The Other Music Update

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	February 20, 2008


	FEATURED NEW RELEASES Bon Iver Atlas Sound Justus Kohncke David Axelrod Grand Archives The Raveonettes Hal Singer & Jef Gilson Monade AGF Last Exit Sian Alice Group KPM 1000 Series Throw Me the Statue		ALSO AVAILABLE Mountain Goats American Music Club Growing Panther Neptune FEATURED DOWNLOADS Earth, Roots & Water Nigeria Special (Various) Sam Shalabi

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Blood on the Wall

UPCOMING OTHER MUSIC IN-STORES
BLOOD ON THE WALL TONIGHT! Wed, Feb 20 @ 8PM
TAKEN BY TREES Thurs Feb 21 @ 8PM
BLACK LIPS Mon, Mar 10 @ 6:30PM

OTHER MUSIC: 15 East 4th Street NYC
Free admission / Limited Capacity
Other Music closes for shopping an hour before all in-stores

FEB

Sun 24

Mon 25

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Fri 29

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WIN TICKETS TO MOVE D AT APT
Win Tickets to APT a week from this Friday, when Easy Lover returns to the basement with a very exciting special guest, David Moufang, a/k/a Move D (Warp, Philpot, Compost Black Label)! The German producer got his start making perfectly honed ambient tracks, but has since made an even bigger name by applying that carefully doctored sound to a beefy Detroit techno- and house-inspired base. He'll be showcasing his dancier side with a live set at resident DJs Justin Carter and Probus' Easy Lover Party. You'll be addicted! To enter for a pair of tickets, email contest@othermusic.com. The two winners will be notified on Monday, February 25.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 29
APT: 419 W. 13th Street NYC
$10 / $8 with RSVP to easylover@aptwebsite.com
$5 in advance at Other Music


	$14.99 CD $14.99 LP $9.99 MP3		BON IVER For Emma, Forever Ago (Jagjaguwar) "Skinny Love" "For Emma" If you haven't read anything about Bon Iver in the past few months then you must be living in a hole. This is the project of one Justin Vernon, a man whose previous band DeYarmond Edison was relatively unknown (especially around these parts). The story goes that upon returning to his hometown in Wisconsin, Vernon holed himself up in a log cabin with an acoustic guitar, a few percussion instruments, and a collection of songs that became the stunning For Emma, Forever Ago. Upon finishing the album he decided to self-release it and went out on tour. Word spread fast and by the time 2007's CMJ convention rolled around, Bon Iver was the show to see. At this point, however, the album was well out of print, but indie stalwart Jagjaguwar came to the rescue and has just re-released it. Needless to say, For Emma, Forever Ago is one of those truly special records that only turn up every few years. An extremely intimate album that draws you into the isolation of which it was recorded in, this is also one of the most stunning collections of songs that you will hear all year, a record that you will return to again and again, every time finding a different song to break your heart. If you buy one singer/songwriter album this year, For Emma, Forever Ago should be the one, as no other will compare. And don't just take my word for it, listen to our soundfiles (you can preview the whole album on our Download Site), and do me a favor, look up Bon Iver on Google and YouTube, and you will find your search filled with obsessives who feel exactly the same way. Essential! [JS]


	$13.99 CD $9.99 MP3		ATLAS SOUND Let the Blind Lead Those Who See But Cannot Feel (Kranky) "Recent Bedroom" "On Guard" Following a split 12" last year, here's the solo debut album by Deerhunter's Bradford Cox. Its fairly fractured presence, gently chopped arrangements, and dreamy, lithe atmosphere break free from the stylistic mishmash of Cox's other musical endeavor with confident, brushed-off ease. Synths hang in the air, their melodies colliding with guitar and drone effects, Cox's voice lingering somewhere above the surface like an apparition. Musically he's going after a narcotic/bucolic mindstate, a sonic hunk of sponge cake adrift in a sea of Pepto-Bismol. Uncertainty counteracts itself with safety, under Cox's reassuring wing, to create a memorable album, resting somewhere between Spiritualized and earlier moments by NYC's own Excepter. Highly recommended! [DM]


	$14.99 CD $12.99 MP3		JUSTUS KOHNCKE Safe and Sound (Kompakt) "Molybdan" "Parage" Oh man, Justus has returned with a really generous collection of TRAX that will grant him the neo-disco crown that he's deserved for so long. Maybe he got sick of seeing all the disco poseurs get all the attention from pantyhose-as-jeans wearing dudes walking in the snow in their canvas hi-tops! (Ask Hisham what I'm talking about! Waitaminit...What were we talking about?) Oh yeah. So basically, this new album has done away with all the indulgent, pop song pit stops that Justus likes to pepper his albums with (no Carly Simon this time, dude) and goes straight for the jug with some varied, crafty-ass disco, house, synth, feel good A.M. gold TRAX. Without biting any style, Kohncke mushes Donna Summer into Metro Area, shows the disco copycats how to PRODUCE a track -- and then some -- while making it less trendy and a teeny bit more nasty when it needs to be. (It's also nice to hear a recent Kompakt album veer away from the big-room/tranced-out production quality! Safe and Sound is more of a house party album -- more fun and intimate.) Listen to the sound clips; if you like one, and goddamn it you should, you'll love the whole album. [SM]


	$13.99 CD		DAVID AXELROD Seriously Deep (Dusty Groove) "Miles Away" "Go for It" David Axelrod led the type of the career that most musicians would have killed to call their own. As a composer, arranger, and producer, he worked with the likes of Lou Rawls, helped Cannonball Adderly achieve his crossover success of the late 1960s, and helmed two of the Electric Prunes most bizarre (and rewarding) full-lengths, among many other notable achievements. His productions and solo records have been excavated, absorbed, and sampled by folks ranging from Madlib and DJ Shadow to Dr. Dre, while rock folks like Richard Ashcroft have long championed his work. Though records like Song of Innocence and Songs of Experience have long since assumed their place in the canons of beat junkies and baroque funk heads alike, 1975s Seriously Deep has remained one relatively unturned stone in his oeuvre. Now, however, Chicago record store Dusty Groove has seen fit to resurrect the LP as a part of the fledgling label's reissue program, bringing a welcome spotlight on its rare grooves. A bit more pared down than some of his other work, Seriously Deep's six cuts go straight for the funk jazz jugular, pulling up the endless breaks of "1000 Rads" and its low-slung groove alongside the synth and fuzz-guitar kissed "One." And while one would never be able to describe this disc as even remotely "stripped down," there's still a relatively stark simplicity to tracks like "Reverie," with its foreboding ambience and haunted sense of space, that make this another essential entry in David Axelrod's catalogue. [MC]


	$13.99 CD		GRAND ARCHIVES The Grand Archives (Sub Pop) "Torn Blue Foam Couch" "A Setting Sun" As you may already know, Grand Archives is the new band led by former Band of Horses founding member Mat Brooke. The group has been all over the music papers and blogs these days obviously because of the BOH connection, as well as Brooke having been a member of Seattle legends Carissa's Wierd. This sort of "instant fame" creates a good buzz for a new band, but it can often also be a death knell with way too much pressure being placed on an unknown artist. But The Grand Archives (yes, that is the album title) is the exception, and it seems that the band kept their composure and created a beautiful mid-tempo folk and country rock record filled with light percussion, clean and crisp guitars, warm bass lines, and soft and lulling vocals. Grand Archives wear their influences on their sleeves, and in this case that is not a bad thing; artists like Gram Parsons, Neil Young, Iron and Wine and, of course, Band of Horses come to mind. "Torn Blue Foam Couch" is a beautiful lovelorn opener with Brooke's warm vocal delivery, crisp guitar line, rolling drums, and storming horns. It is a perfect track for that mixtape you were planning on making for your loved one. "Swan Matches" is a stunning track that recalls the hazy and beautiful UK band, the Clientele, with its distorted guitars and solid drums played at a snail's pace, all the while Brooke's hushed melodies are backed by female harmonies that only add to the sentiments that lie within. "Index Moon" comes off like a track from Band of Horses' latest, and when its distorted guitar lines come crashing in at just the right place, it all seems just a little too perfect. All in all, Grand Archives have arrived with a great record that will put a grin on a fan of any or all of the aforementioned. A perfect complement to this week's stunning Bon Iver release. [JS]


	$13.99 CD $16.99 LP $9.99 MP3		THE RAVEONETTES Lust Lust Lust (Vice) "Aly, Walk with Me" "Dead Sound" "We didn't want that flimsy sound we had on the Pretty in Black album anymore," the Raveonettes' Sune Rose Wagner recently told the NME, describing the Danish duo's latest offering. He continues, "It's a grittier, tougher and much more powerful record -- one that I think is perfect for doing a massive amount of drugs to in some underground Berlin club!" Sure enough, song names like "Hallucinations," Black Satin" and "You Want the Candy" give a hint to what's in store on Lust Lust Lust; you'd almost think that the Vice Records imprint could be its subtitle. And while it is a meatier, darker record, it's also Wagner and bandmate Sharin Foo's strongest, fuzz-filled set of '60s-influenced pop yet. Album opener "Aly Walk with Me" is a slow-burner that snakes along a Sidewalking beat with Wagner and Foo's breathy harmonies being completely wiped out by the same kind of molten, white-noise blasts of guitar feedback that the Reid brothers used to coax from their tube amps some 20 years ago. While half of the album plays like dreamy, reverb-drenched lullabies for two broken-hearted lovers coming down after a night spent tripping out to Warhol movies, tracks like "Dead Sound" and "Blitzed" could be the lead-off songs on a post-modern Beach Blanket Bingo soundtrack for the pasty-skinned set. [GH]


	$21.99 CD		HAL SINGER & JEF GILSON Soul of Africa (Kindred Spirits) "Chant Inca" "Garvey's Strut" Way, way overdue, but very much worth the wait, this first-time-on-CD reissue from saxophonist Hal Singer and pianist Jef Gilson thoughtfully and truthfully reflects the "Soul of Africa." One of those rare records championed by collectors for the last two decades, it's is a welcomed addition in the tradition of Duke Ellington, Max Roach, Philip Cohran, and Sun Ra. This cross-cultural ensemble connects musicians from Madagascar and Paris to create a fluid mesh of spiritual jazz with vibrant melodies and a solidly soulful strut. Recorded in the mid-'70s, after both Singer and Gilson spent time touring Africa and absorbing the music of the continent, they brought their influence along with a few choice musicians to France to build upon what they had experienced. With a thick rhythm section of vibes, drums, percussion, electric and acoustic bass, along with tenor sax, piano, balaphon, and a homemade micro-organ, there's a wealth of accents and sonic colors throughout. As a bonus, the CD includes two additional pieces from Jef Gilson's septet with organist Lloyd Miller. One of the best jazz reissues I've heard in some time. Highly recommended. [DG]


	$12.99 CD $9.99 MP3		MONADE Monstre Cosmic (Too Pure) "Etoile" "Regarde" There has always been countless one-offs and side-projects associated with Stereolab, and like most of them, a better part of Monade's existence seemingly was an afterthought for Laetitia Sadier. She first began recording under this moniker back in 1996, releasing only a handful of singles up until the 2003 full-length, Socialisme Ou Barbarie. And while her main band's output has slowed a bit in recent years, Monade's albums have certainly filled the longer gaps in Stereolab's release schedule. The differences between the two entities are slight (less gurgle and droning here), but with Sadier's warm French-accented melodies, of course, being the common denominator. Monade works off the Groop's blueprint, with lots of linear, at times Latin-esque rhythms, loose-strummed guitars, analog keyboards, and cinematic, Vannier-inspired backing arrangements. "Lost Language" could easily have been an outtake from Dots and Loops, the song taking a strange turn with backwards strings wrapping around Sadier's harmonies before kicking back into its hypnotic jazzy swing. The breezy "Regarde" is a great headphone listen, with a light, percolating bass providing a foundation for stereo-panned guitars and electric piano, and rich layers of horn and voice. While Sadier isn't necessarily treading any new ground here, along the way she manages to recapture some of the creative spark that's been missing in Stereolab's last few efforts. Monstre Cosmic isn't Monade's Emperor Tomato Ketchup, but it does play like an abridged Aluminum Tunes with plenty of highlights for fans. [GH]


	$17.99 CD		AGF Words Are Missing (AGF) "Words Are Useless" "Ooops for Understand III" Antye Greie-Fuchs has arrived with a brand new album that further gels and solidifies her pet sound qualities. Even as far back as her earliest efforts in Laub, her band project on the Kitty-Yo label, Fuchs has f*ked around with elements with varying results, ranging from electro-jazz spoken word atmospheres, to Einsturzende Neubaten found-sound experimentation combined with post-punk rock stylings, to vaguely Bjork-esque (NOT Bjork-worship) song explorations. Words Are Missing* brings it all together in a way that takes it beyond the "concept album" albatross-tag. Lots of snippet-y vocal bits by Fuchs herself are set into patterns along with found-sounds/digital-bits galore; but it's not in a Herbert way. Words Are Missing immediately impresses with its multiple possible applications: A score for a dance piece; an example of the combination of modern composition and pop; or just plain good listening for all of those who work on computers too much. Most exciting is the thought of this album as a dance piece score -- an unknown narrative weaves through it that defies discovery as it constantly hides behind and within a swarm of digital bits/patterns and textures. Michael liked it! That's SAYIN' something. [SM]


	$14.99 CD		LAST EXIT Headfirst into the Flames (DMG / ARC) "Don't Be a Cry Baby Whatever You Do" "Hanged Man Are Always Naked" A well-deserved reissue of this most excellent live disc from Last Exit, the jazz-bombast supergroup featuring the incomparable playing of Sony Sharrock on guitar, Peter Brotzmann on reeds, Bill Laswell on electric bass and (Ronald) Shannon Jackson drumming. It's all too easy to forget, in these modern times where jazz/rock/noise/improv hybrids are almost commonplace, just how revolutionary this group was when their self-titled debut appeared in '86. But one listen will still clean out your head, in the best possible way, as these four dwarf any of their legions of successors hands down, with their raw combination of musicianship, musicality, and sheer power. After that sole studio album, the group delivered five live discs over the ensuing several years, and Headfirst into the Flames, recorded in '89 in Stockholm and Munich and originally released on Robert Musso's Muworks Records in '93, was their final statement, and probably their most thrilling and dynamic. The set, in fact, features more actual dynamics than previous recordings as well, at times reigning in the quartet's explosive sound on extended breakdowns that feature Sharrock's liquid fretwork, Jackson's skittering hi-hats and Brotzmann's quiet-before-the-skronk. At the time of these recordings the group had been performing together for half a decade, their interplay is intense and intuitive, and in front of adoring European audiences they are truly on fire. A must-have for fans of the downtown improv scene as well as noise fanatics, this group can teach both sets a thing or two, and kudos to NYC's Downtown Music Gallery for making this reissue available. [JM]


	$13.99 CD $16.99 LPx2 $9.99 MP3		SIAN ALICE GROUP 59 59 (The Social Registry) "Way Down to Heaven" "Sleep" Sian Alice Group are one of those somewhat mysterious bands who seem to keep popping up in some pretty interesting places -- opening for Spiritualized in the U.K., releasing their debut on NYC's The Social Registry label -- with only a handful of gigs under their belt, and a hazy sound that is intriguing for sure, but most likely a bit abstract to generate mass hysteria. The connection may be mundane, with core members Ben Crook and Rupert Clervaux both coming from "industry" backgrounds, having worked in Britain directing cool videos (Crook) and engineering/producing some pretty fine music (Clervaux) for the past decade. But while they may have gotten a little help from their friends, the group, which includes vocalist Sian Ahern and original Jesus and Mary Chain bassist Douglas Hart, can stand on its own. Their debut is a hazy, slow-moving confection that blends simple pop song-structures, anchored by Ahern's melodic, ethereal singing, with lush, subdued playing that brings the energy of improvisation to these dreamy songs. Guitar-haze and jazzy drumming will be augmented by lovely piano figures, a chiming glockenspiel or haunting pump-organ, and while the songs never explode, the build and subside like gentle waves lapping the shore. [JM]


	$17.99 CD		KPM 1000 SERIES Afro-Rock (Tummy Touch) "Frozen Stream" Alan Parker "Afro Waltz" John Cameron Originally produced for use in film, television and radio, KPM's library music has been coveted and sought after for years. Focusing on instrumental Afro-rock, this collection can best described as Shaft in Africa meets David Axelrod, and as you can imagine, there's plenty of percussion, fuzzy wah-wah guitar, funky bass, and the occasional flute solo. It's the kind of music that you could expect to hear played behind classic cop chase, heist, or raunchy sex scenes. That said, this is also one of the tightest, on-point collections of "breaks" around. Compiled by arrangers/composers Alan Parker and John Cameron, this is the crown jewel of their '60s/'70s library music series; fans of Cymande, Quincy Jones, Quentin Tarantino, or even Madlib's Movie Scene series, will find something wild, wonderful, and worthwhile. [DG]


	$14.99 CD $14.99 LP $9.99 MP3		THROW ME THE STATUE Moonbeams (Secretly Canadian) "Take It or Leave It" "Young Sensualists" Throw Me the Statue brainchild Scott Reitherman refers to his band's music as glam/idol/pop, on their MySpace page, but that just barely scratches the surface of this debut. A San Fran native now living in Seattle, Reitherman plays most of the instruments on the album and, with a little help from his roommates and friends, including Casey Foubert (of Pedro the Lion and Sufjan Stevens' band), brings a very communal, DIY sound to the recording. There are actually many moments where Moonbeams conjures the anything-goes attitude of indie rock's halcyon days during the '90s, as well as bringing to mind more recent acts who are still carrying the indie torch; "Conquering Kids," for example, is reminiscent of the Shins on a budget. But what may not be the most original record makes up for it in sheer infectiousness. The opening keyboard riff of "Young Sensualists" immediately recalls Postal Service's brand of electronic indie pop -- though Reitherman's lyrics are much lighter and happier than Ben Gibbard's -- while "Yucatan Gold" is undeniably catchy with its chorus of "She's a crazy animal when she screams" sung over a grand mal seizure of Casio. The cacophony of synths on "About to Walk" will make you forget all your worries, while in contrast, the jazzy, stripped-down (re: no keyboards) title track is a nice departure, serving nicely as a transitional piece to help wind the album down from such great heights. Secretly Canadian is making damn sure that 2008 will be a big year for TMTS. Look for them on tour with Jens Lekman and also at SXSW. This is one band to keep your eye (or ear) on. [TL]


	$12.99 CD $13.99 LP $9.99 MP3		MOUNTAIN GOATS Heretic Pride (4AD) "Autoclave" Joined by a wonderful herd of Goats with names both old and new to the fold, including Franklin Bruno, Superchunk's John Wurster, Peter Hughes, composer/cellist Erik Friedlander, St. Vincent's Annie Clark, and John Vanderslice producing, John Darnielle delivers a great new album full of sharply painted portraits and stories, told with drama and passion. Taut and immediate, Heretic Pride is quiet music for tense times.


	$14.99 CD $9.99 MP3		AMERICAN MUSIC CLUB Golden Age (Merge) "Who You Are" With Sean Hoffman and Steve Didelot of L.A.'s the Larks filling out the rhythm section, Mark Eitzel's (and guitarist Vudi's) latest AMC excursion is looser, more easygoing, live-sounding and dare we say "fun" than recent work. But Eitzel's emotionally raw, full-throated heartache is as powerful and moving as ever, and he is well-served by this nimble band.


	$9.99 CD $12.99 LP $3.99 MP3		GROWING Lateral EP (The Social Registry) "First Contact" "Afterglow" Following their Social Registry debut with the Social Club Nº 8 single, Growing brings us a four-song EP which finds the Brooklyn via Olympia duo delving into some of their most restrained, minimal works yet. This short set is more ambient than Growing's earlier drove-heavy workouts, their reliance on guitar and effects lending the tracks a much more organic feel than most electronic contemporaries.


	$13.99 CD		PANTHER 14KT God (Kill Rock Stars) "Her Past Are the Trees" "Worn Moments" Panther is a Portland-based duo that kinda look like the baby brothers of Death from Above 1979 but don't hold that against them. We're having a hard time pinning this down...which is probably how they'd like it. At times it sounds like Michael Jackson and then !!!, and other times like a James Brown/James Chance hybrid, or a funk band playing Joy Division songs. Sure, it may sound like the cheese factor is pretty high but there's an earnest, soulful feel to the songs that makes 14KT God a great album.


	$15.99 CD $9.99 MP3		NEPTUNE Gong Lake (Radium) "Paris Green" "Black Tide" Wildly experimental punk/post-punk sounds by this Boston band here. Going strong for almost a decade and a half now, Neptune utilize an array of homemade instruments (effects boxes and electronics,) combined with the traditional, on Gong Lake. There's a definite industrial/This Heat-inspired vibe at times, in that exploratory, non-rockist way, and at others, the band relies on sheer force. With all conventions and boundaries of traditional rock n roll broken down, this is a primal yet highly advanced sound sculpting.


	$9.99 MP3		EARTH, ROOTS & WATER Innocent Youths (Light in the Attic) A highly-coveted piece of the Jamaica-Toronto connection, Earth, Roots & Water's first long player was originally released on the Summer Records imprint in '77. Produced by label head Jerry Brown, whose deep, echo-heavy productions are the North's answer to Lee Perry's Black Ark, the band moves through a roots conscious set of tight rhythms that some 30+ years later still sound great. Fans of Culture, Congos and Abyssinians should check this out. (Preview song clips on Other Music Digital.)


	$17.99 MP3		VARIOUS ARTISTS Nigeria Special: Modern Highlife, Afro-sounds and Nigerian Blues (Soundway) "Akula Owu Onyeara" The Funkees "Belema" Opotopo Now available as an MP3 download. Over two discs and 26 tracks, this collection journeys into the heart and soul of Nigeria to offer a selection from mostly one-off bands whose music had previously been unissued outside of the country. If you picked up the Nigeria '70 comp a few years back, this is an excellent companion piece; less of a ride on the funk side of things, Nigeria Special is more of a slow burner, yet every bit as essential. (Read the full review in the February 6 edition of the Other Music Update, where we featured the CD version, which is also still available.)


	$9.99 MP3		SAM SHALABI Eid (Alien8) "Jessica Simpson" "Pitchfork" Composed while Sam Shalabi was living in Cairo, Eid is intended to be his personal response to the wide variety of Arabic pop music he was exposed to. It's a beautifully produced album with a wholly unique atmosphere, ranging from contemplative to psychedelic, that actually investigates, understands and responds to the music of another culture while avoiding the pitfalls of mere tokenism. It's Shalabi's finest and most likely one of 2008's as well. (Read the full review in the February 6 Other Music Update, where we featured the CD version, which is also still available.)


	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 [MC] Michael Crumsho [DG] Daniel Givens [GH] Gerald Hammill [TL] Tanya Leet [JM] Josh Madell [DM] Doug Mosurock [SM] Scott Mou [JS] Jeremy Sponder THANKS FOR READING - all of us at Other Music

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