The Other Music Update

Having trouble viewing this email? Go to othermusic.com/2011november30update.html



	November 30, 2011

	OTHER MUSIC GIFT CERTIFICATES We hope that we can make your holiday shopping for the music lover in your life a little easier. Consider an Other Music Gift Certificate, which is redeemable for purchases made both in the store and from our CD/LP website. You can buy a gift certificate in the shop, or purchase one on-line by going to: www.othermusic.com/giftcertificates.html There are Gift Certificates available for Other Music's MP3 download site as well, in $25, $50 and $100 increments. HOLIDAY MAIL ORDER Other Music can guarantee that any order placed by December 21 will reach its destination by Christmas. And it's easy to ship your gift directly to your loved one -- in the Shipping Address section (located beneath the Billing Address section), you can enter their name in Address Line 1 and their street address in Address Line 2. You may also request Overnight or Next Day Air for orders placed after December 21, or any other time that you need expedited shipping. Just email orders@othermusic.com, or call our mail order department: (212) 477-8150, ext. #2 (Monday-Friday, Noon-7 p.m. EST) KUNG FU NATION POP-UP SHOP During your next visit to Other Music, make sure to check out our new stellar t-shirt selection in the Kung Fu Nation holiday pop-up shop, with more than 30 designs from some of our favorite bands, from Mudhoney to Vampire Weekend, from Dam-Funk to Wilco, from Gang Gang Dance to Girl Talk, and so much more.

FEATURED NEW RELEASES
Kate Bush
Steve Hauschildt
Olof Arnalds
El Rego
Theo Parrish
Pulseprogramming
The Louvin Brothers
Thread Pulls
Sepalcure

ALSO AVAILABLE
Ford & Lopatin 12"
Casey Veggies
Lloyd McNeill Quartet
Spirit Free
Whaur the Pig Gaed on the Spree (Alan Lomax Compilation)

DEC

Sun 27

Mon 28

Tues 29

Wed 30

Thurs 01

Fri 02

Sat 03

		WIN TICKETS TO NO WAY BACK AT THE BUNKER It's no secret that we love the Bunker parties, but this Friday's lineup looks like it was tailor-made for Other Music, featuring several longtime favorites and associates, including Keith Fullerton-Whitman, Mountains, Ectomorph, DJ Scott Mou, BMG, and so much more. It is a night not to be missed, and we hope you'll join us! We've got two pairs of tickets up for grabs, just email enter@othermusic.com and we'll notify the two winners this Friday. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2 PUBLIC ASSEMBLY: 70 N. 70th St., Williamsburg, BKLN

DEC

Sun 11

Mon 12

Tues 13

Wed 14

Thurs 15

Fri 16

Sat 17

		FRED ARMISEN'S PLAYLIST, LIVE AT OTHER MUSIC Honestly, we don't know quite what to expect from this one, but whatever it is, you can bet it will be a ton of fun. We received a somewhat mysterious request the other day to host an in-store performance next weekend by the great comedian, musician, actor and longtime Saturday Night Live cast member Fred Armisen, for an event billed simply as "Fred Armisen's Playlist, LIVE!" We know Fred will be performing songs from perennial favorites including the Clash, Devo, the Stranglers, the Damned and Husker Du, and truly, that's all we know. If you want to know more (we do!), join us! SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11 - 8PM OTHER MUSIC: 15 E. 4th St., NYC ALL AGES \| LIMITED CAPACITY

DEC

Sun 11

Mon 12

Tues 13

Wed 14

Thurs 15

Fri 16

Sat 17

		WIN TICKETS TO JANE BIRKIN Jane Birkin has a storied career in both film and music, and though she was born in England, through her longtime association with Serge Gainsbourg (to whom she was married for a decade, and with whom she produced six albums), she is one of the true iconic voices (and heavy breathers) of French pop. This rare NYC appearance is a tribute her collaborative years with Gainsbourg, and is clearly a must-see event for any fan of this amazing era of music. And as an added bonus, New York legend Joey Arias will be opening the night. Other Music is giving away a pair of tickets, which you can enter for by emailing giveaway@othermusic.com. SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11 TOWN HALL: 123 W. 43rd St., NYC


	$15.99 CD $26.99 LP		KATE BUSH 50 Words for Snow (Anti-) "Misty" "Snowed in at Wheeler Street" It's been a good year for Kate Bush fans. In late spring, she released an excellent full-length -- The Director's Cut, her first since 2005 -- of rerecorded versions of songs from her Sensual World and Red Shoes albums, and now comes 50 Words for Snow, a new collection of haunting, eerie songs conjuring winter landscapes. While only seven tracks long, each tune is given ample space to slowly unravel and envelop, with the shortest clocking in at seven minutes, and the longest crossing the finish line at an epic near fourteen minutes. She's working with one of her most stripped-down instrumental palettes ever, with many songs anchored by piano, string and woodwind arrangements, and minimal percussion; her soundscapes at times evoke the ambient balladry of Harold Budd, but at this point in her career, she lives in a sound world that is truly, proudly, and distinctly her own. Lyrically, she's touching upon emotional longing and the struggles of impossibility brought to life via a series of fantastic stories; her themes hold true to the weirdness of classic Kate, while displaying the controlled maturity of her last album of new material, 2005's excellent yet sorely underrated Aerial. This is most notoriously displayed in "Misty"'s tale of a woman who shares a night of intimacy with a snowman who enters her bedroom(!), along with tales of abominable snowmen ("Wild Man"), "Snowflake"'s tale of one extraordinary journey from sky to ground, and the gorgeous ghost story of "Lake Tahoe." She even brings in a star guest turn by Elton John, who duets with her on "Snowed in at Wheeler Street," and reminds us that before he fully submerged himself in the syrup of Disney-approved MOR balladry, he was as weird, wild, and sensual as Kate. This is a slow burner, but stands as one of her strongest, most beautiful albums, and is a solid contender for one of the best records of the year. 50 Words for Snow... One of those words is brilliant. [IQ]


	$13.99 CD $17.99 LPx2 $9.99 MP3		STEVE HAUSCHILDT Tragedy & Geometry (Kranky) Preview Songs on Other Music's Download Store Compared to Mark McGuire, his prolific bandmate in Emeralds, synth maestro Steve Hauschildt has kept his solo career to a relative calm, issuing only a handful of cassettes and likely focusing on the main project. Fans of Emeralds' more recent work for Editions Mego will understand as soon as they hear Tragedy & Geometry, which lives and dies on the busy, arpeggiated polyphony that the group has become known for. Veering through New Age territory and back to the very American sound of a young man proving himself, Hauschildt spent the better part of three years recording this lush, sprawling double album, and it's here that he throws down the gauntlet towards all the new jacks with their presets and VHS horror mentality. His ability with layering of musical themes through a matrix of ricocheting, sculpted synth tones makes for a stimulating and oddly emotional effort, given the wall of electronics the artist has erected around himself, but that goes to prove his abilities in the medium are near the top of the game in terms of both skill and execution. Everyone else now has to step up their respective games, because Tragedy & Geometry blows most of the field clean away. [DM]

$14.99 CD-EP

$9.99 MP3

OLOF ARNALDS
Olof Sings
(One Little Indian)

Preview Songs on Other Music's Download Store

Icelandic singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Olof Arnalds is no stranger to collaboration, having toured as a member of Mum, performed with Bjork, and working with approximately 20 musicians on her most recent full-length, Innundir Skinni -- but for Olof Sings, Arnalds confidently revisits the solo format of her captivating debut for a collection of lovingly selected covers of tracks by Arthur Russell, Gene Clark, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan, and Caetano Veloso. I was lucky enough to see Arnalds easily hush rooms full of boisterous rock fans with many of these songs last November, refining them live on a three-week tour supporting Blonde Redhead -- her brilliant medley of Gene Clark's "With Tomorrow" and Springsteen's "I'm on Fire" was not only as crowd-pleasing as you can imagine, it also underscored how relatable Olof's music has always been, whether she's paying tribute to the Boss or singing one of her early songs written entirely in Icelandic. Arnalds has always excelled at conveying emotion, and her treatment of Arthur Russell's countrified "Close My Eyes" (originally released as the B-side of her "Innundir Skinni" 7") is almost reverent in its sincerity, with fingerpicking as gentle as though she were delivering a lullaby. The entire EP, and in particular, Arnalds' cover of Dylan's "She Belongs to Me," showcases the artist's incredible vocal range, which can effortlessly shift from low and ominous to lilting and carefree. Olof Arnalds is, without a doubt, one of today's most dynamic folk artists, and this is no throwaway covers record -- it is a proper third release by a cautious, thoughtful re-inventor, and it is masterfully done. [KS]


	$14.99 CD $16.99 LP+45+MP3 $9.99 MP3		EL REGO El Rego (Daptone) "Feeling You Got" "Kpon Fi La" Theophile Do Rego -- known on record as El Rego -- thrived in Benin's '60s/'70s club scene, and his music, laced with funk and Afrobeat grooves that brought international success to artists like Fela Kuti in neighboring Nigeria, as well as psychedelia, Latin rhythms, and much more, made him a legend at home, and El Rego et ses Commandos were a seminal influence on Orchestre Poly-Rythmo and many other great regional groups to follow. El Rego's music has somehow remained hard to find in these reissue-crazy times, perhaps because the stuff was all released on 7", and even originals were just so damn hard to track down. Analog Africa has reissued a couple of tracks, and now Daptone has stepped up with this killer 12-cut collection that shows El Rego's depth as a bandleader, songwriter and singer. From the get-go this record just soars, opening with the skittering bass line of "Feeling You Got," the punch of the horns and the slinky single-note guitar riff barely contain Rego and the raw-throated singing from guest vocalist Eddy Black Power, delivering a powerful James Brown in Africa vibe that is unbeatable. The 11 tracks that follow move in a variety of directions, incorporating soulful sounds from across Africa and the Americas, while still maintaining a consistency in mood and a deep, deep soulfulness that is rare in any era. Seriously good stuff, and a long overdue collection from a very special artist. [JM]


	$35.99 CDx2		THEO PARRISH Ugly Edits (Sound Signature) "Yeah Yeah Yeah" "Party Going Down" Theo Parrish is one of the most brilliant, eccentric innovators in contemporary dance music, and if you aren't familiar with any of his excellent yet frustratingly hard to locate releases, we've got one hell of a starter kit for you. Ugly Edits is a two-CD collection of the first eight of his limited, self-released 12"s of wild, minimal, and hypnotic reedits of soul, funk, and disco classics by the likes of Sylvester, GQ, Jill Scott, Freddie Hubbard, Funkadelic, Minnie Riperton, and Willie Hutch, amongst others. He takes samples from distinct parts of a track and strips them bare, loops them to infinity, and layers them in mantra-like spirals that add a hefty dose of the sort of avant-garde disco raga that Arthur Russell was so brilliant at building, yet retains a keen accessibility that won't alienate those who simply want to move. Parrish straight up owns these tracks, sculpting them into unique shapes that have been oft-imitated and never duplicated. The original vinyl copies of these edits fetch hefty prices on collector markets, and they've been repeatedly bootlegged in lesser sound quality. This is the first official rerelease of any of this music, and if you're a fan of classic dancefloor soul with a keen taste for leftfield "mutant" disco, you absolutely NEED this in your collection. Listening seldom gets more essential than this for beatheads. This one gets my absolute highest recommendation. [IQ]


	$14.99 LP $9.99 MP3		PULSEPROGRAMMING Charade Is Gold (Audraglint) Preview Songs on Other Music's Download Store Better known for their sparse, post-rock-influenced brand of electronica, Chicago's Pulseprogramming return after a lengthy hiatus with Charade Is Gold, a stunning homage to understated synth pop in the vein of classic Factory Records melancholia. With gently hazy rhythms, subtle electronic textures, and a swirling, dreamlike atmosphere, the album channels the Wake's Here Comes Everybody or a more summery Section 25 (circa From the Hip) while also touching on modern '80s revivalism from the likes of M83, Washed Out, Atlas Sound, or Twin Shadow. Yet, for those who find the indie take on the new wave sound to be slightly redundant, Pulseprogramming have a decidedly more genuine feel -- they're mining the same territory as the aforementioned groups, but instead of making the kinds of sweeping gestures that garner immediate critical praise, they've mastered the fine art of subtly, allowing space for each track to breathe and gradually take hold. They use this breathing room to play with a tension between the sparse and grandiose, moving between moments of quiet reflection and lush atmospherics with an ease reminiscent of Slowdive's shoegaze masterpiece Souvlaki, choosing only the elements of that sound that fit with their own. Comprised of the husband and wife team of Marc Hellner and Chanel Pease, they've crafted a beautiful and personal record, maintaining a delicate and dreamy haze that feels genuinely authentic due to the duo's strong songwriting and ability to elicit emotion without overpowering their listeners. We weren't able to write up Charade Is Gold when it first arrived this summer because customers kept snatching copies up every time we played it in the shop, so we're psyched to offer up this limited edition LP (also available as a download) release again. A staff favorite and definitely one of this year's sleeper hits, this is a truly gorgeous collection of songs perfect for the oncoming winter season. Highest recommendation. [CPa]


	Satan Is Real / Handpicked Songs $21.99 CD		THE LOUVIN BROTHERS Satan Is Real / Handpicked Songs (Light in the Attic) "I See a Bridge" "You're Running Wild" The Louvin Brothers are country music icons, and one of the most important of the close-harmony duos that thrived in the 1930s-1950s. Charlie and Ira Louvin were born and raised in the Alabama Appalachian's, they began performing gospel music in the '40s, and after a couple of career derailments as Charlie served in the army in both WWII and Korea, they found national success in the '50s on the Grand Ole Opry and through a series of hit singles and albums for Capitol, making sweet, spiritual country music in the heart of the early rock & roll era. Their early gospel sound eventually broadened to include much secular music, but with Ira's pure high tenor and Charlie's emotional harmonies, any song these two sang had a spirituality and raw honesty that was life-affirming, to say the least. Satan Is Real, from 1960, is probably their most famous album, and surely one of their very best, with a wide crossover appeal despite the fact that the Louvin's music has none of the outlaw attitude that often attracts record collectors to certain factions of the broad country genre. Of course, there is that cover shot, with the brothers, impeccably dressed in white summer suits and with their arms outstretched in song, standing before a sea of flames and a bizarre, giant, cross-eyed red devil figure. Satan Is Real is a concept album on sin and redemption, and while the artwork may have some kitsch value, the music is deeply passionate and honest; tracks like "The Christian Life" and "Are You Afraid to Die?" are simply stunning in their pure emotion, whatever your beliefs. This deluxe reissue from Light in the Attic comes with a bonus second disc titled Handpicked Songs, with fourteen more classic career-spanning Louvin tracks as selected by a host of artists who hold the Brothers near and dear, including Beck, Will Oldham, Jim James, Dolly Parton, Kris Kristofferson, and Emmylou Harris, to name a few, plus notes from the selectors, an essay from Jessica Hundley, and more, in a lovely gatefold double-CD digipack. Separate vinyl releases for both Satan Is Real and Handpicked Songs are on the way in the next few weeks. [JM]


	$19.99 LP		THREAD PULLS New Thoughts (Osaka) It's always nice to be surprised by a record, and that's exactly what happened when I put on New Thoughts, the debut LP by Dublin duo Thread Pulls. One member is credited with drums and synths, the other with vocals, bass and trumpet, and a years-long watershedding period as improvisers has steered the band into a spare, menacing corner occupied by the few who know. This is excellent, dusky, moody music that veers from gentle to rough, that uses the space around the sparse compositions to build tension, music that seems like it wants to continue the conversation of whatever happened to intelligent rock. Using dub sounds as its anchor, the band lays down stern basslines, unwavering rhythms through forward-thinking compositions that occupy the psychic headspace in between Long Fin Killie and Liars' Drum's Not Dead. Quite dark, but not campy -- all the ideas work on their own strengths, and should satisfy both fans of the avant-garde equation as well as the American indie rocker of the 1990s. They're a great discovery and here's your chance to find out why. [DM]


	$17.99 CD $24.99 LPx2		SEPALCURE Sepalcure (Hot Flush) "Me" "Eternally Yrs" Following his great full-length, Room(s), from earlier this year, Travis Stewart a/k/a Machinedrum teams up with fellow Brooklynite Praveen Sharma a/k/a Braille to form Sepalcure. Their debut for the Hot Flush label finds the duo trafficking in the post-dubstep/bass-house formula that's been sweeping Europe, and over a rolling steady tempo they deliver a tight and percolating mix of micro-beats, synthy stabs, vocal chop-ups and some live instrumentation. It's a solid mix of contemporary styles mainly focusing on subdued, percussion-rattling dance-floor jams, reminiscent of Scuba, Martyn, FaltyDL, Joy Orbinson, or most immediately Mount Kimbie. It's a great list of influences, and perhaps this is my main problem with Sepalcure's debut -- though the album contains crystalline sound, filled with manicured and fine-tuned accents, it lacks depth or a strong personality of its own. Sepalcure's sound could be interchangeable with many of their European breathen, which seems to be an accomplishment as well as a bit of a disappointment. Not a bad listen by any means, actually the album is quite good, and given the short recording time and turnover of this upstart project, maybe they just wanted to beat the expiration date of this sound. If you liked Four Tet's Fabric mix, Scuba's DJ Kicks, or the Hessle Audio and Hot Flush label comps from earlier this year, this is a solid continuation and duplication of the sound of 2011, yet from this side of the ocean, and in that sense it's about time. So if you are looking for some solid NYC made dub-steppy house, here ya go. [DG]


	$14.99 12"		FORD & LOPATIN WITH TAMARYN & SHANNON FUNCHESS Flying Dream / Snakes (Mexican Summer) Mexican Summer celebrate their 100th release with this limited 12", featuring two pretty unique productions from Ford & Lopatin, who are joined here by two special guests/label mates. During "Flying Dream," a gentle Philip Glass-sounding loop of minimalist orchestration flirts with thick beds of synthesizers and filtered arpgeggiations, as Tamaryn sings a gorgeously lulling, breathy melody atop. On the flip, Ford & Lopatin veer into dark-electro/EBM territory, guided by the powerful, unmistakable voice of Light Asylum's Shannon Funchess. Two killer tracks, don't miss.


	$12.99 CD $19.99 LPx2		CASEY VEGGIES Sleeping in Class - Deluxe Edition (Delicious Vinyl) This onetime Odd Future member left right when OFWGKTA were starting to appear on everybody's radar. Instead, Casey Veggies finished high school and released a couple of well-received mixtapes including 2010's much-acclaimed Sleeping in Class, which now gets the deluxe treatment, courtesy of Delicious Vinyl. While the young rapper keeps it real, his subject matter isn't as dark, disturbing or graphic as Tyler, the Creator's, but Tyler does indeed stop by to drop some rhymes (and production) on "DTA," and other guests include DOM KENNEDY, C-San, Mann, Nero, and Skye Townsend, with additional production help from Brandun Deshay and LAUSD. Includes five bonus cuts -- double-LP is pressed on color vinyl and comes in a gatefold sleeve.


	$22.99 CD $25.99 LP		LLOYD MCNEILL QUARTET Washington Suite (Universal Sounds) Soul Jazz/Universal Sound follow-up their reissue of Lloyd McNeil's first album, 1969's Asha, with this deep spiritual set from the flautist/composer. Originally released by McNeill on his own private label, Asha Recording Company, only 1000 were initially pressed and since Washington Suite has been considered a true holy grail LP for jazz collectors. Written for Washington DC's Capital Ballet company back in 1970, with a combo that included McNeill on flute, Eugene Rush on Rhodes and additional oboe from Andrew White, these are some of the most soulful grooves that Lloyd every laid to tape, and is also one of his most beautiful recordings.


	$14.99 CD		SPIRIT FREE Plays Starship (Asterisk / Numero Group) "Isis Unveiled" "Dear Latin Friend" The first proper jazz record to be released from the Numero Group via their Asterisk imprint. Spirit Free featured some of Sin City's top players (tenor saxophonist Rick Davis, bassist Orlando Hernandez, drummer Santo Savino, and Ron Feuer on electric Rhodes), who recorded this lone LP in between their rigorous schedule backing some of the top performers on the strip. Plays Starship was originally released as a private press on Vega Sound in 1971, and is far from the glitzy, retired-tourist-friendly sounds that one normally associates with Las Vegas (especially of that era), the combo exploring early jazz fusion and experimenting with wah-wah pedals and distorted sax over nice spiritual grooves. Includes three unreleased bonus tracks and never-before-seen photos of the group.


	$17.99 LP		VARIOUS ARTISTS Whaur the Pig Gaed on the Spree: Scottish Recordings by Alan Lomax, 1951-'57 (Drag City) Compiled by Alasdair Roberts from 25 hours of field recordings, Whaur the Pig Gaed on the Spree marks the 60th anniversary of Alan Lomax's first visit to Scotland, documenting songs and sounds of the island on his portable tape recorder. Featuring 17 traditional and folk songs that range from joyous school-ground rhymes to downtrodden laments, this is a diverse and truly moving collection of music, augmented by a six-page booklet with notes from Roberts, and rare photos from the Lomax archives.


	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 [DG] Daniel Givens [IQ] Mikey IQ Jones [JM] Josh Madell [DM] Doug Mosurock [CPa] Chris Pappas [KS] Karen Soskin THANKS FOR READING - all of us at Other Music

Newsletter Design Big Code