June 25, 2009

		$14.99 CD w/Ticket $18.99 LP w/Ticket $9.99 MP3 w/Ticket   TORTOISE'S NEW ALBUM COMES WITH IN-STORE PERFORMANCE TICKET Tortoise will be performing at Other Music on July 18th at 9PM, in support of their first new album in five years, Beacons of Ancestorship, which is featured below in this week's update. (Spoiler alert: it's a standout in a discography that spans two decades.) Needless to say, we're thrilled to be hosting an in-store with one of the best live acts we know, and we're sure many of you will be just as excited to catch such an intimate performance from the band. The price of admission is the purchase of their new album from us in any format (CD, LP or MP3 download), 1 ticket per purchase, limit 2 purchases per person. As you can imagine, capacity is extremely limited, so grab one while you can, they won't last.

		FEATURED NEW RELEASES Julianna Barwick The Units Tortoise The Phenomenal Handclap Band Bernard Szajner Monoton Desire Telepathe / Effi Briest (7") Rail Band A Hawk and a Hacksaw Dave Bixby Onna Fenn O'Berg Gloria Scott FaltyDL Angel & Hildur Gudnadottir Sa-Ra Creative Partners Sun Araw   ALSO AVAILABLE Dinosaur Jr. Sunset Rubdown Amazing Baby Bibio Regina Spektor The Lemonheads Mars Volta Woolfy Section 25 (2 Reissues) AVAILABLE ON VINYL Blank Dogs Here We Go Magic Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/othermusic

		JUN Sun 21 Mon 22 Tues 23 Wed 25 Thurs 25 Fri 26 Sat 27   WIN TICKETS TO JOHANN JOHANNSSON'S FIRST AMERICAN SHOWS TONIGHT Longtime readers of this update our probably well aware of our love and respect for the music of Johann Johannsson, so we're excited to be giving away tickets to the Icelandic composer/producer's first ever American performances in New York City tonight (Thursday, June 25th), at (Le) Poisson Rouge. Johannsson will be performing two sets and we've got two pairs of tickets to each show -- a total of four winners. To enter for what is sure to be a magnificent concert, email tickets@othermusic.com, and be sure to list which performance you'd like to see in the body of the text (6:30PM or 8:30PM) along with a daytime phone number where you can be reached. TONIGHT!! THURSDAY, JUNE 25 (LE) POISSON ROUGE: 158 Bleeker Street NYC

		JUNE Sun 21 Mon 22 Tues 23 Wed 24 Thurs 25 Fri 26 Sat 27 JULY Sun 28 Mon 29 Tues 30 Wed 01 Thurs 02 Fri 03 Sat 04   WIN TICKETS TO THE BEACH PARTY, LIC WITH CLAUDE VONSTROKE AND ROBERT HOOD The Beach Party, LIC is back for its fourth year at Water Taxi Beach in Long Island City. No surprise that this year's line-up is another solid one, with great guests joining residents DJ Probus, Justin Carter and Eamon Harkin throughout the summer. We've got two pairs of tickets to the first two installments, the kick-off party this Saturday featuring Dirtybird and Motherbird honcho Claude VonStroke and then a special 4th of July edition with minimal techno purveyor and founder of the Underground Resistance, Robert Hood. Just email contest@othermusic.com and please list which night you'd like to enter for in the subject line. We'll be notifying the winners on Monday, June 29th. SATURDAYS: JUNE 27 & JULY 4 THE BEACH PARTY AT WATER TAXI BEACH: 2nd Street and Borden Avenue Long Island City, Queens

		JULY Sun 28 Mon 29 Tues 30 Wed 01 Thurs 02 Fri 03 Sat 04   WIN SONIC YOUTH CONCERT TICKETS No need for an introduction, New York's own Sonic Youth will be performing at the beautiful and historic United Palace Theatre on July 3rd, in support of their great new album The Eternal. Opening the night will be the Entrance Band. Other Music has two pairs of tickets up for grabs and you can enter by emailing giveaway@othermusic.com. We'll notify the two winners on Monday, June 29th. FRIDAY, JULY 3 UNITED PALACE THEATRE: 4140 Broadway (at 175th Street) NYC

		$7.99 CD-EP   JULIANNA BARWICK Florine (Self-Released) "Anjos" "Sunlight, Heaven" Julianna Barwick's Sanguine CD was a favorite here in the shop when it came out in late 2007, and I haven't heard anything quite like it before or since, a hallucinogenic journey of loopy electronics and hazy reverbed vocal acrobatics. I've been extremely excited to check out new work from such a talented local artist, and with Florine, I'm anything but disappointed. While Sanguine featured thirteen songs over the course of about 25 minutes, the new EP clocks in at roughly the same time with only six tracks; this means that those morsels of sonic sculpture have evolved into four- and five-minute orchestrations. Using samplers and loops, Barwick constructs vocal cathedrals of hypnotic and enchanting sounds. Yes, the comparisons to Panda Bear are still valid, particularly on the tracks with live instrumentation, but that comparison is not a bad thing, just a leaping-off point for this highly original performer. Barwick's work takes on a textural intensity where the layers grow so architecturally integrated that it reminds me of the vocal equivalent of Phillip Jeck's work on Touch records. Okay, maybe I'm getting carried away, but you will too when you play Florine. [BCa]

		$14.99 CD   THE UNITS History of (Community Library) "Cannibals" "Red" At long last, a proper reissue of SF synth-wave band the Units, who toughed out the entire punk and new wave eras without once picking up a guitar. Founded by two very dissatisfied artists (if the liner notes are any indication), Scott Ryser and Rachel Webber danced about the burning building that was late '70s/early '80s artpunkdisco culture, sharing a very similar, jittery perception on life and music along with Devo, Tuxedomoon, Pink Section and the Screamers. Through a rotating casts of keyboardists and drummers, the group forged ahead, blending performance art, punk's bite and new wave's sheen into a half-human hybrid, one which produced a steady stream of vinyl rarities, collected here for the first time in a legit release. Units' contrarian approach dates their sound a bit, but in their case it's an advantage, as the group was able to forge ahead as musical pioneers, painstakingly tuning analog synths for maximum impact, recreating the sounds of contemporary rock bands through then-new technology. When they're not floating off into some electroambient cloud, they're right up at your throat, plowing away at high-energy wavo rock, big-sounding and immediate. Something for everybody here, and a rediscovery worth sharing. Long live the Units! [DM]

		$14.99 CD $18.99 LP w/MP3 $9.99 MP3   TORTOISE Beacons of Ancestorship (Thrill Jockey) "High Class Slim Came Floatin' In" "De Chelly" Now on their umpteenth album, it can be hard to drum up much excitement for a new Tortoise album -- we've heard it all before, is there really something new these guys have to say? But give it even one spin and it's clear that Beacons of Ancestorship is the best thing the Chicago avant-rock innovators have forged for many, many years. Jumping into a kind of cosmic post hip-hop vibe, the group harness the best part of their sound, stripping out the lazy chaff and delivering a weird, angular wail that electrifies the band and the listener alike. Opening with "High Class Slim Came Floatin' In," we're instantly off to a great start with a track that sounds like it could have just as easily come off a Dabrye record as a Tortoise joint. With stuttering post-Dilla beats (no doubt informed by John McEntire's recent outing as Bumps for Stones Throw) and buzzing hypercolor synthesizers, it feels like the band has been re-invigorated with a new energy. The basic Tortoise vibe we fell in love with back in the mid '90s is still there (just about) but this is a band that have transported their sound into 2009 quite perfectly, and like Portishead they've done it by looking to the past. The album sounds almost like it could have been recorded direct to reel-to-reel tape in the mid '70s as they take an almost cop-show vibe on tracks such as "Prepare Your Coffin" and "Minors." To sound retro and current at once is difficult, but they have managed it, and even spared some time to add a slice of classic TNT-era loveliness in the shape of "The Fall of Seven Diamonds Plus One." They might be re-treading old ground here but it comes much appreciated, sounding as good as the band ever had and adding a rest stop from the rest of the record's stuttering percussive funk. You might have been ready to write off Tortoise but trust me on this -- Beacons of Ancestorship is the best thing the band have mustered up since TNT. Don't miss it! [JT] Buy Tortoise’s new album (CD, LP or MP3) from us either at the shop or on-line, and you’ll get a free ticket to their in-store on Saturday, July 18, at 9PM. 1 ticket per purchase, limit 2 purchases per person, while supplies last.

		$13.99 CD $9.99 MP3   THE PHENOMENAL HANDCLAP The Phenomenal Handclap Band (Friendly Fire Recordings) Preview Songs on Other Music's Download Store The Phenomenal Handclap band started out as an ambitious studio project birthed by noted NYC producer/DJs Daniel Collas, a talented keyboardist who has produced records for salsa legend Joe Bataan and Brazilian funk band Uniao Black, and Sean Marquand, of the long-running Brazilian Beat party in Brooklyn. Pulling from their love of psychedelic rock, New York disco and tropicalia, PHB's self-titled debut is an extremely focused listen, and the fact that all of these influences are able to co-exist within the same song without sounding like a mess is a testament to their great ears for arrangement. Featuring a diverse list of guest musicians which includes Jon Spencer, TV on the Radio's Jaleel Bunton and Carol C from Si*Se, the vibes are sunny and bright all around. Highlights include the live neo-disco of "You'll Disappear" and the roller disco-rock bounce of "15 to 20," which features old-skool rapper Lady Tigra of L'trimm. There's a nice psychedelic vibe that pervades throughout and kinda comes off like Phoenix on acid...and this is a good thing. The Phenomenal Handclap Band have already garnered quite a bit of hype in the UK and loads of acclaim for their impressive live shows; this is definitely a group you need to check out. Quality! (You can catch the Phenomenal Handclap Band live tonight, Thursday, June 25th, at Santos Party House, where they'll be celebrating the release of their new album.) [DH]

		Some Deaths Take Forever $16.99 CD $9.99 MP3 Superficial Music $16.99 CD $9.99 MP3   BERNARD SZAJNER Some Deaths Take Forever / Bonus Tracks (LTM / Boutique) Preview Songs on Other Music's Download Store BERNARD SZAJNER Superficial Music / Bonus Tracks (LTM / Boutique) Preview Songs on Other Music's Download Store Crash course on Bernard Szajner: he is a French visual artist who found his way into music after staging elaborate light shows for live performances by the Who, Klaus Schulze, Magma, and many others, including the infamous "Crystal Machine" performances of '72 Paris with Tim Blake. He designed the "laser harp," one of the most stunning performance pieces of the early '80s -- a synthesizer controlled by "plucking" colored beams of light that shot forth into the ceiling of concert halls. Tired of supporting other rock bands, he picked up the synthesizer and cut a record of his own music under the name Zed, interpreting themes inspired by Frank Herbert's Dune saga (at that point, not yet made into a motion picture by David Lynch ... Salvador Dali had the reins at that juncture). His 1980 album Some Deaths Take Forever has been cited by Carl Craig as the best electronic album of all time. And here it is, back in print. Some of you might have gotten a taste via opening track "Welcome to Deathrow," included on Tigersushi's genre-relaunching comp So Young But So Cold. Here's the whole thing, then, a work dedicated to Amnesty International, hellbent on science fiction reality, and possibly the harsh, imprisoned challenge to Brian Eno's pop albums. Szajner's synths unite a flanged-out, musically strict band of mostly French progressive artists (including Magma bassist Bernard Paganotti and jazz bassoonist Michael Rabinowitz) into a dark, uncompromising challenge to pop, rock, and the burgeoning cold streaks of new wave. The level of songcraft, willingness to experiment, and the frigid, yet compassionate android sound-birth of this material caused a stir upon its initial release, as it should; Szajner was well on his way to creating a musical omnibus that merged past, present, and future sounds into an irresistible whole. It's one of my favorite records across the many genres it touches, and there's very little else like it. 1981's Superficial Music couldn't be more different, but again finds the artists pushing the envelope of what his audience was to expect following such an astounding work as Some Deaths Take Forever. Split into two movements, the "Superficial Music" tracks work from the Zed masters, played reverse and at half-speed, as Szajner adds and removes layers of sound from the original work. The second movement, "Oswiecim" (Polish for Auschwitz), is a chilling work of dark ambient mainframe crash, portraying the struggles his family endured while imprisoned in concentration camps during the second World War. This reissue tacks on two tracks from a 12" that explore similarly abstract themes using synthesizers and analog effects. Diehards as well as the new generation of No Fun noiseniks will no doubt appreciate this release the most, but everyone will find something new in Some Deaths Take Forever, a truly stunning album worthy of (re)discovery. [DM]

		$17.99 CD $9.99 MP3 Four Lost Tracks: Bionic Automatonic Archaeology $17.99 10-inch Ancient Futures: Applied Psycho-Acoustic Meta-Mathematics $17.99 10-inch   MONOTON Eight Lost Tracks (Oral) Preview Songs on Other Music's Download Store Oral continues their excellent reissue program of releases from multimedia/electronics artist Konrad Becker (a/k/a Monoton) with what may be the crown jewel in the series thus far -- a collection of eight rare or previously unreleased pieces on CD (also split onto two 4-track 10" EPs) which derive their rhythms and structures from mathematic sequences. The first half of the collection (also the first 10" EP), entitled Bionic Automatonic Archaeology and dating from 1981 and '82, begins with a beatscape representation of the Pi number sequence; from there, we are treated to some deep, spiraling early drum-machine/syndrum arithmetic, with dense layers of hypnotic poly-rhythms encircling one another over gorgeous electronic drones and feedback pulsations. These are without question the most rhythmic and proto-house sounding tracks ever attached to the Monoton name; I'm also heavily reminded of some of the infamous early Sky Records jams from Moebius & Plank as well as the monster Conrad Schnitzler color-themed albums. The second half of the collection (10" EP #2) is titled Ancient Futures: Applied Psycho-Acoustic Meta-Mathematics, and this set of tracks (circa 1982 and '83) moves more into a sound more in debt to the NYC minimalist composers school of thinkers, slotted nicely alongside Philip Glass's Einstein on the Beach or Terry Riley's A Rainbow in Curved Air. Again, the pieces are highly rhythmic, but where the first half relied on programmed rhythm boxes, this set is more overtly melodic and keyboard-influenced, utilizing 8-bit tone generators, sine waves, and even a Commodore 64 computer processor to mesmerizing effect. The highlight of this half, without question, is "Wizard-C64," which slips a bit back into the percussives of the first half, but with a terrifying C64-generated computer voice ululating along with the beat like a Black Metal robot set to kill. All in all, this set is pretty damn essential for fans of early minimalist electronics and/or of any of the artists and pieces I've mentioned above; it's as much or perhaps even more essential than the first Monoton reissue by Oral from a few years back (that'd be Monotonprodukt 07 20y ++, the black album), and if you're new to his sound, I'd highly recommend this set as the place to start. All three CDs are worth checking out, but if you only need one, this is the one to get. Strong contender for one of the best reissues you'll hear in 2009. I can't give this thing any higher praise than that! [IQ]

		$12.99 CD   DESIRE II (Italians Do It Better) "Miroir Miroir" "Oxygene" Italians Do It Better appear to have access to a veritable disco goldmine with producer Johnny Jewel on board. Desire is the Chromatics/Glass Candy man's latest project, and this time he comes accompanied by Nattie (also of Chromatics) and Canadian vocalist Megan to produce some of the finest slo-mo disco of his already estimable career. With Chromatics he exorcised his love of Goblin and Claudio Simonetti's Italo excursions, with Glass Candy it's all a little more Blondie-centric, and with Desire, Jewel has allowed himself to go 'cosmic.' Forging long, sprawling tracks with silky smooth hooks and gloriously deadpan vocals from Megan (occasionally sounding more Debbie Harry than Debbie Harry herself these days, this one has some Blondie too) he's hit on a winning formula, and while it's not so far removed from his previous projects, II manages to be his most refined full-length to date. The album reaches its boiling point quickly when it gets to potential single "Mirroir Mirroir," a track that excels thanks to the charming American inability to pronounce the word 'mirror.' With slippery vinyl-sampled disco percussion and a sing-a-long chorus, the track somehow manages to hit that middle ground between dancefloor-friendly and home listening. I'm expecting hip re-edits to emerge on Hypemachine sometime soon, but I would be very surprised if any of them achieved the same effortless vibe as the original. The band hit another winner with "Don't Call," a track that brings back buzzing memories of mid-'80s chart hits but without the needless pomp and gloss. The inherently cheesy vocal melody from Megan is somehow elevated from sugary syrup into hip credibility. In the wrong hands it would simply buoy up the current trend for pointless retro nostalgia, but with Jewel at the reigns we instead have a track you'll want to leave on repeat for a worrying length of time. Packed with darker moments to offset the pop excesses (check the basement vibe of "Under Your Spell"), there's enough here to easily push II into the "best of 2009" lists come December. Fans of Nite Jewel, Chromatics et al. (I know you're out there), you'll kick yourself if you miss this album. I'm off to play it some more. [JT]

		$6.99 45   TELEPATHE / EFFI BRIET Split (Skinny Wolves) We rarely get into a blow-by-blow of a limited edition, split seven-inch, but it seemed somewhat monumental that these two great, but very different NYC female collectives were collaborating, and the record lives up to the expectation. Telepathe starts off side A with a dubby, stratospheric dancehall remix of "Mirror Rim," from Effi Briest's debut single. Here, Telepathe add a steppy/reggae-tronic bassline and beat, as well as some squiggly, percolating synth, all the while cutting up samples of Kelsey Barrett's Ari-Up/Siouxsie-inspired chants and howls. This jam takes the macho man vibes of dancehall and dubstep and effectively spaces the song out into a heavy-lidded yet light-footed bootyclap through the clouds; Telepathe have made this song their own without losing the charm of the original by exploring the psychedelic heart that beats in both groups. Throw this one between some Gang Gang, M.I.A., Zomby or Joker and you are good to go. Next up is Effi Briest's cover of Telepathe's "Chrome's On It." The band tackles the floating, almost static mantra-like quality of the song, gently and steadily building it with rounds of sampled vocals from the original in the background while adding some new vocals of their own. When the "bang-bang" chorus/breakdown arrives, electric bass and tropical percussion accents are joined by a subtle melodic cloud of accordion. The original synth drums are later accented with a real drum kit, while the track slowly and gently blisses out with layered vocals and extra synth and guitar. Here, Effi Briest break "Chrome's On It" into three segments and build upon -- rather than attack -- the song, loosening the track up and making it buoyant, while simultaneously bringing it back down to Earth. Like the first two Effi seven-inches, these are European-only pressings (Skinny Wolves is based in Ireland) with no US distribution, and as far as I know, we are the only store carrying it in NYC. Limited to 500 copies and very recommended. [SM]

		$18.99 CDx2 $17.99 MP3   RAIL BAND Belle Epoque Vol. 3: Dioba (Sterns) "Sinsimba" "Karitea" Another summer, and another volume of Sterns Africa's reissue series of the Belle Epoque, music of the Malian big band alternately known as the Rail Band, the Super Rail Band, and the Orchestre Rail-Band du Buffet Hotel de la Gare Bamako. Formed in 1970, the Rail Band took traditional instruments and songs and re-arranged them for a modern urban African audience, and served as a government-supported musical academy for a clutch of singers and players, several of whom would graduate to become bona fide contemporary "world music" stars, such as Salif Keita, Mory Kanté, and Djelimady Tounkara. Although the band isn't as widely known outside of West Africa as are the solo projects of its former members, when the Rail Band were good -- and they nearly always were -- they arguably made the best music any of those members were ever involved with. The ethos of the Rail Band's formative years is not unlike that of the late American folk-revival period, when young musicians adapted traditional modes, genres, and instruments into new, novel musical forms. In Mali, Senegal, and the Gambia, scores of adventurous and talented youngsters synthesized local griot traditions with Latin, Arab, and other West African elements and, increasingly into the '70s, American R&B and funk. In the spirit of their former colonizers, the Rail Band carried on the proud French tradition of artistic experimentation, calling the music they played "Mandingo classicism" and "modern folklore." Whatever it was called, their music was wildly popular in Mali, where the band was sponsored by the railway administration (thus its name) and the Ministry of Information. It's not hard to see why. The passionate singing of its legion of contributing vocalists; Tounkara's sublime, and heavily reverberating kora-inspired guitar work; the steady Latin percussion and ample brass section -- it all adds up to some of the most satisfying music around, with a cosmopolitanism that no doubt thrilled modern Malian audiences. This third volume of Sterns' excavations of the Rail Band's 1970-1983 catalog features some of the best contributions of Mory Kanté in the series thus far -- "Sinsimba" and "Wale Numa Lombaliya" (both from 1977) are well worth the price of entry alone. The sequencing of the disc (and this goes as well for volumes 1 and 2) -- namely the decision to not place the tracks in chronological order -- leads to a few bumps in the road, as some of the especially effective, sprawling '70s jams downshift into the slicker, slightly canned production values of the early '80s. But it only takes a couple seconds before ears adjust and the giddy enjoyment engendered by the Rail Band regains speed. If you have one or both of the early Belle Epoque volumes, you'll most definitely want this one; if you have none, go ahead and buy them all, and you'll save on shipping later. [NS]

		$14.99 CD $16.99 LP $9.99 MP3   A HAWK AND A HACKSAW Délivrance (Leaf) "Kertesz" "Zbiciu" Following on from their career-best mini-album with the Hun Hangar Ensemble, Délivrance continues Heather Drost and Jeremy Barnes' voyage into the back-streets of Eastern Europe. It seems that with each release, the duo becomes more confident, and Délivrance is their most assured record to date with a daring mixture of Turkish, Greek, Hungarian and even Celtic folk music. The album kicks off with "Foni Tu Argile," a track which allows their tried and tested methods to soar with gorgeous horns and toe tapping production, but the record comes into its own when we reach the dulcimer-led "Hummingbirds." While the erratic tempo might be a little insistent for some, this marks a welcome shift for the band and brings back memories of buskers near a nameless European town square. A similar sandouri-led vibe is conjured up on the standout track, "Turkeye," which blends the jaunty barroom flavors that catapulted Beirut to fame and the more obscurist references the duo have developed so fruitfully. My favorite moment comes, however, with the AM-radio charm of "Raggle Taggle," where the violin sounds as if it is emanating from some broken gramophone or other. This slowly builds into a jumble of sounds like a Middle Eastern barn dance but never loses that ineffable sense of melancholy. While Délivrance might not have the immediate appeal of the self-titled EP which preceded it, the record is without a doubt their most successful full-length and should keep the dedicated Euro-fetishists happy until the band's next excursion. Recommended. [JT]

		$17.99 CD   DAVE BIXBY Ode to Quetzalcoatl (Guerssen) "Free Indeed" "Lonely Faces" A monumental reissue for sure, Dave Bixby's infamous 1969 LP goes for upwards of $2000 dollars on eBay, and for years this legendary recording has been a holy grail of outsider folk. Ode to Quetzalcoatl has finally arrived as a proper reissue, and if you are not up for dropping two grand on the original, now is your chance to own this quintessential and enigmatic religious folk masterpiece. To say this is a powerful album is like calling liquid LCD a powerful drug; for once the music actually lives up to the hype. Laying down these haunted spirituals to a 4-track in his living room with occasional accompaniment from a friend, Bixby created one of the most powerful acoustic folk recordings I've ever heard. Apparently, the songwriter had a lot of questions for God following a year of heavy LSD usage that left him feeling a little ragged. This album is his reconciliation with these questions, exploring the unanswerable curiosities that a year spent tripping on acid will induce. Songs like "Drug Song," "666," and "Secret Forest" blow my mind every time I put this on. Ode to Quetzalcoatl will inevitably gather comparisons to Alexander Skip Spence, Syd Barrett, or even Nick Drake, but this is such a singular recording you just have to hear it to believe. [BCa]

		$14.99 CD $9.99 MP3   ONNA Onna (Holy Mountain) "Cortigiana Dal Velo" "Le Chat Noir" Following up a reissue of just the 7" tracks by ethereal dream-psych project Onna, here comes a full-length, shrouded in mystery and tradition. It's a bonzer for sure, free-flowing balladry by embattled Japanese vocalist and manga artist Keizo Miyanish, a teenage runaway who arrived in Tokyo at the dawn of the '70s to discover rock music in all its lurid forms -- just the really important stuff: VU, Stooges, Brigitte Fontaine, Les Rallizes Denudes, the Stalin. Opening with the single's cuts and an outtake, all from 1983, we find Onna fitting in just right with the times: it's almost a Pacific Rim response to the second and third Television Personalities records, bubbling over with ideas and embracing the clash between what would be considered amateur approaches to making such serious, beautiful music, and that which is genius. Fans of Angel' in Heavy Syrup and the gusts of beauty that emanate from the PSF catalogue would do well to tune in. Though the identities of the members of Onna are more or less obscured (one Hiroki Mafuyu makes the rounds on guitar; Miyanish "couldn't play a note" in her estimation), one name pops up for good reason -- a passel of live tracks from '83 mark the live debut of Michio Kurihara (Ghost, White Heaven), one of Japan's most celebrated guitarists, outshining even the studio efforts that preface this collection. Fusing traditional Japanese music with the raucous influence of Western noise, this is a major rediscovery -- barely-released music and live artifacts from a heretofore barely-known creative force. Contains six studio tracks, half of which are unreleased, and of course the four cuts in a haunting duo with Kurihara, nothing but vocals and guitar, a truly captivating listen indeed. [DM]

		$21.99 CDx2   FENN O'BERG Magic and Return (Editions Mego) "Shinjuku Baby Pt. 2" "We Will Diffuse You" It's a sad reminder that you're getting old when you're seeing reissues of things you remember buying the week they came out. I still vividly remember my excitement at the prospect of these three experimental behemoths collaborating: Jim O'Rourke, Christian Fennesz and Peter Rehberg (a/k/a Pita) -- you could barely have come up with a better trio of artists in the genre. Luckily the collaboration was just as arresting as the line-up of talent would suggest and the recordings managed not only to fuse each of the artist's specific styles, but their love of all forms of music. Both albums were made up of edited live performances at variously successful and unsuccessful shows. The Magic of Fenn O'Berg, released ten years ago in 1999, was notable for polarizing live audiences who were expecting something quite different from Jim O'Rourke, with one show resulting in him being forced to play a short acoustic set before the artists were allowed to leave. It's easy to hear why they might have caused upset -- these tracks are almost gleefully obtuse using jump-cut samples, chattering electronics and the shards of icy noise Rehberg made his calling card. It is all done, however, with a rare sense of humor and there is almost a nod to plunderphonics in the trio's incessant sampling and trickery. Fennesz, Rehberg and O'Rourke were three of the first musicians to tour simply with laptops, but at no time does either of these albums feel as staid and factory-farmed as so much of the electronic music that would follow. Instead there is an excitement and suspense to the record, and when we hit tracks such as "Fenn O'Berg Theme" and "A Viennese Tragedy," you could almost be forgiven for finding them, dare I say it, beautiful. The sheer scope of these two albums is unsurpassable, and anyone out there with an inkling of desire for abstract electronic music just needs to have this double pack in their collection. These were albums that defined a generation of experimental sound, and to my mind they still haven't been bettered -- classic. [JT]

		$14.99 CD   GLORIA SCOTT What Am I Gonna Do? (Reel Music) "That's What You Say" "What Am I Gonna Do? The first thing that you notice about this record is the cover, featuring a teary-eyed Gloria Scott staring intensely into the camera, looking three-beats away from a nervous breakdown. It's one of the most striking album cover images of the seventies, and I've even seen it framed on the walls of a couple of friends of mine who were lucky enough to score an original. Produced by none other than Barry White, this LP is one of the finer pieces of cinematic orch-soul you'll ever hear. At the time of this recording (1973), White was riding his first wave of success; the single he produced for his girl group protégés Love Unlimited ("Walking in the Rain with the One I Love") was a smash and he established a publishing and production company soon after. It was here that he auditioned a young former Ikette named Gloria Scott, and she became one of his very first signings. White came up with the idea of a concept album built around a woman's anguish over a failed relationship, and what resulted was this emotionally heavy record that stands as one of the best efforts of his (and her) career. The opener, "What Am I Gonna Do?," is a beautiful mid-tempo steppers tune benefiting from White's driving proto-disco rhythm section. "Think of You" and "Love Me, Love Me, Love Me" boast incredible performances from Ms. Scott; in fact, her clear-throated vocal delivery throughout this album never succumbs to melodramatic runs or raspy histrionics. Each tune hints at a quiet, subtle pain that's more Diana Ross than Gladys Knight. I can't really say enough about the string and horn arrangements provided by White's mentor and longtime collaborator, Gene Page; they are as fine as any classic Isaac Hayes record of the period or better, and tracks such as "I Just Couldn't Take a Goodbye" are as sophisticated as any classic Bacharach-arranged Dionne Warwick tune. "(A Case of) Too Much Love Makin'" is another elegant, mid-tempo floorburner that would be covered by UK soul diva Lisa Stansfield 20 years later. While this record would garner some great reviews and initial radio support upon its release, What Am I Gonna Do? suffered from consumer indifference due to the meteoric rise of Barry White's solo career, placing Scott on the backburner indefinitely. Though she would find steady work thereafter as a backup singer, she never recorded another album again. Over the years, however, this album has attained Holy Grail status in many circles; Kanye West, Madlib and DJ Premier have lifted samples from its grooves and original pressings of the LP change hands to the tune of $100 or more. I've been raving about What Am I Gonna Do? for years to anyone who would listen, so I'm ecstatic to see this one get a proper reissue. I can't give any higher of a recommendation. [DH]

		$14.99 CD $19.99 LPx2 $9.99 MP3   FALTYDL Love Is a Liability (Planet Mu) "Human Meadow" "Anxiety" Here at the shop, customers frequently ask us if there's any American made dubstep worth checking out, and with FaltyDL's debut full-length out on Planet Mu, I've finally got a recommendation. Granted, this isn't straight-up dubstep per se, Drew Lustman's (DL) style of production combines several elements: garage, 2-step, electronica, house, techno, and current catchphrase on the rise, wonky -- a combination of heavy synths, stuttering micro beats, and a start/stop choppy rhythm that sits amongst other electronic bleeps and sounds. Love Is a Liability is an excellent debut, with tracks like "Pink on the Inside" providing a soothing and sensual overlay to the open space rhythm that eventually doubles up on itself transforming into more of a house groove. The "liability of love," in this case, seems to be that DL's music exudes emotion; the tracks here are dripping with feelings that enhance the theme throughout. Much like in the album's artwork, the female presence shows up in alluring glimpses and brief audio excursions, and is augmented with the same cut-up treatment of a male voice. These sparse, sampled vocals serve to remind us of the human element at play here, and also provide a warmth that, along with some nice melodic synth texturing, adds a depth across the 13 songs, pulling you in and lulling you all at once. Occasionally the work of Burial comes to mind, only DL's beats are lighter -- floating and fluttering as opposed Burial's heavy mechanical stomping. FaltyDL is a refreshing addition to the Planet Mu roster and a welcome homegrown talent in the face of the unabashedly foreign-born domination of electronic music, post-house. [DG]

		$17.99 CD $9.99 MP3   ANGEL & HILDUR GUDNADOTTIR In Transmediale (Oral) In Transmediale was recorded in 2005, just before Icelandic cellist Hildur Gudnadottir joined Ilpo Vaisanen and Dirk Dresselhaus as a fulltime member of Angel. Since then, the trio have released two phenomenal full-length albums, but this early experiment is nonetheless an important document of their shifting sound. Made up of one long, slow moving drone, In Transmediale is notable for being markedly heavier and noisier than any of their more recent recordings. Building from a base of oscillations, white noise and static, Gudnadottir's angled cello sweeps gradually take control of the situation, dipping and swooping through the electronic swamp. Soon a wall of electronic noise builds up from mere buzzing to ear-crushing cacophony before sinking into nothing once more, allowing the cello to take center stage yet again. An expertly crafted selection of doom drone, In Transmediale should appeal to anyone tickled by the recent Editions Mego output, and also the Touch aficionados among you. It might be a little noisier than you're used to from Miss Gudnadottir, but sometimes it's nice to have a bit of loud to go with that delicate helping of quiet. [JT]

		$16.99 CD   SA-RA CREATIVE PARTNERS Nuclear Evolution: The Age of Love (Ubiquity) "I Swear" "Double Dutch" Twenty-first century soul is alive and well and living in California; I guess it makes sense that the great state that brought us Madlib, the Egyptian Lover and the Breakin' movies is still putting the boogie in the electric boogaloo. For proof, über-producers Sa-Ra finally return with a fresh full-length of soulful, intergalactic new-school jams. Having twiddled the knobs for a wide variety of pop, R&B and hip-hop artists through the years (from Four Tet to 50 Cent), here they collaborate with a selection of mostly female vocalists (including Erykah Badu) who gracefully seduce these gooey, vibrant, sexy and pulsating tracks. You can definitely hear the influence of '80s-era Prince and George Clinton throughout, but there's a lot more original flare to Sa-Ra's productions than most retro wannabes. Consider these Creative Partners to be the Bar-Kays of a new generation, and hey, that's not a bad thing at all. As a bonus, Nuclear Evolution comes with an EP featuring a collection of hard-to-find Sa-Ra rarities, including their excellent re-imagination of Sly Stone's "Just Like a Baby." Good stuff. [DG]

		$14.99 CD $16.99 LP   SUN ARAW Heavy Deeds (Not Not Fun) "Hustle and Bustle" "Get Low" I think the sun must have slowly but surely gone to the heads of those folks over at Not Not Fun, either that or the weed got much stronger. Over the last few months, their output has shifted from a gaggle of drone-heavy acts to some kind of suburban white funk, of course this is still with a heavy psychedelic bent, but man, it's some shift. It couldn't have come any sooner really, with the Weather Channel finally forecasting some sunshine for New York in the coming days (and the much delayed summer season), and Ducktails flying off the shelves, it seems the world is ready for some heavy basslines and shifting noise. Heavy Deeds does exactly that, reframing the loose post-Sunburned funk style for the hipster generation, taking a loose groove and letting the white noise rise and fall throughout the album's duration. Each song melts into the next concocting some kind of stoned funk-mantra, and the result is almost hypnotic; the groove Sun Araw drums up is gloriously involving, and enjoyable with or without chemical enhancement. [JT]

		$14.99 CD+ Bonus Tracks $17.99 LPx2 w/MP3 $9.99 MP3   DINOSAUR JR Farm (Jagjaguwar) "I Want You to Know" "Over It" Now signed to Jagjaguwar, J Mascis, Lou Barlow and Murph follow up their 2007 reunion record, Beyond, with one of the best, most electrifying albums of the year. The electric guitar is king again as the band rips through twelve tracks of grunge-goosed, fuzz-fueled goodness and we've never heard J's Marshall stack sounding this achingly sweet. We've been playing this record non-stop at the shop and will be giving it the full review it deserves in next week's Update. Highly recommended!

		$14.99 CD $14.99 LPx2 w/MP3 $9.99 MP3   SUNSET RUBDOWN Dragonslayer (Jagjaguwar) Preview Songs on Other Music's Download Store Sunset Rubdown's second release for Jagjaguwar reveals Spencer Krug and crew to be the most fervent heirs to the David Bowie throne since...well, David Bowie. Whip smart chord changes and propulsive drumming from the hands and feet of Jordan Robson-Cramer create a twitchy but sinister atmosphere for Krug's oft-unsettling lyrics that explore voyeurism and madness.

		$9.99 CD   AMAZING BABY Rewild (Shangri-La) "Bayonets" The debut full-length from Brooklyn's Amazing Baby is an accomplished and enjoyable affair that wears its influences on its poncho (no sleeves here) -- first and foremost being that of fellow travelers MGMT, who apparently have some sort of old connection to these guys beyond their borough and slick hippie vibe. There's also some late-period Pink Floyd and maybe a little Bowie...you get the picture. Why do so many bands sound like this today? Ask the lemming-like-labels who keep signing them, don't blame the bands, they're just trying to get laid. Still, it ain't half bad.

		$14.99 CD $19.99 LPx2 $9.99 MP3   BIBIO Ambivalence Avenue (Warp) "Cry! Baby!" How much of British producer Stephen Wilkinson is man, and how much is machine? How can he effortlessly slides from a slinky soul lick on an electric guitar to a soft, pulsating drum machine tied to a field recording of two children squawking about secret ingredients? For Bibio, boundaries were made to be transcended. Ingenious and slyly innovative, Ambivalence Avenue soaks the electronic arena with nostalgia and flashes of sweetness.

		$14.99 CD $19.99 CD w/DVD   REGINA SPEKTOR Far (Sire) It might surprise you to learn that Regina Spektor's last record sold 600,000 copies in the US -- that's solid gold, kids, and nothing to scoff at. We've carried the Bronx-bred (and Soviet-born) singer/songwriter/piano chanteuse since we started consigning her aptly-titled self-released Songs in 2002, which, come to think of it, might make her the best-selling graduate of the OM consignment club ever. (Perhaps the Strokes, who helped bring Spektor to prominence with some high-profile touring back in the day, would still beat her.) Her trip from the anti-folk scene to the top has no doubt smoothed a few of the hiccups from this famously "quirky" artist's sound, and while you might have hoped that now, with the world listening, she would fuck things up a bit more, Far doesn't take too many chances. Instead, with slick production and a batch of heartfelt, emotional tracks that are ripe for TV licensing, and will translate well in the big rooms she fills, and on the iPod buds of high-school girls everywhere, the new record delivers in its own way, and there is no shame there. Congratulations, Regina!

		$13.99 CD   THE LEMONHEADS Varshons (The End Records) Evan Dando and his Lemonheads always straddled the line between indie pop-punk cool and mainstream social climbing, often to great effect, and the new covers album manages to keep a foot in all worlds. The band takes on songs by everyone from Graham Parsons to G.G. Allin, Christina Aguilera to Arling & Cameron, Wire to Linda Perry, Sam Gopal, Fuckemos and more, with production from Gibby Haynes of the Butthole Surfers, and Cornershop's Anthony Saffery, and Kate Moss and Liv Tyler making cameo appearances. What is this guy's life like? Dando always did well with other people's songs, and no doubt, the band delivers some nice Varshons.

		$13.99 CD   MARS VOLTA Octahedron (Warner Brothers) Mars Volta slow things down quite a bit on Octahedron, their fifth studio album. Of course there are still plenty of guitar pyrotechnics, shifting rhythms and, lest we forget, perplexing song titles. But the pace is slow and deliberate, full of emotional ballads rather than screaming theatrics, and what results is remarkably soothing.

		$14.99 CD $9.99 MP3   WOOLFY If You Know What's Good For Ya!! (Rong / DFA) Preview Songs on Other Music's Download Store We would generally say it's a good thing when a band is tough to classify, and as such L.A.'s Woolfy are a pretty good group. Their laidback electronic grooves don't easily fall into any of the well-defined (but often-mutating) categories; one minute they are Italo disco, the next they're smooth funk, the next, they sound like classic Peter Gabriel or a Krautrock hybrid of Manuel Gottsching and Kraftwerk. But the record holds together remarkably well, and its variety only keep things interesting, and attests to the free-thinking artistry of the producers.

		$16.99 CD $9.99 MP3   SECTION 25 Always Now - Bonus Tracks (LTM Records) Preview Songs on Other Music's Download Store Section 25 have always lived somewhat in the shadow of their mentors Joy Division, as well as contemporaries like Public Image Limited, whose dub-heavy grooves they were said to have copped (though Always Now, their stunning debut, was recorded before PIL's defining Metal Box). Produced by Martin Hannet in 1981, this record, here released in a definitive remastered edition, is closer to Can meets Pink Floyd than any post-punk rip-off, with a sound that mixes improvisation with hypnotic rhythms, and sounds truly amazing today.

		$16.99 CD $9.99 MP3   SECTION 25 From the Hip (LTM Records) Preview Songs on Other Music's Download Store Section 25's third album was made with New Order's Bernard Sumner producing, and marked a clean step away from the Martin Hannet dirge-dub era for the band. With Jenny Ross added on vocals and keys, and an upbeat, almost electro-pop undercurrent to the new material, contrasting warm guitars and voices with cool electronic sounds. The extended versions of "Looking from a Hilltop" (included as bonus cuts) would become staples in the Danceterias of the world and is now an electro-classic.

		$16.99 LPx2 $11.99 CD   BLANK DOGS Under and Under (In the Red) "No Compass" "Slowing Down" To be sure, the shadowy dude (or dudes, or elderly Panamanian women, or whatever) who records and releases records as Brooklyn's Blank Dogs can't really be given credit for creating the lo-fi bedroom punk aesthetic that's driving all the kids wild these days. He does, however, get the nod for dropping some of the best examples of the form in its post-millennial incarnation, having issued a host of 7" and 12" releases at a breakneck pace since first bowing a couple of years back. Updating ice cold minimal synth tracks for ears raised on classic downer post-punk (a more ramshackle Joy Division immediately springs to mind), Blank Dogs have launched an endless parade of taut, claustrophobic dramas that manage to sound wholly out of time while still giving obvious nods to those influences that came earlier. Under and Under, only the second Blank Dogs' full-length, stands as its creator's most ambitious work to date. Over fifteen tracks (twenty on the double LP that's coming along in a couple of weeks), Blank Dogs cuts a path straight to the echoing heart of darkness, painting broad brush strokes of dour synth and affected vocals across jagged guitars and nagging drum machine beats on songs like "Setting Fire to Your House" and the driving, hauntingly melodic "The New Things." Live drums get added to the mix on a few tunes, thus lending tracks like "Tin Birds" and album opening "No Compass" a driving, human pulse that contrasts nicely with the frozen instrumental harmonies that sound almost as if they were crafted in some long-forgotten post-industrial urban milieu a couple decades back. Definitely one of the best projects Brooklyn has to offer right now (and one that seems to get better with each new recording), Under and Under, the first widely available Blank Dogs release, will give those of you who have missed out on any of the ridiculously limited singles and tapes a chance to do a little catching up, and the fans will not be disappointed. [MC]

		$14.99 LP (includes bonus track) $14.99 CD $9.99 MP3   HERE WE GO MAGIC Here We Go Magic (Western Vinyl) "Tunnelvision" "Fangela" Let me just start by saying that Luke Temple has created one of the best records of 2009! Yeah yeah, it's only February, but his eponymous debut under his Here We Go Magic moniker is a truly beautiful piece of art. Word has it, Temple started HWGM as an experiment to get away from his singer/songwriter output, but it has since tuned into a fulltime band and, well, the blogs are buzzing. The album sounds at once like nothing and everything that's out there today. I know that really doesn't make too much sense, but the point is that the songs are so varied and the influences are from so far and wide, it's impossible to pinpoint what Temple was thinking when he recorded these tracks. Most of the tunes are maximal and minimal at the same time, every song built from meticulous layers of instrumentation and sound; whether it is a gorgeous synth line or a stunning guitar groove, it all seems to fit together so perfectly. And that's not to mention Temple's amazing falsetto. Just picture an album that sounds like Bon Iver's Justin Vernon fronting a restrained Animal Collective or even Vampire Weekend. Pretty great, right? Here We Go Magic kicks off with the gorgeous "Only Pieces," which floats on a simple loop of Krautrock-inspired percussion, an African highlife-influenced guitar, and a hypnotic melody that could easily have been borrowed off of Paul Simon's Graceland. The song builds slowly, adding more and more layers of synths until it all comes crashing down straight into the next track, "Fangela," one of my favorites of the record. The song is a perfect pop gem for 2009, as distant '80s-sounding synthesizers and a minimal beat augment a strummed guitar that enshrouds Temple's truly haunting vocal -- its closest comparison would be something from Bowie/Byrne's masterful collaboration, My Life in the Bush of Ghosts. But the real standout for me is "Tunnelvision," a song that sounds like one of the best cuts off of Sigur Ros' recent album. The song mysteriously unfolds as layers of voices and an upstroked open-chord guitar build upon each other, and finally dissolve into about 20 whispered backing vocal tracks. It's a little hard to describe here, but trust me, it all works. And that is the thing about this album, from the gorgeous, mysterious pop gems to lulling noise passages, everything fits together almost perfectly. So yeah, I'm going to pronounce Here We Go Magic's record the best debut album of the year, a truly stunning piece of art with no real categories or boundaries to pin it down. If you like music, and I mean all kinds of music, then this is for you. [JS]

		PHONE ORDERS Phone orders are accepted at (212) 477-8150 (ext. #2, mailorder) Mon-Fri, Noon - 7pm EST EMAIL For general inquiries or other information please email sales@othermusic.com. Do not reply to this message. REMOVE This is an automated list. If you would like to be removed for any reason, please visit: digital.othermusic.com/subscribe.php   THIS WEEK'S CONTRIBUTORS [BCa] Brian Cassidy [MC] Michael Crumsho [DG] Daniel Givens [DH] Duane Harriott [IQ] Mikey IQ Jones [DM] Doug Mosurock [SM] Scott Mou [NS] Nathan Salsburg [JS] Jeremy Sponder [JT] John Twells THANKS FOR READING - all of us at Other Music

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