Art for Spastics v. 102

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SILENTIST // House on the Hill // House on the Hill // Celestial Gang *new
COUGHS // Intentional Community // Secret Passage // Load *new
COUGHS // The Horse, He´s Sick
VAMPIRE CAN’T // Two Cheers // Key Cutter // Load *new
THE USA IS A MONSTER // The Greatest Mystery // Sunset at the End of the Industrial Age // Load *new
BERNARD BONNIER // Blue Marine // Casse-Tête // Creel Pone *new/1979
MOUNTAIN TOPS // Isolation // v/a: Silverware: Audraglint 5th Anniversary Comp. // Audraglint *new
RUTH WHITE // The Cat // Flowers of Evil // Creel Pone *new/1969

INCA ORE with LEMON BEAR’S ORCHESTRA // Glossolalia // The Birds in the Bushes // 5RC *new
PLANTS // 1000 Swarms // Totem // Self-Released *new
EL-G & CHARLENE DARLING // Du Bearre // Au Grand Dam du Jour // Self-Released *new
SO SO MANY WHITE WHITE TIGERS // Bell // The Greatest Hits of Acid // No Label *new
PSYCHEDELIC HORSESHIT // Phony Detectives // Who Let the Dogs Out? 7” // Columbus Discount *new
THE STAPLER // Temple of Fortuna, Part Two // Metaphysical Haircut // Columbus Discount *new
NECROPOLIS // Colors & #´s // The Hackled Ruff & Shoulder Mane // Columbus Discount *new
NECROPOLIS // Ultraviolent
GREAT PLAINS // Love to the Third Power // Born in a Barn // Homestead 1984

THOMAS JEFFERSON SLAVE APARTMENTS // You Can´t Kill Stupid // You Can´t Kill Stupid 12” EP // Datapanik 1992
THOMAS JEFFERSON SLAVE APARTMENTS // Bottle Island // split 7” w/ Monster Truck 5 // Datapanik 1991
GAUNT // USA // Whitey the Man 10” // Thrill Jockey 1992
MONSTER TRUCK 5 // Piece of Work // split 7” w/ TJSA // Datapanik 1991
THE LAMPS // Hot Plate // Self-Titled // In the Red 2005
EVOLUTIONS // Busy Kids [The Huns] // Primate Not Ape 7” // Kryptonite 2000
M.C. MONKEY & APE WITH AN ATTITUDE // Human Zoo Pt. 1 // Human Zoo 7” // Kryptonite 2004
PUS DEL RECTO // 1970 [The Stooges] // v/a: Supersonic Sounds of the "Fuck You" Movement // CNP 2003
[RETARDS] // String Theory Will Collapse Without Primality // Kicking Against the Micks 7” // Rimbaud *new

CHANNELS 3 & 4 // Jesus Is Free // Christian Girls 12” // Summer Lovers Unlimited *new
CHANNELS 3 & 4 // A Pied // Christianity (album sampler) // Summer Lovers Unlimited *new
JERK // Jimmy Sled Dog // Reverse Vampire // Banana Seat Girl/Soundesign *new
WOLF EYES with JOHN WIESE // 44:31 // Equinox // Troniks *new
STEVE BIRCHALL // Poseidon´s Meditation // Reality Gates // Creel Pone *new/1973
MIKAEL KARLSSON & ROB STEPHENSON // Little Rebellious Aspects // Dog // Please Music Works *new
BROMP TREB // Daughters & Sons of Perpetual Limp // v/a: Zum Audio vol. III // Zum 2006
BIRCHVILLE CAT MOTEL // Reversing Spiral Galaxies // Curved Surface Destroyer 3xCD // Last Visible Dog *new
THE GOSLINGS // Dinah // Grandeur of Hair // Archive *new
BURNING WITCH // The Bleeder // split CD w/ Goatsnake // Hydra Head 2000

On two previous CDs, Portland’s Silentist has been the solo project of Mark Evan Burden, who’s probably best known for his stint in Get Hustle. But for the third Silentist CD, the band has expanded to a duo. The first Silentist CD, Nightingales, was drastic brutal prog of epic proportions, and the second, Chariot Swing, was no less epic of drastic, but much more beautiful and psychedelic. Mark’s piano work on the latter seemed to tip the listener to his fascination with the pummeling minimal cascades of player piano scrollwright Conlon Nancarrow. House on the Hill revisits—and actually exceeds—the brutality of Nightingales, with deathvomit growls, flurries of blastbeats and guitar-shred, a couple short/fast/loud anti-epics, and pained sandwich-in-throat bleating that brings to mind Man Is the Bastard. But on longer songs such as this title track, it still resonates with progfreaks who also appreciate modern compositional art music and Nancarrow.

Silentist has been a powerful live experience even as a solo project, but I suspect that as a duo, it may be more mindblowing as they may make less use of tape. If you’re in any of these cities, go enjoy the show and collect all three of these stunning CDs…

Sep 22 Boise, ID @ Pussygutt House w/ Dhoom, Murder & the Media Machine
Sep 23 Denver, CO @ Monkey Mania w/ Coaxial, Sexy Time Explosion
Sep 24 Wichita, KS @ Electric Snake w/ A New Low, TBA
Sep 25 St. Louis, MO @ 1102 Yale Ave. w/ Child Abuse, Panicsville, Ghost Ice
Sep 26 Chicago, IL @ Nihilist Loft Space w/ Child Abuse, Panicsville
Sep 27 Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern w/ Child Abuse, Thee Scarcity of Tanks
Sep 28 Poughkeepsie, NY @ Vassar College w/ Child Abuse
Sep 29 Boston, MA @ Twisted Village w/ Child Abuse
Sep 30 New York, NY @ Cake Shop w/ Child Abuse
Oct 1 Bethlehem, PA @ Globe Cafe
Oct 2 Brooklyn, NY @ TBA w/ Yellow Swans, Valet, Grouper
Oct 4 Charlotte, NC @ Lunchbox Records w/ Valet
Oct 5 Birmingham, AL @ 120 18th Street, South w/ Newton, Mugu Guymen, Valet
Oct 7 Austin, TX @ The Parlor w/ Storm the Tower, the Roller, Valet
Oct 11 Los Angeles, CA @ The Smell w/ The Terrors, Neil Patrick Hardcore, Valet
Oct 12 San Francisco, CA @ The Eagle w/ I Will Kill You Fucker, Valet, the Hospitals
Oct 13 Oakland, CA @ Lobot Gallery w/ Laudanum, Valet
Oct 14 Eureka, CA @ TBA w/ Vaelt, Starving Weirdos
Oct 15 Portland, OR @ Rotture w/ Valet, +TBA

Still can’t get enough of the new Coughs CD after repeated listens. This thing really picks up from track three onward and never lets up, dud-free, filler-free. A couple of tracks are freeform experimental interludes showing the band as very capable of abstractions that are every bit as momentous and relentless as their songs, as heard on “The Horse, He’s Sick.” Secret Passage also excels past Bent Babies and Fright Makes Right by better capturing the power of their massive mountain of makeshift percussion, played by two drummers, even if they stopped short of using a microphone per drum kit piece. That would probably require 30 microphones! The most captivating features of the Coughs sound remains Anya’s imperious vocal dynamics and the bullish, clunky discordant steamroller of anti-melodic oozing, undulating rhythmic mulch of elemental guitar, bass, keys, and sax.

Vinyl LPs of Secret Passage are apparently imminent, although they’ve been delayed. Just get the CD already and the LP later. It’s one of those albums you’d want on both formats.

Also from September’s Load litter is Vampire Can’t, a collaboration of Vampire Belt (including Chris Corsano) and the artist Can’t, also known by her given name, Jessica Rylan. Can’t is known for her intimate lofi cracklebox noise, which on this album is almost entirely overpowered by the brash free-jazz-influenced noise avalanche and screeching guitar and destructive drums.

I’ve already extreme-blogged about the greatness of the new USA Is a Monster album. Read down a couple weeks if you missed it. They were great in Sacramento on Tuesday night, they’re still in the middle of tour now, so if you’re on this route, go see them…

Sep 21 San Francisco, CA @ Hemlock Tavern w/ Sixes
Sep 22 Arcata, CA @ The Placebo
Sep 23 Seattle, WA @ Sunset Tavern
Sep 24 Olympia, WA @ a house
Sep 25 Portland, OR @ Towne Lounge w/ Sholi
Sep 26 Missoula, MY @ Raven Café
Sep 28 Minneapolis, MN @ Church
Sep 29 St. Paul, MN @ Big V’s
Sep 30 Iowa City, IA @ Hall Mall
Oct 1 St. Louis @ Lemp Arts
Oct 2 Bloomington, IN @ Hospital
Oct 3 Columbus, OH @ Skylab
Oct 4 Cleveland, OH @ Church of Ayler
Oct 5 Buffalo, NY @ Soundlab
Oct 6 Providence, RI @ Redrum
Oct 8 Long Branch, NJ @ Brighton Bar
Oct 9 Hudson, NY @ Bard College
Oct 10 Purchase, NY @ SUNY-Purchase
Oct 19 Boston, MA @ TT the Bears

Bernard Bonnier’s LP, Casse-Tête, has been reissued in a limited CDR edition from Creel Pone, and it sounds like an excellent example of cool cosmic Krautrock converging with musique concrete and bizarre early electronic art music, yet it’s from Montreal in 1979. But it’s such an incredibly limited reissue, so I wish you the best of luck trying to find one of those original LPs. You’ll hafta compete with me!

I know nothing of these Mountain Tops other than this one contribution to the various artists collection, Silverware: Audraglint Fifth Anniversary Compilation. Much of the music featured here is top-drawer experimental electronic ambience, but a dash of sweet sweepy indie-folk guitar floats in and out throughout, and there’s even an appearance by the very underrated Bügsküll. You’ll hear more of this Portland-centric comp in the coming weeks for sure.

From another Creel Pone CDR reissue of an outstanding overlooked nugget of experimental electronic music history, I’ve administered you a second dose of Ruth White’s Flowers of Evil in as many weeks, and I had to do it because it was only two weeks ago that this astoundingly eccentric album seared itself into my forever memory. This is my favorite reissue of the year! Ruth is like a brave psychedelic sorceress reciting psalms of the occult over phasing drones and punctuating bleepbloops of early synthesizer pulses. Totally trippy!!!

I got big kudos from Eva Inca Ore for playing Ruth White last week. She told me how Ruth White made a profound impression on her, and y’know…it really makes sense when you compare the two artists’ sound and spirit. And that’s why it should be no surprise that I juxtaposed them.

Inca Ore with Lemon Bear’s Orchestra have released a brilliant album called “The Birds in the Bushes,” and it’s the result of months of intensive jamming, practicing, and recording in an isolated beachhouse on the Oregon Coast. First, Inca Ore met Lemon Bear, and they fell for each other, retreated to this short-term coastal rental, and they yin ‘n’ yanged out this incredible album. And when I say “yin ‘n’ yanged,” I mean both Inca Ore and Lemon Bear applied their rather opposite approaches to push each other into territories that were perhaps unfamiliar to each, and the result arguably takes us listeners to uncharted territory, too. Think vocal jazz a’la Abbey Lincoln, but make it go free and wild and occasionally eerie and introverted before breaking out again into soaring ecstacy, like Lincoln scat-singing and chattering and casting spells while Albert Ayler blows insane. Inca Ore is known for taking the inspiration of the moment and flowing beautifully off the dome, but Lemon Bear’s approach has been described as academically rigorous and obsessive about practice and technique. This may be more intense an album than Inca Ore could make solo, and it’s probable that it’s more spiritual than an album Lemon Bear could make alone. Regardless, it’s a wonderfully intense and spiritual album for everyone to enjoy.

Two more lovers recently recorded an album on an Oregon Coast retreat, and that’s newlyweds Joshua and Molly of Plants. Their first release from earlier this year on Audio Dregs, The Mind is a Bird in the Hand, was beautiful mystic psych-folk with a sorta post-apocalyptic feel, like…sorry for the loss of billions of lives, but hopeful for the future of the planet and its few environs. Deep in its simplicity. I dunno…I’m in territory that I’m poor at writing about, but really, this was a lovely album. However, its instrumentation was scant, and on the new CDR album, the duo has expanded to a full band including Howard (who partnered for a while with Joshua’s previous band, Point Line Plane), Michael (formerly of another of Joshua’s past bands, Mome Raths) and Sara (also of Space Hawk, Portland’s most cosmic band ever), and others who shall go unnamed only ‘cos I haven’t personally met them (we’ll do lunch sometime!). I get a blissful hippie Kraut vibe with this expanded lineup, and it’s a much more complex flavor that I’m rather enjoying, analyzing in layers, and savoring. No vocals are detectable, and I look forward to that changing for the third Plants thing, which I hope to hear soon.

As you know, I will only segueway one band into another if it makes sense, and I’m sure that if you’re only looking at this on your computer screen, you’re wondering…How the hell is he gonna get from post-apocalyptic psych to the wild scuzz barrage of So So Many White White Tigers? The French artist El-G and Charlene Darling made this stirring, swirling psych-folk anomaly. Quite a paranoid beauty! But also, the White Tigers closed the gap with a positively weird folky intro for this song, from the brand-new last-ever recordings of the band before guitarist Ned Meiners' move to NYC. The recordings were presided over by John Dwyer, who must have imbued the session with some OCS/Oh Sees vibe, and it makes “Bell”—and the entire 17-minute CDR—a really interesting listen. I saw the last ever show of the White Tigers at the Elbo Room warming up for a Flipper show, and I think I remember “Bell” as the song where Gerald took a break from drumming to play keyboard, and Ned laid his guitar down on the drums and began beating on his guitar with the sticks. Liza Thorn’s feral feline screech is more restrained, but also seemingly more complex. I loved this band so much…I’m sorry to see them go, but this is a nice swansong.

I may add more later...

Art for Spastics v. 101

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Download AFS v. 101

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COUNT VERTIGO // X-Patriots // X-Patriots 7" // Cool 1979
SQUARE COOLS // I Don´t Wanna Die for My Country // v/a: Not So Quiet on the Western Front // Alternative Tentacles 1982
(IMPATIENT) YOUTH // Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition // Don´t Listen // Lost and Found 1988/1980
TOXIN III / I Rock I Ran // I Rock I Ran 7" // Vinyl Solution 1982
HATED // Seize the Middle East // v/a: Killed by Death #7 // Redrum 1993/1980
JAH WOBBLE // Journey to Death // Bedroom Album // Lago 1983
FEARLESS IRANIANS FROM HELL // Chant // Die for Allah // Boner 1987

FEARLESS IRANIANS FROM HELL // Pushing Armageddon // Holy War // Boner 1988
BORN AGAINST // Resist Control // The Rebel Sound of Shit and Failure // Vermiform 1995
BORN AGAINST // Intermission // Battle Hymns of the Race War 10" // Vermiform 1993
ATILA // Middle East // International Sandwich // Fish Ranch 1983
SAVAGE REPUBLIC // Procession // Tragic Figures // Independent Project 1982
MUSLIMGAUZE // Fatwa (Religious Decree Giving Recourse To Terrorism) // Abu Nidal // Limited Editions 1987
GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR // The Dead Flag Blues // f#a#? // Kranky 1998
POREST // Let´s Roll // Tourrorists! // Abduction 2006
C/A/T // Enemy Within (Terrorfakt Remix) // ATF // Crunch Pod Media *new
EINSTÜRZENDE NEUBAUTEN // Haus der Lüge (Live) // Strategies Against Architecture II // Mute 1991/1984
COUGHSM // Life of Acne // Secret Passage // Load *new
SLEETMUTE NIGHTMUTE // In Adulthood. . . Black Steel Sick // Unreleased LP tracks + demos // No Label 2004 *request
FUCKWOLF // White Strokes // Self-Titled // Kimosciotic *new
SEX GANG CHILDREN // Killer K // Song and Legend // Illuminated 1983
SHEARING PINX // Chaos Patent // Caves 7" // DNT *new
CHANNELS 3 & 4 // Nite Out // Christian Girls // Summer Lovers Unlimited *new
MEN/EJECT // Apologize // Apologize b/w Draw 7" // No Label 1980
AMPS FOR CHRIST // Secret Voice/Solartube // v/a: L.A. Noisescape // Bastardised *new
THE USA IS A MONSTER // Sunset at the End of the Industrial Age // Sunset at the End of the Industrial Age // Load *new
RUTH WHITE // The Litanies of Satan // Flowers of Evil // Creel Pone *new/1969
PINK REASON // New Violence // Self-Titled 7" // Savage Quality *new

AEROSOL
CONSTELLATIONS // Oh! Great Wall of China // Self-Titled CDR // Isolated Now Waves/Thankless *new
BERNARD BONNIER // Le Grinçant Mr. Smile // Casse-Tête // Creel Pone *new/1979
JON APPLETON & DON CHERRY // Oba // Human Music // Creel Pone *new/1969
L. de MEESTER // Spielerei // v/a: Elektronische Produktie Van I.P.E.M. // Creel Pone *new/1962
PYTHAGORON // track 1 // Self-Titled // Creel Pone *new/1977
DOUGLAS LILBURN // Poem in Time of War // v/a: New Zealand Electronic Music // Creel Pone *new/1967
FIREBLOOD ANGEL BAND // In Every Heart // AA Day of the Trumpet 7" // Siloam 1982

Art for Spastics v. 100

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Download AFS v. 100

...or stream it

WOODEN SHJIPS // Clouds Over Earthquake // Dance, California b/w Clouds Over Earthquake 7" // Sick Thirst *new
WOODEN SHJIPS // Shrinking Moon for You // Shrinking Moon for You 10" // Self-Released *new
IMPRACTICAL COCKPIT // Squeezing Mileage // Poverty Is Violence/Adopt a Mindfield // Trd W/D 2003
IMPRACTICAL COCKPIT // Fromage // Trashed Is Good // Trd W/D 2002
NICE STRONG ARM // Disenchanted // Reality Bath // Homestead 1987
LIVE GIRLS // New Quest for Action // split 7" w/ Nons // Grotesque Modern *new
NONS // Operators // split 7" w/ Live Girls
MUTATORS // Francine´s Bad Dream // Nerves 7" // Grotesque Modern *new
SHEARING PINX // Caves // Caves 7" // DNT *new
IN FLUX // 888 Slugs // Heroine Chic CDR // Isolated Now Waves *new

LEPRECHAUN CATERING // Hippy ID // Male Plumage // White Denim *new
DOORMOUSE // Chmura // v/a: Closet Full of Clothes // White Denim 2004
GIRL TALK // LC and Lo // Bone Hard Zaggin' 7" // 333 Recordings *new
SAGAN // Young Man´s Pleasure: owner´s basket // Resting Pleasures 7" // 333 Recordings *new
THE USA IS A MONSTER // The Spirit of Revenge // Sunset at the End of the Industrial Age // Load *new
JAWS // War Harmonizerz // 3rd CDR-EP // Self-Released 2004
SALLY STROBELIGHT // Transcend the Obvious // Starships in Silhouette // Weird Forest *new
DENDRITES // Fishing Cat // Tanuki Crossing // Self-Released *new
EL-G & CHARLENE DARLING // La Myopathie // Au Grand Dam du Jour // Self-Released *new

LE CHEVALIER DE RINCHY // Bérénice // Mes Plus Belles Chansons d´Amour 7" // Le Vilain Chien *new
RENALDO & THE LOAF // Lime Jelly Grass // Songs for Swinging Larvae // Ralph 1981
RENALDO & THE LOAF // A Medical Man
LE CLUB DES CHATS // Pump Up the Seed // Pump Up the Seed! 7" // Le Vilain Chien 2006
LAWRENCE WASSER // Die Frogg // Der Lift 7" // Le Vilain Chien *new
ERASE ERRATA // Giant Hans // Nightlife // Kill Rock Stars *new
DUCHESSES // The Virgin Monkey // Demo CDR // Self-Released *new
COUGHS // Colors and the Way They Make You Feel // Secret Passage // Load *new
NIGHT WOUNDS // Jam Itune Master // DBA Tape Club split cassette w/ Friends Forever // Deathbomb Arc *new
VAMPIRE CAN'T // Self-Titled Debutante // Key Cutter // Load *new
TRALPHAZ // untitled // v/a: The Fruit Will Rot vol 2 set of nine 3" CDRs // Deathbomb Arc *new
ECO MORTI // Grizzzzlyspottedowlllll // v/a: The Fruit Will Rot vol 2
RIOTSLUG // Dancing at the Bit Terminal // Impossible Body Rotation // Selva Elettrica *new
MULTIPLEX // Wing Over This Land // v/a: To the Marrow ~ Japanese Deathnology // Toy´s Factory 1993
SADISTIK EXECUTION // Voltage by Sadism // K.A.O.S. // Shock 1996
SIEGE // Drop Dead // Drop Dead EP // Relapse 1984/1998
PSYCHO // Public Relations // Riches and Fame 10" // Ax/ction 1991
BULGE // Don´t Touch Me // Penis Rising 10" // Fudgeworthy 1991
BULGE (feat. GG Allin) // Interior Depths
RANCID VAT // Destroy Nature // Justice Is What We Do to Traitors // Brilliancy Prize 1989
NO TREND // Fashion Tips for the 80´s // Too Many Humans... // No Trend 1984
TOXIC ATTITUDE // War Crimes // Stupid Teenage Music 7" // Depression 1983
TOXIC ATTITUDE // Tainted
SPLAYED INNARDS // Social Retard // Abe Lincoln Gets His Chance 7" // Self-Released 1996
PUBLIC HUMILIATION // Pepperoni Pizza // It All Started When I Was Five // Goon 1989
MIKA MIKO // See You There // C.Y.S.L.A.B.F. // Kill Rock Stars *new
PSYCHEDELIC HORSESHIT // Quasar // Who Let the Dogs Out? 7" // Columbus Discount *new
TT // Hypnogogia // demo CDR // Self-Released *new
HOME BLITZ // Safe // Live Outside 7" // Self-Released *new
ABE VIGODA // All Night and Day // Summer Tour CDR 2006 // Self-Released *new

After reading unanimous and uproarious approval for the Wooden Shjips on every new music blog I consider crucial, I became determined to track down their records before I was left in the dust of a feeding frenzy. But thanks to Soriano acquiring a limited stock of the Wooden Shjips' 10" and 7" EP's, now I can do my part to fill these Shjips' sails and send more record-geeky goonies aboard this new vjessel [sic] on their own hunt for future eBay treasure. These fellow bloggers who first discovered the Wooden Shjips received the 10" which the band apparently sent for free to a shrewdly honed recipients list, and thus esteemed tastemakers from Byron Coley to Brian Turner and Tom Lax began to herald this band as one of the present and future's brightest hopes.

Like a ghostly galleon emerging from a dusky fog, both Wooden Shjips records are shrouded in mystery with nary a mention of personnel or origin to suggest the band's time or place. Indeed, their Krauty godhead psych-fuzz space-scuzz sounds like a timeless classic, echoing Munich in 1971, Cleveland in 1976, the Lund, Sweden, of 1979, the best lesser-knowns of the Nurse With Wound list. Not surprisingly, Coley and co. waxed rather romantically about this precocious new San Francisco band, and I became a bit concerned that I'd be a little let down upon finally hearing them. But no! The Wooden Shjips do deliver!!

The 7" features a sublime, chiming opioid jam of soothing fuzz, meandering leads, and reverbed mouthbreathing, recalling heavier moments of early F/i and Spacemen 3. The B-side is a relentless artpunk instro seemingly cut from the Kraut mold. The 10" starts with a sidelong stunner of brilliant blistering fuzz locked into a mid-paced motorik groove. The lead guitarist is unconsciously savage. The B-side reveals the band's penchant for abstractions which still pack a lot of beauty and power.

Next we hear a couple by Impractical Cockpit. I remembered seeing an excellent performance by this New Orleans-based band at the Loft in Sacramento in 2001, and I bought their first LP from them which was lo-fi in the bad way, obscuring their brilliance. And then I never heard about them for four years until Load put out their amazing CD album, "To Be Treated," which so far ranks as one of my faves of 2006. I had read on the Load website that "To Be Treated" was their sixth album, and I was surprised to learn I'd missed the middle four. When, where, and how did they discover how to make a great record, I wondered. Of course, I was very stoked to find two of these middle LP's at Mississippi Records in Portland on last week's Pacific Northwest roadtrip. Surely, "To Be Treated" remains the best stuff I've heard by them so far, but both of these albums do have their great moments. Much murky noise, droning bleats, neurotic shrieks of distress, and yet more than a glimmer of hope. The 2003 album has a drum machine on it, which is an asset on "Squeezing Mileage," but a hindrance to (or more like an unnecessary distraction from) other songs.

Some friends were recently re-discovering My Dad Is Dead when one suggested that a lot of great stuff came out on Homestead Records back in the late 80's. I don't recall it being a lot of anything except mediocrity, interspersed with a few great moments. I also recalled that this "Reality Bath" LP by Nice Strong Arm was a favorite of mine in high school, so I had a listen for the first time in about ten years to see if it still sounded good. Alas, half of it's pretty dire, but this song and "Date of Birth" still charm me. I still liken it to a cross between Joy Division's doom and gloom and their contemporaries such as Scratch Acid.

Next up are two new bands from Vancouver, British Columbia, sharing a split 7" from a new label. Live Girls do not have a female singer, but the Nons do. One or both of the bands include someone from Channels 3 & 4 and/or Shearing Pinx. Both bands do the frosty emotionally detached punk of passive/aggressive ambivalence, and it's mighty tasty. Hope to hear more soon! From the same label come Mutators, also dark and nasty and sorta post-punk with the emphasis on the punk. Very compelling female vocals on that one! Their tour which had been planned to include California was shortened unfortunately, but if you're in Portland, you should definitely go see them. I'm actually tempted to make it up there myself for that Food Hole show.

More Vancouver radness continues with a raucous now-wave rocker from Shearing Pinx, who along with Abe Vigoda and Yikes are one of best bands today to use dual guitars to creative darting/inter-weaving effect. The guitars just sorta snarl, gnarl, coil, and strike, and then splinter away during dramatic breakdowns. The clamorous reverbed vocals of Nic (also of Channels 3 & 4 and his solo N.213 project) build up like stifling English Ivy up the hulking trunk of sound, threatening to suffocate everyone else. It's a rather paranoiac ride. Two thirds of the Pinx also contribute to In Flux which emphasize destructive and volatile lo-fi electro dysphoria.

Leprechaun Catering come from Baltimore, and while I missed their much-lauded debut record, this new second effort is the sound of all experimental music genre ghettos getting shelled in a mortar shelling of record-breaking proportions. Really wild and great! I'm sure glad to see White Denim back in the biz of making beautiful records, too. This one's on razzle-dazzle orange vinyl and comes in a sleeve with a screen that may absorb you into boffo perplexion. The following Doormouse track is hyper breakcore by Wisconsin's greatest on one of White Denim's other pretty records.

Girl Talk from Pittsburgh has a great new full-length CD out, but when you still crave more unthinkable juxtapositions of sample material integrated through the craftiest of editing, reach for this 7". Only 333 exist, so hurry! On this particular song, we get Bell Biv Devoe, the Doobies, CeCe Peniston, Nirvana, and a buncha rapstars in an audio equivalent of Pop Rocks and Coke. I can listen ten times in a row and find something else to laugh about with every Girl Talk creation. Also new from 333 are 333 copies of cosmic IDM from Sagan, a Bay Area electronic conceptual supergroup.

The new album by The USA Is a Monster just dropped on Load, and through three back-to-back-to-back listens, I think it's my favorite by them so far. I say that every year on the day the new USA Is a Monster album comes out. But they are a great band that keeps getting better. No one is any more interesting than them when it comes to the concept of vocal rhythms...at least, no other band I know of.

Rob Girardin (a.k.a. Jaws), I'm so glad you are back in California! Welcome back! In an effort to keep his legend alive in well in Davis, I've included in this week's AFS show Jaws' incredible anti-war protest song, and in my view, the best Dubya-era protest song so far. No child...left behind!

Sally Strobelight is best remembered around these parts as the vocalist and bassist of Eat the People, but now she is a solo artist in Portland, and her new vellum-enclosed translucent album is a stunner of droney psych anesthesia which sometimes straddles electro and freak-folk fences unlike any band or artist this side of Indian Jewelry, and maybe the Dendrites, too, whom we hear here off of their latest CDR of spontaneous compositions.

Él-G & Charlene Darling offer a wonderfully weird CDR of warped folky psych that is totally gripping. I'm reminded of another of my favorite releases of 2006 so far, the "Evangelista" CD by Carla Bozulich, although this is not quite as brooding and seems to have a bit more sense of humor. Expect to hear a lot more, as Él-G sent me everything he's made so far, and it all sounds very good to downright awesome.

Now for the oddest and potentially most offputting record of the playlist...the new 7" by Le Chevalier de Rinchy. Taken in five-second doses, there's nothing too alienating about it unless you are one of those flag-wavin' idiot Americans who still orders freedom fries with their burger. But this contrapunctal baroque tickle-punk alternately flits, minuets, and waltzes out of a different musical keepsake box every five seconds! It's so decidedly fractured and bizarre, so very French, and sucking helium and laughing gas. I LOVE IT! But no one will be lukewarm about this one. Caveat emptor!

Painted into a corner, the only possible way to segueway outta Le Chevalier de Rinchy is Renaldo & the Loaf or Caroliner. It's Renaldo's turn this week, so enjoy his most hysterical moment.

I may finish this later...

Art for Spastics v. 99

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Download AFS v. 99

...or stream it

DEATH TO PIGS // Peep Boo // split LP w/ Gu Guai Xing Qiu // 213/Acide Folik/Ben le Millionaire/Down Boy/Gaffer *new
DEATH TO PIGS // Six Sick Show
BATTLE CAT // Beer Battered Wives Club // self-titled 7” // Army of Bad Luck *new
SWITCHED-ON VULTURES // Did That Bird Just Cough? // demo CDR // no label *new
MUTATORS // Nerves // Nerves 7” // Grotesque Modern *new
THE POPE // Live Aids // Live Aids 7” // Yosada *new
SEXUAL TOURIST // Teenage Fantasy // Womb Broom 7” // Black Lakes *new
WE QUIT // We Looked Around // v/a: PDX Pop Now! 2006 2xCD // PDX Pop Now! *new
WE QUIT // Bones // v/a: Zum Audio vol. III CD // Zum *new
PILLSBURY HARDCORE // Kill Everyone Now // v/a: Empty Skulls II: The Wound Deepens // Fartblossom Enterprises 1986

PILLSBURY HARDCORE // Wanna Check Out My Record Collection? // In a Straight Edge Limbo 7” // Fartblossom Enterprises 1985
POISON IDEA // Deep Sleep // Feel the Darkness // American Leather 1990 *request
GU GUAI XING QIU // Olympic Robots Games and War of the Nations // split LP w/ Death to Pigs *new
GU GUAI RING QIU // War of Dogs
PRE // Let Me Touch Him // MySpace mp3 *new
KK RAMPAGE // Holiday with the Janitor // Sides G & H CDR // Rampage *new
KK RAMPAGE // She´s an Apprentice of Satan // A Toast in Angel's Blood CDR // Rampage *new
A FRAMES // Radiation Generation // Neutron Bomb 7” // Dragnet 2001

RED ASPHALT // Phone Call from God // 4-Song 7” // Egg & Anvil 1981
THE RALPHS // Mutating Man // Zeros - No Ones LP // EV *new
BEAST OF BEAST // Destructive Heroes // Sex, Drugs...and Noise 12” EP // My Ass 1983
NO FUN // Mindless Aggression // v/a: Vancouver Complication // Sudden Death 1979/2005
PSYCHEDELIC HORSESHIT // Bring on the Curse // Who Let the Dogs Out? 7” // Columbus Discount *new
WOODEN SHJIPS // Dance, California (Radio Edit) // Clouds Over Earthquakes 7” // Sick Thirst *new
WOODEN SHJIPS // Death´s Not Your Friend // Shrinking Moon for You 10” // Self-Released *new
ONEIDA // The Adversary // Happy New Year // Jagjaguwar/Brah *new
JERK // Polar Envy // Reverse Vampire // Banana Seat Girl/Soundesign *new
JOSHUA HYDEMAN // Ripping Outwards // split 7” w/ Two Dead Sluts… // Self-Released *new
HAIRCUT MOUNTAIN TRANSIT // Complete the Cowboy (excerpt) // v/a: L.A. Noisescape // Bastardised *new
PRIVY SEALS // untitled // v/a: L.A. Noisescape
TOXIC LOINCLOTH // untitled // v/a: L.A. Noisescape
GODS GANG // Empty Pools // Samples CDR // No Label *new
GHQ // Lost in the Blinding Sheen of Moonlight Mirrored // Heavy Elements // Three Lobed *new
SALLY STROBELIGHT // You and I // Starships in Silhouette // Weird Forest *new
RACCOO-OO-OON // Dust March // v/a: Arbor CDR // Arbor *new
DADAMAH // Nicotine // Nicotine b/w High Time 7” // Majora 1992
PUMICE // Long Tooth // Live from the KDVS Hallway // KDVS Recordings *new

KATSUYA NONAKA // title unknown // split 10” lathe-cut w/ Western Culture // Deer + Bird *new
HELGA FASSONAKI // ...and Live in the Air // Covert Loadstones 7” lathe-cut // A Binary Datum *new
PHILIP GAYLE // Zoomly Zoomly // The Mommy Row // Family Vineyard *new
CAR COMMERCIALS // Dead Body at the Lake // Grant's Dead cassette // Leaf Leaf *new
CAR COMMERCIALS // The Tracks
G2 // How Desperate Is This? // Loneliness and Love CDR // Self-Released *new
WEIRDO/BEGEIRDO // Put a Hat on Your Love (Hate) // So I'm Dude in This Equation // Not Not Fun 2004
HOME BLITZ // Bored [Public Disturbance] // split cassette w/ Friends & Family // Leaf Leaf *new
HOME BLITZ // Stupid Street // Live Outside 7” // Self-Released *new
THE MEGACOOLS // Weird Dreams Are Crazy // Weird Dreams are Crazy 7” // Megacool *new
SHE // Like a Snake // Wants a Piece of You // Big Beat 1966
DUCHESS OF SAIGON // B.D. Wong // Hootenanny 7” // Plastic Idol 2004
DUCHESS OF SAIGON // Disagreement Song // Easter Queen 7” // S-S 2002
THE CLEAN // Point That Thing Somewhere Else // Anthology 2xCD // Merge 1987/2002
GERLING // Mother Mary // split 7” w/ Gapeseed // Stillwater Trading 1997

Pumice and No Doctors Live Sets from KDVS

The incredible New Zealand indie/psych/folk/drone artist Pumice played live on Freeform KDVS yesterday, and it was such an outstanding performance which I highly recommend you hear.

Click here to hear the mp3 of Pumice live on KDVS.

Or stream the show from this link.

Fans of Roy Montgomery or Bardo Pond or Flying Saucer Attack might really enjoy this. The performance begins about halfway through the entire show soundfile, but you should also really enjoy DJ Brendan's warm-up picks.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



Following that, San Francisco's No Doctors were guests of the "Shining Mountain Hours" program. Their live in-studio acoustic set picks up about 40 minutes into this soundfile.

Click here to hear the mp3 of No Doctors' live set.

Or stream the show from this link.

No Doctors filled up the rest of the program with a spontaneous freeform music show with records they found in the deep KDVS vinyl catacombs. Their picks immediately follow their live performance.

Enjoy!

OPERATION: Restore Maximum Freedom IV!!!

Erase Errata at ORMF III, 6/3/06


SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!

Freeform KDVS in Davis presents...
Operation: Restore Maximum Freedom IV!

Like each of the last three Maximum Freedom festivals, this distinguished bill of entertainment promises to demanding fans of music outstanding variety and quality of bands and artists as well as tremendous fun in an easygoing environment that supports relaxation and or active participation. Yet one more star of the show, the park-like setting encourages performers and audience alike to partake in all of the freedom we’ve got left, creatively and under the law. Another important ideal of this festival is to provide exceptional value for the money, and with our first living legend on the programme and widest variety of acts—still unified in artistic integrity—we hope you’ll agree that this is too important to miss.

Saturday, October 7, 2006
12 noon to 12 midnight
@ Plainfield Station
23944 County Road 98
Woodland, CA (map)
(in the boonies between Davis and Woodland)

All ages are welcome!

17 OUTSTANDING PERFORMERS!

Kid 606 10:55

Third Sight feat. DJ D-Styles 9:35

Big Sammy & Whoduk 9:10

LSD March 8:15

New Rock Syndicate 7:40

Haunted George 7:15

Michael Hurley 6:25

Obo Martin 6:00

Thee Scarcity of Tanks 5:20

Weasel Walter Quartet 4:55

The Lamps 4:30

Numbers 3:40

The Trashies 3:20

Th' Losin' Streaks 3:00

Hank IV 2:20

Sic Alps 1:40

Who’s Your Favorite Son, God? 1:00

Only $10 for students & advance general
$15 gen. admission @ door

Buy your tickets online (click Paypal button at link)…
http://www.myspace.com/maximumfreedom
…OR…
Buy them at any of these locations:

Armadillo Music (205 F Street in Davis)
“Records” (710 K Street, Sacramento)
Flatspot Skate Shop (1115 21st Street, Sacramento)

What to bring to make your ORMF IV experience most enjoyable…
All your friends!
A blanket to spread out
$5 for big pitcher of PBR
Cash for best burger in Yolo Co.
A sweater of jacket (just in case)
Wiffle ball set???

Art for Spastics v. 97

.
Download AFS v. 97

...or stream it

THE LEFT // Hell // Jesus Loves the Left // Bona Fide *new/1984
EASTER MONKEYS // 14th Floor // Splendor of Sorrow // Hit & Run 1990/1983
ELECTRIC MANCHAKOU // Murder // Hey 7” // Innocent 1989

THE PANIK // Murder // It Won´t Sell // Rainy City 1977
CRASH NORMAL // Hate To Dance // My First Stop // Rococo *new
THE SORES // Wormwood // Six Songs of Despair & Frustration: Passion in an Age of Apathy // Borox 2005
THE SORES // Always Moanin´
NO DOCTORS // Campaign Special // Hunting Season // Cock of the Rock/Go Johnny Go 2004
YIKES // Putrifiers // Secrets to Superflipping EP // Upset the Rhythm *new
FLIPPER // Ha Ha Ha // Love Canal b/w Ha Ha Ha 7” // Subterranean 1980 *request
THE FEELERS // Spunout // Parts and Pieces 7” // P.Trash *new
MIKA MIKO // End of Time // C.Y.S.L.A.B.F. // Kill Rock Stars *new
TERRIBLE TWOS // Plunderball // Plunderball 7” // X! *new
CRACK UND ULTRA ECZEMA // No Sex Today // Self-Titled CD // Tes Fesses *new
JERK // Cobra // Reverse Vampire // Banana Seat Girl/Soundesign *new
KEVIN SHIELDS // Time and the Hunter // Unending Shame 3” CDR // EMR *new
AIDS WOLF // Laundry Day Lament // split 7” w/ The Fugue // Blood of the Drash 2005
SHEARING PINX feat. Ryan of NIGHT WOUNDS // Improvised Plea to Sketchy Speaker // recorded here July 23, 2006 *request
MONOTRACT // Projectus // Xprmntl Lvrs // Ecstatic Peace *new
DAVID KENDALL // SS2 // v/a: “L.A. Noisescape” CD // Bastardised *new

INDIAN JEWELRY // Poverty Ape // v/a: “L.A. Noisescape”
ALBERT ORTEGA // Owls // v/a: “L.A. Noisescape”
EX JESUS // Bally // v/a: “L.A. Noisescape”
THE GOSLINGS // Overnight // Grandeur of Hair // Archive *new
ENTRANCE // Never Be Afraid // Prayer of Death // self-released *new
SALLY STROBELIGHT // Wild Kites // Starships in Silhouettes // Weird Forest *new
PUMP KINN // Equestrian Deathmarch Mountain // Aunte Donne 3” CD // Weird Forest *new
JENNIFER GENTLE // 5 of 3 // Sacramento Session // A Silent Place *new
QUEM QUAERITIS // Slangin´ Family Ties Dub // split LP w/ Child Pornography // Not Not Fun *new
JACOB SMIGEL // Nasty Nancy // Eavesdrop: a Wealth of Found Sound // self-released *new
LE SPORT // We Are Le Sport // split 7” w/ Crack und Ultra Eczema // Bibimbap *new

DEAD WESTERN // Inside the Salty Sea // …Plays the Mandolin & Does Some Other Stuff 7” // Fuck the Bastards *new
…WORMS // title unknown // self-titled LP // Marriage *new
GOLIATH BIRD EATER // A Navigation to a Brighter Tomorrow // Blood Venus // Not Not Fun *new
SWITCHBLADE // 01 (untitled) // S/T [2006] CD // Trust No One *new
EIKENSKADEN // Lunarian Seas // The Last Dance // Weird Forest *new
FORTRESS OF AMPLITUDE // All Are Punished (excerpt) // Loom of Doom CDR // self-released *new
ROBERT RENTAL & THE NORMAL // title unknown // Live at West Runton Pavilion 6/3/79 // Rough Trade 1980 *request
KOMPLETA // Theme of the Insecure Sailor // v/a: Electronic Renaissance // Enfant Terrible *new
HOLY TOY // Soldier Toy // Soldier Toy 12” EP // Uniton 1982
MAGAS // Easy to Please // May I Meet My Accuser // Imaginary Conflict *new

FRUSTRATION // Trouble // Full of Sorrow 12” EP // Born Bad *new
CRISIS // Laughing // Holocaust Hymns // Apop *new/1980
COUNTRY TEASERS // Points of View // The Empire Strikes Back // In The Red *new
HOME AND GARDEN // You Are Here // Hideout 12” EP // After Hours 1985
TWO DEAD SLUTS ONE GOOD FUCK // Hex on the Beach // P.T. Barnum's Gallery of Masturbatorial Disenchantment // Kitty Play *new
RAZORS & LASERS feat. ACRE // title unknown // v/a: “Come & Get It: a Benefit for Free Radio Olympia // d.i.y. *new

Art for Spastics v. 96

.
Download AFS v. 96

...or stream it

ANGRY SAMOANS // Right Side of My Mind // Inside My Brain // Bad Trip 1980

THE RALPHS // Mass Confusion // Zeroes -- No Ones: Complete Studio Recordings 1980/1981 // EV *new
METROS // In With the Crowd // v/a: Vancouver Independence // Friends 1980
NIGHTINGALES // Which Hi-Fi? // Which Hi-Fi? 12” EP // Cherry Red 1982
TYVEK // Mary Ellen Claims // Mary Ellen Claims 7” // X! *new
THE MEDIATERS // The Waiting Room // v/a: Waiting Room // Object Music 1980
ABE VIGODA // Gallop // Summer Tour CD 2006 // Self-Released *new
TRESPASSERS W // Check Mates // Potemkin // ADM 1991
THE PROLETARIAT // Events/Repeat // Soma Holiday // Radiobeat/Non-U 1983
U.X.A. // Social Circle // v/a: Tooth and Nail // Upsetter 1979
THE HYPNOTICS // The Quest // Indoor Fiends // Enigma 1982
CHARM CITY SUICIDES // Now Is the Time // self-titled LP // Vermin Scum 2002
RUPTURE // I´m Insane // Get Fucked Cunt 7” // Incognito 1996
BATTLESHIP // No Time for Love // To Give not a Gift 7” // Double Negative *new
MIKA MIKO // Take Hold // C.Y.S.L.A.B.F. // Kill Rock Stars *new
ELECTRO CHOC // Chaise Electrique // v/a: Back to Front vol. 1 // Incognito 1978
THE DOGS (France) // 19 // v/a: Bloodstains Across Europe // Bloodstains 1977
GUILTY RAZORS // Don´t Wanna Be a Rich // I Don´t Wanna Be a Rich 3-Pack (3x7”) // Seventeen *new/1978

EDITH NYLON // Tank // self-titled LP // CBS-Fr. 1979
DRAFT DODGERS // Fascist Fashion // v/a: Rapsodie // Jungle Hop Int’l 1986
REICH ORGASM // Supporters // v/a: Chaos in Europe // Chaos Productions 1985
LES THUGS // Lost Fight // Radical Hystery // Dikeoma Diavasis 1986 *request
LES THUGS // I Need You // Dirty White Race 12” EP // Vinyl Solution 1989 *request
DEATH TO PIGS // Teenage Crap // 9 Songs 7” // Self-Released 2005
FRUSTRATION // Your Body // Full of Sorrow 12” EP // Born Bad *new
LE SPORT // Le Nom des Chiens // split 7” w/ Crack und Ultra Eczema // Bibimbap *new
ICH BIN // Industrie Lourde // Obéis! // Poutré Apparente *new
LILI Z // Leatherlution // Leatherlution 7” // S-S 2004
CHEVEU // La Truite // v/a: Tête de Bébé // S-S *new
THE NORMALS // What Dying Is About // split 10” w/ the Cheeraks // Yakisakana 2005
DETOX // I Hate the French // Start…Finish // Flipside 1985
NO LESS // Rewiring/Hostile // split 7” w/ Laughing Dog // Bad People 1998
COMETS ON FIRE // Holy Teeth // Avatar // Sub Pop *new
ACID MOTHERS TEMPLE & THE COSMIC INFERNO // OM Riff from the Cosmic Inferno // Iao Chant from the Cosmic Inferno // Ace Fu *new
LOVE SCULPTURE // Mars // Forms and Feelings // Parrot 1969
LOVE SCULPTURE // Sabre Dance (excerpt)
FLYING LUTTENBACHERS // The Elimination of Incompetence // Cataclysm // ugExplode *new
LOVE OF LIFE ORCHESTRA // Revolution is Personal // Geneva // Infidelity 1980
ANDREW W.K. // I Want to See You Go Wild // Close Calls With Brick Walls // Universal Int´l *new
SILENTIST // House on the Hill // House on the Hill // Celestial Gang *new
JOHN GREAVES & PETER BLEGVAD // Seven Scenes from the Painting "Exhuming the First American Mastodon" by C.W. Peale // Kew. Rhone. // Virgin 1977
THE WORK // Cain & Abel // Slow Crimes // Woof 1982
ERASE ERRATA // Rider // Nightlife // Kill Rock Stars *new
MONOTRACT // There Are Hard Days I Can´t Forget // Xprmntl Lvrs // Ecstatic Peace *new
PRETTY THIGH // Premature Baby Slapfest // Summer 2006 Tour CDR // HIV Tarnations *new

PSEUDO-FEDS // Murder House // v/a: Rampage Recordings Comp 1 CDR // Rampage *new
KK RAMPAGE // Spring a Light Gift of Blood // Lies, Deception, and Tall-Tales // Rampage *new
CHILD PORNOGRAPHY // Find a Friend // split LP w/ Quem Quaeritis // Not Not Fun *new
COMMON AILMENTS OF MATURITY // Stake // v/a: None Whatsoever // Vacant Lot 1987
SILVER DAGGERS // Vegan, Pagan, Regan // v/a: Arbor CDR compilation // Arbor *new
A) TORTURE MECHANISM // Galvanized // self-titled CDR // MT6/Balefire *new
JOËLLE LÉANDRE & JON ROSE // The Door // Les Domestiques // Konnex 1988
CARLA BOZULICH // Evangelista I // Evangelista // Constellation *new

Art for Spastics v. 95

.

Download AFS v. 95

...or stream it

BELASTUNGSPROBE – Schweinehatz – Æ.T.Z. 7” – Play Loud 1980
BELASTUNGSPROBE – Rohkost – Platzdruck 90 Atü 7” – Play Loud 1981
FAUST – Party 1 – 71 Minutes – ReR 1971-1975
PORN.DARSTELLER – L´Ingénue – v/a: Electronic Renaissance – Enfant Terrible *new
JEUNEUSSE FANTÔME – Księżc – v/a: Electronic Renaissance
THIS SONG IS A MESS BUT SO AM I – Lonely Way – Marble Mouth EP – Acuarela *new
TWO DEAD SLUTS ONE GOOD FUCK – Like, Satanic...But in the Good Way – P.T. Barnum's Gallery of Masturbatorial Disenchantment – Kitty Play *new
JOSHUA HYDEMAN – Singular – split 7” w/ Two Dead Sluts… – Self-Released *new
GODS GANG – Boy Toy – Advance Tracks CDR –no label *new
DUCHESSES – The Pit Bulimia – Demo CDR – no label *new
SHEARING PINX – IMV – Work Ethic CDR – Isolated Now Waves *new
SHEARING PINX – Knerves – ...Goes South Tour CDR – Isolated Now Waves *new
PRETTY THIGH – Dietary Fantastic for the Stars – split cassette w/ Shearing Pinx – Isolated Now Waves *new
PRETTY THIGH – Scrotember 11th Meets Dracula – Summer 2006 Tour CDR – HIV Tarnations *new
ROBIN WILLIAMS ON FIRE – title unknown – Demo CDR – Self-Released *new
BLACK AWARENESS – title unknown – c8 cassette – Barf *new
CHILD PORNOGRAPHY – Cold Fingers – split 7-inch w/ Abe Vigoda – Oms-B *new
CHILD PORNOGRAPHY – ¡Riker! – split LP w/ Quem Quaeritis – Not Not Fun *new
KK RAMPAGE – Her Heave May Spray Our Dress – Lies, Deception, and Tall-Tales CDR – Rampage *new
COWARD – Little Joe – split CD w/ Gasmask – MCR Co. *new
BATTLESHIP – Two Horses Too Many – To Give Not a Gift 7” – Double Negative *new
ABE VIGODA – Infinity Face – Summer Tour CD 2006 – Self-Released *new
ABE VIGODA – Calypso – split 7” w/ Child Pornography – Oms-B *new
SEXUAL TOURIST – Dr. Whittaker PHD – Womb Broom 7” – Black Lakes *new
HIPS – Horses – split 7” w/ Epsilons – Self-Released *new
SWITCHED-ON VULTURES – New Vom Times – Demo CDR – no label *new
FLYING LUTTENBACHERS – Interstellar War – Cataclysm – ugExplode *new
GOLIATH BIRD EATER – Blood Venus – Blood Venus – Not Not Fun *new
THEE SCARCITY OF TANKS – Bust With Care – v/a: End Times Festival 2006 – ETF *new
TOWEL – Nunu/Shun Shun Action – solo 7” – Vermiform 1998
T.I.T.S. – Lovely Home – Throughout the Ages – Upset the Rhythm *new
BUICK – Lucy Conrad, Excellent Liar – Sweatertongue – Lather 1992 *request
MATT CARLSON – Judge Judy – Judge Judy CDR – Bucket Factory *new
ONEIDA – Reckoning – Happy New Year – Jagjaguwar *new
SIX ORGANS OF ADMITTANCE – The Manifestation – The Manifestation – Strange Attractors 2004/1999
PEARLS BEFORE SWINE – The Surrealist Waltz – One Nation Underground – ESP-Disk 1967
INCA ORE & LEMON BEAR’S ORCHESTRA – Queen Anne´s Lace Tape [excerpt] – Queen Anne's Lace Tape – no label *new
TONY OXLEY – Never Before or Again – self-titled LP – Incus 1975/1972
RENE KITA – Kekkonen – v/a: Kekkonen - Anarchy in the UKK CDR – 267 Lattajjaa *new
TAMMINIEMEN PASANJÄKAT – Kekkonen vs. Fagersholm
FUCKWOLF – Rub-E-Dub-E – self-titled – Kimosciotic *new
KOMMUNITY FK – Unknown to You – The Vision and the Voice – Independent Project 1983
THE FALL – God-Box – Oh! Brother 7” – Beggars Banquet 1984
COLIN NEWMAN – Alone on Piano – B b/w Classic Remains / Alone 7” – Beggars Banquet 1983
QUEM QUAERITIS – Jim Caviezel – split LP w/ Child Pornography – Not Not Fun *new

Art for Spastics v. 94

.

Download AFS v. 94

...or stream it

SHEARING PINX – Blood Corridor – Poison Hands dbl 3” – Not Not Fun *new
ABE VIGODA – Sad King – v/a: Treasure Tropics 7” – Not Not Fun 2005
DUCHESSES – The Laughing Jaina/Wacko Jackal – Demo CDR – no label *new
CRACK UND ULTRA ECZEMA – Hidden Track – self-titled – Tes Fesses *new
LOOPOOL – Observation of the World – Useless Unless – Arbor *new
OFFICE PRODUCTS – Mount & Do – v/a: Commercial Ad Hoc – Seeland/Cha-Bashira/Illegal Art 2000
GIRL TALK – Smash Your Head – Night Ripper – Illegal Art *new
TWISTED KRISTER – Havijipaitanen – v/a: Kekkonen - Anarchy in the UKK – 267 Lattajjaa *new

SIERANPARISTO – 196668 <- 196662 <- Noottikriisi – v/a: Kekkonen…
HUMAN NEUTRON MISSILE SQUAD – Mää Ole Kekkone – v/a: Kekkonen…
GOLIATH BIRDEATER – Title Unknown – Blood Venus – Not Not Fun *new
NEW FLESH – Scapegoat – Parasite – Maelstrom 2005
SEXUAL TOURIST – Teenage Fantasy – Womb Broom 7” – Black Lakes *new
ROBIN WILLIAMS ON FIRE – Must Be Coleman – Demo CDR – no label *new
KK RAMPAGE – Kop Chiller – Special Friends – Self-Released *new

KK RAMPAGE – Menacing the Centipede – Lies, Deception, and Tall-Tales – Rampage *new
TERRIBLE TWOS – Spitting Image – Plunderball 7” – X! *new
FRUSTRATIONS – Summer – Nerves Are Fried 7” – X! *new
…WORMS – untitled – self-titled LP – Marriage *new
TURMOILED FUNCTIONS – Sludge Upkeep – It´s 2005, Give It a Chance cassette – Kinky Noise *new
SILENTIST – Corpse Decay – House on the Hill – Celestial Gang *new
PINK MOUNTAIN – 500 Tons of Precision – self-titled – Frenetic *new
MONARCH – We Are the Musicmakers – Speak of the Sea – Throne *new
GOSLINGS – Herons – Space Heater/Perfect Interior – Crucial Blast *new
ANTLERS – Transcendental Colors – Live – Electric Eggplant *new
CARLA BOZULICH – Pissing – Evangelista – Constellation *new
SWITCHBLADE – untitled – S/T [2006] – Trust No One *new
YELLOW SWANS + MOTH DRAKULA – I1:29 – They Do Not Always Remember – Obsolete Vernacular/Oedipus *new
AXOLOTL – Legs, Shouts – v/a: Zum Audio vol. III – Zum *new
SEVERED HEADS – Skippy Roo Kangaroo – Cuisine (with Piscatorial) – Nettwerk 1991
JP-RAD-ICE – Rite – Combat – Scenery Audio Archive 2004
BROMP TREB – Daughters & Sons of Perpetual Limp – v/a: Zum Audio vol. III
TREAT – Cool with Doom – Praising God in Prison – Scenery Audio Archive 2004
WHO’S YOUR FAVORITE SON, GOD? – title unknown – Unreleased New Album – no label *new
DANAVA – Quiet Babies Astray in a Manger – Quiet Babies… 12” – Kemado *new

BRAINEATERS – Braineaters/Fun Time – self-titled 7” – Wrong World 1979
COMA – In a Coma – In a Coma 7” – ??? 1985
AMOEBA MEN – Marinating – Let the Infection Set In – CNP 2006
KILLING JOKE – Madness – What´s THIS For...! – Malicious Damage 1981

Art for Spastics v. 93

.

Download “Art for Spastics” vol 93 here!

…or stream it here.

DEATH SENTENCE: PANDA! – Friends of Friends of Friends of Friends – Bored Fortress Singles Club split 7” w/ Silver Daggers – Not Not Fun *new
PTERODACTYL – Safe Like a Train – Friday, During the Day 7” – Self-Released 2004
BATTLESHIP – Contempt – Presents Princess CD – On/On Switch *new
SWITCHED-ON VULTURES – I Smell Diapers – demo CDR – No Label *new
AUTOMATIC FANCY – Potential – v/a: “Stay Punk Forever” lathe-cut 7” – Deer + Bird *new

BLACK AWARENESS – untitled – self-titled cassette – Self-Released *new
TYVEK – Honda – Mary Ellen Claims b/w Honda 7” – X! *new
TERRIBLE TWOS – Plunderball – Plunderball b/w Spitting Image 7” – X! *new
FRUSTRATIONS – Nerves Are Fried – Nerves Are Fried b/w Summer 7” – X! *new
THE INTELLIGENCE – I Don´t Want to – Let´s Toil – Polly Magoo *new
QUINTRON – Road Hog – Satan Is Dead – Bulb 1998
FUCKWOLF – What a Fuck – self-titled – Kimosciotic *new
MARK STEWART + THE MAFFIA – The Paranoia of Power – Learning to Cope with Cowardice – Plexus 1983

MARK STEWART – Slave of Love – As the Veneer of Democracy Starts to Fade – Mute 1985
MAYOR DALEY – M.L. Pony – v/a: “End Times Festival 2006” – ETF *new
FLYING LUTTENBACHERS – Demonic Velocities – Cataclysm – ugExplode *new
APATHETIC RONALD McDONALD – Stay Away from the Boof Cloud – split 7” w/ Final Draft – 625/To Live a Lie *new
BILL PICKET – Super Dude vs. Corporate Radio – DBA Tape Club split w/ Capt. Ahab – Deathbomb Arc *new
FORTRESS OF AMPLITUDE – God of Doom – self-titled CDR – Self-Released *new
GASTRIC FEMALE REFLEX – Suite for Magna Choda Burrito & Poon Tycoon, Magnum High Five – v/a: Arbor CDR compilation – Arbor *new
WOODS – Blood on the Sand – Ram 7” – Gilgongo *new
MICHAEL YONKERS – Kill the Enemy – Micro-Miniature Love 7” – Get Hip 1998/1968
T.I.T.S. – Puddles – Throughout the Ages – Upset the Rhythm *new
T.I.T.S. – Strong Arms
NOXAGT – Soft Sugar – self-titled – Load *new
RABBITS – Daze of Future Past – split LP w/ Under Mountains – Eolian *new
RABBITS – Lungs
ARGUMENTIX & DEAD/BIRD – Trapped in the Closet Part 2 – 2006 Tour triple 3” – Self-Released *new
ARGUMENTIX – Boss of Goth – v/a: “The Fruit Will Rot vol 2” 9x3” CDRs – Deathbomb Arc *new

BULBS – Neutrino Fits – v/a: “The Fruit Will Rot vol 2”
BRIAN MILLER vs. NICHOLAS GITOMER – Dark Monytaur – v/a: “The Fruit Will Rot vol 2”
CORE OF THE COALMAN – Consider, Pigtails – v/a: “The Fruit Will Rot vol 2”
ECO MORTI – Grizzzzlyspottedowlllll – v/a: “The Fruit Will Rot vol 2”
TRALPHAZ – untitled #4 – v/a: “The Fruit Will Rot vol 2”
WORMHANDS – Junts II – v/a: “The Fruit Will Rot vol 2”
DEATHGLEANER – Metallic Sonatas – v/a: “The Fruit Will Rot vol 2”
ROBEDOOR – Negative Infinity – v/a: “The Fruit Will Rot vol 2”
HAUNTED CASTLE – Cascade of Pink Skulls pt. 2 – Midwestern Audio Decapitation Split CDR – Dumpster Score *new
THIS SONG IS A MESS BUT SO AM I – Faces – Marble Mouth EP – Acuarela *new
SINKING BODY – Genetic Memory (Slight Erosion) – The Discovery of Iron Ore 10” – Vermiform 1996
DEPECHE MODE – Pipeline – Construction Time Again – Mute/Sire 1983
OMD – ABC (Auto Industry) – Dazzle Ships – Epic 1983
GRATITUDE – Condescension – Mexico – Quantum Jitters 2003
JOE CROW – Compulsion – Compulsion 7” – Cherry Red 1982

Art for Spastics v. 92½

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Scott S. could not be here tonight, so I filled in for him on "Rebel Kind" radio, and this is what I played...

Download the show here!

…or stream it here.

CRACK UND ULTRA ECZEMA – May They Want You – self-titled – Tes Fesses *new
YIKES – Putrifiers – Secrets to Superflipping EP – Upset the Rhythm *new
T.I.T.S. – Math – Throughout the Ages – Upset the Rhythm *new
ARCHIPELAGO BREWING CO. – My New Hat – v/a: Insight Compilation: To Sell Kerosene Door to Door – Insight 1989
ACID MOTHERS TEMPLE & THE MELTING PARAISO U.F.O. – Attack From Planet Hattifatteners – Have You Seen the Other Side of the Sky? – Ace Fu *new
HANS GRUSEL’S KRANKENKABINET – Tea für Two – Happy as Pitch – C.I.P. *new
NORA KEYES – Look at You You´re Ugly – Songs to Cry by for the Golden Age of Nothing – Dual Plover 2004
CAROLINER – Spindletop Knuck Knuck – Strike Them Hard, Drag Them to Church – Subterranean 1989
ALVARIUS B – Cancer to Capricorn – s/t – Abduction *new
BOB LOG III – I Want Your Shit on My Leg (Aussie Party Remix) – split 7” w/ Mississippi Barry – Warm Glow 1999
THE VULCANEERS – Mr. California – Bama Lama Lulu 7” – Radio X 1995
THE GO-NUTS – Transfusion – Go Nuts With...The Go-Nuts!!! 7” – Estrus 1995
LOS KIKES – Paint Away – s/t – Sshaking Recordss *new
LOS KIKES – Bezerker
VENOM – Too Loud (for the Crowd) – Possessed – Combat 1985
BRAINZ – Elementary Monster – Elementary Monster b/w Terra 7” – no label 1979
SOCRATES DRANK THE CRONIUM - On the Wings of Death - On the Wings 1973
SHEARING PINX – Stairs – Poison Hands dbl 3” – Not Not Fun *new

Art for Spastics v. 92

.

Download AFS v. 92

...or stream it

SIDS – Space Ranger in a Manger – Kandy Kane 7” – Army of Bad Luck/Stickfigure *new

BATTLE CAT – Beer Battered Wives Club – s/t 7” – Army of Bad Luck *new
SHEARING PINX – Crime Waves – Poison Hands dbl 3” – Not Not Fun *new
SLUMS – untitled – 2nd Demo CDR – Self-Released *new
T.I.T.S. – Lovely Home – Throughout the Ages – Upset the Rhythm *new
FUCKWOLF – The Dream – self-titled CDR – Kimosciotic *new

LOS KIKES – Gummo – s/t CD – SShaking Recordss *new
UNHOLY SWILL – Studly Dudly Mexican Type Thang – v/a: Fuck That Weak Shit vol 3 7” – Pit´s Bull 1994
YIKES – Pots – Secrets to Superflipping EP – Upset the Rhythm *new
YIKES – Holy Handshake
CRASH NORMAL – I Know – My First Stop – Rococo *new
ROSE FOR BOHDAN – The Amazing Bird that Shit in a Bag – Then Everybody Hugged 'Racism Is God' – Deathbomb Arc *new
ROSE FOR BOHDAN – The Fear
BUSINESS LADY – Fidgitable – split LP w/ Rose for Bohdan – Half Adder Press 2005
CRACK UND ULTRA ECZEMA – A Way to Enjoy – self-titled – Tes Fesses *new
KID 606 – Meet Me at the Bottom – Pretty Girls Make Raves – Tigerbeat 6 *new
HORA SOMNI – Liberation Call – HS Demo 2006 – No Label *new
CANCER FAD – Don´t Mess With My Brother – Myspace mp3 *new
THIS SONG IS A MESS BUT SO AM I – Piles and Piles – split 7” w/ Barr – Oedipus 2005

ARGUMENTIX + SQUID BABY – untitled – collaboration 3” CDR – Below PDX *new
ARGUMENTIX – Tarantula Downpour – Live on KDVS 04 20 06 3” – Below PDX *new
ROBEDOOR – Ritual Obsidian – Shining Smoke – Long Long Chaney *new
ROBEDOOR – Dreamed Redeemer – Christ's Vipers – Chocolate Monk *new
ROBEDOOR – Pathless Tribes – Grey Gates 3” CDR – Arbor *new
LOOPOOL – The Power of Others – Useless Unless – Arbor *new
HAUNTED CASTLE – Killer Rad Bees – v/a: Arbor CDR compilation – Arbor *new
DAME DARCY & THE HELPLESS SUCKLING WHELPS – Little Red Riding Hood – v/a: Happy Boy Margarine 7” – Starlight Furniture Co. 1993
MASONNA – Masonanie USA – v/a: Happy Boy Margarine 7” *request
SQUIRMBO – Pillow Talk – v/a: Happy Boy Margarine 7”
BLACK TEA – Tomorrow´s Bay-Con – Winners of the World´s Worst Rap Competition 7” – Teach 1998
ULFHEDNAR – untitled II – Live at Stork Club 06/01/06 – No Label *new
VHOLTZ – Teenage Weaponry – Class of 1988 CDR – GSSD 2005
MOMMY WON’T WAKE UP – New.Bass.Meant.for.Millionaires – v/a: Why Is Anything Forbidden? vol. 2 – Deathbomb Arc *new
DYNASTY – Turning Away – Animal Disregard 7” – Dynasty *new

DYNASTY – TFF
COUGHS – title unknown – Bent Babies 2006 Tour Edition CDR – Self-Released *new
END RESULT – Shock Theatre – Ward – Ruthless 1985
MISSING FOUNDATION – Burn Trees – 1933 – Purge Sound League 1988
STICK MEN WITH RAYGUNS – Scavenger of Death – Some People Deserve to Suffer – Emperor Jones 2002/1983
PAINT & COPTER – The Wizard – v/a: Submit – Nillacat *new
FANG – Berkeley Heathen Scum – Where the Wild Things Are – Boner 1984
PTERODACTYL – I Can See a River – I Can See a River 7” – Cardboard 2005
PARTY FOWL – Twilight Clone – s/t cassette – Dementoid *new
LOS KIKES – Paint Away – s/t CD – Shaking *new
LOS KIKES – Bezerker
CELTIC FROST – Progeny – Monotheist – Century Media *new


We begin here with two bands from Atlanta, SIDS and Battlecat, who are on the same upstart label. Both are rapid-driving demoniac futurepunk. Battlecat strikes with guitars, but SIDS is a synthpunk band, and a really good one cut from the mold of the early pioneers such as the Screamers and Nervous Gender. None of these songs are suckier for it, but there are rhythmic breakdowns and other hallmarks that suggest this band was touched by the influence of mid-90’s-era emo hardcore. The singer sounds the same for both bands, so I assume that these bands are more closely related than merely sharing a label and hometown. Both records are beautiful works of art, too; the Battlecat is a stunning color vinyl of deep blue with white mixed in. The SIDS 7” comes with a CDR containing the same program.

Shearing Pinx are a new Vancouver, BC, band of next-level no wave worship with a split personality given to bouts of doom ‘n’ gloom, outbreaks of violence, and narcotized emotional detachment. Drummer Nic Hughes also does fantastic work in the band Channels 3 & 4 and his N.213 solo project. At the heart of all of these songs—even at their freakiest and noisiest—is a sturdy center of rock ‘n’ roll, and a couple songs actually swing pretty well, as if they were built from the riff of a Sonics song, and then transfigured by spidery guitar-scree, bleakness, and rasping palpitations. Coming to an abandoned schoolhouse near you, Sacto! (July 22 with Night Wounds, Abe Vigoda, and Hot Girls Cool Guys…don’t miss that one!)

Despite playing their own city of Portland ever so rarely, Slums made it to St. Paul, Minnesota, last week to play the End Times II festival that was put on by that bulwark against bogusness that is Matt St. Germain. They brought their second demo with them which is quite a break from the first. Whereas the first demo featured three songs of sleekly appealing, bleakly imperious godhead no wave, this demo scraps songs altogether for fits of nervous fidgets, frustrated grumbling, and despairing murmurs. Bathed in tension, this demo sounds like a warm-up for an ugly break-up. But let’s hope the band’s got a future as promising as on their first demo. File this under: useful for freeform noise/rock radio DJ’s to talk over. That is not to say that this sucks, though…don’t get the wrong idea. This is one of the bands I’m most excited about today.



I first heard about T.I.T.S. when friends said they stole the show when they opened for The Dipers at the Golden Bull in Oakland some time ago. I saw the Dipers at the Hemlock in San Francisco, but people at the Oakland show said “You were at the wrong show, man! That band T.I.T.S. stole the show!” And everywhere I went, I’d hear this sentiment echoed for weeks. Some weeks passed and finally a bad website was founded by founding member Rose of Zeek Sheck. An early version of this song “Math” was included as an mp3. It sounded like a plodding menace poorly recorded, but not as intriguing as the band’s “ex-members-of” credentials. I wondered if the exaltations were merely because the band are all pretty ladies. Then turmoil in T.I.T.S.-land…Rose split from the band and started T.I.T.S. 2, there were rumors…I didn’t know what to believe. I figured I missed out for good. But T.I.T.S. persists, and they have made an outstanding and unique album available now on UK import. Plodding, dirgey, and heavy describes much of the music, but pop hooks yoke you in when you least expect it, and the angelic gang choruses bestow the graceful spirit of kind witches which also imparts you with the knowledge that they can pummel your ass if you’re evil.

As we say on the radio, “EFF-Wolf” are a San Francisco trio including Eric and Simon of the recently defunct Curse of the Birthmark. This is totally burly doomy/gloomy deep-dub moan-wave with chattery/clattery reverbed snare, extraterrestrial guitar, and gigantic earthworm basslines that seem capable of boring a new BART tunnel into the bay. Seems like a great “head band” to this straight-‘n’-narrow flier. I can’t wait to segue Fuckwolf and Mark Stewart + the Maffia sometime real soon. All you other freeform DJ’s, I called dibs on that segueway!!! (This the advance CDR of a proper album out soon on Kimosciotic. Look for it!)

So, I guess the rule for racial epithets in band names allows for epithets only if the race or ethnic group targeted by the epithet is represented within the band’s membership, especially if the band is entirely comprised of members of that race or group. Los Kikes are from Israel, and they have made an album that brings together two disparate influences like perhaps no other band in the history of rock ‘n’ roll. This band somehow succeeds in melding fuckophonic “budget-rock” a’la The Mummies with the buzzing lo-fi brutality and depravity of black metal. Soriano sez: “like Mummies meets Venom in a wind tunnel.” I move to strike “Venom” and add “Gonkulator.” This combination might sound like a trainwreck on paper, but to hear it…you’ll call it evil genius!

I tried for years to start a band as dumb, mean, and as imposing of their will as Unholy Swill, and I might’ve almost succeeded once, but no dice. It’s still somewhat of a dream of mine. The “budget Brainbombs” from New York sang songs about shooting their bosses, but also spouted bile over even the most ridiculously petty circumstances, such as driving behind small cars. The “Legacy of Stupidity” CD came out last year and compiled some live hacked covers with all of their 7” material, except for this one song from a Belgian compilation EP which always gets me hungry for burritos.

Immediately following the demise of the Coachwhips, I saw a press release for Dwyer’s new “main project” OCS (or Ohsees or even Oh Sees (depending on the day or the way the wind is blowing)) which hinted that John Dwyer’s days of raw, wild, high-energy partyrock were over. Whoever wrote that didn’t see Yikes coming. Dwyer sings and plays guitar at the edge of no control here, and yet this is more ambitious and masterful than anything he did with Coachwhips or Pink & Brown. The twin guitar attack of Dwyer and Eric Park of Fuckwolf conspires to build up a gnarly, coarse-grained congestion of guitar-scree that finds relief when drummer Mike Donovan (also of Sic Alps) fires up the tempo and unclogs the pipes; then the loogie hits the wall and the party starts in earnest.



When I first heard Crash Normal back in 1999 on perhaps their debut 7” on Royal Records outta France, I totally flipped for their raw wild art-damaged garagepunk with a dash of “digital hardcore,” then still trendy thanks to Atari Teenage Riot, Alec Empire, et al. Their digital moments were strictly punk, though. Very lo-fi and scuzzy and just great! Their newest album suggests that Crash Normal have scrapped that techno element and focused on the proposition that Pussy Galore was pretty awesome at their best, but they still could’ve been better, and this is what they would’ve sounded like if Jon Spencer didn’t ego-jizz all over the record, and this is how raw it would sound if the late-80’s zeitgeist studio production standards were thrown out in favor of real, worthy punk rock production. Although I kinda miss the creativity of the earlier digital HC-influenced Crash Normal, I have trouble finding anything wrong with this beautiful new album.



I still need that first 7”--the "Nothing I Can Tell" EP--for my collection, though. Get in touch if you can help. I’m ready to pay!

Here’s two more from the latest Rose for Bohdan CD, which now I realize kinda reminds me of a more demonstrative and incredibly ecstatic version of Wingtip Sloat. But this also has its moments of low-rent techno creep which are outstandingly integrated. The whole album just flows together like a great freeform radio show. Superb songs with epic melodic lead bass and the most sincere cheer, and they’re interspersed with wonderfully weird and interesting audio bits and interludes.

From last year’s ruling split LP with R4B, here’s the strangest song from Business Lady’s side, a song of sexy muscular energy with a dervish-like guitar refrain. I imagine doing the most famous of Russian folkdances with the alternating legkicks whenever I hear that guitar lick blister and swirl. There’s also some really sweet cello in the end which cuts loose in the free rock payoff at the song’s end. The guest cellist is Madigan, formerly of Tattle Tale. As a solo artist, she was a rather big deal here in Sacto and Davis to fans of the folky side of the riot grrl movement in the mid-90’s. She seemed to have so many L.U.G. groupies at all of her shows here. Either she faded out or I lost track of her, only to rediscover her here adding demeanor and diversity to one of my utmost favorite bands on the planet. Oh, and those rumors about the breakup and reformation…they’re all true, I guess. New album soon! Tour in November? I’ll report the facts as they come out. You know I’m all over it!

The new CD by Crack und Ultra Eczema is an outstanding artpunk delight of fractured flows and absurdity rendered with enough cohesion and significance to register as not a gimmick…more like great! Hysterical female vocals and retarded male vocals tag team as songforms alternate between grooving and stuttering, or, in this case, oozing along like a somber, atmospheric deathrock march before heating up at the end.

With each new Kid 606 release, I’m always interested to hear what totally unexpected or blatantly obvious sample material will land in a crack in the wall of glitched-out electronic concrete (as in musique), and how massive will that wall be built, only to be destroyed by breakcore or next-core missiles under the command of the frontline software of the foremost and pioneering edge of electronic dance music. And I’m not much of a fan of dance music. So much of it is trifling. But Kid 606 seems really important to me. That’s why I’m very pleased to tell you that he’ll be performing live at the next Operation: Restore Maximum Freedom. This one’s number IV, and it’s presented by Freeform KDVS on Saturday, October 7, 2006, at Plainfield Station in the boonies between Davis and Woodland. This one’s gonna be huge and diverse; LSD March from Japan, Micheal Hurley, Numbers, and even our first hip hop act (a great one, too!), Third Sight w/ DJ D-Styles. In a week or so, we can announce the rest!

Next are three bands playing a special show in a basement in Sacramento Thursday night at 1915½ 22nd Street. It gets an 8:00 start with a new Davis band called Hora Somni. I saw them play last weekend in the basement of the Turtle House in Davis, and these boys are onto something. E-Bow guitar, synth, a bent keyboard, and miscellaneous electronics jam together in a diverse array of sounds that stretch from icy goth to rhythmic powernoise to screaming sociopathic power-electronics. Cancer Fad are a new band from Santa Rosa and ex-members of Are Black. I sense these guys taking their previous fascinations of screamo into darker experimental depths as their tastes have veered into the avant-garde. There’s still screaming, but whereas “screamo” is a silly histrionic fashion-based format for kids with an extreme penchant for over-dramatizing everything, this is substantial and expansive and raw and primal, and all things great punk or great noise should aspire to. This Song Is a Mess is probably an inspiration to both of these new bands. TSIAMBSAI is the one-man project of Freddy Ruppert, and it’s grown from meandering Casiocore to full-fledged industrial-strength pro-wheat chaff-separator that absolutely crushes the weak of spirit with gigantic beats, epic goth synth, scads of noise, and über-sincerity torn from the pages of his deepest darkest secret diary. If you don’t mind discomfort and find it rather rewarding to approach, check this out.

Argumentix is thee “Boss of Goth” also known as James Squeaky, and just this month, he has unveiled his new DIY label, Below PDX. His first two releases feature his own solo act, and the very first is a 20-minute war of the sampler machines which pits Argumentix against a new Portland experimental artist known as Squid Baby. This show includes an excerpt which takes you from minute two to minute five. BelowPDX02 is from Argumentix’ live performance here on KDVS on night two of his “Flip Off Hummers” tour with Dead/Bird. This was an engaging, aggressive performance with good sound, and the CDR captures it in its entirety including the between-song banter. And what a strange coincidence that this was recorded on 04/20; James was actually in a band called Meet Me @ 4:20.



Robedoor is like the sounds of spooky supernatural spirits resounding and reverberating in a deep dark cave, but that is not to say it’s always so macabre or intimidiating. What’s intimidating is keeping up with the bevy of CDR and cassette documents that this L.A. duo—which includes Britt who runs the awesome Not Not Fun label—release on a multitude of DIY labels. Most Robedoor jams stick to a simple yet effective format of starting slow and quiet before ramping up in intensity to blustery stormlike proportions. I took their three newest CDR releases and made a megamix outta three jams culminating in a layered live “remix” of “Pathless Tribes.” I took two copies of this CDR and played them together with approximately a second of lagtime between the two so that you could dig double the trippiness. The “Sloths in Thrones” 3” CDR on Chondritic Sound is my very favorite Robedoor moment, but “Shining Smoke” (pictured above) is my most recommended of this new batch of Robedoor releases. If you’re a fan of early Nurse With Wound, you probably can’t go wrong just ordering everything you can get your hands on by these guys. I enjoyed seeing them play three times last week amidst a Stonehenge of amps.

Arbor is a new CDR label from Illinois which has debuted with a Robedoor 3”, this varied though excellent Loopool CDR, and a particularly outstanding compilation which is packaged inside an artsy/crafty little book with pages of original gluesticked graphic art which is bound by handsewn threads. Check out the track-listing and have a look-see…

01. ice age- the sneaky pines
02. maasedun- hannu karjalainen
03.NEON- the futurians
04. middle- bagelsandcreamchesse
05. waves- e*rock
06. laffy taffy- treetops
07. dust march- raccoo-oo-oon
08. suite for magna choda burrito and poon tycoon, magnum hign five- gastric female reflex
09. light feelings- horsehead
10. three stems- joe+n
11. sanibel- the goslings
12. the upstairs room(the cure)- ethelscull
13. vegan pagan regan- silver daggers
14. coma toes- robedoor
15. wire-tap-tapping- barrabarracuda
16. killer (rad) bees- haunted castle
17. river of muck- loopool



If you’re not already convinced that you NEED this compilation in your life, just wait ‘til you hear that Gastric Female Reflex track on some future AFS. This week, we hear the Haunted Castle track as the backdrop for an interpretation of “Little Red Riding Hood” by the amazing part amazon/part elfin fairy Dame Darcy and some cute little kids. This adorable yet strange reenactment is part of a cool little record that I dug outta my own collection, a 7” compilation of strange songs and weird noises and unusual audio which embodies the idea of “freeform.” Thanks Kenny in Coeur d’Alene for the Masonna request (I’ve never seen Masonna live either, so don’t feel bad about the isolation of Northern Idaho, and good luck making something happen there!). This pervy Squirmbo track also comes from this weird record.

It’s also been years since I revisited the “Winners of the World’s Worst Rap Competition” 7-inch. As tough as Black Tea talks, I honestly can’t decide which is more adorable and ridiculous…Black Tea or Dame Darcy’s Helpless Suckling Whelps? If Black Tea knew this, he’d probably jump off the highest building in the San Jose skyline (a leap that wouldn’t necessarily guarantee death). How can you be some kinda East Palo Alto crimeboss when you’re probably a white kid from Saratoga who’s still waiting for his voice to crack. Was this background music made from a boombox tapesplice? In any event, I love the nervous exasperated flow…er, lack of flow. Who is Teach Records, and how did they come across these Black Tea recordings anyway?

And now for an exclusive earth-shattering ear-damaging debut of insane death-free-jazz by the Bay Area group Ulfhednar. This is Jay and Jacob of Ettrick joined by no less than two but as many as three stand-up bass players! They’ve only played one live engagement so far, last month at the Stork Club in Oakland, and you’re hearing it here. This absolutely smokes! The tape kept rolling after the performance ends, so we get to hear some crowd banter reviewing the performance to a weakhearted audience member who went outside during the set, and meanwhile the jukebox stokes up with a Black Sabbath classic. Now you, too, can say you were there!

Perhaps more notes about the rest of the playlist will be posted later…