May 4, 2011

		FEATURED NEW RELEASES James Pants Fleet Foxes Bombino Princess Nicotine Vol. 1 LP Trad Gras Och Stenar Krallice Beastie Boys Vesa-Matti Loiri Western Jazz Band Echocord Jubilee Compilation Zeus B. Held Architecture in Helsinki     BUY EARLY GET NOW Fucked Up BACK IN STOCK Dirty Beaches LP Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/othermusicnyc Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/othermusic

		MAY Sun 08 Mon 09 Tues 10 Wed 11 Thurs 12 Fri 13 Sat 14   WIN TICKETS TO INTERPOL & BLONDE REDHEAD The careers of these two essential NYC bands have been intertwined since the East Village was cool, and it's great to see Interpol and Blonde Redhead sharing a stage once again, this time for a great cause, in a benefit for Sickday Safety Net, who provide affordably priced urgent healthcare options for New York City's uninsured creative community. We have two pairs of tickets to the show for our readers, and you can enter by emailing giveaway@othermusic.com. The two winners will be notified on Friday morning. SUNDAY, MAY 8 TERMINAL 5: 610 W. 56th Street, NYC

		MAY Sun 08 Mon 09 Tues 10 Wed 11 Thurs 12 Fri 13 Sat 14   WIN TICKETS TO PHOSPHORESCENT Matthew Houck took Phosphorescent to a whole new level with the release of last year's stunning Here's To Taking It Easy, and this will be your last chance to hear Houck and the band perform these new classics for their hometown Brooklyn crowd for some time. We have two pairs of tickets for this great show with Family Band; just email enter@othermusic.com to put your name in the hat. We'll notify the two winners this Friday. WEDNESDAY, MAY 11 BROOKLYN BOWL: 61 Wythe Avenue, Brooklyn

		$14.99 CD $16.99 LPx2 $9.99 MP3   JAMES PANTS James Pants (Stones Throw) "Clouds Over the Pacific" "Darlin'" The enigmatic, eccentric James Pants returns with his third album for Stones Throw, and this one may just be his best, most dizzying yet. Pants' previous releases have all delivered heavy doses of throwback funk and boogie grooves, mixed with copious helpings of the sort of pop necrophilia that make Ariel Pink fans go apeshit, but it was Pants' last album, Seven Seals, that made me really sit up and pay attention. With that record, he started adding lots of nods to screwed-up psych, clouding up his productions with weed smoke, occult references, and whirring oscillator drones straight out of a Silver Apples record; the results came off like Doctor Who crash landing on an episode of Miami Vice, and I loved every minute of it. With this new album, he tightens his grip, sharpens his hooks, and lets his disparate influences coerce a vibe that equally synthesizes funk and rock through a DIY electronic fuzz that evokes Broadcast as much as it does Prince, and man, I can't give a higher compliment than that. Songs like "Incantation," "Clouds Over the Pacific" and "A Little Bit Closer" use singer Lucrecia Dalt's cool, detached vocals as a new ingredient to the mix, and her soft ghostly lullabies add substantial heft to these tracks, and provide the album's rock-solid highlights. "Strange Girl" and "Darlin'" channel Alan Vega and Tones on Tail, their new wave robot rockabilly handily showing up the likes of new jacks like Dirty Beaches, while jams like "Alone" and "Every Night" bring Pants back to the musty funk grooves of his debut, taking the neon AM radio daze of Ariel Pink's Before Today and fitting it with a pair of Funkadelic glitter platform shoes. I'm loving the subtle gothiness that slithers underneath a lot of these tracks, too; it's all delivered with enough off-the-cuff casual flair that, much like Prince at his most unbelievable, even the most ludicrous moments have a place and a logic in this mix. This is one of those rare releases that manages to appeal to a broad swathe of Other Music staff and clientele alike; it's been that album that manages to get nearly everyone in the shop's attention as it plays, and it's been in constant rotation all week for me personally. It's fun, it's arty, but it's also massively catchy. I'm loving this more and more with each listen, and I can't recommend it more highly. This is another personal top-ten contender for sure; pop your funk, purple your rain, start your party... this album is so, so, SO good. [IQ]

		$12.99 CD $18.99 LPx2+MP3   FLEET FOXES Helplessness Blues (Sub Pop) "Bedouin Dress" "Lorelai" It's been three long years since Fleet Foxes' debut album catapulted the soft-spoken, harmony-laden Northwest folk combo into the international spotlight. That record was a phenomenal hit that appealed to everyone from school kids to hipsters to longtime folk fans to your own mother, with a simple formula; the arrangements took surprising turns with largely acoustic instrumentation that almost seemed "unusual" by today's fully plugged standards. The songs, however, were just so sweet and engaging, and the world the Foxes constructed so welcoming, that it was hard to resist. In the ensuing years, Fleet Foxes have toured the globe many times over, and similarly-inclined folk-pop bands like Mumford & Sons have topped the charts with their own gentle blend, both paving the way for the Foxes' continued success, but also throwing down the gauntlet -- how would Fleet Foxes follow up their hugely influential debut? According to interviews, it was not easy, with the band second-guessing themselves, recording and scrapping several versions of the album that we now have -- and it was probably worth the wait, as Helplessness Blues is, if anything, better than the debut, and sure to take the group to a new level of success. The sound of Helplessness Blues is not a far cry from what the fans know and love; the rich harmonies and lilting melodies are here in full force, as are Neil Young (and CSNY) allusions, as well as Fairport Convention, Beach Boys, Zombies, and the rest. But there are small changes too, as Robin Pecknold takes more of a lead role, with his high, clear voice cutting through on a set of tunes that are somehow sadder and more introspective than his earlier efforts, focusing as much on his own personal struggles as on the majesty of nature that has always captivated the songwriter. And the instrumentation pushes boundaries too, with often dazzling fingerpicking on a variety of ancient stringed instruments, some excellent orchestration, and even a saxophone freak-out. Working again with Phil Ek, the sound of the record is lush, but remarkably airy and engaging, coming across more like a well-rehearsed ensemble playing together in a big, beautiful room than some fussed-over studio effort, and it manages to capture the band's earthy nature, and the powerful tradition their music follows in beautifully. If there was any doubt that Fleet Foxes were here to stay, put it aside -- with Helplessness Blues the group have proven they have much more to say, and I'm certain many more fans will be thrilled for a chance to listen. [JM]

		$13.99 CD   BOMBINO Agadez (Cumbancha) "Tar Hani" "Tenere" The amazing music pouring out of the Western Sahara from Tuareg bands like Tinariwen, Group Inerane and Terakaft has been attracting an ever-growing legion of fans from all corners of the globe these past few years, and Group Bombino leader Omara "Bombino" Moctar is one of the guitar heroes at the forefront of this enthralling peregrination of sound. Agadez -- Bombino's city of origin, also the title of this new record -- may be half a world away from us, but there's something recognizable, even universal sounding about this music bred in the mystery and hardship of the desert. I first heard this album of supremely peaceful and articulate desert blues while driving down the Merritt Parkway in eerie twilight, the lights of oncoming cars shining through the trees and the sky beginning to glow deep orange as Bombino's sweet, swirling electric guitar lines, accompanied by his softly assertive voice, flowed from the stereo. The music fit the scene perfectly, as though it were created specifically for that moment of tranquil passage into evening. Bombino's rhythmically complex yet lyrical guitar playing and melodic, wavering vocal lines almost instantly lure you into a trance -- a state in which you'll most likely remain for the rest of the record. "Ahoulaguine Akaline" is a stunning introductory track, with a sweet, soft melody that's as catchy as it is reassuring, while the passionate, slow-burning jam "Tar Hani" shows off some of Bombino's most soulful singing. "Adounia" is darkly mystifying, with interlocking guitar parts that inject sparkling light into the song's weighty melody, and if you're not floating in your subconscious already, the nine-minute, "Iyat Idounia Ayasahen" will surely put you there while relentlessly loping into the joyful acoustic tune, "Azamane." Compared to Group Bombino's entry in Sublime Frequencies' Guitars from Agadez series, which possessed a raw, field-recorded quality, this new set is captured with a studio clarity that still never really detracts from the immediacy or authenticity of the playing. Touched with a tasteful bit of reverb, the guitars hover just above the spare drums and handclaps, and blissfully accompany the direct, sometimes double-tracked vocals. And while this music never attains the rollicking assault of Group Bombino's earlier electric-rock excursions, these songs tend to come together in a way that's equally as satisfying. Rather than relegating his acoustic "dry" and electric guitar styles to respective sides of a vinyl slab, as on the Sublime Frequencies release, Bombino distills the best elements of both into a more patient amalgam of traditional Tuareg folk and psychedelic guitar sounds, creating a vibe that's as arresting as it is meditative. While this desert blues has long been the sound of protest and revolution of this fiercely nomadic people -- Bombino himself recently came out of exile following the Tuareg Rebellion of 2007-2009 with Niger (during which two of his band mates were executed by the military) -- you wouldn't necessarily peg this as "rebel music;" though it's certainly not lacking any feeling, the emphasis here seems to be establishing (to borrow a phrase) ecstatic peace, rather than righteous resistance. Agadez really has something for everyone; record collectors and NPR-listeners alike won't be able to resist these trance-inducing sounds. [JC]

		$24.99 LP   VARIOUS ARTISTS Princess Nicotine: Folk and Pop Sounds of Myanmar (Burma) Vol.1 (Sublime Frequencies) Officially the sixth Sublime Frequencies release, but previous to that (in 1994!!!) available on the Sun City Girls' Majora label, Princess Nicotine: Folk and Pop Sounds of Myanmar (Burma) Vol.1 gave many fans a first listen to some important influences on the mysterious sound of the legendary Sun City Girls, and really opened the door to the current global music fascination among western indie fans. Compiled by Alan Bishop, this essential collection explores the wild, otherworldly combination of Thai folk, Gamelan percussion, the drama/dialogue of Chinese opera and Bollywood soundtracks, all wrapped up in a warped, raw take on "Our Gang" production values that define this era (1960s-'80s) of Burmese pop. The staggering array of influences boggle the mind but it's the seamless (albeit hyperactive at times) combination of those influences that will lure you into repeated listens. Tracks like Yi Yi Thant and Aung Heina's "Good Time" (one of the calmer moments on this collection) will mesmerize you as surely as a siren leads a sailor to the rocks with its heavenly vocal and instrumentation. Both seem as though they are playing at random but somehow repeatedly drift toward each other and collide harmoniously. Other tracks, like the opener "Bo Hein" by Golden Drum with its shrill violin sounds, male/female vocals and clattering wood percussion, will shock in their ability to raise both the hair on the back of our necks and our curiosity level. This is the first time since 1994 that this one has been available on vinyl, and it's one that I always hoped would be issued again. We all know how fast these releases disappear, so don't sleep! [SM]

		$44.99 LPx2 $9.99 MP3   TRAD GRAS OCH STENAR Gardet 12.6.1970 (Subliminal Sounds) Preview Songs on Other Music's Download Store First things first, we are on record as being big supporters of this band and this album. In fact it says right there on the sticker on the front cover: "No doubt one of the best recordings of legendary Swedish psych-rockers Träd Gräs Och Stenar." - Other Music. That's our story and we're sticking to it. If you've never heard the record before then I will tell you it is a must have, as it embodies everything that is great about psychedelic rock: nice thick guitar riffs and sick, repetitive grooves that last a good long time. The recording itself is perfect too; much like a classic jazz LP, this is a nicely balanced presentation of what really happened, and unlike a lot of soundboard-taped performances of live shows, this feels very "live." When you have such a classic record the story behind it often ascends to mythological status, and that is certainly the case here: a bunch of Swedish hippies try to set up a free, outdoor music festival without corporate or financial concerns and when they can't secure the permits to make it happen, they decide to do it anyway. And although the man could probably have busted their music, positive vibes prevailed and they were able to convince the authorities to let the show go on. Träd Gräs opened the festival with a set that includes a lot of material that would end up on their self-titled album -- then still a few months from being recorded -- and while that LP is certainly great, when seen through the lens of time, I have to say that the versions here are the ones to have. Now on to the nerdy details. Because of the length of the tracks, there has been a slight shuffle in the song order and you now hear the two covers, "All Along the Watchtower" and "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," together on one side. You also get a recently discovered, totally unreleased song from the rehearsal sessions that led up to the recording of their first album, "Lat oss tänka ett par dagar" being a wonderful, lengthy jam (available on the vinyl format only). The two LPs are pressed on red and green splattered vinyl and the gatefold and inner sleeves are packed with great photos and updated liner notes. The only downside is that it is limited to 500 copies, so it's now or never for this one. [DMa]

		$13.99 CD   KRALLICE Diotima (Profound Lore) "Inhume" "Litany of Regrets" Given its principals' pedigrees, one would be forgiven for expecting New York metal quartet Krallice to pursue a singular blast of pummeling, technical ferocity. After all, Mick Barr and Colin Marston (the former of Orthrelm, the latter of Behold... The Arctopus and Disrhythmia) have become known in avant rock and metal circles for the pinpoint precision of their respective projects' approaches. Formed a few years back by the two, Krallice manages to become an entirely different beast than their previous works, with an approach that favors the sound and style of the grimmest of black metals while still retaining the elements of the technical specificity for which Barr and Marston are usually regarded. In other words, Krallice's albums to date absolutely rip, forgoing the buzzy, lo-fi tantrums of most loner black metallers in favor of a fleshed-out, oft-epic, and full-throated roar. Further assisted by bassist Nick McMaster and drummer Lev Weinstein, Diotima is the group's third full-length. No great leap forward from past works, it instead is more of a refinement of the ideas they've been honing from the jump. The musicianship is tighter, the recording is stepped up a bit here, and the songs themselves are more memorable this time out, cramming endless riffs and solos atop pummeling drums to excellent effect. After a brief intro sets the stage, tracks like "Inhume" and "The Clearing" leap out of the gates atop blast beats and furious guitars, working themselves into intricate frenzies that are often plied with subtle melodies. Elsewhere, the title track slows the breakneck pace for just a few moments, before the album's second half comes in at full-steam. "Telluric Rings" manages its own distinct atmospheric sound, as the guitars crash against each other to haunting effect before giving in some massive riffs. A fairly ferocious listen all the way through, Diotima is hardly for the faint of heart. But for those of you who may have dipped your toes into the experimental metal pool with the likes of Wolves in the Throne Room or Agalloch and are wondering where to head next, Krallice is as good a destination as any. [MC]

		$15.99 CD   BEASTIE BOYS Hot Sauce Committee Part 2 (Capitol) "Make Some Noise" "Funky Donkey" Jumpin' across Hello Nasty and To the 5 Boroughs like they NEVER HAPPENED, here is the Beastie Boys record we needed in the late '90s, so it's exxxtra-sweet that they delivered it to fuel the uncertainties of 2011 with fire and sweat, noise and feedback. The last few years of lo-fi music coming to the forefront must have affected the Beasties in some positive way, because HSCv2 is straight up GRIMY, with STANK rhythms and more of a reliance on synths and organs than ever before. Imagine the rawest, noisiest record these guys could make, and put them back in "Posse in Effect" mode lyrically. What else can we tell you? "Lee Majors Come Again" sounds like Oneida, there's an insane amp torture loop as the basis for "Say It," some sweet backwards roller skate jammin' on "Long Burn the Fire," Nas turns up on "Too Many Rappers," there's a big reggae-styled number with Santigold, and the rest of it ... all I can say is, here's your summer. [DM]

		$15.99 CD $9.99 MP3   WESTERN JAZZ BAND Songs of Happiness, Poison & Ululation - Dar Es Salaam Dancing Club 1973 - 1975 (Sterns) Preview Songs on Other Music's Download Store As the record-fan cool kids explore Nigerian funk and Mali blues, and the long-running Ethiopiques series delves ever deeper into Ethiopian and Eritrean modal jazz and folk forms, the venerable Sterns Music has quietly been releasing some wonderful East African sounds, with excellent best-of compilations of classic bands from Congo, Kenya, and now, Tanzania. The Western Jazz Band were formed in Dar-Es-Salaam in the late '50s, and were one of the early adopters of rumba rhythms in East African youth music, helping to invent the distinctly Tanzanian "saboso" style, with densely interwoven electric guitar lines, horn accents and brushy Cuban-style hand drumming. Tanzanian music's urgent, spidery guitar fingering is one of its most obvious attractions, and the Western Jazz Band were masters at combining this virtuosic playing with a perfectly restrained rhythm section, paving the way for their infectious sense of melody. This unique combination makes for a lilting, inspired atmosphere befitting Western Jazz's status as the house band of Tanzania's most popular dancing club in the '60s. But more than just dance music, the gorgeous arrangements make for the supremely breezy, mellow summer afternoon listening we're all ready for after a long winter. These are the oldies of East African radio, the addictive songs that define a time. Songs of Ululation is a perfect phrase to use in the title, not only a translation of the band's biggest hit ("Vigelegele," still covered by local bands throughout Tanzania), but a great descriptor of the many types of spiritual release brought about by music that connects a certain people. Essential stuff, and a pure joy to listen to. [SG]

		$14.99 CD $9.99 MP3   VESA-MATTI LOIRI 4+20 (Porter) "Coming Home Baby" "Candle Dance" Porter Records' new reissue of Finnish jazzman/actor Vesa-Matti Loiri's 1971 album 4+20 had been lodged into my assorted portable devices since it first went live on OM Digital a few weeks back; now that physical copies have finally entered the shop, there's no chance of it leaving my stereo anytime soon! This laidback, hypnotic album features a lineup of Finnish jazz heavyweights backing Loiri through a trippy landscape of folk-inspired acoustic guitar strums, thick upright bass and jazzy drum grooves, laissez-faire wordless vocalese, and Loiri's often heavily-reverbed flute, all spliced together with field recordings of woodsy settings and babbling brooks. Loiri's singing voice is a thick and booming baritone, and its effect can be unsettling amidst such casual musicianship; there are nods to the psychedelic/progressive scene thrown into the arrangements, with some wild horns and a hefty bit of mixing desk wizardry added to the proceedings. While the pitched-up munchkin singing that appears on "Mummon Kaappikello" is the album's sole concession to the chilled, stoned grooves within, it displays (in a somewhat silly fashion) the able balance of ingenuity and informality at work here quite nicely. I've seldom heard music from this era that is equally so textural and tuneful; I keep finding myself listening to this back to back with my old copy of Vangelis' Earth, recorded just a few years later in 1973, but offering up a similar mixture of psychedelic mind-expansion and a grounded, well... earthiness. Loiri's version is a much more homespun, private affair, but no less exhilarating or rewarding; this is without a doubt one of Porter's best releases to date and has set its mark high on my personal list of 2011's exemplary reissues. [IQ]

		$15.99 CD $9.99 MP3   VARIOUS ARTISTS Echocord Jubilee Compilation (Echocord) "House of Vampires" Deadbeat "Farmhouse" Brendon Moeller Many of us still remember the hazy, halcyon days when the Basic Channel and Chain Reaction labels had a lockdown, or should I say a lockgroove, on all things dubby and techno. During the early 2000s, though, the dub-tech well began to run a little dry, and it was around the same time that Basic Channel morphed into the more reggae-influenced Rhythm & Sound that the Danish DJ Kenneth Christensen started his Echocord imprint. Though its beginning might have seemed like a copycat little brother to the genre-defining Germans, over the past nine-or-so years Echocord has grown into the go-to label for quality, no-frills yet solid and clean productions from veterans like Deadbeat, Mikkel Metal and Stephen Hitchell (who also runs the Echospace imprint), as well as fresh faces like Quantec, Fluxion, Resoe and Onmutu Mechanicks. While most electronic labels would probably mark their first decade with a best-of collection, Christensen instead has gathered exclusive tracks from his international roster of current-day technophiles for Echocord's Jubilee celebration. Clocking in at one hour and eighteen minutes, this new era of dub-techno is presented in fine style, featuring ten lengthy tracks sculpted from muted throbbing bass, swelling low-end synths, occasional percussion, and crispy effects that define the variant strains of the genre. Fans of Kompact should do a little spring cleaning and open their ears to what the Danish are up to. With Echocord you always know what you're going to get, maybe to a fault, but with each release the label continues to find new variations of a theme, offering pristine and manicured dub-inflected techno for the hybrid in all of us. Jubilee is definitely worth checking out if you like minimalist dance grooves, now-school techno, and, of course, dubby electronics -- the perfect soundtrack for when you need a good beat and want to feel it, but not necessarily think about it. [DG]

		$16.99 CD $9.99 MP3   ZEUS B. HELD Voice Versa (LTM) "Held It" "Fool on the Hill" Zeus B. Held is a German producer/keyboard wizard best known for his work with Gina X Performance on her classic Nice Mover and X-traordinaire albums; he also manned the boards for the likes of John Foxx, Men Without Hats, Chas Jankel, and Dead or Alive on many of those artists' classic 1980s recordings. What many don't know is that prior to his breakthroughs with Gina X, Held already had a few killer solo albums under his belt. Those records fused throbbing space age Krautrock sensibilities with a cosmic disco groove, all topped off with liberal, pioneering use of the vocoder. That processed vocal delivery is the key thread that ties the tracks on Voice Versa together; the CD compiles highlights predominantly from his solo records Zeus' Amusement (1978), Europium (1979) and Attack Time (1981), along with a re-edit of Gina X's classic "Nice Mover" and a whacked-out cover of "On the Road Again" that has to be heard to be believed. That cover along with a gonzo version of "Fool on the Hill" are definitely highlights, but the originals are what provide the real meat here, as Held sings solid electro-rock soul overtop some pretty indestructible beats. All in all, it's another solid LTM reissue, with informative liner notes and a quality remastering job. Anyone who likes their dance grooves spacey and robotic needs to check this ASAP, as does any fan of the funkier side of the Krautrock spectrum. [IQ]

		$14.99 CD   ARCHITECTURE IN HELSINKI Moment Bends (V2) "Contact High" "That Beep" Architecture in Helsinki have come a long way since the Australian ensemble's early days crafting their everything-but-the-kitchen-sink brand of indie pop. Their 2004 debut, Fingers Crossed, came across like a hippie commune fusing twee chamber pop and bedroom electronica into a lilting hybrid, one part Belle & Sebastian and one part Animal Collective. 2005's In Case We Die continued down this path, albeit more assured, and when re-imagined soon after as We Died, They Remixed, featuring a slew of re-workings by artists including 33hz, Hot Chip, DJ Mehdi, and Mocky, it was as if a reset button had just been hit. By 2007, Architecture in Helsinki had transformed themselves into an almost straight-up indie-dance band with Places Like This, an album that frankly missed its mark -- transitory at best, annoying at its worst. With group founder Cameron Bird residing in Brooklyn these past few years and the rest of the collective scattered around the world, Moment Bends has been a longtime in the making, but it's not without its payoff. The group has honed their song craft and what results is a consistent set of sweet, melodic synth-pop, which follows the same course as their 2008 "That Beep" single (included here). From the tropical new wave of "Desert Island" to the Erasure-esuqe "Escapee" to the Prince-meets-Postal Service "Contact High," Architecture in Helsinki have merged the breezy charms of their early work with a streamlined accessibility we never could have imagined when they first appeared on our radar. It's by no means the most adventurous album you'll hear this year, but a fun one, perfect for the picnics and beach days ahead of us. [GH]

		Pre-Orders $34.99 CD $44.99 LP   BUY EARLY GET NOW FUCKED UP David Comes to Life (Matador) Fucked Up's forthcoming new album gets Matador's Buy Early Get Now treatment! Pre-order David Comes to Life, and we'll email you a code good for downloading five non-album tracks and the three digital singles that are already released. Then, between May 10-13th, you'll be able to stream the album in full and will receive a high-quality download of the record in four parts (one per day). On June 7th, the album and poster will be available for pick up at Other Music (or we'll ship it out to you if you prefer, to arrive at your doorstep on or near the release date), and you'll also receive a download of the Record Store Day exclusive David's Town LP. Finally, on June 28th, the four bonus 7"s will be available for pick-up/delivery. So what are you waiting for?!

		$14.99 LP   DIRTY BEACHES Badlands (Zoo Music) Armed simply with a small batch of very limited cassette tapes and 45s, Montreal-based Alex Zhang Hungtai has created a huge buzz with his Dirty Beaches project over the past few months. His recent debut LP, Badlands, blew out of here but we've thankfully got more copies on our shelves again. Hungtai's setup is relatively simple yet effective; over eerie, looped samples that sound grave-robbed from old 1950s records pockmarked by a switchblade, he croons, yelps, and sweats himself into a frenzy that often recalls Suicide's Alan Vega, particularly on Vega's early solo albums. There's no question that this approach isn't particularly new, but what's remarkable is the clear efficiency and effectiveness he gives his muddy productions, setting up a mood and building the tune from there. And tunes there are aplenty, from the galloping shimmy of "Horses" to the overdriven doo-wop fuzz of "A Hundred Highways." Some of the record's true highlights, though, come in the album's two slow dances: the aching ballad "True Blue" (the aforementioned 45 track) and the outstanding waltz "Lord Knows Best," each sound like something that'd play on a barroom jukebox somewhere in the town of Twin Peaks. The record closes with two spooked, warped instrumental slices of doomy ambience which nod towards Hungtai's beginnings making more avant/noise abstraction, and by the end of this 26-minute temporal displacement, you're left with more questions than you have answers. This is arguably one of the strongest, oddest, yet most accessible debuts I've heard in a long time, and while its muddy sound quality may not be to everyone's liking, he's got the songs, and they hit you where it counts. Top marks all around for this one, and it's got one hell of a cover, too. [IQ]

		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 [JCa] Jesse Carsten [MC] Michael Crumsho [SG] Simon Gabriel [DG] Daniel Givens [GH] Gerald Hammill [IQ] Mikey IQ Jones [JM] Josh Madell [DMa] Dave Martin [DM] Doug Mosurock [SM] Scott Mou THANKS FOR READING - all of us at Other Music

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