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  February 26, 2009  
       
   
         
 
FEATURED NEW RELEASES
Pan American
Deetron (Mix CD)
Dum Dum Girls
Blank Dogs
Cold Cave
Sacred Bones 7"s
Borg
Grasslung / Pulse Emitter (Split)
Black Lips
Anna King
Sun City Girls
Wimple Winch
Nathan Davis
Holy Mackerel! (Various)
 

Cranes
Circle
Delroy Wilson Meets Sly & Robbie
P&P Records Tote Bag

BACK IN STOCK

Night Jewel (LP)
Choubi Choubi! (Sublime Frequencies)
Group Doueh (Sublime Frequencies)
Omar Souleyman (Sublime Frequencies)
Deerhunter (Double LP)

VINYL PRESSING
School of Seven Bells (180 g. LP w/CD)

All of this week's new arrivals.

 
         
   
   
   
   
   
       
   
 
 
FEB Sun 22 Mon 23 Tues 24 Wed 25 Thurs 26 Fri 27 Sat 28
MAR Sun 01 Mon 02 Tues 03 Wed 04 Thurs 05 Fri 06 Sat 07

Tiefschwarz

  MISTER SATURDAY NIGHT TICKET GIVE AWAYS
Other Music is giving away two pair of tickets to each of these upcoming Mister Saturday Night parties at Santos' Party House. First up, this Saturday, February 28th, special guests Tiefschwarz will be rocking a set in the spacious upstairs room with Eamon Harkin, while downstairs Jus-Ed will be playing beside Justin Carter. The following Saturday, March 7th, Maurice Fulton, the great producer of Mu, and the man who's (not) behind the Syclops records, is dropping in to drop a garage-inspired set after a live set by Chairlift. Raw Fusion and GAMM take over the basement with label boss Freddie Cruger and New York rep DJ Scribe. To enter, email giveaway@othermusic.com, and make sure to list the night you'd like to register for in the subject line.

MISTER SATURDAY NIGHT @ SANTO'S PARTY HOUSE: 100 Lafayette Street, Ground Fl South (btwn Walker & White Streets) NYC

 
   
   
 
 
MAR Sun 01 Mon 02 Tues 03 Wed 04 Thurs 05 Fri 06 Sat 07



  WIN TICKETS TO THE TINDERSTICKS
Next Friday, March 6th, the recently reformed Tindersticks come to New York for the first time in over five years, touring in support of their latest record, The Hungry Saw. Stuart Staples and his band always perform an amazingly lush, orchestrated set and with Dawn Landes kicking off the evening, this night is not be missed. We're giving away two pairs of tickets and to enter, all you have to do is email to tickets@othermusic.com. The two winners will be notified on Monday, March 2nd.

FRIDAY, MARCH 6
BROOKLYN MASONIC TEMPLE: 317 Clermont Ave (at Lafayette Ave.) Fort Greene, Brooklyn

 
   
   
 
 
MAR Sun 08 Mon 09 Tues 10 Wed 11 Thurs 12 Fri 13 Sat 14

Nite Jewel

  UPCOMING OTHER MUSIC IN-STORE PERFORMANCES
NITE JEWEL: MONDAY, MARCH 9th @ 8PM
We're thrilled that Ramona Gonzalez, a/k/a Nite Jewel, will be stopping by Other Music to woo us in person with her utterly charming, narcotic bedroom disco jams.

BISHOP ALLEN: TUESDAY, MARCH 10th @ 8PM
A record release party celebrating Bishop Allen's great new full-length, Grrr..., which comes out the same day as their in-store performance.

Other Music: 15 East 4th Street NYC
Free Admission / Limited Capacity

 
   
       
   

 

 

     
 

$13.99
CD

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$12.99 LP

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$9.99 MP3

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  PAN AMERICAN
White Bird Release
(Kranky)

"In a Letter to HG Wells, 1932"
"For Aiming at the Stars"

Starting out as a member of crucial post-rock/drone pioneers Labradford, Mark Nelson has, for more than a decade, been going it alone and slowly chipping away at a sound that he can truly call his own. A blend of the warm, post-shoegaze ambience Labradford became so synonymous with and something far more electronic and dubby, the sound of Pan American has been refined over twelve years and a handful of records. There is a sense that on White Bird Release, Nelson's sixth Pan American album, he has come to a point of balance with his work; the electronic elements are cautious and measured, the compositions are complex and the instruments expertly recorded. Assisted by Steven Hess of Chicago mainstays Haptic and Dropp Ensemble, Nelson leaves drums and sparse plucked strings to breathe while creating haunting pads beneath the surface. What results are the ghosts of folk songs, the skeleton of post-rock and the faint perfume of Krautrock, but something altogether its own. In the past I have sometimes felt that Nelson's electronic production methods overwhelmed the subtlety of the songs themselves, but here everything has achieved a perfect balance and the tracks wash over you like a warm breeze lapping at your face in the morning. By the time you reach the album's final moments, the gorgeous ten-minute "In a Letter to HG Wells, 1932," you will have been transported to that warming, haunting place only the finest ambient music takes you, and it's hard to demand more of Nelson than that. Simply gorgeous. [JT]
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

$17.99
CD

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  DEETRON
Fuse Presents
(Music Man)

"Soul Drums" Herb Martin
"Ass & Cash" Iron Curtis

I know we're only a few months into 2009, but I'm already calling Deetron's set for the Fuse Presents series one of my favorite mixes of the year. This Swiss-born producer shows a deep understanding of the Detroit/Chicago aesthetic both old and new. It's a smooth, pumping and "in-control" mix that takes Finger Inc.'s "A Path" into Marcel Dettman's "Plain" into Spacetime Continuum's "Kairo (Carl Craig Mix 1)" into Gene Hunt's "Inspire (Abicah Soul Remix)"... a few tracks later comes "W.A.R. Dub" from Trus'me followed by Redshape's "Warrior" and then "Blank Scenario" from Dettman & Klock. It's hard for me not to compare Deetron's set to something that Dan Bell would do, but this is actually funkier and more jacking. There is a taste level here that also reminds me of Cassy's mix CD in the way it so effectively combines the new with the old; it's dancefloor friendly without any compromise of quality. While both Deetron's track selection and sequencing are impeccable, I'm also impressed with his ability to introduce conga drums into a relatively minimal set without sounding like he's trying to pander to the crowd. (A burst of Shackleton's "Death Is Not Final" eventually leads to the deep conga house of Michael Cleis' "Sassicala," then the Lost Men's "I Cried for You" heads into the conga stomp of Herb Martin's "Soul Drums.") Excellent and highly recommended! [SM]
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 
Dum Dum Girls
$11.99
LP

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Blank Dogs
$11.99
LP

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  DUM DUM GIRLS
Catholicked EP
(Captured Tracks)


BLANK DOGS
Seconds EP
(Captured Tracks)

Yesss. Captured Tracks delivers four quality jams by a new Los Angeles-based DIY songstress recording with the nom-de-disque Dum Dum Girls. Miss Dum Dum gives us a splendid mix of hazily reverbed guitar fuzz, driving beats, and catchy vocal melodies in the tradition of indie pop figureheads like Talulah Gosh and the Shop Assistants, while adding a bit of a machinated Legendary Pink Dots feel to the proceedings. While there's quite a lot of this sound making the rounds these days, it's a rarity for someone to get it just right, where the music speaks for itself through the quality of the song, not the novelty of its means -- and she succeeds brilliantly here. Totally hummable, totally drummable, totally memorable. "Yours Alone" has been lodged in my brain all week, and the other three tracks aren't far behind. Keep an eye on this girl. [IQ]

Also available from Captured Tracks, the always mysterious Mr. Blank Dogs brings us four new noisy, echo-drenched pop songs that sound like an early Factory Band pushing their 4-track's db needles into the red. Twelve-inch comes in a silk-screened sleeve and limited to 1500 copies.
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

$14.99
LP

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  COLD CAVE
Trees Grew Emotions and Died EP
(Dais)

For some reason, synth-pop music has retained a lasting credibility. Hardcore noise and metal heads won't have any problem telling you of their unabashed love for Depeche Mode or early Human League, and I'm not entirely sure why. Maybe it's because many of these sounds and themes developed into Ministry, Nine Inch Nails and a lot more in the later 80s and 90s, but whatever the reason it makes Cold Cave an interesting anomaly. They're not the first noise-band scenesters to visit the electro-pop sound but they are certainly the first to do it with an air of authenticity and with what seems to be a genuine sense of understanding of the genre. Over the course of three all-too-short tracks, they create an atmosphere reminiscent of Metamatic-era John Foxx or pre-sell out Human League, an atmosphere that so many have attempted and failed dismally to imagine. Yet Cold Cave are more than a simple tribute to times past; they add a snotty nonchalance and a noise-friendly sensibility (further explored on their impossibly good "Painted Nails" seven-inch) which plants them in the perfect time. It might only be three short tracks but this 12-inch was one of the highlights of last year for me, and with this repress limited to a mere 500 copies it's sure not to last long. Be quick and don't miss the chance to discover your new favorite band. [JT]
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 
Pink Noise
$4.99
45

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Gary War
$4.99
45

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Spirit Photography
$4.99
45

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Max Elliott
$4.99
45

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  PINK NOISE
Gold Light
(Sacred Bones)

GARY WAR
Zontag
(Sacred Bones)

SPIRIT PHOTOGRAPHY
Time Is Racing
(Sacred Bones)


MAX ELLIOTT
Nature o' Nature
(Sacred Bones)

A beautiful new batch of records courtesy of Sacred Bones here in the shape of four new 7"s. Canadian duo Pink Noise follow up their chart topping (it made it to the top my "best of 08" list, at least) Dream Code LP with "Gold Light," a two-song blast of psychedelic bedroom punk that evokes Tones on Tail and the Residents ("and Suicide!" someone just yelled in the background) but only if those bands were trapped inside a giant fuzz pedal. Synth heads with guitars or punks with electronics? Either way, this sounds f**king amazing. Gary War's recordings are from 2006 but that only proves how far ahead of the curve these Houston dudes really are. There's a very melancholy vibe that permeates "Zontag" and "Don't Go Out Tonight," but the melodies are super catchy in a roundabout way, and seemingly wrapped in some kinda velvety gauze, and at times akin to the more structured synth psych explorations of the Legendary Pink Dots, or maybe even Ariel Pink. San Diego's Spirit Photography (who if you're taking notes, include a member of Christmas Island, one of 09's stars to be...trust me) churn out two dark and ominous post punk-tracks (the relentless "Time Is Racing" is particularly disarming) that sound more like early Death in June than Interpol. That should help you make up your mind in either direction. Straight out of the Wisconsin woods comes acid folk troubadour extraordinaire, Max Elliott. Backed by only an acoustic guitar and occasional, sparse percussion, Elliott raspily croons his way to sweet redemption, but only after having been faced with fear and death. Think the loner sounds of Simon Finn and Jandek and at least part of the puzzle is solved. [AK]
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 
Borg
$11.99
CD-R

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Grasslung/Pulse Emitter
$11.99
CD-R

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  BORG
IA
(Phaserprone)

Track 1
Track 3


GRASSLUNG / PULSE EMITTER
Split
(Phaserprone)

Pulse Emitter
Grasslung

With their headquarters now based in Baltimore and San Francisco, the Phaserprone camp bring us a couple of CD-R releases, both of these titles nicely housed in handmade, professionally printed letterpress sleeves. First up is IA, which has less of a primitive industrial aesthetic than Borg's last release. Right away, the first track gives me the urge to recommend this to fans of Zomby's Where Were You in '92?, thanks to its level of stomping, spacey, early Warp vibes, coupled with a dimly lit, underground-rave sonic palette. Warpath jams mix it up with early-Autechre and Phoenecia-styled breaks -- lots of grit, bleep and glitch. Next is the Grasslung/Pulse Emitter split. Featured in the People Who Do Noise DVD, which documented Portland, OR's analog noise scene, Pulse Emitter drops a 13-minute jam of expansive, warm vintage electronic vistas that arch, grind and pulse their way into the sunset, until the dusk finally settles in. Grasslung offers two lengthy tracks of his trademark black metal-inspired analog drone. During the second track, a shrieking vocalist is replaced with a venomous, hissing synth blast as a tolling bell-like sound forecasts cloudy skies and 100% chance of doom. [SM]
 
         
   
   
   
   
   
   

 

 

     
 
On Sale
$10.99
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  BLACK LIPS
200 Million Thousand
(Vice)

"Take My Heart"
"Starting Over"

There are worse bands to base a career on than the Troggs, and Georgia goofballs Black Lips have had a pretty solid go of it over the course of their first three albums and countless drunken live shows in every corner of the known universe. On 200 Million Thousand, the band does not sell-out their heroes, but also makes some subtle shifts in an attempt at a 'more commercial' sound. Clearly they are poising themselves for a little more success with this (slightly) polished take on their lo-fi garage-rock stylings, but they haven't compromised their addiction to 60s psychedelic bands. But this time around we have the group looking to the 50s too with the inclusion of a whole barrage of jangly guitars and, oddly enough, maybe channeling axe-man Ian's gold fronts they make a nod to old-school hip-hop on "The Drop/Hold." The latter might be the band's most serious misstep, but even on their slickest effort, these guys don't care about that; they're just having fun. For the most part the rest of 200 Million Thousand holds up admirably against their previous releases. The lyrics are tight and smart, and the songs themselves do a good job of getting the feet twitching and the head nodding while keeping the fuzz pedals set firmly at eleven. Hardly original, but then neither is driving down Route 66 in a Dodge Viper... but either one is a great way to kill some time with your pals. [JT]
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

$17.99
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  ANNA KING
Back to Soul
(Shout)

"Make Up Your Mind"
"I Don't Want to Cry"

This stellar rhythm and blues record from 1964 is one of the rarest albums in the James Brown productions discography. Anna Delores King was a talented young gospel vocalist discovered by legendary A&R rep/producer Luther Dixon, who persuaded her to switch to secular music and produced two classic soul sides, "In Between Tears" and "You Don't Love Me Anymore" (not included here, unfortunately). King had met James Brown while on a promotional tour and soon after joined the JB Revue to replace Tammi Terrell who had left to pursue a solo career. This album at hand was recorded during the Godfather of Soul's transitional shift from R&B to the proto-funk of "Brand New Bag," so the rollicking, bluesy sound of the Famous Flames is still in effect here. King wasn't a shouter like Vicki Anderson or Lyn Collins, but she had a gritty, gutsy style similar to Etta James and Tina Turner, especially evident on "Come On Home" and the blues ballad "Make Up Your Mind." At the time of Back to Soul's recording, Brown was in the midst of a nasty court case with his former label, so there aren't a ton of JB originals here, but King's killer duet with Bobby Byrd, "Baby, Baby, Baby," cracked the top 40.

By the end of 1965, King had been replaced with Vicki Anderson and after recording two more well regarded soul singles, she quietly slipped out of the secular world and back into the sanctified, touring as a gospel performer and minister until her death in 2002. This would be the sole LP that she would release under her name, but this album, coupled with her amazing singles, serves as a great epitaph for King and her boundless talent. Fans of Sharon Jones, JB's, Ike and Tina, and the like should take serious note. [DH]
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

$25.99
LPx2

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  SUN CITY GIRLS
Fruit of the Womb / Polite Deception
(Eclipse)

On reading the title of this latest Sun City Girls gem I was convinced it said Polite Decepticon. Odd, I thought to myself, considering the Decepticons are never polite, then of course it dawned on me that the brothers Bishop, as mischievous as they are, would likely never drop any 80s cartoon references into their album titles. Probably even more so back in the 80s when these limited cassettes actually dropped into the world, 1987 to be exact, and they feature the Girls at their jazzy haphazard best. Okay so I'm exaggerating, it's hardly Torch of the Mystics but you know what I'm getting at -- this Eclipse-funded series of reissues is always worth tracking down and Fruit of the Womb/Polite Deception is no exception. They're droning out, they're dropping in cheeky in-jokes and referencing plenty of obscure Middle Eastern records none of us will ever hear (unless the Bishops deem them worthy enough for a Sublime Frequencies reissue). As usual, there have been tracks chopped and added to set this reissue apart from the original tape release, and it's limited to a scant 950 copies so be quick to avoid disappointment. [JT]
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

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  WIMPLE WINCH
Tales from the Sinking Ship
(RPM)

"Aggravatin'"
"I Really Love You"

Phil Smee and his Bam Caruso label was one of the first to introduce and champion obscure 60s pop-psych and freakbeat of the British variety with the Rubble series of compilations. A UK equivalent of the US-centric Pebbles and Back from the Grave, Rubble introduced many of us to groups like the Open Mind, Kaleidoscope, the Mirror, Caleb, Idle Race, Koobas, the Poets, the Attack, Tomorrow, Jason Crest, the Misunderstood, and...Wimple Winch. Tales from the Sinking Ship chronicles the all-too brief career of Liverpool's Wimple Winch, and the band's earlier incarnation, Just Four Men. The first third of the CD focuses on the years 1964-65, when the group earned a living as a very capable, Beatles-influenced Merseybeat combo, strutting and harmonizing their way through "Taxman"-influenced numbers and R&B rave-ups. It's not original by any means, but neither were the Beatles at the time, but these guy's unbridled energy and charm makes up for it. Then, in 1966-67 something happened. It's as if the group found the magic potion, and developed into an unstoppable beast of a rock band. "Save My Soul" is raving freakbeat at its best and most extreme, and the vocals, seemingly out of nowhere, sound raw and soulful and the guitar sound is heavy and crunching. "Rumble on Mersey Square South" and "Atmospheres" are complete classics, with the former developing into fully realized pop opera (don't be scared!) and the latter being one of the earliest examples of British psychedelia. Other highlights include the whimsical popsike of "Marmalade Hair" and "Lollipop Minds," and the knees-up, Music Hall-esque "Typical British Workmanship." Top it off with an excellent, and generously illustrated, booklet where Smee tells the complete story of the band, and here's one unmissable package! [AK]
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

$17.99
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  NATHAN DAVIS
If
(Universal Sounds)

"If"
"Tragic Magic"

There's a tendency with record collectors, especially those of the jazz variety, to assume that if something has been lost and sought after then it's almost always going to be great. Certainly Nathan Davis' If has been spoken about with hushed tones in the past, but it just so happens that If is one of those records that deserves the crate-digger's reverence it has been shown over the years. Horn-master Davis is in solid form here, taking grasp of the funkier end of the jazz spectrum as he allows his tones to dance wildly over stellar accompaniment from George Caldwell on both electric piano and piano. The two instruments sound totally balanced with one another and with propulsive up-tempo challenges set by percussionist Dave Palmar, we have a record that should have break miners just as excited as jazz aficionados. If might not have the spiritual focus of his previous European work but this is without a doubt the funkiest set he ever allowed himself to put on wax; it's a credit to Soul Jazz for digging this up and giving it the lavish reissue treatment it needed. The jazz nerds among you might like to know that the record features Davis playing flute as well as saxophone -- now there's something you don't hear every day. A rare and beautiful thing. [JT]
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

$18.99
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  VARIOUS ARTISTS
Holy Mackerel! Pretenders to Little Richard's Throne
(Ace)

"Hey Bop a Ree Bop" Young Jesse
"Rock 'n' Roll Deacon" Screamin' Joel Neal

Not many people know this, but I'm a huge Little Richard fan. HUGE. His early records for Specialty in the 1950s are easily some of the most raucous, dangerous, sexed-up R&B/early rock 'n' roll jams ever laid to wax. These days it's probably difficult to understand now just how dangerous and revolutionary his rallying cry of "A-wop-bop-a-loo-lop, a-lop-bam-boo!!" truly was to a generation looking for escape and release from the buttoned-up times betraying their carnal desires, but it's also worth mentioning how inspirational his early songs were to others on the R&B circuit. To provide further proof of Richard's influence and importance, Ace Records offers up this fantastic compilation of 25 of the most whoopin', hootin', hollerin', stompin' soul/R&B/early rock numbers, all clearly influenced by the Great Pretender himself. Featuring cuts by artists both obscure and renowned, from James Brown, Ike & Tina, Otis Redding, and Etta James to names like Big Al Downing, Thurston Harris, and Young Jesse, the primal intensity of this collection is enough to tear a pituitary poodle skirt to sexy shreds. Every track's a winner here, seriously, and opener Screamin' Joe Neal sums it up nicely on "Rock 'n' Roll Deacon" -- "I like to dance, I like to sing, I can't sit still when I hear that swing." Put this on and get into some trouble in the basement... because you're old enough to know better. [IQ]
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

$17.99
CD

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$9.99 MP3

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  CRANES
Cranes
(Dadaphonic)

"Diorama"
"Collecting Stones"

I have to admit, I kind of chuckled to myself when I saw that a new Cranes record had come out. Not that I don't hold them in high regard, but I've also always associated their music with awkward make-out sessions with goth girls in the early '90s. But for 18 years this four-piece, led by the sibling duo of Jim and Alison Shaw, have built a small yet fiercely loyal group of fans who are drawn to their spatial, celestial brand of atmospheric rock. Built around Alison's mysterious childlike vocals, their music occupies that space in between the mellow, sweet, shoegazey texture of Slowdive and the strong, gothy imagery and sound of the Cure and Siousxie, both of whom were early supporters and fans of the band. Over the course of eight albums, Cranes seemed to be heading into a more electronic, compositional direction, but following more than a half-a-decade hiatus, we find them returning to a sound that's closer to the moody, atmospheric rock of their early work. The electronic influence is still apparent on tracks like "Feathers" and "Diorama," which boasts subtle clicks and cuts incorporated into the languid, melodies, but if anything, it seems like the modern classical compositions of Erik Satie, Steve Reich and the icy, electronic beauty of Stomu Yokota are better comparison points than any of the aforementioned. At their best, Cranes occupy that same space, creating music that operates outside of any category or time frame reference. Recommended! [DH]
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

$24.99
LPx2

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  CIRCLE
Triumph
(Fourth Dimension)

Finnish freeform operatives Circle never seem to stop -- and proof that they can turn out great material without even thinking twice about it is this latest double LP, Triumph. Recorded as a session for legendary, New Jersey-based radio station WFMU, the band turned in a shocking set fusing the screeching progressive metal they're best known for with more pensive, almost ambient passages. Their genre-shifting personality as a band is well documented and Triumph is no different as it hops from facet to facet. But they retain a consistency which links each track to the next, no doubt aided by the fact that it was made in a continuous session. The finest moments are when the band takes a step back allowing the piano to take center stage, rolling and climbing, echoing the high points of the group's long, estimable history. Elsewhere, when the vocals move into the fore and the band throbs into a screaming, theatrical racket, it's easy to hear why their fan-base has built into such a rabid throng in recent years. They might field plenty of comparison to Sunburned Hand of the Man, No-Neck Blues Band, and the like, but Circle are more reliable and more consistent than any of their peers. A fantastic set. [JT]
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

$17.99
CD

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  DELROY WILSON
Meets Sly and Robbie Downtown
(Kingston Sounds)

"Cool Operator"
"Better Must Come"

Your cool operator, Delroy Wilson, famously left Mick Jones and Joe Strummer so aghast with his Mr. Loverman persona that he inspired the Clash-men to write their classic "White Man in Hammersmith Palais." It's kind of puzzling that anybody would expect "roots rock rebel" music from a singer who was essentially a reggae teen idol. Regardless, Wilson's voice is one of the most beloved of the genre and this collects highlights of Wilson's '70s output, spent with the Sly & Robbie rhythm section and Bunny Lee at the production helm. Downtown includes an alternate version of his signature hit, "Cool Operator," as well as lighters-up rockers "Give Love a Try," "Money" and "Better Must Come." You'll also get proto-lover's material like "Play, Play" and killer covers of Marcia Griffith's "Peaceful (Wo)Man," and Bob Marley's "I'm Still Waiting." This is beautiful reggae soul music and all the participants in this collection were hitting some creative peaks, so there are plenty of gems to be found throughout. [DH]
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

$9.99
Tote Bag

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  P&P RECORDS
Tote Bag

As we all know, disco isn't just a form of music...it's a way of life. What better way to strut your funky stuff than with an authentic P&P disco tote bag, hand delivered to the shop by none other than Mr. Peter Brown himself.
 
         
   
       
   

 

 

     
 

$11.99
LP

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  NITE JEWEL
Good Evening
(Gloriette)

One of my favorite recent releases, the new Nite Jewel LP has been getting heavy play by me both at home and in the shop, thankfully to much delight by my co-inhabitants in both scenarios. After one of the most promising debut releases of the year (the My CD CD-R which has been a constant seller), our lady returns in full force with subtly remixed versions of the jams from the CD-R, along with new tracks which point in some possible new directions and flesh her sound out a bit, almost literally -- tracks like "Heart Won't Start," "Universal Mind" and "Chimera" take the mood and tempos down a few notches, evoking moods akin to the synthetic soul of Roxy Music's Avalon LP. She makes a more overt nod toward Ferry & Co on the album's closer, a deep, sweet cover of Roxy's "Lover," which was an obscure b-side to the band's "Same Old Scene" single. The rest of the LP is Nite Jewel as we know her -- deep, after-hours jams smeared with neon and infused with the blood of a lonely club child fending for herself on a floor filled with vampires. Anyone that's been in the store while this has played on my shift has seen me literally dance my way across the floor while "Artificial Intelligence" has pumped out of the speakers; it's possibly my favorite song of the year, and the whole album just screams with the promise of an artist to watch. One of the most special, between-the-lines records of 2008, and definitely one of my favorites. [IQ]
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

$14.99
CD

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  VARIOUS ARTISTS
Choubi Choubi! Folk and Pop Sounds from Iraq
(Sublime Frequencies)

"Ahi Al Aqil"
"Ala Honak"

It's always a thrill to see what countries are next on the Sun City Girls' agenda as they globetrot and loose new titles on their world music imprint, Sublime Frequencies. But nothing is quite so "taken from today's headlines" as this most recent batch. In an issue of LA-based free-thought mag, Arthur, Sublime-curator Alan Bishop put it thusly: "Don't be fooled by the fear patrol out there who say that terror is only a minute away. It's all an illusion...The fear of terror being spread is a tactic employed as a mirage to keep the herd from experiencing phenomena beyond the pasture."

Perhaps that would explain the inclusion of this title which documents the brutally repressed and hidden culture Iraq. Choubi Choubi! is the name of an explosive, highly rhythmic musical form in Iraq, and documents the music made during the reign of Saddam Hussein. There's the appearance of folky Ja'afar Hassan, who sings songs that glorify the socialist agenda that the Baathists would embrace on their rise to power. Fans of ragga, rough world beats, and Timbaland productions will no doubt find the choubi rhythms to be phenomenal: all staccato outbursts that mingle the electronic with the hand-drummed on songs by artists like the masked female yelper, Bawin, as well as many more unknown singers of the day. [AB]

 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

$15.99
CD

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  GROUP DOUEH
Guitar Music from the Western Sahara
(Sublime Frequencies)

"Eid for Dakhia"
"Wazan Samat"

When the good folks at Sublime Frequencies decided to start releasing vinyl-only documents from around the world last year, they kicked off the series in impressive style with Group Doueh's Guitar Music from the Western Sahara. Spotlighting the virtuosic guitar playing of Doueh (and augmented by the vocals of his wife Halima and friend Bashiri), that LP focused on the trio's singular take on the traditional music of their native region as filtered through an impressive barrage of electric guitar that had as much in common with Sonny Sharrock as it did with any of their countrymen.

Raw and noisy, and yet still imbued with an undeniably buoyant near-pop sensibility, Group Doueh ripped through joyous lo-fi burners like "Eid El Arsh" and queasy, near-psychedelic pieces like "Fagu." Elsewhere, the added percussion on tracks like "Wazan Samat" granted Doueh's strange, sun-baked melodies a simple, yet powerful sense of rhythm. Out of print almost as soon as it was released, Sublime Frequencies has thankfully seen fit to reissue the album on CD, granting those too slow on the uptake a chance to hear this set in all its glory. Recommended not only to those who had their ears bent by 2007's great Tinariwen record, but also those curious as to what a Takoma-styled guitarist would sound like if he had grown up in the desert worshipping Jimi Hendrix. Guitar Music from the Western Sahara needs to be heard to be believed. [MC]
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

$15.99 CD

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  OMAR SOULEYMAN
Highway Hassake
(Sublime Frequencies)

"Leh Jani"
"Arabic Dabke"

Often playing at breakneck speeds, Omar Souleyman and his band have created an ecstatic party music that fuses elements of regional folk forms with lo-fi drum machines, phase-shifted Arabic keyboard lines, and unidentifiable spurts of electronic noise, over which Souleyman sings and chants with palpable energy, often in feverish call and response with the aforementioned bevy of electronic sounds, but equally as often with virtuosic displays on traditional Middle Eastern instruments like the oud, spike fiddle, saz, or nay.

Pictured in the liners in what has become his signature look -- thick mustache, dark aviator shades, and red and white checkered khaffya -- Souleyman is an intriguing, imposing character capable of impassioned, frenetic vocalizations that are as much about rhythmic invention as they are about delivering the lyrical goods.  Interestingly enough, Souleyman doesn't write his own lyrics, but sees himself more as a conduit, leaving the word-smithing to long time collaborator and full-time band member, Mahmoud Harbi.  Harbi is Souleyman's silent, chain smoking alter-ego who allegedly stands shoulder to shoulder with the singer during live shows and -- get this -- whispers the verses in Souleyman's ear.  Equally at home singing dance floor ass-shakers and mournful calls to prayer, Souleyman is a musical icon in his native Syria and has reputedly released more than 500 studio and live cassette albums since 1994.  For Highway to Hassake, Sublime Frequencies regular Mark Gergis (a/k/a Porest, who also compiled 2006's equally great Choubi Choubi: Folk and Pop Sounds of Iraq) has culled some of the highlights from Souleyman's vast cassette catalog with blessings from the man himself.  [CC]
 
         
   
   

 

 

     
 

$17.99
LPx2

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  DEERHUNTER
Microcastle / Weird Era Cont.
(Kranky)

"Little Kids"
"Never Stops"

I can't remember who said "If you're really an artist, you're in a constant state of becoming." I think it was Bob Dylan. While it would be amazing(ly lame) to start a Deerhunter review with a Dylan quote, it might make sense if he was the one who said it. Bob Dylan never had a two-year period where he was making the same kind of sound. Many of the brightest-burning recording artists of our time are in a state of endless shifting, making records that elicit polarized responses and challenge their audiences not to get too comfortable with what they already understand. Dylan, the Stooges, Velvet Underground, Nirvana, Radiohead, Sonic Youth. Always on to the next sound, starting over with each new record. Microcastle/Weird Era Cont. sees Deerhunter in this state of re-configuration, shedding the ambient overtones and shoegaze-haze that defined the groundbreaking Cryptograms LP and charging forward with a straight-ahead rock record. A direct and comparatively clean (for what we're used to from DH) production leaves little for the songs to hide behind. Free of delay pedals and washed-out field recordings, the Microcastle half of this lofty double-record stands on its own as a collection of solid, no-nonsense songs. It makes sense that when the band was in Brooklyn recording this record last April, the first song they played at a not-so-secret Market Hotel show was a Pylon cover. "Nothing Ever Happened" and "Never Stops" have the same bare-bones no-frills rhythmic tendencies as those mid-'80s, art-via-party rock bands, but the whole album is steeped in a more mature take on the '90s dream-pop worship that the group has made its name on. "These Hands" has one foot in MBV tremolo guitar and the other in the type of dreamy pop songwriting that made Ride a perfect band at times. The majestic "Little Kids" ends in a cluster of building reverb and mountainous sounds almost dense enough to make you forget its homicidal/pyromaniacal lyrics. In fact, the vocals, though a little higher in the mix, are still buried just enough to obscure running themes of decay, murder and submission. Clearly, the darkness is still shining through, regardless of how polished or straightforward the songs aim to be.

The theme of reconfiguration follows through on an album's worth of bonus material called Weird Era Cont. The album proper is great, but for my money, the bonus disc is where it's at, culling together some home-recorded Bradford jams, studio recordings made after the Microcastle sessions and some recordings dating back to 2002, from around the time of the band's seldom-mentioned and problematicly titled debut album Turn It Up Faggot. Consistent and straightforward it is not, but rather than a hodge-podge of demos or throwaway scraps, we're treated to an album of truly reaching sound experiments and solid if more relaxed rock jams. The vibe is less official and in that, more connected to the ideas and performances than the rigid, serious by comparison sound of the other disc. There's the mashed-together arrangement of epic hate-punk riffs and dreamy breakdowns on "Operation;" "Vox Humana"'s spoken word creep out over what sounds like Evol-era Sonic Youth trying to cover the Twin Peaks theme, tape manipulation pieces and meandering loops that fade in and out of being songs. This bunch of tracks works great as a record, in the same way Faust records worked, making very little sense from minute to minute but amazing as a whole. Also, the cryptic nature of the band just makes me want to think there's a master plan in here somewhere, that maybe Weird Era Cont. is the intended missing link between Cryptograms and Microcastle, or maybe just another bright moment for a band in a constant state of becoming. [FT]
 
         
   
       
   

 

 

     
 

$13.99
LP w/CD
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  SCHOOL OF SEVEN BELLS
Alpinisms - 180 Gram
(Ghostly International)

"Face to Face on High Places"
"iamunderdisguise"

School of Seven Bells is the relatively new band formed by ex-Secret Machines guitarist Benjamin Curtis and Claudia and Alejandra Deheza of the now defunct NY band, On! Air! Library!, and their debut album, Alpinisms, couldn't have come along at a better time. The basis of their sound stems from late-'80s and early-'90s shoegaze guitar rock, with also a heavy influence from the Artificial Intelligence-era Warp roster. School of Seven Bells take all of these influences and wrap them up nicely in a beautiful package of lulling, reverb-drenched pop tunes -- think of past artists like Seefeel, My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive and Curve (in their prime, of course), as well as a current band like Chairlift. The dual vocal delivery of the Deheza sisters on a song like "Face to Face in High Places" is truly stunning; the track is filled with guitars that are distorted just right, crunchy beats, and a melody that is just itching for a club remix (and in this case...this is a good thing). Overall, School of Seven Bells have created a beautiful pop album, with everything in just the right place. And while Alpinisms is nothing new, it is a record that I seem to be returning to time and time again. It's the perfcet album to keep you warm on these cold winter nights. [JS]

Limited to only 1,000 copies, this gatefold LP features the full Alpinisms tracklist on 180 gram vinyl and comes with a CD copy of Alpinisms.
 
         
   
   
   
   
 
   
       
   
         
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THIS WEEK'S CONTRIBUTORS

[AB] Adrian Burkholder
[CC] Che Chen
[MC] Michael Crumsho
[DH] Duane Harriott
[IQ] Mikey IQ Jones
[AK] Andreas Knutsen
[SM] Scott Mou
[JS] Jeremy Sponder
[FT] Fred Thomas
[JT] John Twells




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- all of us at Other Music

 
         
   
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