August 25, 2010

		FEATURED NEW RELEASES Balam Acab Grass Widow No Age (12" & 7") Artist Music Journals James Blackshaw Antony & the Johnsons Fennez/Daniell/Buck !!! Automelodi Frank (Just Frank) Coasting The Intelligence Dylan LeBlanc Magic Kids Slowdive (Double-CD Reissues) Les Filles du Crepuscule (Various Artists)   Grasslung Nino Rota ALSO AVAILABLE Mogwai (Live album+DVD) Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan Ra Ra Riot Pale Sketcher Nite Jewel T-Shirts Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/othermusicnyc Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/othermusic

		$9.99 CD (on Sale) $18.99 LPx2 w/MP3   BLACK ANGELS PRE-ORDER w/SECRET SHOW TICKET Get a ticket to a Black Angels secret performance, celebrating the release of their new album, Phosphene Dream, out September 14 on Blue Horizon Records. Other Music has 50 free tickets for those fans who pre-order the new Black Angels CD or LP with us, one per purchase while supplies last. (All pre-orders will also receive a free lithograph with purchase, while supplies last.) This exclusive private party will be held on Tuesday, September 7 at 8PM at a lower Manhattan venue which will be disclosed later. The Austin psychedelic rockers will be premiering new songs from Phosphene Dream that night, plus free beer and wine will be served. Customers must be 18 years or older to be eligible. You don't want to miss this one!

		AUG Sun 29 Mon 30 Tues 31 Wed 01 Thurs 02 Fri 03 Sat 04   WIN TICKETS TO SUNDAY BEST WITH OPTIMO! This weekend, the Sunday Best crew welcome JG Wilkes an JD Twitch, the gents behind Optimo. Their 13-year party at Glasgow's Sub Club is the stuff of legends, and since ending their night back in April, the duo are finally able to do things like fly across the pond to make an appearance together at this fairly new Sunday institution in Brooklyn. Residents Justin Carter and Eamon Harkin will be playing a special tag-team set as well, alongside the Optimo boys, in essence bringing together two very special parties for the very first time. We've got one pair of tickets to give away; just email tickets@othermusic.com to enter. SUNDAY, AUGUST 29 BROOKLYN FIREPROOF: 119 Ingraham Street (between Porter & Knickerbocker / L Train to Morgan Ave) Brooklyn $12, All Ages, Limited $8 in advance at residentadvisor.net/sundaybest or $8 before 4pm with RSVP to rsvp@sundaybestnyc.com

		Many of our customers have been enjoying the ease of texting their orders with their mobile phone. To take advantage of this option with any of the items listed below, go to subports.com where you can create your free Subports account. Afterwards, just text the corresponding subcode listed underneath each item to 767825.

		$12.99 12" $4.99 MP3   BALAM ACAB See Birds EP (Tri-Angle) Preview Songs on Other Music's Download Store Being a rap devotee, I always look on music with a discernable "hip-hop influence" with a certain amount of trepidation. The majority of releases that glide through the electronic world under this supposed banner (no doubt mentioning one famed dead producer or another) are, to me, pointless and aggressively overdone. Sometimes it feels like electronic producers use rap as a badge of honor, re-appropriating these styles as subtly as a house-brick and honestly, they miss the point. Thankfully young-blood Alec Koone has taken the framework laid down by commercial contemporary hip-hop and buried it so deep within his tracks that it's almost not a reference at all -- it's simply the music's soul. See Birds doesn't sound like a rap record; with all the instrumental degradation and vocal tics it could be closer to outsider pop than "urban" music, but that's exactly why it works. The links to electronic music and post-dubstep (see also Forest Swords) are there, but everything is mired in a treacle-slow DJ Screw-ed haze. It gives the tracks a living, breathing and simply intoxicating otherworldly sound that is as blissfully original as it is addictive. Somehow Koone has managed to do the impossible, and framed his influences in a sound that is neither contrived nor ill conceived, and for that he deserves all the praise that will no doubt be lavished upon him. Buy this record, and then start waiting impatiently for the full-length. [JT] Order LP by Texting "omlpbalamsee" to 767825

		$14.99 CD $14.99 LP+MP3   GRASS WIDOW Past Time (Kill Rock Stars) "Uncertain Memory" "11 of Diamonds" Last year the San Francisco-based women of Grass Widow put out an LP and an EP and they were both great records that garnered a lot of spins in my house, but what really set the band apart was the amazing live show I experienced. Focused and intense, it was one of the better sets I saw from any band all year. And on this new record, their first for the legendary Kill Rock Stars label, the young trio further prove that they are something of an anomaly in today's underground. With so much previously obscure music now readily available it is easy for bands to get bogged down in mimicry without even really noticing it, but Grass Widow manage to embody the same intangible qualities that made groups like the Raincoats and Scrawl so great without directly sounding like them. Their intricate, rhythm-driven songs dodge and weave, downplaying their hooks at first in favor of an overall sound. Clocking in at just about half an hour, Past Time never overstays its welcome. It may not be the most immediate record but it still begs repeated listens, and it's a grower in the best possible way. Highly recommended! [DMa] Order CD by Texting "omcdgrasspast" to 767825 Order LP by Texting "omlpgrasspast" to 767825

		$5.99 45 $9.99 12"   NO AGE Glitter (Sub Pop) A few cool (and limited) new No Age related items in this week; a two-part Sub Pop single from the new Everything In Between LP (due out September 28) in both 7" and 12" formats, and a collaborative 10" (and art book) with Brian Roettinger. If "Glitter" is any indication of the rest of No Age's new album, the noisy L.A. duo has thrown a bit of a curveball on their forthcoming full-length, and it looks like a strike to me (that's a good thing, if you are confused by sports analogies). The track kicks in with a classic AM radio tom-tom/handclap drumbeat, and then swoons into a lush dreampop number that lies somewhere between shoegaze haze and Dinosaur Jr. at their pop best. It is more melancholy, less madness than we have come to expect from Dean and Randy, and it is positively seductive. Each format comes with its own exclusive b-sides: the 12-inch has "In Rebound" and "Vision II," and the 7-inch has "Inflorescence." Order 45 by Texting "om45noglitter" to 767825 Order LP by Texting "omlpnoglitter" to 767825

		$11.99 10"   ARTIST MUSIC JOURNALS Brian Roettinger / No Age (Sound Screen Design) Also just in, Volume 10 of the excellent Artist Music Journals series from Soundscreen Design, whose previous editions have included work Bjorn Copeland, Hisham Bharoocha, Daniel Higgs and others. This one is designed by L.A. graphic artist/musician Brian Roettinger, perhaps best known for his Grammy-nominated artwork on the No Age Nouns album. Roettinger has a long resume of interesting design work in many formats and forums, and also runs the Hand Held Heart vinyl label, and played bass in This Machine Kills and others. A lovely 24-page 10" square saddle-stitched heavy stock art 'zine, plus an exclusive 1-sided 10" record featuring a collaboration between Roettinger and his boys No Age! [JM] Order Book/10" by Texting "ombkbrianartist" to 767825

		$12.99 CD $16.99 LP+MP3 $9.99 MP3   JAMES BLACKSHAW All Is Falling (Young God) "Part 1" "Part 5" An ambitious, challenging album from the British 12-string virtuoso, All Is Falling continues James Blackshaw's movement away from the spiraling acoustic guitar opuses that defined his early work. Not a 12-string guitar can be found here, in fact. Picking up where Blackshaw's piano-derived tracks from Litany of Echoes (2008) and The Glass Bead Game (2009) left off, All Is Falling -- unsurprisingly given its ominous title -- is characterized by a brooding, cosmic quality. Longtime fans will notice Blackshaw is playing the electric guitar for the first time on one of his own records, a move perhaps inspired by his recent work with Current 93. When at the piano, Blackshaw often recalls Florian Fricke's playing in Popol Vuh, particularly on "Part 1" and "Part 4," and comparisons could be made to minimalist composer/pianist Lubomyr Melnyk as well. Throughout, this haunting album can recall a diverse set of influences, ranging from John Renbourne's The Lady and the Unicorn to the brooding '90s work of Louisville chamber group Rachel's, and makes nods to Steve Reich and Philip Glass as well. Only "Part 8" deviates from piano, finger-picked electric guitar and classical string palette; harmonium, e-bowed guitar and swirls of feedback lift off before settling on an enigmatic, uncertain note. Appropriately enough. [AG] Order CD by Texting "omcdjamesall" to 767825 Order LP by Texting "omlpjamesall" to 767825

		$9.99 CD-EP $4.99 MP3   ANTONY & THE JOHNSONS Thank You for Your Love EP (Secretly Canadian) "Thank You for Your Love" "Pressing On" The lead single off Swanlights (out on October 5), Antony & the Johnsons' upcoming follow-up to 2008's majestic The Crying Light. Mr. Hegarty's pathos-tinged croon is close to exuberant in "Thank You for Your Love," a gospel-inspired ballad that slowly swells towards a surprisingly upbeat, funky close (for Antony, that is), complete with a rollicking horn section. The other four songs are non-album tracks, which include gorgeous covers of Bob Dylan's "Pressing On" and John Lennon's "Imagine," where Antony is joined by William Basinski, who contributes subtle, electronic atmospherics beneath the gentle plucks of the guitar. [GH] Order CD by Texting "omcdantonythank" to 767825

		$14.99 CD $9.99 MP3   FENNESZ/DANIELL/BUCK Knoxville (Thrill Jockey) Preview Songs on Other Music's Download Store At this point, Christian Fennesz's reputation should precede him. A modern laptop pioneer, his solo records have balanced thoughtful electronics with guitar manipulations to become events that transcend the usual narrow audience for those types of experiments. In between albums, though, Fennesz maintains a healthy career as a collaborator and improviser, having worked with the likes of Jim O'Rourke and Peter Rehberg, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and Polwechsel (to name but a handful) on records that often manage to rival the greatness and intensity of the man's more noted solo works. Knoxville, a trio recording cut with David Daniell and Tony Buck at the Big Ears Festival in 2009, is yet another entry into that category of great collaborative works. Though Fennesz may have the biggest name recognition in this group, his partners are far from slouches. David Daniell has released a clutch of great records (solo, as a member of San Agustin, and in concert with folks like Douglas McCombs) that trace his noisier figures across guitar and electronics. And Tony Buck has been active as a member of Australian group the Necks for the past two decades, providing drums and percussion for that band's steady improvisations. Here, the three spread themselves across four tracks, gradually working themselves into an easy conversation on "Heat for Light" that builds from a slow rumble to a more all-encompassing buzz and hum. Elsewhere, tracks like "Antonia" achieve a subtle beauty, with aching waves of guitar contrasting neatly with prickly static and Buck's cymbal work. While fairly brief, Knoxville more than manages to take the listener quite a distance in its short runtime, all while allowing each participant to make their own voice heard while still achieving a singular identity. [MC] Order CD by Texting "omcdfenneszknoxville" to 767825

		$13.99 CD $21.99 LPx2+ MP3 $9.99 MP3   !!! Strange Weather, Isn't It? (Warp) "AM/FM" "Even Judas Gave Jesus a Kiss" After a period of relative quiet from this NYC punk-funk institution, which found the band going through a series of potentially crippling lineup changes and assorted strife, !!! are back, and they continue to grow and transcend expectations. Myth Takes from 2007 brought both a heavier sound and a more refined vocal aesthetic to the group's productions, and Strange Weather, Isn't It? loses some of the former, adds a bit of the latter, and is an even stronger record still. Following the tragic passing of drummer Jerry Fuchs, John Pugh leaving to lend his incessant vocals to Free Blood, and Justin Vandervolgen turning his efforts towards remarkable Golf Channel 12"s, it is shocking and exciting to hear that !!! has not lost one ounce of their otherworldly funk. Everything that worked in past !!! releases remains intact. The soulful, catchy vocals by Nic Offer (often pushing his lower register here) and Shannon Funchess drive home choruses with unforgiving persistence. The rhythm section still maintains a bass to the face attitude with their singular percussive swagger. The band calls this album their Berlin record (some of it was in fact recorded in the infamous German music hotbed), so expect some darker shadows lurking in the production. Behind the scenes strings, spacey dub production, and truckloads of disco-funk synthesizers make this the most club-friendly !!! record to date, yet despite losing some of the last record's rock edge, the musical references extend well beyond traditional dance club sounds. At times, like in "Jamie, My Intentions are Bass," the record begs comparisons to the Stone Roses or the Happy Mondays, at times these could be outtakes from the Rolling Stones disco era, yet still other songs like "Even Judas Gave Jesus a Kiss" and "The Most Certain Sure" would be right at home on contemporary DFA 12"s. There is a lot going on here, and I can guarantee that we will be hearing this record for the rest of this year, and in my opinion, that's a good thing. [BCa] Order CD by Texting "omcdchikchikchikstrange" to 767825 Order LP by Texting "omlpchikchikchikstrange" to 767825

		$10.99 CD $14.99 LP   AUTOMELODI Automelodi (Wierd) "Scehema Corporel" "Buanderie Jazz" A truly excellent new release from NY's Wierd Records, Automelodi's self-titled debut is exactly what we want to find in a contemporary synthwave record: sincere, experienced, creative passion for the form. I was surprised and thrilled to hear the expected references (Visage, Associates, Depeche Mode etc.) taken even further through the type of exceptionally melodic song craft usually only found in the best French coldwave. Songs like "Employe Terne" combine the bounciness of OMD classics with the grave melodic integrity of French-speaking genre-mate Geoffrey D. while still evoking some non-existent '80s underground radio hit. "Baunderie Jazz" somehow blends Johnny Marr pop-jangle with beautifully macabre synthpop. "Airline" sports a bassline capable of making Ariel Pink drool, along with a deftly delivered Fad Gadget meets Marc Almond vocal melody. But don't let my focus on Automelodi's pop skill distract you; the line between dance songs and pop songs is blurred as the album's sheer quality makes them interchangeable. Consistently on-point and tasteful, incredibly varied, effortlessly enjoyable songs, with a perfect mix of darkness/mystery, great synth lines, vocal melodies, beats and song structure. Contender for my top 10 of 2010. This is the real deal folks. Those in the know will know!! [SM] Order CD by Texting "omcdautomelodiautomelodi" to 767825

		$10.99 CD $14.99 LP   FRANK (JUST FRANK) Brutal Wave (Wierd) "Jalousie" "Ride of a Lifetime" Contemporary Parisian synthwave band Frank (Just Frank)'s debut album on NY's Wierd Records is a great, ethereal mix of guitar, drum machine and synth in the classic French coldwave tradition. With a romantic atmosphere, dark themes, lyrical melodies, and a varied set that ranges from urgent, propulsive synthwave on "Le Son du Trottoir" and "Closet Song," to the more elegant, longing atmosphere of "Seraphine" and "Coeur Hante," The Brutal Wave deftly combines the chillier side of the Church (complete with extremely well-placed bits of distorted guitar) with dark pop elements somewhat reminiscent of The Charm of the Highway Strip-era Magnetic Fields(!), plus lush guitar work sitting somewhere between classic Cure and the Cocteau Twins. See "Crisis," with its joyously moody guitar interplay, gray vocals, driving back beat and melancholic chorus of "kill, kill, kill," or the Anka Wolbert-like album closer "Collapse." Wierd is bringing classic French coldwave into the new millennium! [SM] Order CD by Texting "omcdfrankbrutal" to 767825

		$5.99 45   COASTING The One We Both Like (M'Lady's) Imagine my surprise when Coasting's self-produced CD-R made its way through the shop. Instead of the typical cardboard sleeve or jewel case, each CD rested snugly inside of a crocheted cozy, hand-crafted by drummer Fiona Campbell, with her drumsticks (really?) while in the tour van. And on top of their bitchin' knitting skills, Coasting has definitely won me over with their gnarled, riot grrrl/surf pop songs, and their first single for M'Lady's Records only whets my appetite for more. Campbell's Janet Weiss-inspired drumming is complemented perfectly by Madison Farmer's angular, echo-heavy guitar, and with both girls ganging up on the vocals, the sound on these three songs is full enough to make you forget it's just the two of them. My favorite of the three featured here is the b-side, "Kids," with its big chorus and twitchy guitar hook. Irresistible. [MS] Order 45 by Texting "om45coastingone" to 767825

		$13.99 CD $9.99 MP3   THE INTELLIGENCE Males (In the Red) "Estate Sales" "The Beetles" After building his group's "career" on a diehard DIY/no-fi aesthetic, mainman Lars Finberg ditches his array of spitballs and throws one right down the middle by recording this new album with his current touring band, in a real studio. Notorious indie producer, musician and now member of the Intelligence Chris Woodhouse (FM Knives, Mayyors (R.I.P.), etc.) recorded the record and its cleaner sound, if not hi-fi then decidedly not lo-fi, is what immediately sets it apart from the rest of the Intelligence catalog. To me it is a move not unlike the Angry Samoans' Yesterday Started Tomorrow/STP Not LSD albums. Those records polarized some of their fan base and maybe there will be some longtime Intelligence fans put off by the newfound clarity here, but really what it accomplishes is to showcase what a great, efficient songwriter Finberg is. In under a half-an-hour they lay out some of their best material ever; just try to escape the West Coast putdown (or celebration?) of "Like, Like, Like, Like, Like, Like" -- I haven't been able to pry it from my brain yet. There's also the great ode to collecting and consumption "Estate Sales" that, if not somehow written about me (or you?) at least about someone we all know well, and a new version of one of the catchiest Intelligence songs of yesteryear "The Beetles." Like your favorite beer, this one goes down easy and when it's gone your ready to start over. [DMa] Order CD by Texting "omcdintelligencemales" to 767825

		$13.99 CD $9.99 MP3   DYLAN LEBLANC Paupers Field (Rough Trade) "Low" "Coyote Creek" As we have written before in these pages, this 20-year-old Louisiana boy surprised us at our own SXSW Lawn Party this year with a stunning set of sad and sleepy country heartbreak on the acoustic stage, and now we get LeBlanc's Rough Trade debut -- and it does not disappoint. The sound is nothing new; melancholy country rock along the lines of Graham Parsons, M. Ward, Harvest-era Neil Young or Heartbreaker-era Ryan Adams, but the surprising thing is just how good these songs are (maybe not Young good, but definitely Adams good -- and that is pretty damn good). The production is strictly old-school: finger-picked acoustic guitars, sighing pedal steel, plinking banjo, swelling organ, and a few swooning strings when called for, and at the center is LeBlanc's sweet, sad, world-weary voice, which is mature well beyond its years, sounding an awful lot like somebody we will all be hearing more from in the coming years. On the face of it, LeBlanc may actually have too many cards up his sleeve (he is the son of a Muscle Shoals session guy who grew up hanging around the likes of Spooner Oldham; Emmylou Harris duets with him on one tune, etc.), but Paupers Field can stand on its own merits; pedigree or not -- if you like this stuff, you will like this one a lot -- it is the real deal. [JM] Order CD by Texting "omcddylanpaupers" to 767825

		$13.99 CD $15.99 LP+MP3 $9.99 MP3   MAGIC KIDS Memphis (True Panther Sounds) Preview Songs on Other Music's Download Store It's easy for anybody to say that they're influenced by the Zombies, but it's harder to put that influence into your music without sounding ridiculously like... well, like a shitty Zombies. But these upstarts from Memphis, Tennessee seem to have no trouble with the lovelorn, melodramatic Aquarius pop that Argent and Blunstone patented nearly half a century back. Right alongside the guitar/drums/bass are brass instruments, hearty string arrangements, sprightly synthesizers and more woodwinds than Jens Lekman could shake a stick at. Magic Kids are primarily concerned with childhood, as on "Superball," a love letter to a beloved childhood toy that has the pesky habit of bouncing away and hiding itself from the protagonist. Of course, it's possible that "Superball" is a metaphor for a childhood love that got away, an exercise in nostalgia and the pain of losing someone close, or the inordinate love that we give to inanimate objects... ah hell, I'm just horsing around. Magic Kids love to horse around, and they breathe more summer into the end of summer than the recent smattering of glum, summer-bummer bands. It's easy to love the effortlessly tossed off Brian Wilson-isms and the youthful exuberance. So start loving! [MS] Order CD by Texting "omcdmagicmemphis" to 767825 Order LP by Texting "omlpmagicmemphis" to 767825

		Pygmalion $18.99 CDx2 Just for a Day $18.99 CDx2 Souvlaki $18.99 CD   SLOWDIVE Pygmalion (Cherry Red) "Blue Skied an' Clear" "Miranda (Demo)" "Crazy for You (Alt Version)" Pygmalion, Slowdive's third and final full-length, originally released on Creation in 1995, was a striking departure from the loud, dense blur of the Reading band's first two LPs. And it's not merely unlike anything else in the Slowdive catalog, but it is unique among the entire indie canon. Neil Halstead's modus operandi seems to have been to reduce tracks down to their most minimal skeletal essence and create an environment in which the ghosts of narratives suggest that songs once existed. His use of negative space is staggering. Opener "Rutti" (the shimmering guitar sound giving away a subtle Durutti Column reference) features dub bass and a sweeping ride cymbal figure, but somehow the song structure has been pulled out from underneath the track. The vocals are merely phrases that flow like waves washing over the pulsing rhythms. "Crazy for You" is a loop-based dub experiment that finds Halstead repeating one vocal phrase to hypnotic effect, more akin to Seefeel than My Bloody Valentine. Though the album feels like a Halstead solo effort, Rachel Goswell does contribute at least vocals to the folky "Visions of La" and the abstract "Miranda." "Trellisaze," one of the most skeletal tracks, combines dissonant guitar, phased vocals and creepy piano to truly disorienting effect. The use of what sounds like a clunking metronome further distorts reality by hinting at structure, almost mocking the idea of it. And yet, for all its experimentation and willful obtuseness, Pygmalion also boasts one of the finest pop songs Slowdive ever recorded in the heartbreaking "Blue Skied an' Clear." Amidst the non-linear song experiments that make up much of the album, it is simply a gorgeous piece of hazy pop perfection. Pygmalion was a brave move for a band that had perfected their version of smeared guitar pop by 1993's Souvlaki. While so many indie groups post-1994 were attempting to follow in Oasis' footsteps, Slowdive turned instead to ambient electronic music and dub soundscapes. It's a shame that it was not well received at the time and the band soon folded. I would have loved to have seen where they'd go next, had they been encouraged to pursue this approach. Even if you already have Pygmalion, this version is worth it for the second disc, which features demos of much of the material as well as several unreleased songs. Also available through Cherry Red are double-CD versions of Just for a Day, the debut album, with a bonus disc that includes the first three EPs and a few Peel Session tracks, and Souvlaki, the follow up, whose bonus disc includes both parts of the almost-techno 5 EP, the Outside Your Room EP and their version of "Some Velvet Morning," which was originally only available on the US version of the album. These three double CDs give a complete picture of one of the most rightfully revered bands of a scene that was woefully maligned at the time. [MM] Order Pygmalion CD by Texting "omcdslowdivepygmalion" to 767825 Order Just for a Day CD by Texting "omcdslowdivejust" to 767825 Order Souvlaki CD by Texting "omcdslowdivesouvlaki" to 767825

		$16.99 CD   VARIOUS ARTISTS Les Filles du Crepuscule (LTM) "Romance" Mikado "Le Lundi Au Soleil" Cathy Claret Chic European imprint Les Disques du Crepuscule is known for its indie tastemaker past, first from its association with Factory Records and then in its own right through releases from the likes of Cabaret Voltaire and Tuxedomoon. Their "classic" albums and compilations always paired the familiar with the obscure, crossing genres like jazz, avant-garde, and pop, filling the exquisite packaging with copious liner notes and artwork from resident designer Benoit Hennebert. Les Filles du Crepuscule does not disappoint; this new collection of classic label tracks spritely shuffles through the first electronic samba produced by John Foxx (Antena's "The Boy from Ipanema"), lands in the jazz-influenced avant punk of Ludus and Malaria, dances around in the electronic pop of chanteuse Anna Domino, snaps to the beat of the French Impressionists, and floats serenely onto minimal piano compositions from Cecile Bruynoghe and Marie Delier & Drita Kotaji. From the title you can guess Les Filles compiles music only from the femmes on this Belgian label. Happily, gender-specificity breeds diversity here, though, and even amongst artists with intertwined lineage (there are many) you find wonderful variety and innovation. From Antena comes Isabelle Antena ("Be Pop"), from Ludus comes Devine & Statton, with Ludus' Ian Devine and Young Marble Giants' Alison Statton ("Under the Weather"), and from Anna Domino comes Snakefarm, Domino's late-'90s folk-blues project with husband Michel Delory ("Banks of the Ohio"). For those that lean more toward the somewhat obscure yet highly influential avant punk and new wave, Les Filles is worth picking up for Ludus' dark and sultry cover of "Nue au soleil," Thick Pigeon's minimal foot tapper, "Dog," and a brooding electro-punk version of Malaria's "You You." On the lighter side, pop prevails as well with obscurities from Sweden, Paris and the south of France. Closing out the comp is Powaga Sisters, a funky, minimal electronic pop offshoot of Isabelle Antena whose "J'aime regarder les filles" would find a welcome home in between a DJ set of St. Etienne and Matthew Dear. Fun! [LG] Order CD by Texting "omcdvariousles" to 767825

		$15.99 CD $9.99 MP3   GRASSLUNG Sincere Void (Root Strata) "It's Easy to Pretend" "Scarred Hands They Drifted" Following up on a series of well received tape and CD-R releases, Brooklyn musician Jonas Asher presents his first "widely available" (to the tune of 500 copies) full-length on the always dependable Root Strata label out of San Francisco. And while his chosen mode of expression vis a vis pillow-y soft drone and ambient textures seems like a territory that's been overpopulated these days, Asher's compositions display just the right level of restraint and poise that makes them worth repeated listens. "Roland Park Noose" gracefully ebbs and flows with a gritty melodic texture, even incorporating some almost Oval-esque skips that serve as a gentle rhythm towards the end. "Tired of Remembering" starts off simply as a back and forth between two piano chords, only to gracefully evolve into an understated elegy, contrasted sharply with the steady prods of static and electric current. Better still is "Feeding Your Vanity," which balances neat drone against throbs of distortion, as a faint pulse ticks off in the distance. Ultimately, though Asher's seven compositions seem to flit by in an instant, they continue to provide a warmth long after they've passed, one that feels mighty nice even in the midst of some unwelcome August humidity. [MC] Order CD by Texting "omcdgrasslungsincere" to 767825

		$16.99 CD   NINO ROTA Music for Fellini Part One: 1952 to 1958 (El / Cherry Red) "Le Notti Di Cabiria" "Coimbra" Cinema is the marriage of sound and image, and more often than not, it's a pretty rocky union. One medium tends to overshadow the other, and much of the music scored for films sounds pretty derivative; at its worst, the incidental music for a movie is either forgettable, a knock-off of a pop song, or just plain distracting. But then there are collaborations between director and composer that seem joined together like a cinematic suicide pact: Ennio Morricone's twangy, galloping score for Sergio Leone's The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly; Ry Cooder's haunted slide guitar in Wim Wenders' Paris, Texas; or the romantic deep-space rumblings provided by Jerry Goldsmith for Ridley Scott's Alien. But of all the director-composer relationships in movie history, none is quite as serendipitous or perfect as the seventeen-film streak carried by Nino Rota for Italian auteur Federico Fellini. This collection from El brings together all the music composed by Rota for Fellini's first six films, and it's easily my favorite release this year. Though Fellini's first solo feature, The White Sheik, was a box-office failure, Rota's theme succinctly captures the bombast and absurdity of the film's goofball plot. For I Vitteloni, Rota's suite is wistful and more romantic, but underneath the dreamy arpeggios is a melancholic undercurrent that also plagues the lead of the film, Fausto Moretti (played by Franco Fabrizi); the middle of this suite is punctured by seemingly aimless barkings of a trumpet and the amateurish banging of dissonant piano chords, and the ugliness of the score underlines the ugliness of the film's generally despicable characters. Yet the most impressive of the whole collection is Rota's music for La Strada, a haunting, tragic odyssey that features a host of musical cues that range from sensual mambos to loping, mournful orchestral works. These quieter pieces are nicely juxtaposed against the crashing brass that signifies the film's more dramatic and fatal moments, or the moments of brief, circus-like whimsy that punctuate Fellini's dark, touching masterpiece. Rota's score for Fortunella brings Part One to a close, and fans of Francis Ford Coppola will recognize the theme immediately: it becomes clear that for those gorgeous, lilting love themes from The Godfather, Rota recycled a good portion of his work on Fortunella. The two scores feel very different, though -- Fortunella is characterized by more strings and a larger orchestral feel, while the same arrangements in The Godfather sound like the work of a mournful gypsy chorus, with an emphasis on the mandolin and woodwinds instead of strings. Listening to the scores without the aid of Fellini's iconic images is liberating, and the spirit and whimsy of Italy can be felt in every cue. The fruits born from the most famous partnership in film history are delectable in every way, and Part One deserves the highest recommendation possible for those who love film and who love music. [MS] Order CD by Texting "omcdninomusic" to 767825

		$17.99 CD+DVD+ Bonus MP3   MOGWAI Special Moves (Rock Action) Fourteen years into their career, Mogwai are still a thrilling live band, their shows a slow-motion rollercoaster ride of sonic extremes -- rising and falling between quiet bliss and downright evil, bone-rattling assaults of sound. Last year, Vincent Moon and Nathanael Le Scouarnac, of La Blogoteque's Take-Away Shows, filmed the Scottish post-rockers during their three-day residency at the Music Hall of Williamsburg (both on stage and walking the New York City streets) and have assembled Burning, a great black and white concert documentary that artfully captures the intensity and drama of a Mogwai show. The accompanying live CD features a career spanning set with newer songs seamlessly placed next to early classics, proving Mogwai are relevant as ever. Long live (post) rock! Order CD/DVD by Texting "omcddvdmogwaispecial" to 767825

		$17.99 CD   ISOBEL CAMPBELL & MARK LANEGAN Hawk (Vanguard) "You Won't Let Me Down Again" "Sunrise" Three albums in and still one of music's more unlikely pairings, Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan's new full-length, Hawk, is their most successful collaboration yet. The former Belle & Sebastian singer's whisper-voiced coo is the perfect salve for the ex-Screaming Trees frontman's cigarette and whiskey-soaked growl, and the duo's dusty concoction of country, blues and soul comes across as effortlessly timeless. Includes a cover of Townes Van Zandt's "Snake Song" and a guest spot from Willy Mason. Order CD by Texting "omcdisobelhawk" to 767825

		$13.99 CD $9.99 MP3   RA RA RIOT The Orchard (Barsuk) Preview Songs on Other Music's Download Store After 2008's excellent, underrated The Rhumb Line, Ra Ra Riot return with their second full-length for Barsuk in the form of The Orchard, an aching and danceable collection of minimal, inventive indie rock. Along with the primary instrument of Wes Miles' nostalgia-soaked voice, the strings come to the foreground with mixing by Death Cab for Cutie's Chris Walla and Vampire Weekend's Rostam Batmanglij. Order CD by Texting "omcdraorchard" to 767825

		$12.99 CD   PALE SKETCHER Jesu: Pale Sketches Demixed (Ghostly International) "Don't Dream It [Mirage Mix]" "Tiny Universe (Interstellar)" The latest alias of this Godflesh founder sees Justin K. Broadrick turning a new leaf of sorts by "de-mixing" the atmospheric, synthesizer-laden Pale Sketches, already an anomaly in the discography of his slo-mo metal/shoegaze guise as Jesu. These downtempo re-workings are barely recognizable from the originals, with more emphasis on space and texture, eschewing the density of his better known namesakes (read: nary a guitar to be found, nor as heavily treated as his beat-oriented Techno Animal project with Kevin Martin) but still retaining Broadrick's affected, forlorn melodies. Order CD by Texting "omcdpalejesu" to 767825

		$14.99 SMALL $14.99 MEDIUM $14.99 LARGE   NITE JEWEL T-Shirt (Nite Jewel) Following Nite Jewel's Other Music in-store performance last week, Ramona and the gang left us a small box of tour T-shirts, which features a black and white image of the new Am I Real? LP. The shirts are 100% cotton and we have a handful of each size: Small, Medium and Large. Order Small Tee by Texting "omtshirtnitesmall" to 767825 Order Medium Tee by Texting "omtshirtnitemedium" to 767825 Order Large Tee by Texting "omtshirtnitelarge" to 767825

		PHONE ORDERS Phone orders are accepted at (212) 477-8150 (ext. #2, mailorder) Mon-Fri, Noon - 7pm EST EMAIL For general inquiries or other information please email sales@othermusic.com. Do not reply to this message. REMOVE This is an automated list. If you would like to be removed for any reason, please visit: digital.othermusic.com/subscribe.php   THIS WEEK'S CONTRIBUTORS [BCa] Brian Cassidy [MC] Michael Crumsho [LG] Lisa Garrett [AG] Alexis Georgopoulos [GH] Gerald Hammill [JM] Josh Madell [DMa] Dave Martin [MM] Marc Moeller [SM] Scott Mou [MS] Michael Stasiak [JT] John Twells THANKS FOR READING - all of us at Other Music

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