February 24, 2011

		Click to Enlarge James Blake tUnE-yArDs   OTHER MUSIC & DIG FOR FIRE'S SXSW LAWN PARTY We are thrilled to announce the line-up for our fourth annual SXSW Lawn Party, which we'll be presenting again with our good friends, Dig For Fire! As you can see below, we've got an extraordinary two-days of music planned, so if you are in Austin for SXSW, please do join us on the Thursday and Friday afternoon of the music festival. Whether you can stop by or not, Dig For Fire will be filming the performances and you'll be able to see all the highlights on youtube.com/sxswlawnparty. And check out this YouTube channel in the coming days, where we'll be posting some of our favorite musical moments from past years' events, including never-before-seen performance footage. See you in Texas!! THURSDAY, MARCH 17 HILL STAGE: Papercuts (1 pm), Cass McCombs (2 pm), Twin Shadow (3 pm), Sharon Van Etten (4 pm), Low (5 pm), Edwyn Collins (6 pm) VALLEY STAGE: Hanni El Khatib (1:30 pm), Olof Arnalds (2:30 pm), Janka Nabay (3:30 pm), Lia Ices (4:30 pm), Ted Leo (5:30 pm) FRIDAY, MARCH 18 HILL STAGE: Anna Calvi (1 pm), Lower Dens (2 pm), Grass Widow (3 pm), Cults (4 pm), James Blake (5 pm), !!! (Chk Chk Chk) (6 pm) VALLEY STAGE: Jamie Woon (1:30 pm), John Vanderslice (2:30 pm), The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger (Sean Lennon & Charlotte Kemp Muhl -- 3:30 pm), Sam Amidon (4:30 pm), Tune-Yards (5:30 pm) FRENCH LEGATION MUSEUM: 802 San Marcos Street Austin, TX 1 pm to 7 pm both days   Follow Dig For Fire on Facebook

		FEATURED NEW RELEASES Julianna Barwick Light Asylum Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx William Basinski West Indies Funk (Various) Toro Y Moi Beans Medication Martial Canterel Cult of Youth Six Organs of Admittance Teo Macero LP Arthur's Landing Trax Re-Edited (Various) Jim O' Rourke & Christoph Heemann Slug Guts     Sister Crayon Earl Sixteen ALSO AVAILABLE Dennis Brown at Joe Gibbs (4CD Box) Bonnie 'Prince' Billy (Haiti Benefit 10") Adele Malachai Danielson Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/othermusicnyc Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/othermusic

		MAR Sun 06 Mon 07 Tues 08 Wed 09 Thurs 10 Fri 11 Sat 12   KURT VILE IN-STORE PERFORMANCE In the week leading up to the release of his new full-length, Smoke Ring for My Halo on Matador Records, Kurt Vile will be playing a series of solo acoustic in-stores at a select handful of independent record shops in the northeast. His final stop on this tour will be at Other Music on the night of the record's release, March 8th at 9PM. This Philly rock wonder is as prolific as he is great, and we consider albums like Constant Hitmaker and last year's Childish Prodigy (his first for Matador) to be new classics. Smoke Ring for My Halo is sure to be added to that list as well. TUESDAY, MARCH 8th @ 9PM OTHER MUSIC: 15 East 4th Street, NYC All Ages | Free Admission | Limited Capacity

		Many of our customers have been enjoying the ease of texting their orders with their mobile phone. To take advantage of this option with the items listed below, go to subports.com where you can create your free Subports account. Afterwards, just text the corresponding subcode listed underneath each item to 767825.

		$13.99 CD $15.99 LP+MP3 $9.99 MP3   JULIANNA BARWICK The Magic Place (Asthmatic Kitty) "Envelop" "Cloak" Vocal records are nothing new: Tibetan monk chants, Henri Chopin, Mike Patton solo records, Bjork's Medulla, Julee Cruise, Claire Hammill's New Age classic, Voices (a recent OM fave). For the world's oldest instrument though, there remains something ensorcelling about hearing the human voice concoct and fully inhabit its own soundworld. Local singer Julianna Barwick has self-released a few EPs in the past couple of years that emphasized her choir upbringing, but always accentuated with some guitar or piano underpinning. With her most fully realized new album, The Magic Place, Barwick really transcends her own efforts and places herself squarely with the aforementioned artists. There's really something so transportive about this album that words fail it. It's as weightless as new snow falling, gentle as a spring sunrise, beatific in a way that begs for repeat listening. It's early on, but without a doubt this album will make lots of folks' year-end lists. Highly recommended. [AB] Order CD by Texting "omcdjuliannamagic" to 767825 Order LP by Texting "omlpjuliannamagic" to 767825

		$7.99 CD   LIGHT ASYLUM In Tension (Self-Released) "A Certain Someone" "Knights and Weekends" Light Asylum have created quite the blog buzz over the past year with their brand of dark, heavy new wave, and rightfully so -- this is some of the best stuff coming out of Brooklyn right now. With no official release under their belts yet, we're stoked to have copies of their limited edition four-song tour EP in stock. Emerging from the school of synthesizer revivalists, Light Asylum set themselves apart from their peers with the sheer sonic intensity and emotion of their delivery. The sound of the 1980s underground is here in full effect, but Light Asylum extract the really meaty sounds of the era -- fat, pounding "Bizarre Love Triangle" drum machine beats, arpeggiated chords that would have pleased John Carpenter or Claudio Simonetti, epic Masters of the Universe-styled synth lines -- all layered one on top of the other resulting in something that's big, full, and intense. And then there's vocalist Shannon Funchess (who has accompanied TV on the Radio, Telepathe, and !!! in the past). Calling to mind the mourning soulfulness of Alison Moyet and the gritty rasp of Grace Jones, Funchess belts out these songs with such power and emotion that her lyrical content is rendered almost inconsequential; unlike so many artists coming out right now of the same ilk, she actually feels something. Funchess isn't aiming for icy stoicism; she wants you to feel these tracks right along with her. While a lot of press centers on Funchess' presence (and understandably so -- she is pretty damn fierce), Bruno Coviello's production aesthetic perfectly complements her vocal delivery. Crafting an almost anthemic sound akin to Depeche Mode's late-'80s output in its soaring hugeness, Coviello accentuates Light Asylum's sound with detailed flourishes that prove him to be one of the more interesting producers of the synth revival. This is definitely a band to keep your eye on, as I'm sure we'll be hearing a lot more from them in the very near future. Highly recommended! [CPa]

		$13.99 CD $9.99 MP3   GIL SCOTT-HERON & JAMIE XX We're New Here (XL) "My Cloud" "I'll Take Care Of U" Chance are poet, musician and author Gil Scott-Heron needs no introduction, but here's a refresher: Long respected as one of the godfathers of hip-hop thanks to poems/songs like "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised," the albums he recorded for Strata-East, Flying Dutchman, and Arista have been repeatedly sampled throughout the last three decades. Even recently "Comment #1," from his 1969 debut, was used as the closing words to Kanye West's epic tale of the current state of young black America. Scott-Heron's own life has not been without trials and tribulations either, however, last year he entered the recording studio for the first time in nearly sixteen years and exited with the triumphant I'm New Here. While Scott-Heron's records have always been full of dark, urban vibes and personal storytelling, this album was greater than a comeback -- his words still rang true in the 21st century and his status as one of black music's elder statesmen was firmly cemented. I'm New Here was brought to fruition by XL Recordings' label boss Richard Russell, who knew in his heart that there was still very much a place for Gil's voice and words in the current music scene. Russell and Scott-Herron also envisioned the idea of bringing in a re-mixer to further ensconce the poet/musician/author into the present day, and enlisted the xx's noted beat maker and producer, Jamie xx. These resulting re-workings are respectable and lovely -- not a track-by-track redux, per se, Jamie digs deeper into the GSH catalogue breathing new life into some of his personal favorites, and while he doesn't simply give the songs the xx once-over, his trademark aesthetic is ever-present. Bridging the old school with the new can sometimes be an awkward train wreck, but Jamie treats the vocals with care and finesse, and across 13 tracks, Scott-Heron's poetic text is tastefully accompanied by elements of hip-hop, trip-hop, dub-step, drum-n-bass and soul. Filled with rich synth textures and lots of beats and breaks, the album introduces Gil Scott-Heron to a whole new generation of listeners and paints a very real portrait of a wise auditor, elder statesmen and musician who struggles with life, love, fear and addiction. Sometimes Jamie uses whole lyrics, and elsewhere he incorporates casual interview snippets for interludes, as well as the nice, occasional slicing and dicing of Gil's deep, wise words. Rarely does any of it feel out of place, and the opening line is so spot on: "I did not become someone different than I intended to be, but I'm new here, will you show me around?" This album marks new territory for all involved and feels quite natural despite any generation gap. I'll be recommending it to anyone who asks me what's good! [DG] Order CD by Texting "omcdgiljamiewere" to 767825

		$13.99 CD   WILLIAM BASINSKI A Red Score in Tile (Drag City) A Red Score in Tile is a William Basinski composition originally created all the way back in 1979, and then released in a very limited LP edition by Christoph Heeman and Andrew Chalks' Three Poplars label back in 2003 -- not too long, in fact, after we were first made aware of the man's singular genius. We're very excited that Drag City has seen fit to give it a new release, and especially in a format that doesn't require flipping it over in the middle, thus breaking the piece's enchanting spell. In all honesty, this is one of the most fragile and delicate beauties we've heard from Basinski, very well equaling, if not surpassing the classic Disintegration Loops Volume 1. Prone to silence modulated by the entrancing wavering of the tape and the barest piano chord accompaniment, A Red Score in Tile remains utterly diffuse yet highly captivating throughout, holding time at bay as only the best of Basinski's pieces can. [MK] Order CD by Texting "omcdwilliamred" to 767825

		$16.99 CD   VARIOUS ARTISTS West Indies Funk (Trans Air) "Hot Pants I'm Comin'" St. Vincent's Supersound Latinaires Orchestra "My World Is Empty Without You" Wendell Stuart & The Downbeaters We had a bit of a warm weather teaser last week, with the first little taste of spring peeking its head into the metropolitan area; on that day I happened to listen to this excellent compilation for the first time, and I've been basking in its warm, sunny glow ever since. West Indies Funk is a wonderful collection of vintage Caribbean funk, soul, and steel band jams, mostly from the early to mid 1970s and loaded with breaktastic drum grooves, organ riffs, and robust horn sections. Those of you familiar with Strut's Calypsoul 70 collection from a few years back, or the Trans Air label's own recent Disc'O'Lypso compilation will know what you're in for. These jams are thick, heavy, and hold their own against your Numero Group and Dusty Fingers-style collections. I've been listening to this back to back with Numero's recent Willie Wright reissue, though where the Wright album has more of a sedate, subdued quietude, this record stomps, hoots, and hollers with joyful noise. Highlights include the Esso Trinidad Steel Band's classic cover of the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back," whose praises I have sung in OM Updates past, Wendell Stuart & The Downbeaters' spooky, ethereal take on "My World Is Empty Without You," and the two offerings by the Dutch Rhythm Steel & Show Band. Their wicked Carib-dub take on Kool & The Gang's "Funky Stuff" sounds like James Brown caught in King Tubby's echo chamber, and their absolutely jaw-dropping cover of Neil Young & Crazy Horse's "Down By the River" needs to be heard to be believed; over a two-ton backbeat and psychedelic guitar lines, they deliver an impassioned performance that sounds like Rotary Connection being produced by Folkway's calypso documentarian Emory Cook. This collection is absolutely wicked, and most highly recommended; if you like your grooves mixed with a bit of international spice and with a heavy psychedelic aftertaste, you'll find much to love here. Filled with all killer and no filler, I'll be playing this one straight through until next winter, basking in its warm glow. [IQ] Order CD by Texting "omcdvariouswest" to 767825

		$13.99 CD $14.99 LP+MP3 $9.99 MP3   TORO Y MOI Underneath the Pine (Carpark) "How I Know" "Still Sound" It's only inevitable that the mounting chillwave backlash will probably hit full-on sometime this year like the inevitable brain freeze that comes after a few big gulps of a cherry-flavored Slurpee. There have been some great bands tagged with that silly descriptor, however, and you have to hope that the good ones won't suffer the same fate that Fischerspooner did once the electroclash coke-over set in. Granted, I don't think many, if any, really took the chillwave tag to heart, but last summer it was a surprise to hear Ariel Pink eschewing his woozy (g)lo-fi production and essentially hitting reset with Before Today to great results. Next up is Chazwick Bundick's Toro Y Moi, whose follow-up to Causers of This surely must be largely inspired by a year of heavy touring with the inclusion of a proper backing band in tow. One might imagine that the addition of live musicians in the studio would lead to a drastic re-write of Toro Y Moi's hazy, one-man electronic pop M.O., but that's not quite so. If anything, the array of Bundick's musical influences that we always knew existed beneath his neon-smeared keyboards shine through. Following an instrumental shoegaze-tronica album opener ("Intro/Chi Chi"), the straight-up disco floor-mover "New Beat" hits, complete with squiggling synth leads and a jazzy Rhodes piano that wouldn't sound out of place in an old P&P production. While dance music has always been bubbling in Bundick's strange brew (and more prevalently in his French-house inspired Les Sins project), Underneath the Pine also finds Toro Y Moi now seemingly drawn to the same inspirations that informed Stereolab's forays into space-age funk. During tracks like the motorik pop of "Go with You" and the sweet melancholy of "Before I'm Done," Bundick's AM-gold vocal melodies float in and out of focus over intricate, interlocking layers of organ, keys, guitar and a deep, plucked-bass groove. Though there's a new directness in sound throughout the record, Toro Y Moi hasn't completely forsaken the daydream atmosphere of past; it's just more lucid now. Guitars, synths and pianos echo and shimmer as voices still wash across the speakers, but this time they're not being filtered through the bioluminescent glow of murky, nighttime water. Instead, Underneath the Pine is the sonic equivalent of dropping a shell into the brilliantly clear, blue sea and watching the ocean floor below seemingly morph and dance through a rippling aqua lens in magnificent, crystalline ways. [GH] Order CD by Texting "omcdtorounderneath" to 767825 Order LP by Texting "omclptorounderneath" to 767825

		$13.99 CD $16.99 LP+MP3 $9.99 MP3   BEANS End It All (Anticon) "Superstar Destroyer" "Glass Coffins" Beans' fourth solo album, and debut for Anticon, features his well-known rapid-fire stream-of-consciousness style of MCing, but he's taken some chances this go 'round with guest producers that have paid off big time. All of his well-known obsessions are still in place and his masterful, unique delivery always ensures that his abstractions are forgiven. In the tradition of the Dadaists, Beans' off-the-wall couplets are welcomed as art, and guarantee that several listens are needed to catch all the clever phrases he packs into these short tracks. (He's able sneak the word "abortion" in just before the first song is over, and while it's unclear what "deathsweater looks good on me" means, it's clear that he believes it.) And while it often seems like he's anchored to a distant planet, he's always been able to adhere to classic hip-hop code, throwing inventive disses left and right. The guest producers and collaborators, a first for a Beans record, actually add quite a lot to the proceedings. Interpol's Sam Fogarino contributes production, and possibly live drums, to "Electric Bitch," and the beat is one of the best on the album. The In Flagranti-produced "Mellow You Out" sounds pretty fresh with its schaffel beat and features vocals from TV on the Radio's Tunde Adebimpe. While there are several other guests (including Four Tet, Clark, TOBACCO, Son Lux and Bumps), Adebimpe is the only one that gets time on the mic; the album is essentially Beans at his best and remains as much his own as any of his Warp output. At no point does he try to conform to his new label's recent shift towards indie pop; in fact, the triplet feel and staccato vocal delivery during the intro of "Blue Movie" is the closest that End It All even gets to classic "Anticon" territory. There isn't any unnecessary material here, and at 33 minutes, the album feels lean but not unfinished or too short. Like the best Anti-Pop Consortium material, End It All sounds like it was recorded live, and embellished later. Beans has always had a more worldly view than most MCs. When he mentions a "mutiny in heaven" during "Electric Eliminator" I hope to hell he's referencing the Birthday Party masterpiece. I bet he is. [MM] Order CD by Texting "omcdbeansend" to 767825 Order LP by Texting "omlpbeansend" to 767825

		$12.99 12" $5.99 MP3   MEDICATION Judgment Day EP (Sacred Bones) Preview Songs on Other Music's Download Store Home-recorded. Low-fi. I realize those words carry a lot of baggage in 2011, but if you haven't stopped reading this by now then you need this record -- right now. Medication is Connecticut's Mike Hyde, and his guitars come with a menacing jangle, skeletal drumbeats that occasionally provide some backing, and a lot of reverb. I realize that just described about 80- to 90 percent of the underground garage releases of the past five years, but what sets Medication apart are the honest-to-goodness songs that stick with you long after the record is over. There are shades of many eras of guitar-based music here, but the Teenage Shutdown comps (specifically the Teen Jangler Blowout one), and the Holy Grail of Connecticut home recording projects, Luxurious Bags, both pop up as reference points, as Hyde's songs are able to evoke a palpable aura of melancholy like few others can. Unlike most garage bands these days that have four records out in the blink of an eye, Mr. Hyde has only released a few. I have no idea if he is editing himself or not, but it feels so much better to own one or two records that I enjoy playing all the way through as opposed to having to find the same amount of tracks I like spread out over four or five releases and buffered by as much filler. Clocking in at just under 18 minutes Judgment Day doesn't even come close to wearing out its welcome; in fact, you might just want to play it again, right away. That's what I've been doing in the few days that I've had the record and it keeps getting better each time. [DMa] Order LP by Texting "omlpmedicationjudgment" to 767825

		$11.99 CD $16.99 LP $9.99 MP3   MARTIAL CANTEREL You Today (Wierd) "Market" "Secret Stores" After a long wait partly due to Martial Canterel's chivalrous gesture of letting the ladies go first (via the 2010 album release of the Sean McBride/Liz Wendlebo collaboration of Xeno & Oaklander's Sentinelle LP), we finally have his beyond-anticipated newest full-length solo release, You Today. We've been sounding trumpets for McBride for years now, so suffice it to say that we are fans of this record. The most significant thing to mention this go-round is that the difference outlined in You Today is a strange contradiction: both a surprise and very much what you'd expect, knowing how uncompromising and serious he is about his music. That he's armed with a staggering collection of vintage analog synthesizers (foraged out of long-held passion, not fashion) doesn't hurt either, as you can see for yourself in the photo of the man that graces the liner notes, sitting in his living room-turned-practice space/synth-lair. It would seem that with the recent influx of indie bands exploring dark/moody themes and overtones, McBride has seen fit to push into slightly different/other territory.* Thankfully not into some default, outsider, noise territory, but quite the opposite -- towards a soaring, multi-faceted yet elegiac combination of dark pop that at times reaches towards classical composition. In short, he seems bent on demonstrating how to "do more, the right way." Here, McBride's typically dank and cavernous darkwave takes a slightly more melodic turn, almost bursting at the seams with flowering arpeggiated synth melodies. The pace (on precisely half of the record) is also ever-so-slightly more frenetic, with the expected angst shifting up into a more wide-eyed and urgent atmosphere -- imagine a warmer yet more underground Fad Gadget approaching an Ian Curtis on-stage fit, while still remaining no less serious and focused. Even with the lean toward faster tempos, there is still no shortage of deftly placed flourishes, as an improved sense of melodic and percussive accents support the well-crafted song structures. Add to this the beautifully urgent/claustrophobic lyrics, and you'll find that it is in these details where You Today manages to set itself apart from its peers. The sound throughout seems to appeal to pop sensibilities while still being positioned clearly outside of the pop realm. He achieves a new balance of swing and tension in the excellent "Secret Stores," where the sharp beat cuts into one's stomach while the vocals and synths float and soar at a distance overhead. This album also contains moments that are grand and huge, but still somehow cold and isolated, reaching toward an unseen ideal, while not actually reaching toward the listener (See "Side Streets," "Still Apart'' and "You Today"). This is precisely the delightful contradiction in You Today -- it is more melodic and contains more details than anything he's previously accomplished, but it is not serving to make the experience more inviting or easier on the listener. This is McBride's to-date version of a magnum opus, a continuation of what he's always done, encompassing in scope and composition, but standing its ground and remaining staunchly independent. It is isolated yet sure in its position. It is for those that, like him, know more than the surface elements of the past and know (or desire to hear) how to apply them to the present with a sense of respect, understanding and passion. It is an excellent album that, like most non-disposable forms of entertainment, continues to reveal itself upon repeated listens. Highly Recommended. [SM] * It is definitely ironic that while this record was being made (his fifth full-length, not including cassette-only releases and singles) other much more casual "buzz bands" have come and gone. Strange really since McBride was exploring and honing his craft like some modern day John Bender making impossibly limited cassette and vinyl-only releases for obscure European labels out of necessity as there were no US labels interested in this sound when his output began. Order CD by Texting "omcdmartialyou" to 767825 Order LP by Texting "omlpmartialyou" to 767825

		$13.99 CD $15.99 LP $9.99 MP3   CULT OF YOUTH Cult of Youth (Sacred Bones) "New West" "Through the Fear" Previously the solo project of one Sean Ragon, Cult of Youth has been expanded to a full band for their second LP -- their first for Sacred Bones. The addition of drums, bass and violin shows this project developing and maturing in a welcome manner, and while still acoustic guitar-based, by fleshing out the lineup with solid players, Ragon's songs now have more depth. Where his previous releases were home recordings, Cult of Youth also benefits from being recorded by Chris Coady in a proper studio, and mixed by Kevin McMahon, who has worked with Swans. Blacklist's Glenn Maryansky's propulsive drumming anchors these tracks while Ragon's vocal delivery is full of passion, and saves the project from coming across as merely an updated take on late-'80s groups like the Mission and Sisters of Mercy. Similarities with Death in June are apparent on "Lorelei," with its triumphant horns, but Ragon has his own voice. The addition of violinist Christiana Key certainly makes the palette unique; her soaring leads on "Through the Fear" complement Ragon's vocals perfectly. Rather than a dour affair, the full-band lineup allows dark themes to be explored while still retaining an uplifting, rejoicing feel. It's a nice touch to close the album with the frantic, electric "Lace Up Your Boots." Cult of Youth are on to something with this promising new direction. Time marches on, indeed. [MM] Order CD by Texting "omcdcultcult" to 767825 Order LP by Texting "omlpcultcult" to 767825

		$13.99 CD $17.99 LP   SIX ORGANS OF ADMITTANCE Asleep on the Floodplain (Drag City) "Hold But Let Go" "A New Name on an Old Cement Bridge" While the term "back to basics" is never one I'd thought would apply to Ben Chasny's Six Organs of Admittance (his basics are still pretty far from it), it's been awhile since we've heard a more-or-less straight-up acoustic guitar record come out of his camp. With 2006's The Sun Awakens, Chasny began focusing more on integrating the electrified end of the stringed spectrum to steer the Six Organs vision into darker, choppier waters. This may have been a side effect of his involvement in Comets on Fire and Current 93 during this period, or something Chasny had been slowly building up to the whole time -- who knows? One way or another, the vibe definitely got heavy, brother. As fruitful as this direction was, some of us had understandably begun to weary of it after three or four albums. You can't watch the Criterion Collection every night. Sometimes you need Groundhog Day. So it is with Asleep on the Floodplain. While not as whimsical or laidback as Bill Murray (let's hope not), Asleep sees Chasny get back into the looser, smoky vibe that permeated much of School of the Flower. There are a handful of absolutely stunning numbers on the more composed "songwriter" tip ("Hold But Let Go," "Dawn, Running Home") that stand as some his most beautiful pieces yet. Save for "S/word and Leviathan," the lone 12-plus-minute drone-burner, this is a record of shorter, "traditional"-sounding songs. This is the first home-recorded album Chasny has done in some time, and the inherently relaxed nature of the home vs. studio environment is reflected here. We are reminded again what a gifted and dexterous guitarist the Organist is on ye olde six-string acoustic, as he gives some subtle nods back to his roots as a Fahey/Takoma Records disciple. Asleep on the Floodplain has a little of everything that made heads turn and pay attention during the beginnings of this century (the 2000's, if you're keeping track). As the book on Six Organs continues to be written, this will stand as a definite highlight. [JTr] Order CD by Texting "omcdsixasleep" to 767825 Order LP by Texting "omlpsixasleep" to 767825

		$14.99 LP   TEO MACERO Teo (American Clave) Our recent unearthing of warehouse finds of classic titles in the remarkable NYC American Clavé label's back catalogue continues with this absolutely essential collection of dark, moody, noirish jazz from composer/saxophonist Teo Macero. Best known as a longtime producer at Columbia Records, Macero was responsible for the mind-melting work behind nearly all of Miles Davis' most essential albums (Kind of Blue, Bitches Brew, On the Corner, and everything in between), not to mention work by Thelonius Monk (Monk's Dream, Underground), Dave Brubeck (Time Out) and Charles Mingus (Mingus Ah Um). It often goes unrecognized, however, that he was also an accomplished player in his own right before his work as a producer began. Teo was American Clavé's second release, and is a collection of twelve of Macero's early pieces, mostly recorded in the mid to late 1950s for Mingus' Debut label (with a few cuts dating from the 1970s) and featuring such heavyweight players as Lee Konitz, Phil Woods, Art Farmer, Badal Roy, and Mingus himself, among others. These tracks sowed the seeds for what would become known as Third Stream music, fusing together First Stream (classical) and Second Stream (jazz) musics into a third hybrid that incorporates experimental textures of the former with the cool noir and hard swinging rhythms of the latter. Dense, atonal strings hover like sound clouds overtop of Macero's heavily reverbed alto and tenor playing, with vibes offering punctuation while the rest of the band darts in, out, and around the arrangements like a back alley knife fight. Special mention goes to the extraordinary accordion playing of Orlando DiGiroloamo a/k/a Lanny DiJay, who adds an extra layer of rhythmic and textural intensity to many of these cuts; his playing makes total sense in a jazz context despite his instrument not normally "belonging" to the genre, at least not during the time these recordings were made. These tracks are overflowing with soul; they swing, they pulsate, and they scream with an intellectual intensity that never distracts from the physical purity of the music. This record helped usher in a side of avant jazz that rarely gets explored with such a balance of brains and brawn, while adding a heavy dosage of cinematic visuality; fans of everything from Astor Piazzolla, Sun Ra's mid-'60s sides like Cosmic Tones for Mental Therapy, Phil Cohran's more inside work with the Artistic Heritage Ensemble, Mingus' Black Saint and the Sinner Lady, or even Miles himself need to check this post-haste. Macero was and remains in his passing a true visionary, a genius whose ideas clearly helped shape some of the most important jazz records ever made; this album documents ideas which Teo would go on to explore even more fully with Miles over the course of his entire career. This record has been out of print for nearly 25 years, and we've got sealed copies (with a stunning printed silver foil cover) at a reasonable price that really make this a deal you'd be insane to pass up. This is essential listening of the highest order. Don't sleep. [IQ]

		$14.99 CD   ARTHUR'S LANDING Arthur's Landing (Strut) "Miracle 2" "Bobby" In the 21st century, we have watched as under-appreciated downtown luminary Arthur Russell went from obscurity to ubiquity. For many years, none of Russell's music was commercially available, and music lovers from all corners have rejoiced as so many of his recordings began to see the light of day. Now, there is a bounty: disco tracks, country-tinged folk, electro-pop, his ghostly cello art songs, minimalist compositions, and that's all without mentioning the documentary and book on the man. To even devotees of Russell, it would seem that all the bases had been covered. Enter Arthur's Landing, a loose collective of many of Russell's onetime collaborators, ranging from Modern Lover Ernie Brooks to composers like Peter Zummo and Elodie Lauten, getting together to celebrate the life and music of their friend and colleague. Let's make this clear, it's not a cover band, but instead an ongoing tribute to one of the most important New York musicians of the last fifty years. This band has gigged sporadically around town, from New Museum to Public Assembly, playing not only well-known Russell favorites, but other unreleased/unrecorded songs as well. As their first album makes evident, there's a lot more of Arthur's music to be heard. "Your Motion Says" is a sexy, slinky opener and the album does a good job of touching lots of bases. Pop music is emphasized, as is the previously unheard music Russell composed for the Singing Tractors. And when Arthur's Landing does tackle a classic like "Is It All Over My Face?" they slow down the original until it becomes something new, revealing new wrinkles and contours in the man's music. Another great chapter in a story that was nearly lost to the world, and a must-hear for fans of the man and his music. [AB] Order CD by Texting "omcdarthurslanding" to 767825

		$19.99 CDx2   VARIOUS ARTISTS Trax Re-Edited (Harmless) "Take Me Higher (Ray Mang Re-Edit)" Virgo 4 "Baby Wants to Ride (Bubba & T.Bone's Still Believing Re-Edit)" Frankie Knuckles Ft. Jamie Principle While the historic Chicago-based Trax imprint wasn't the first label to put out a house record, they did release hundreds of classics, and introduced the world at large to the genius of Larry Heard, DJ Pierre, Robert Owens, Jamie Principle, Ron Hardy, Marshall Jefferson, and Frankie Knuckles, to name just a few. As you know, the cuts that these artists produced are still considered to be some of the best dance records ever made -- not that these releases were "perfect," but that was the point. Though derided at the time by many in the mainstream press, these gritty cuts of lean, psychedelic, metal-machine funk came to define a lifestyle for thousands of people worldwide. So upon the label's 25th anniversary last year, popular website and message board djhistory.com wanted to celebrate by extending an open invitation to its forum, asking members to re-edit a favorite Trax release, promising the best results a spot on this commemorative album. Let's just say that it's not a simple task to attempt a re-edit on something that technically doesn't really need an "edit." A great re-edit generally comes about by re-contextualizing the original source, and subtracting elements that you feel get in the way of the groove. So attacking a classic like Mr. Fingers "Can You Feel It" or Jamie Principle's "Baby Wants to Ride" can be a bit intimidating, because how can you improve or re-imagine something that doesn't really have anything obstructing the groove to begin with? I was intrigued by how this concept would work here, and I'm happy to report that the results are surprisingly solid. Ireland's John Daly takes a stab at "Can You Feel It" and does a fine job of flipping the original bass line and multi-layering short clips of synth in the intro, creating an intoxicating retouch of the OG. But is it better than the OG? Of course not -- still, it's a nice, tasteful retooling of a well-regarded anthem. Other highlights include the slowed-down, Balearic vibe that R&R&S brings to the frenetic acid of Virgo's "R U Hot Enough," while the U.K.'s Leftside Wobble turns in a nice touch-up of Master C&J's "Face It," in which he adds elements from an old Kevin Saunderson classic to the mix. All in all, this is a solid offering and a valid tribute to some of the best dance music ever made. These edits aren't necessarily better than the originals, but they would definitely work on any discerning dance floor, and are a great introduction and testament to the timelessness of this music. [DH] Order CD by Texting "omcdvarioustrax" to 767825

		$13.99 CD   JIM O'ROURKE & CHRISTOPH HEEMANN Plastic Palace People Vol. 1 (Streamline) Track 3 Track 1 There's a lot to live up to by titling a project after one of Scott Walker's best compositions, but thankfully with Jim O'Rourke and Christoph Heemann, the namesake is in good hands. Plastic Palace People Vol. 1 consists of three pieces recorded in 1991 but not released until now. Certainly O'Rourke's work as an occasional third member of Heemann and Andrew Chalk's Mirror project, and alongside Heemann in Mimir, means that this pair shares some common history and collaborate well together, and it's nice to hear what they sound like without anyone else's input. The first piece brings a brooding electronic shimmer to a boil over the first half of its 27 minutes. The middle section consists of buzzing and electronic garble, and the piece concludes with an intense electronic flutter after an extended section of ominous wailing. The second track is downright menacing, with a combination of eerie creaking and moaning and a cycling frequency that builds suspense. Though there are passages of relative stasis, for the most part Plastic Palace People Vol. 1 has more pronounced activity than most Mirror LPs. Even the relatively linear long tones of the third piece are not without some tension, especially as heavy dissonance builds towards the end. It's not surprising that there are some sections that bear similarities to O'Rourke's solo drone works from the same period, particularly Tamper, Scend and Disengage. I can see young Billy sailing over the rooftops, his head nodding in approval as the album winds to a close. [MM] Order CD by Texting "omcdorourkeplastic" to 767825

		$12.99 CD $15.99 LP $9.99 MP3   SLUG GUTS Howlin' Gang (Sacred Bones) "Howlin'" "White Cross" Within just the first few notes of their new record, Brisbane's Slug Guts manage to both live up to their name and their geographic location. Throbbing bass lines and razor-sharp guitars backed by amphetamine drums are the order of the day, as the Slug Guts pay homage to Australia's great contributions to twisted swamp blues. Images of fellow countrymen like the Birthday Party and the Scientists, as well as similarly damaged practitioners like Mudhoney, will slither before your eyes as rock 'n' roll dreams are made real by these guys. I mean it takes a certain confidence to release a song called "Chrome Crucifix," but they pull it off better than most. I've got no idea what "Praggin' the Cowboy" means and I can't make out the lyrics to "Hangin' in the Pisser" either, but it's safe to say these guys are sticking to that Golden Rule of writing what you know -- all the better for us. Australia seems to be in the midst of a rock 'n roll revival these days, with great albums coming from Eddy Current Suppression Ring, Circle Pit (whose Angela Bermuda lends some guest vocals here), and UV Race within the last few years. You can now add the Slug Guts to that list. [DMa] Order CD by Texting "omcdslughowlin" to 767825 Order LP by Texting "omlpslughowlin" to 767825

		$10.99 CD $9.99 MP3   SISTER CRAYON Bellow (Manimal) "Every Third Hour" "Here We Never Die" Sister Crayon's debut full-length is one of those records that just gently creeps into your consciousness and then hovers there for days. Led by Terra Lopez, a gifted singer who conjures Kate Bush, Chan Marshall and Hope Sandoval in her breathy melodies, this Sacramento quartet's beguiling piano-fueled art-pop effortlessly pulls from '90s trip-hop, as well as a little psych-tinged folk music a la the West Coast circa 1970. The sum of these influences is very 2011, however, and Sister Crayon's mix of live instrumentation, electronics and MPC beats isn't too far removed from that of CocoRosie, a group that Lopez has name-checked in interviews. But Sister Crayon doesn't aim for the same kind of Gypsy Lady Day ruminations as the moustachioed Cassidy sisters -- Lopez and her band's path is far more sultry and haunting. Bellows is the perfect crossroads where Bat for Lashes' fairytale dream worlds meets Portishead's smoky atmospherics, with Lopez's siren-song delivery as expressively chilling as Natasha Khan and Beth Gibbons, respectively. How surprising it is, though, to hear the group end on the funky, upbeat "Souls of Gold;" complete with horn stabs and handclaps, the song plays like an exorcism of ghosts for Lopez, offering an unexpectedly hopeful finish to Sister Crayon's otherwise mysterious and foreboding musings. Fans of any of the aforementioned shouldn't hesitate on this one. [GH] Order CD by Texting "omcdsisterbellow" to 767825

		$15.99 CD $15.99 LP $9.99 MP3   EARL SIXTEEN Reggae Sound (Dread at the Controls) "Hanging On" "This Tribulation with Dubulation (Extended Version)" A near perfect set from Michael "Mikey Dread" Campbell and Earl "Sixteen" Daley, two men that seldom collaborated together yet found a great balance between their respective talents. While Earl Sixteen is a much unchampioned singer, he did manage to work with nearly every producer in Jamaica -- from Lee Perry and Yabby U, to Augustus Pablo and Mad Professor. A soulful and righteous vocalist, Daley was responsible for the original version of "Holding Back the Years," which would be a hit for Simply Red nearly a decade later. Mikey Dread, on the other hand, was a much more recognizable name. Throughout the late '70s, his "Dread at the Controls" tag was a label to look for at the shops, and a phrase one listened for across the Jamaican airwaves. In true JA style, he had grown from being a studio engineer to a sound system DJ, and then onto being one of the Island's most famous radio personalities, before eventually becoming a recording artist and label head in his own right. Heavily championed by the U.K. punk scene, he would go on to produce the Clash's Black Market Clash and Sandinista albums, which helped establish the fertile fusion of punk and reggae that was thriving during the late '70s and early '80s. Earl Sixteen and Mikey Dread recorded their classic Reggae Sound album in 1981 at Channel One, with a stellar line-up that included Ansel Collins, Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare, Style Scott and Bingy Bunny. Engineered by Campbell and the Scientist, and subsequently mixed at Aquarius and King Tubby's studios, all the hallmarks of the classic sound and feeling of rockers-era reggae are here. Featuring over 80 minutes of joyously hearty vibes, each vocal song is sequenced next to its dub version, which pushes many tracks beyond the seven-minute mark. Dread caught Earl Sixteen at the peak of his powers, and this set finds him comfortably at ease over the bustling and bouncing rhythms. From the lyrics to the rhythms, to the voice and the production, this is one of those rare occasions when all the elements fit together oh so nicely. [DG] Order CD by Texting "omcdearlreggae" to 767825 Order LP by Texting "omlpearlreggae" to 767825

		$24.99 CDx4   DENNIS BROWN At Joe Gibbs - CD Box Set (VP) Four discs featuring 50 tracks of some of the best work either of these reggae legends ever delivered. Tastefully packaged in individual LP sleeves, the set includes the classic '70s albums Visions of Dennis Brown and Words of Wisdom in their original sequence and packaging, and much more. Order CD by Texting "omcddennisjoe" to 767825

		$12.99 10"   BONNIE 'PRINCE' BILLY Island Brothers (Drag City) Okay, not withstanding the fact that this is an absolutely stellar two-track 10" from our man Bonnie 'Prince' Billy accompanied by his tip-top Cairo Band, the proceeds from this release are going straight to Haiti to help alleviate the continued suffering there. Even a cursory glance at the paper, or a listen to NPR, will give you all the information you need to know: it's still a mess over there and they need our continued support. So, buy this record, and not only do you get two awesome songs (especially the title track, which has a beautiful Rob Mazurek solo on it), but your money is going to help a person get a cup of clean water, or the chance to learn their ABC's. Nuff said. Order LP by Texting "omlpbonnieisland" to 767825

		$13.99 CD   ADELE 21 (Columbia) Hotly anticipated sophomore release from young U.K. singer Adele, now operating with an expanded palette that takes her beyond many of the neo-soul trappings that marked her debut. Which isn't to say it's not soulful, it is and then some, but there is a deepening sense of her own personality coming into effect. Her powerful voice coupled with the pitch perfect production makes 21 as artistically fulfilling as any you'll find in the underground. No guilty pleasures here, folks. Order CD by Texting "omcdadele21" to 767825

		$13.99 CD $19.99 LP+MP3 $9.99 MP3   MALACHAI Return to the Ugly Side (Domino) "Anne" "Distance" Psych-tinged trip-hop act out of, where else, the U.K. Championed by Geoff Barrow of Portishead, they fairly eschew that band's recent mutations and instead take aim at ground trod by their fellow travelers in the '90s. Here we find pleasant melodies owing a debt to many a orchestral psych-pop classic, coupled with moodier bits seemingly culled from a wide assortment of forlorn vinyl, rescued no doubt from boot sales dotting the pastoral English country-side. Order CD by Texting "omcdmalachaireturn" to 767825 Order LP by Texting "omlpmalachaireturn" to 767825

		$12.99 CD $15.99 LP $9.99 MP3   DANIELSON Best of Gloucester County (Sounds Familyre) Preview Songs on Other Music's Download Store Five years on since we've seen Brother Danielson on album, during which time many of the Danielson Family's core members moved on to other endeavors, we get Best of Gloucester County, a remarkable return that finds the man reinvigorated with a fresh set of collaborators, including Jens Lekman and Sufjan Stevens. As a songwriter he's as engaging and idiosyncratic as ever, with Gloucester County being as much an intriguing meditation on place as is it is a delightful chamber-pop LP. Order CD by Texting "omcddanielsonbest" to 767825 Order LP by Texting "omlpdanielsonbest" to 767825

		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 [AB] Adrian Burkholder [DG] Daniel Givens [GH] Gerald Hammill [DH] Duane Harriott [[IQ] Mikey IQ Jones [MK] Michael Klausman [Dma] Dave Martin [MM] Marc Moeller [SM] Scott Mou [CPa] Chris Pappas [JTr] Jon Treneff THANKS FOR READING - all of us at Other Music

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