soul Jazz collections, and this one is right up there as well. Despite its rich musical tradition, including giving birth to jazz and creating its own unique brand of funk, which was highly influenced by Caribbean music and rhythm & blues, New Orleans labels had a hard time breaking through into the American mainstream since the city had no Stax, Chess, or Motown. Instead, the city was full of smaller labels and entrepreneurs fighting for attention and visibility, and therefore it was harder to get nationwide distribution. New Orleans Funk 2 includes great tracks by household names (Meters, Allen Toussaint, Eddie Bo), as well as killer lesser-knowns like Inell Young ("What Do You See In Her" is AMAZING), Bonnie & Sheila, Warren Lee, Porgy Jones, and many more. Add to this the great liner notes and photos, and funky, funky New Orleans wins again! [AK]
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

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  THE MICROPHONES
The Glow Pt. 2
(K Records)

"I Felt Your Shape"
"The Moon"

Originally released in September 2001, The Glow Pt. 2 ensured the Microphones as one of the more ingenious (and studio savvy) "bands" around. A "lo-fi" epic dealing with themes of incomprehensible loss and hope for rebirth, The Glow Pt. 2 is an album without an ounce of insincerity in its makeup, and from every drum crash to every feedback loop, down to the lightest tape scratch or faintest voice, it may also be one of those rare records without an ounce of musical excess. An alchemical wanderlust through the depths of an inflamed spirit, The Glow is bursting with effortless pop sensibility and expansive sonic explorations, all bathed in the tangible glow of Phil Elvrum's intuitive studio presence. This presence alights the otherwise all-consuming existential darkness of the album's content, and from the opening guitar pans to the final drone, the Microphones' penchant for raw and non-linear compositions delights our wildest imaginations, in tandem with the open-ended soul searching narrative of our disillusioned character.

Remixed and reissued, the musical innovations and spiritual wanderings are as poignant as ever, augmented by a second disc of "other songs and destroyed versions" to add to the composite landscapes of The Glow Pt. 2. The "other songs" are somehow closer to Elvrum's more recent Mt. Erie repertoire than to the volatile dynamism of The Glow, but are of comparable sincerity; "Where Lies My Tarp" almost feels like a conversation between the elder Elvrum and the Microphones of 2001. Most of the "versions" take a stripped-down approach to the originals, often reducing them to their base elements of voice and guitar, or finding familiar fragments placed in different experimental contexts, sometimes just barely recognizable. Some are even given dub treatment (the studio was, after all, called Dub Narcotic), expanding the universe Elvrum creates by implementing the studio as a work of art. I've long waited for a recorded acoustic version of "I Felt my Size," and this, along with the rest of the second disc, provided a newfound illumination to The Glow.

When I first heard this record, The Glow Pt. 2 came to define a sweeping emotional and musical vocabulary for me. Elvrum's intense confrontations with loss gave me a sense of perspective throughout a lingering relationship crisis (with the girl who had introduced me to the album!), while his ability to create a work of sonic art that was both epic and intimate inspired me to purchase a 4-track and borrow a set of drums. Perhaps a predictable story, but revisiting this record on the event of its re-release seven years later, I'm overcome once again by the Phil Elvrum's profound, heartfelt sentiments and exhilarating musical explorations. [JW]
 
         
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  CUT COPY
In Ghost Colours
(Modular)

"Feel the Love"
"Strangers in the Wind"

When Cut Copy's first album, Bright Like Neon Love, broke over here in the States back in 2004, the garage rock revival still had a little simmer going and dance-punk was boiling. But with tracks like "Saturdays" -- which paired a funky, Prince-like shuffle against the feel good vibe of Stardust's "Music Sounds Better with You" -- the Melbourne trio almost seemed too laidback and, well, poppy for what was going on back then. In hindsight, they weren't just an anomaly at indie dance parties, but a precursor for what was to come, as ears have tipped back over to electro-pop, with artists from Justice to the Teenagers to Thieves Like Us finding heavy rotation at clubs, and labels like Kitsune releasing singles at a prolific rate. Cut Copy's new album, In Ghost Colours, seems perfect for the moment in many ways, however, Dan Whitford's songwriting is more traditional than the aforementioned. Finding a sympathetic partner in DFA producer Tim Goldsworthy, tracks like "Lights & Music" whoosh and glide across sparkling synthesizers and crisp dance beats, but Whitford's catchy melodies allow the songs to sound as much for the home (or car stereo) as for the nightclub. Album opener "Feel the Love" is that perfect summer pop song; with its big OMD vibe (their "If You Leave"/"Secret" era, not "Electricity") the track could have easily been used as incidental music in an old John Hughes movie. And as we heard on Bright Like Neon Love, Cut Copy aren't afraid to switch off the old Roland Juno 106 and turn on the Fender Twin, and here we find even more electric guitars and live drumming ("Unforgettable," "So Haunted") popping up faster than you can say New Order. [GH]

Full album download off of Other Music Digital includes the bonus Lights & Music EP, with remixes from Superdiscount and Boys Noize.
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

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  FOALS
Antidotes
(Sub Pop)

"Cassius"
"Balloons"

Oxford's Foals deliver their much anticipated full-length debut following a series of high-energy post-punk singles and a live EP that have brought them budding international attention over the past few years. No doubt the band is another wiry, trebly British bundle of nerves, in the tradition of Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand, Art Brut, and the many groups that have inspired those artists. But they are not rote imitators or third-wavers late to the party, and their collaboration with Dave Sitek of TV on the Radio as producer of Antidotes was an inspired move, as he brings a depth and variety to the sounds on the record, as well as some lovely production flourishes like the inclusion of the Antibalas horns on several tracks. The rhythms are tense and spiky, the grooves incorporate a variety of sounds, from African guitar riffs to ska/reggae poly-rhythms to propulsive dance-punk, and while the pieces fit together like a complicated puzzle, the band is locked in tight and so full of explosive energy that even when they slow things down the seem ready to jump out of their collective skins, and the listener really can't help but jump along in step. [JM]
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

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  WYE OAK
If Children
(Merge)

"Warning"
"Regret"

Debut album from this Baltimore duo, espousing love for all that's indie rock circa 2008: some Laurel Canyon country rock expanse, a little bit of noise, sensitive balladry, great hooks; you name it, they're on it. Jenn Wasner's vocals have a familiar, comforting quality shared with plenty of favored female vocalists, from Juliana Hatfield to Regine Chassange of labelmtes the Arcade Fire. Pleasant, crowd-pleasing stuff ... dig in! [DM]
 
         
   
       
   

 

 

     
 

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  NICK CAVE
Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
(Anti-)

"Dig, Lazarus, Dig"
"Hold on to Yourself"

Now out domestically! Pretty much an extension of Grinderman, most of Dig, Lazarus, Dig shimmies and shakes albeit with a little more polish. If you're looking for another album of murder ballads, you'll be sorely disappointed but if you dig the surrealist rock n roll madman side of Nick the Stripper, then you're in for a real treat. Reinvigorated and possessed, this almost sounds like a new beginning.
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

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  SPOON
Don't You Evah
(Merge)

"Don't You Evah (Matthew Dear Mix)"

It's not a huge surprise that Spoon's sly hooks are so ripe for this sort of studio fun and here, five producers explore the band's soulful side. From Ted Leo's dubby breaks to Optimo's squiggly acid grooves to Matthew Dear's charming lo-fi trance, it's interesting to see how these producers use different elements of the original track. Also included, a great cover version from the Natural History, plus the original and a new b-side "All I Got Is Me."
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

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  DARK MEAT
Universal Indians
(Vice)

"Angel of Meth"

Vice brings us the debut album from Athens, GA's Dark Meat. With a past and current line-up that includes members of Elf Power, Of Montreal, We Versus Shark and Gnarls Barkley, the sprawling 17-piece ensemble's mix of blues, psych, punk, free jazz and gospel is some of the most joyously cacophonous music to come out of the South in a while, backed by a live show that's not to be missed -- a psychedelic circus meets a religious tent revival.
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

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  DEAD CHILD
Attack
(Quarterstick)

"Screaming Skull"

Though Dave Pajo may seem to have a chronic fear of commitment despite all the groundbreaking bands that he has been a part of -- Slint, Tortoise, Zwan (ha!), Stereolab, Royal Trux, Papa M, etc. -- his recent metal incarnation as Dead Child seems to be shaping into something more than a passing fancy. The Louisville-based five-piece shreds punk-metal like post-rock never happened, and in this case, that is a good thing. Papa M can rock.
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

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  COLIN MELOY
Colin Meloy Sings Live!
(Kill Rock Stars)

"We Both Go Down Together"

Decemberist Captain Colin Meloy brings us his first solo album, a live set recorded during his 2006 tour. Just the man and his acoustic guitar (and some great in between song banter to boot -- check his quick primer to Shirley Collins), Meloy performs songs off of every Decemberists full-length pre-dating 06's The Crane Wife, plus tunes from his earlier band Tarkio, and snippets of songs by the Smiths, R.E.M., Pink Floyd and Fleetwood Mac.
 
         
   
   
   
   
 
   
       
   
         
  All of this week's new arrivals.

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THIS WEEK'S CONTRIBUTORS

[BC] Baxter Cardona
[GH] Gerald Hammill
[AK] Andreas Knutsen
[JM] Josh Madell
[DM] Doug Mosurock
[SM] Scott Mou
[DS] Daniel Salas
[KS] Karen Soskin
[JS] Jeremy Sponder
[JW] Josiah Wolfson


THANKS FOR READING
- all of us at Other Music

 
         
   
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