The Other Music Update

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	August 28, 2007


	FEATURED NEW RELEASES After Dark (Italians Do It Better Comp.) Voice of the Seven Woods Madlib Home Schooled: The ABCs of Kid Soul Prinzhorn Dance School Liars Angels of Light Aesop Rock No Age Shape of Broad Minds Ennio Morricone Baia degli Angeli Vol. 2 Super Rail Band		Orchestra Baobab Monster Bobby Numbers Foreign Born ALSO AVAILABLE New Buffalo The Mekons Swayzak VHS or Beta

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		ANIMAL COLLECTIVE LISTENING PARTY Join us next Tuesday, September 4, when we'll be throwing a listening party for Other Music favorite Animal Collective's upcoming new album, Strawberry Jam, (out September 11, on Domino). The night kicks off at 10, when we'll play the album in its entirety. Afterwards, OM DJs Dan Hougland, Michael Klausman, Scott Mou, and maybe a surprise guest or two, will take over the turntables for the rest of the night. Drink specials include Budweiser and a shot of Jameson for $2 from 10 to 11, and then $2 Buds for the rest of the night. See you there!! TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4 K&M BAR: 225 N. 8th Street (Corner of Roebling) Williamsburg, Brooklyn Hosted by Other Music & The Onion

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		WIN TICKETS TO SEE AMIINA Next Wednesday, September 5, Iceland's Amiina bring their beguiling sounds to NYC's Highline Ballroom. This all female ensemble aren't your typical string quartet. Having backed groups like Sigur Ros and Efterklang, Amiina's own music has much in common with the ambience and experimentation of artists like Colleen, Phillip Glass and Stars of the Lid. Other Music has three pairs of tickets to give away. To enter, email giveaway@othermusic.com and please leave a daytime phone number where you can be reached. The three winners will be notified on Friday, August 31. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 HIGHLINE BALLROOM: 431 W 16th Street NYC

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		TICKET GIVE AWAY TO THE FRAMES The Frames are hitting the stage of Webster Hall in support of their latest album, The Cost, out on Anti-. These Irish rockers are known for putting on one hell of a show and we've got a pair of tickets up for grabs. To enter, email contest@othermusic.com and make sure to leave a daytime phone number where you can be reached. The winner will be chosen on Friday, August 31. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 WEBSTER HALL: 125 E. 11th Street NYC

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		WIN TICKETS TO SEE BJORK This show really needs no introduction! For those of you who weren't lucky enough to catch one of Bjork's appearances in NYC earlier this year (and even for those of you who were), the music visionary returns to the city on Monday, September 24, performing at Madison Square Garden. Warming up the night will be Klaxons and Santo Gold. Sure to be one of the most talked about concerts of the year, we're excited to be giving away two pairs of tickets to this night. To enter, send an email to tickets@othermusic.com, along with your daytime phone number. The winners will be chosen on Friday, August 31. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 MADISON SQUARE GARDEN: Seventh Avenue (Between 31st & 33rd Streets) NYC Click to Buy Advance Tickets


	$12.99 CD		VARIOUS ARTISTS After Dark (Italians Do It Better) "Rolling Down the Hills" Glass Candy "Hands in the Dark" Chromatics Italians Do It Better is a new offshoot of Jersey label Troubleman Unlimited, specializing in more modern permutations of, as the name would suggest, the various strands of Italo and Euro disco that popped up in the late 1970s and early 1980s. This here After Dark compilation was originally compiled and pressed in an edition of 200 copies as a label sampler/promo for a Glass Candy tour, but an unexpectedly massive response to the sounds contained herein has brought it out of limited edition limbo and into wider availability for the general public. And thank the lord for that, as this disc is an oft-stunning mix of airy, synth-soaked dance glee and low-slung grooves that samples key 12" singles and demo tracks from a whole host of different Giorgio Moroder-loving bands. I haven't paid a whole lot of attention to Glass Candy over the past few years, so imagine my surprise at hearing the opening strains of "Rolling Down the Hills," a sweet blast of dizzying keys and sampled horns that perfectly matches Ida No's breathy croon -- a far cry from the post-punk they cut their teeth on, and all the better for it. From there we get Chromatics' deep take on DNA-member Robin Crutchfield's "Hands in the Dark," a slyly grim track that trades atmospheric keys off with sublime vocals and an insistent thump. Elsewhere, Professor Genius checks in with the pronounced electro throb of "La Grotta," while Farah lopes along with the ascendant chords and echoing drums of "Dancing Girls." And those tracks are just the tip of the figurative iceberg here, as After Dark pumps along over an hour's worth of new school Italo jams, each one sure to have even the snootiest disco connoisseur bobbing their head along in no time. [MC]


	$14.99 CD		VOICE OF THE SEVEN WOODS Voice of the Seven Woods (B-Music) "The Fire in My Head" "Underwater Journey" Folk guitarist Rick Tomlinson is Voice of the Seven Woods, with a handful of tapes and import singles under his belt leading up to his debut for Andy Votel's B-Music imprint. The deft playing and Janschian elements of his previous efforts are slightly switched up for the mostly instrumental album, which ushers in a load of "Astro-Sounds" fuzz raga ("The Fire in My Head"), Hendrix watchtowerisms ("Second Transitions"), and even the metrics of Krautrock ("Return From Byzantium") to the fold. It was a jarring surprise on first listen, but repeat spins have these overtly psychedelic overtones complementing Tomlinson's grand, studied guitar stylings past the extremes of British folk and into '70s art rock. Former Broadcast drummer Chris Walmsley sits in on this trio session, rounded out by bassist Pete Hedley. If you're looking for straight-up folk guitar acrobatics, look elsewhere; if you want a strong, affecting album that roots itself in folk and grows in stages to wild and free-wheeling peaks, this is the one for you. [DM]


	$14.99 CD $9.99 mp3		MADLIB Beat Konducta in India Vol. 3 & 4 (Stones Throw) "Sitar Ride" "More Rice" Man, at some point you have to wonder what Stones Throw would do without Madlib. Touching down in India for his third and fourth installments of his Beat Konducta series, the blunted boy wonder offers up his own take on Bollywood beats -- a whole CD of cutting and slicing the pulp from that country into thirty instrumentals. Thanks to Stones Throw, this kind of album has now become a genre in and of itself, the hip-hop producer's re-edit CD. Styled like his previous volumes, as well as Oh No's Dr. No's Oxperiments and J Dilla's Donuts, these spicy bite-size nuggets go down like sonic veggie samosas. Tasty every time. [DG] Don't miss our next Happy Hour on Friday evening, September 7. Swing on by the shop after work where we'll be celebrating the release of Madlib's Beat Konducta in India (Vo. 3-4), with DJ sets from Egon (Stones Throw) and Mahssa (B-Music), plus free Indian food and beer.


	$17.99 CD $9.99 mp3		VARIOUS ARTISTS Home Schooled: The ABCs of Kid Soul (Numero Group) "Here's Some Dances" Eight Minutes "Right On" Man Child Singers In the late 1960s and early 1970s, groups like the Jackson 5 and the Osmonds cast a huge shadow across America with their steady stream of pop hits. And as this latest compilation from the always excellent Numero Group illustrates, that very shadow was one thousands of children and parents were desperate to claw their way out of for a little time in the spotlight. Gathering up a host of previously little-known and altogether unheard gems from across the country, Home Schooled: The ABCs of Kid Soul at last sheds a little light on the explosion of talented children that cut singles and sang their hearts out in the vain hopes of becoming the next big teenybopper sensation. But rest assured, though the work of the Jackson clan echoes throughout this compilation, the acts collected here are far from mere copycats. Instead, groups like the 3 Stars kick out tracks like "Jersey Slide Pt. 1," a funky little cut which features an exuberant brother team working their way through instructions on their own dance sensation. Likewise, the harmonies contained on Promise's "I'm Not Ready for Love" are joyfully boisterous, gliding across a bouncing track that's sweet and soulful. Better still is the Quantrells' ballad "Can't Let You Break My Heart," a gorgeous weeper of tune featuring an acrobatic bassline and some spot-on vocal interplay that effortlessly communicates the turmoil of teenage heartbreak. Another welcome addition to Numero's steadily growing catalogue, Home Schooled is the type of record that will delight both Eccentric Soul devotees and unabashed pop fans alike. [MC]


	$11.99 CD		PRINZHORN DANCE SCHOOL Prinzhorn Dance School (DFA/Astralwerks) "Don't Talk to Strangers" "No Books" Given that New York label/production squad the DFA has released some of the gooiest dance confections of the past few years, this debut album from new signings Prinzhorn Dance School comes as a bit of a shock. A spare bass and drums duo (with a few guitar lines scattered about as well), Prinzhorn strip the whole post-punk/early 1980s DIY pop aesthetic down to its very basic roots: all kick drum pump, nagging bass, elegiac rhythms squaring off against esoteric sloganeering in a race to make the most economic use of space possible. The only real thing this guy and girl tandem has in common with their labelmates is a steady beat. Outside of that, the whole of their debut is given over to terse, simple blasts like "Crackerjack Docker," with kicks matching a basic bass and guitar figure and some sneering vocals. Other tracks like "You Are the Space Invader" and "Don't Talk to Strangers" work the same tricks to a surprisingly great effect, playing the minimal repetition of DFA-styled dance through tracks that sound like a more muscular update of some classic Rough Trade-styled moments. Basically, if you can envision the Young Marble Giants tackling some pretty spare Fall covers, you'll get a decent hint as to where these two are coming from. Pretty cool stuff overall, and a nice change of pace from what we've all come to know and love about the DFA camp. [MC]


	$14.99 CD		LIARS Liars (Mute) "Houseclouds" "Freak Out" As with each release thus far, this new, eponymous full-length from Liars finds the band once again shape shifting into yet another carnation that's somewhat, but not quite familiar. Last year's Drums Not Dead, a record which was one of those "love" or "love to hate" records amongst the OM staff (I personally dug the album), found Liars in a sort of Animal Collective meets TV on the Radio mode, with harmonized vocals, lots of percussion, and the hint of proper songwriting. For this new outing, the tracks show even more signs of structure, and to me sound like a mix of Deerhunter and Porno for Pyros. Amidst some slight jangle, occasional straightforward beats, and lots of melody with oddly catchy hooks, Liars maintain a bit of their edginess and collage aspects, all the while becoming slightly more -- dare we say -- accessible. Is anyone else noting this new trend of avant rock bands starting to make "proper" tunes? It's not necessarily a bad thing. We'll see if Animal Collective's upcoming album Strawberry Jam is the tipping point. [DG]


	$14.99 CD $9.99 mp3		ANGELS OF LIGHT We Are Him (Young God) "We Are Him" "The Man We Left Behind" Teaming up again with his young ingenues in Akron/Family, along with Bill Rieflin (Ministry, R.E.M.), Eszter Balint, WNYC's David Garland, and a handful of other notables, Michael Gira moves the Angels of Light further out in the country and roots directions than before. We Are Him is the result and for many it will fulfill the premise of that Nick Cave project Grinderman, lashing out as he does with withering, steel-eyed force and retreating into sorrow. Gira's one of maybe two artists out there worthy to carry the mantle of Leonard Cohen, and he's cut that man's despair down and tailored it into a three-piece suit. Swans records were this intense, but in nihilistic, visceral overtones that are represented here with engaging, yet on-the-verge arrangements, and not a trace of maudlin, theatrical excess. No, everything within sounds hard-earned and deserved, and Gira's in the center of it all, pulling the strings with the steadiness of a contract killer. Definitely one of the year's best, and a great starting point for those who are new to his work. [DM]


	$14.99 CD		AESOP ROCK None Shall Pass (Def Jux) "None Shall Pass" "Getaway Car" Without a doubt, Aesop Rock's new full-length None Shall Pass is a document showing what happens when the hard-edged concrete and steel atmosphere of New York City is replaced by the casual free-flowing sidewalks of San Francisco. A.R. switched coasts a while ago, yet his swagger hasn't become any lighter. His cerebral tales of urban decay and hectic text interplay are still present; it just seems less claustrophobic and actually kind of upbeat. His storytelling also remains cryptic and intricate, though he's a little bit clearer now, which is definitely different from the last full-length, Bazooka Tooth. Regardless, None Shall Pass feels like a solid continuation of his themes, skills, and technique. Production mainly comes from his longtime sideman, Blockhead, and this outing also finds A.R. flowing over some of the poppiest, accessible beats he's ever dealt with. There are times where it even gets pretty melodic for avant-indie hip-hop, which makes the album a fresh listening experience. With additional production by Rob Sonic and Aesop himself, None Shall Pass is as immediate and solid as his classics Float and Labor Days, and even has a few surprises in store. I used to wonder why one of the infamous names in the underground hip-hop scene would always buy Mountain Goats CDs at our store, and now I know; head goat John Darnielle guests here as well as El-P and Cage, among others. Guess the joke does apply here: "Hip-hop isn't dead; you just don't know where it lives." From NYC to San Fran, Aesop's back on track and sounding good. [DG]


	$12.99 CD $9.99 mp3		NO AGE Weirdo Rippers (Fat Cat) "Boy Void" "Semi Sorted" Not too long ago, Dean Spunt and Randy Randall were two-thirds of the insanely great (and ridiculously unheralded) LA art-punk band Wives. Emerging from the same all ages scene that also brought us folks like the Mae Shi, 400 Blows, and Mika Miko, Wives managed to uncork a couple of sweet seven inches and one album worth of ferocious, insightful, vintage Southern California-inspired (think early Black Flag and the Minutemen) hardcore before imploding. Though Spunt and Randall's new band No Age doesn't quite mine the exact territory as Wives, these two have seen fit to keep that same unbridled spirit fully intact, only now opening up their sound equally to noisier passages and more overt pop songcraft. No Age made their recorded debut a few months back with five singles released simultaneously on a whole bunch of different labels. For those not inclined to track down those slabs of wax, Fat Cat has come to the rescue with Weirdo Rippers, an eleven-track collection that cherry picks the highlights of those singles. Beginning with the potent guitar swells of "Every Artist Needs a Tragedy," No Age segue from the effuse, atmospheric noise of tracks like "I Wanna Sleep" and "Sun Spots" to the taut frenzy of "Boy Void" with reckless ease. Better still are the moments when the band manages to pull their punk thrash and heady dream pop into wholly cohesive burst of manic grandeur, as on the by-turns delirious and propulsive "My Life's Alright Without You" and the positively shimmering "Loosen This Job." At times striking like a more light-hearted Black Dice with a knack for hooks, or a distinctly less punishing Lightning Bolt, No Age's Weirdo Rippers is one of the more impressive debuts I've heard in quite some time. [MC]


	$13.99 CD $16.99 LP		SHAPE OF BROAD MINDS Craft of the Lost Art (Lex) "Changes" "Electric Blue" "We go take you to the future...light years away." And away we go. Once the little brother of the Warp label, the now strictly independent Lex Records brings us this definite next-school classic from Shape of Broad Minds. The brainchild of Jnerio Jarnel, one the top producers from the post-Dilla generation of hip-hop headz, Craft of the Lost Art follows his Three Piece Puzzle full-length (released under his proper name), and his 2006 debut for Lex as Dr. Who Dat. Shape of Broad Minds, however, finds Jarnel creating a freaky super group out of his multiple personalities. Like the work of MF Doom (who appears here on the great single, "Let's Go," the next logical step from Dilla's "Turn It Up" off of Ruff Draft), Jarnel crafts murky yet futuristic worlds that bounce from old school flava, a la Pharcyde, to the beat constructions of Prefuse 73, and along the way he dips into the palettes of Madlib, Mos Def, Sa-Ra, Anti-Pop Consortium, Divine Styler and Freestyle Fellowship. If it sounds like a lot, it is, as multiple layers, tons of tracks, and countless musical styles are touched upon and absorbed. This is the kind of record that underground hip-hop needed. It sums up the last two decades of the genre, and even if Jarnel's vocals aren't always top notch, the effort, imagination and creativity is. One the surprises of the year. [DG]


	$24.99 CD & Book		ENNIO MORRICONE Morricone Bossa (Amarkord/Mediane) "Al Convento" "Una Voce Allo Specchio" Ennio Morricone's vast body of soundtracks has been well documented on hundreds and hundreds of CDs of varying quality, but this specialized set by the folks at Cinedelic (the label who brought us the brilliant Daniele Baldelli-curated Italo and cosmic disco compilations) ranks among the best of them. Focusing on his bossa nova-influenced work, among the 19 tracks are scores from Dario Argento's classic Bird With the Crystal Plumage, Luciano Ercoli's excellent giallo The Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion, and Paolo Spinola's racy, and pretty awful The Fantasies of a Sensuous Woman. Once again showcasing Morricone's talent for making music of almost any given genre, be it harmonica-driven spaghetti western scores, heavy-hitting car chase funk, string-laden romantic interludes, chilling and avant-garde horror scores, or in this case, beautiful and lush bossa nova, that's even a tiny bit funky at times. Works just as well with your morning coffee or evening cocktail, and during the early hours on the discerning dancefloor. In addition to the great music (some of it never on CD before), it's hard not to get completely distracted by the packaging. Morricone Bossa comes housed in a 52-page full color hardcover book, containing all the original movie posters and album sleeves, film stills, plus production notes from the Maestro himself. While Morricone comps might come a dime a dozen these days, they are rarely this lovingly put together. Highly recommended. [AK]


	$24.99 CD & Book		DANIELE BALDELLI PRESENTS Baia degli Angeli 77-78: Legendary Italian Discoteque of the 70s Vol. 2 (Amarkord / Mediane) "Crocos Dance" Revelation "Spaced Out" Cloud One This is the second volume of the CD/hardcover book collection paying tribute to the much-celebrated Italian hotspot of the late '70s. We gave a long overview of the nightclub and DJ when we featured the first volume in the update a few weeks ago, so no need to reiterate the legendary Daniele Baldelli's place in the DJ pantheon. This mix is more upbeat and less "cosmic" than the first collection, with loads of New York disco productions represented here (Cloud One, Dr. Buzzard's and Ripple) but presented in a Euro context. Elegant, seamlessly blended and absolutely essential! [DH]


	$15.99 CD		SUPER RAIL BAND Allo Bamako (Sheer Sound) "Djiguiya" "Wasso" It's often mentioned: the influence of Mali's Super Rail Band on modern African music is arguably rivaled only by Fela Kuti. Featuring the stellar vocals of Salif Keita, the first reissue we received back in the spring focused on the early history of the ensemble. But this collection jumps forward a few years, spotlighting another fertile period for the group, the late '70s and early '80s. By this time famed vocalists Keita and Mory Kante were into their solo careers and the official bandleader, Tidiani Kone, had left to join the PolyRhythmic Orchestra. In his absence, virtuoso guitarist Djelimady Tounkara emerged as the new group leader, christening the ensemble with a new name and a slight variation on their sound. Disco, salsa and funk influences started to seep in as well as long, exquisite Hammond and sax solos, but it's Tounkara's fluid guitar that's THE highlight of most of these tunes. Really, I'm splitting hairs as this is an exceptional collection, my only complaint being that the album seems too brief. More! More! More! [DH]


	$15.99 CD		ORCHESTRA BAOBAB A Night at Club Baobab (Sheer Sound) "Seeri Koko" "Sey" Formed in 1970, Orchestra Baobab was a Senegalese dance outfit that served as the house band at Dakar's elite nightspot, Club Baobab. Recruited from other popular local ensembles of the time, you could more or less consider them a super group. Both the club and band were state-sponsored and, as was the norm for many of the newly independent nations in the region, musicians were encouraged to develop art that pulled from West African culture. With the guitar taking the place of the piano as the lead instrument, Orchestra Baobab played a polyrhythmic variation on Afro-Latin music that was very popular at the time, though their sound would occasionally veer into straight-up American-inspired funkiness. Their popularity would wane during the early '80s -- no doubt due to the coming of Youssou N'Dour's propulsive m'galax rhythms -- but recently there has been a resurgence of interest since the band reformed in 2001. This record collects all of Orchesra Baobab's early recordings and, by the way, it's awesome! [DH]


	$9.99 CD $9.99 mp3		MONSTER BOBBY Gaps (Hypnote) "I Heard You Moved Away" "Blah Blah Blah (Give Up)" Monster Bobby is an odd choice for a musical persona for sure, yet not so strange when you consider that just a few months ago, the label issuing this one launched with the debut full-length from a musical robot named Wolfgang. In spite of what the name implies, Monster Bobby is very much a human, and is actually the secret weapon behind Britain's un-scary girl group sensation, the Pipettes -- a co-founder, songwriter and member of their backing band, the Cassettes. Don't expect any punky, Shangri-las-inspired rave-ups, however, as Gaps is a charmingly modest outing of glitchy, almost lo-fi indie pop. Songs like "The Postcard" and "Once More to Lay Down Beside You" borrow a page or two from the same sentimental songbook that Stephin Merritt uses, but it doesn't stop there. Unlike the title, there aren't really gaps between songs as Bobby replaces the silence with field recordings and other beguiling noises which often blossom into an unexpected song; during "Leave Quiet" a brief, hushed lullaby hangs behind a wash of birds chirping and small bits of bubbling electronics, and then slowly dissipates into static. (Perhaps it's no surprise to find that he's also an avid fan of composers like Xenakis and Cage, and also has an essay on the BBC Radiophonic Workshop appearing in an upcoming book called Hauntologies.) Add to the mix a little accompaniment from ukulele, melodica, music boxes, and glockenspiel, and you get a playful and dreamy 32-minute album that packs in more unexpected twists and changes than most CDs twice as long. [GH]


	$13.99 CD		NUMBERS Now You Are This (Kill Rock Stars) "New Life" "Everything Is Fine" While the sounds of many other electro-punk outfits from the early 00s have long since transmogrified into homogenous, b-rate electro for briefcase toters or juvenile, derivative pop-punk more appropriate for lunchbox carrying tots, Numbers, in their eighth year, confidently deliver a fourth full-length that simultaneously reflects their consistency and adaptability. On Now You Are This, the trio continues to elaborate upon the steadier, more full-bodied and precise sound initiated on their previous release We're Animals -- a sound electrified in a way that is separate, but not exclusive of their spastic, call-and-response, post-punk beginnings reminiscent of the frenzy of Les Georges Leningrad, Ezra Buchla-era Mae Shi, and Ex Models. Numbers continue to flourish in their instinctive creation of noisy, intensely listenable songs by merging deep, dark, pop synthesizer melodies and apocalyptic, percussive guitar, which pumps away under the simple repetition of just a few words. The soaring epic "Mind Hole" is most likely the culprit of recent Electrelane comparisons, given the bold, distant choruses, the brave, almost confessional whisper of Eric Landmark's insistent, melancholy piano, and Indra Dunis' simplistic, driving drums -- a consistent force which imbues the album with awesome power. Reliably, Dave Broekema's guitar jabs at the harmonies with the fury of Liars or These Are Powers, an edginess echoed in the standout gem "Everything Is Fine," one of the most ball-busting political anthems to surface in our wartime era, a track which proves how vibrant the band's connection still is with the sharp punk attitude of their 2004 release, In My Mind All the Time. Dunis trades her recent impulse to sing for her original sing-song bark which sounds crisper and more punk rock than ever as she spits, "It's a job to look strong they won't say when they're wrong / no idea anymore except to go to war," capped by Broekema's catchy-as-s*t, rippin' guitar chorus. On Now You Are This*, Numbers is ablaze with the time-earned skill and self-awareness characteristic of true veterans, producing dense, intentional, epic rock. Their commitment to simplicity and rawness endures, however, resulting in an album that is unmistakably original and experimental. [KS]


	$13.99 CD		FOREIGN BORN On the Wing Now (Dim Mak) "Trial Wall" "The Nights" They've been living the life for the past couple of years as one of L.A.'s hipster buzz bands, so I know they're all-American, but somehow Foreign Born is an appropriate name for this young foursome. Their songs are positively epic, in a distinctly UK mold a la U2 or the Verve, with a dash of Arcade Fire thrown in for good measure. And while those are some big chords to fill, lead singer Matt Popieluch's deeply emotional singing and lead guitarist Lewis Nicholas Pesacov's grand strumming do the job with surprising ease. [JM]


	$14.99 CD $9.99 mp3		NEW BUFFALO Somewhere, Anywhere (Arts and Crafts) "Emotional Champ" Beautiful singer/songwriter album by Australia's Sally Seltmann (also noted for penning "1234," the first single off of Feist's latest album), which features cameos from members of the Avalanches and Architecture in Helsinki. The piano-driven Somewhere, Anywhere is more stripped down than her 2004 debut, with more focus on the purity of the songs rather than the glossy production techniques. These lush and subtly cinematic songs should woo fans of Feist, as well as Joni Mitchell.


	$14.99 CD		THE MEKONS Natural (Quarter Stick) "Dark Dark Dark" Jon Langford, Sally Timms and Co are back with album number sixteen in 30 some years. From its beginnings as a politically charged punk rock band, with Langford as one of the UK's premier post punk agitators, the Mekons have now turned off the electricity to deliver a dark, crooked folk record. It's perhaps a logical progression after the band's more recent alt-country inspired albums, to strip things down even further, and the combination of apocalyptic campfire ballads and haunting folk tales equals a prime example of real roots music. All that from a bunch of Yorkshire punks. Thirty years ago, who would've guessed it?


	$15.99 CD		SWAYZAK Some Other Country (K7) "Quiet Life" It's been a long time coming but seasoned minimal house veterans Swayzak are back with a new, and completely solid, new album. Some Other Country is a little bit darker than we're used to, there's even a slight Joy Division ambience on a few of these tracks, but don't go running for the mascara and lace gloves just yet, as this is primarily a great, minimal deep house record. Standouts include the dubby "Quiet Life," which features Cassy on vocals, and the understated electro-house of the Richard Davis-sung "No Sad Goodbyes." Nice to have you back, lads.


	$11.99 CD		VHS OR BETA Bring on the Comets (Astralwerks) "Shey Says" VHS or Beta head deeper into rock territory on Bring on the Comets, as the band seems more keen on emulating the success of, say, Franz Ferdinand than Daft Punk. Half of the record is undeniably catchy new wave dance rock; there are elements of the aforementioned FF, as well as the Clash, but they also prove that they can still conjure some electronic dancefloor magic on a few tracks. Nothing too terribly original here but don't be surprised if this keeps you moving until the wee hours. Now, where's the cab money!?


	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 from it for any reason, please send an email from the address you wish to delete to list@othermusic.com and make sure the word "Remove" is included in the subject line.		THIS WEEK'S CONTRIBUTORS [MC] Michael Crumsho [DG] Daniel Givens [GH] Gerald Hammill [DH] Duane Harriot [AK] Andreas Knutsen [JM] Josh Madell [DM] Doug Mosurock [KS] Karen Soskin THANKS FOR READING - all of us at Other Music

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