Sep 30, 2008

LES POULES "Les Contes De L` Amere Loi" (CAN, 1986)


Electronic jazz, sampledelic improvisation, abstract prog, avant new wave... or simply "LES CONTES DE L` AMERE LOI". At a time when most of much repeated experimental/R.I.O. tricks had started to become tedious, Canadian three-piece, LES POULES, applying an unconvectional imagination on use of synths, samples, drum machines, drums, voices and an alto sax... brought new air to the place. This extremely revitalizing approach owes much to the passionate and daring way by which the trio "extracts" music from sonar sources. Ready made sounds and plastic noises are dissolved perfectly into the acoustic spaces of "natural" instruments and the overall techno-weirdness is very live and emotionally warm.

LES CONTES DE L AMERE LOI is not a work untouchable by time, for the simple reason that added years extinguish its age. It is a timeless gem from three ladies, rather still active, who despite of small discography seem to keep on upsetting, (at the back of world attention), the avant genres.

DANNIELLE P. ROGER : drums, electronic percussion, voice, synth
JOANNE HETU : alto sax, voice, synth
DIANE LABROSSE : voice, synth

LE CONTES DE L AMERE LOI ( 56mb )

Sep 29, 2008

DUNKELZIFFER "In the night " (GER, 1984)


German new wave and Krautrock eclectisism coexisted quite successfully in the works of Cologne`s DUNKELZIFFER. Like the CAN which was a major influence, they cared for both minimal & maximal form developements, for pop accessibility and global sounds. This "world" diversity filled their music with dub, regge, funk, experimental, ethnic flavours and art-prog-rock treatments. JAKI LIEBEZEIT (CAN drummer) had a short appearance on debut "COLOURS & SOUL" (1983), but DAMO SUZUKI (CAN singer) has entered the line up since, giving some extra points to this second LP.


IN THE NIGHT (67mb)

Sep 28, 2008

ALBERT MARCOEUR "Album a Colorier" (FRA, 1976)

The second LP of the french "maitre" of avant-prog-jazz-psych-art-rock-frenchfolk-pop eccentrity. Humouristic approach, similarities with Frank Zappa, Canterbury scene... though each composition is a kind of madness of its own. ALBERT MARCOEUR has a rare talent to navigate the passionate, artistic chaos he creates towards accessible coasts. His works of 1974 - 1980 period rated as an influence or (why not) as an answer to R.I.O. movement. Definitely he has fed, as very few others, the stream of absurdity that debouched into the delta of avant garde...

SECONDE CHAMBRE ...an introduction (FRA)

SECONDE CHAMBRE -lord brain , 1985 *



SECONDE CHAMBRE - selftitled , 1986 #


COMPLOT BRONSWICK, MINIMAL COMPACT, DAZIBAO, and of course MECANO are some of the names come in my mind listening to these two albums (there must be a third LP also) of SECONDE CHAMBRE, a cold wave, guitar-bass-drums outfit which have given some fine moments to the genre. Sharp-heavy sound, indie-industrial-dark directions and the distinctive "french" melancholy...

Sampling few tracks from each album looks like a good idea for introducing this band... but ones interested in the whole, they can ask for it, via our email adress only.

sampler`s tracklist:
01Therese Neumann*
02.Ton Regard*
03.Emptyness*
04.Nuits Claires#
05.Le Miel D`Hier#
06.Compte a Rebours#

(approx time 24 min)

Sep 27, 2008

DES AIRS "Lunga Notte" (BEL, 1982)

DES AIRS was a short lived belgian pop/post-punk project, known perhaps from presence in Crammed disc compilations ("It`s a crammed crammed crammed world !" , "Crammed global soundclash 1980-89:electrowave"...). This 5 tracks EP, "LUNGA NOTTE", is their only work i have known. Requests for their most famous track "Lovely Lady of the Roses" and also CATHERINE JAUNIAUX`s participation on vocals is the handle for this post.Not much here, though, predate her later great LP "FLUVIAL" (see previous LFDJ post)... A generally good mini work, but not something extremely special.
LUNGA NOTTE (27mb)

Sep 26, 2008

ALAIN ECKERT QUARTET self titled (FRA, 1981)


ALAIN ECKERT was the guitarist of ART ZOYD at the period 1976-81, participating in some of band`s masterworks like "SYMPHONIE POUR LE JOUR..." and "GENERATION SANS FUTUR". His quartet comprises ALAIN LECOINTRE (Navadati) on bass, PATRICIA DALLIO (Art Zoyd) on keyboards and SERGE BRINGOLF (Strave) on drums. They play a jazz prog fusion with many, as you may have guessed, classical, postclassical and improv influences. Compositions are build on complexity, inventiveness, imagination and the superb abilities of the musicians for precise, difficult, adventurous playing. Plenty of times electric side of album is quite earthed, and despite the absence of horns, violins, cellos etc... there is a superior acoustic sense prevailing due to the pure excellence of inspired piano & classical guitar contributions.
Very fine and rare work, recommended to avant garde/avant fusion fans... a must for those who need to add to their ART ZOYD family or ART ZOYD like catalogue more extraordinary releases.

BILL NELSON "The Love That Whirls [diary of a thinking heart]" (UK,1982)

Bill Nelson is a british musician (significant guitarist, multi-instrumentalist) quite well known for his 70`s albums with the art-rockers BEBOP DELUXE, his avant-post punk project RED NOISE and the plethora of solo works (ambient, new wave, electronic, experimental...) he has released since early 80`s. It would take pages to analyze the complicated, diverse, at times earthed, at times spaced out universe of this gifted personality. Certainly he has his own way to be "different" whatever genre he deals with.
THE LOVE THAT WHIRLS
belongs to his electro new wave works and is one of the best. It is perfect,romantic, sofisticated pop music, with witty lyrics and atmospherically treated soundscapes that predate his future ambient efforts. Quite close to the sound of Japan, Simple Minds....
CD edition (Cocteau records, 1986) has two additional tracks and 2005 reissue three more extras.

Sep 25, 2008

CATHERINE JAUNIAUX "Fluvial" (UK,1983)


After TENKO`s "Slope gradual disappearance" another avant-impro-vocal, RIO related masterpiece. CATHERINE JAUNIAUX is, as it is said, an inventor of languages, a mime of sounds real or unreal, a voice giver to creatures of the most wild and weird imagination. From far east theatrical forms to european folk, from improvisation to tango and cabaret, from childish tunes to natural noises, from ancient tragedy to lullabies and frightening breaths..."FLUVIAL" is a field of endless surprises. Co-writen with TIM HODGKINSON, this LP belongs to the great tradition of ART BEARS , HENRY COW, DAGMAR KRAUSE... placing its creator, at least next to legends of the genre.
CATHERINE JAUNIAUX
has participated in many projects like AKSAK MABOUL, DES AIRES, THE HAT SHOES a.o....and collaborated with important avant garde artists like IKUE MORI, LOUIS SCLAVIS... She was wife of the cellist TOM CORA.

TIM HODGKINSON
- guitar, viola, clarinet, piano, organ, drums, percussion
BILL GILLONIS -
guitar
GEORGIE BORN - cello
LINDSAY COOPER - oboe, bassoon, sopranino saxophone
STEPHEN KENT- trumpet
DOMINIC WEEKS -
vibraphone, xylophone, percussion
MARIO BOYER - balafon, percussion
CHARLES BULLEN - percussion

FLUVIAL (62mb)

Sep 24, 2008

IL GRAN TEATRO AMARO "Piazza Orphelins" (NED, 1995)

Acoustic-art-folk aspects of avant garde according to IL GRAN TEATRO AMARO, a multinational band acted in 90`s and released 4 albums (first three via Recommended Rec). Based in Groningen, musicians from Italy, Holland, France... visit with innovative spirit the traditions of european song: italian and spanish folk, french chanson, german cabaret and many other ethnic-folk-retro genres... Sounds and noises of street culture, tunes whistled by refugees or performed by wandering musicians in small art cafes...get arty treatments and sound like new worldsong manifests... Accordion, acoustic guitars, piano, lute, banjo, double bass, horns, percussions, male-female vocals... diffuse the music through a prism of languages reminding both much earlier times and modern avant/improvised practices.
Piazza Orphelins is IL GRAN TEATRO AMARO third album and deep in its european soul you `ll find "Ritik Ma Na; Rif Uyn", a composition of great ANOUAR BRAHEM.


Sep 23, 2008

ORTHOTONICS "Wake up, you must remember" (US,1984)



As requested, here it is the first LP of R.I.O. related ORTHOTONICS. Started as a trio (Danny Finney-sax, Paul Watson-trumpet, Pippin Barnett-drums), but after addition singer-guitarist Rebby Sharp (and Tom Carson on bass), they bridged their free/improv origins with alternative rock. Angular forms leave space for a post punk minimalism rich in jazz colours, while the horns support the tight rhythmic character of the songs or invade the picture developing mellow themes and short, witty dialogues.
A fresh, pop edged, experimental work (mixed by Fred Frith), that brings in mind avant new-wave sounds from the other side of the Atlantic.

Rebby Sharp

Sep 21, 2008

TENKO "Slope Gradual Disappearance" (JAP, 1987)



FRED FRITH (bass-guit-piano-violin-perc-production), ZEENA PARKINS (accordion-harp), ARTO LINDSAY (guit-voc), WAYNE HORVITZ (piano-synth), KRAMER (banjo), TOM CORA (cello), DAVID LICHT (drums), NED ROTHENBERG (flute-sax), CHRISTIAN MARCLAY (turntables), DAVID MOSS (voc) a.o.... a small NY army of pioneering musicians summoned up under "commands" of TENKO, a japanese vocalist who started from traditional, art, japanese origins, to develope through amazing mouth-sound ideas & abilities... a semi-improvised, extreme, yet often familiar world of vocal acrobatics, sharp spoken dialogues, polyphonic antithesis, haunted lullabies, murmuring backgrounds, verbal or non verbal auras and beautiful conventional singing... encountered with 80`s noise experimentations and avant garde.
TENKO had worked with impovisation projects & travelled wide with experimental vocal ensembles, so "Slope gradual disappearance" hasn`t been only an uncompromised avant -passionated debut(!) LP, but also a work of distilled knowledge and experience, rich in multicultural influences and global historical/mythological references.
Don`t avoid a contact with Slope Gradual Disappearance...TENKO will carry you to vocal spaces that would have stayed, without her, empty, unfilled.

Sep 20, 2008

RAIN ON BAMBOO "Sleep & Poetry" (GER, 1994)

ghosts of Japan go...ingognito

German sound engineer/musician INGO ITO, co-founder of 80`s synth pop band BAMBOO INDUSTRY and also session musician of less unknown CAMOUFLAGE, formed in 1992 RAIN ON BAMBOO, a project for cooler, art, and atmospheric explorations. They made two romantic, ambient artpop LPs, ("SLEEP & POETRY",1994 & "SUBURBAN SKIRMISH",1996) bathed in the leisure of gazing at dreamy far-east landscapes and highly obsessed with JAPAN and (mostly) DAVID SYLVIAN. But who would dare to accuse INGO for faking, when the supposed imitations equal the best of the prototypes, not to talk about seduction expanded beyond the originals?


"SLEEP & POETRY" reissued recently, remastered by INGO ITO in a quite different version of the original 1994 Strangeways Records release you get here.

SLEEP & POETRY (111mb) (first issue)

Ingo Ito: voice, guitars, electronics,
Gabriel Le Mar: bass, guitar
Susan Lie: vocals, bass
Lorenz Allacher: sax, flute
Hans Schumann: drums

Sep 19, 2008

PLASTIC PEOPLE OF THE UNIVERSE "Co znamena vesti kone" (CZE,1981)

Dynamic and perfectly balanced between song structures and freeform inclinations, "Co Znamena Vesti Kone" ("What Leading Horses Means") unfolds with a ceremonial way its great sound pallette of fierce avant jazz-rock, traditional folk echoes, wild lamentations, long shades and metaphysical chillings. Possessing whatever it needs to lead incontrolable forces, this album lives at the sharp edge of intense moments and risky decisions. It leaves behind a taste of condensed powers saving their breath for a final burst which it may not come. Last station of the trip,"Osip". Eleven eternal minutes in honour of the great Osip Mandelstam.
"Co Znamena Vesti Kone" played live in March of 1981, recorded officially few days later, and ignited further controversies between PPOTU and czech regime.

Sep 18, 2008

ETRON FOU LELOUBLAN "Face Aux Elements Dechaines" (FRA, 1985)

ETRON FOU LELOUBLAN, original member of R.I.O., are placed among the best avant rock bands ever. Formed in middleseventies by core members Ferdinand Richard (bass, voc), Guigou Chenevier (drums, sax, voc) and went through many saxophonists replacements until this fifth and last studio LP, which was made under Fred Frith production, by trio of Richard, Chenevier and Jo Thirrion (voc, org) who had joined band since 1981. The diminished jazz-impro character, and lower level complexity of compositions left many prog fans less satisfied... but fortunately, EFL, as a trio, they did it fine, and their moving towards 80`s minimalistic experimentation and post punk laconic aesthetics refreshed their approaching, something which didn`t happen with many of the avant- prog genre. Briefly, one more excellent Etron Fou LP, a real gem in the Review and Recommended records catalogues.

Sep 17, 2008

MINIMAL MAN " The Shroud of " (US,1981)

Classic debut from avant-postpunk-industrial band, formed in San Francisco (1979) by visual artist and musician PATRICK MILLER (1952-2003) who started MINIMAL MAN intending at first to make music for his film experimentations. Patrick Miller pushed punk /DIY attitude to industrial-experimental extremes drawing grey environments and hostile situations that lead people to wildness, poorness or madness. His spoken words, wild screams and mournful murmurs fill the noise-crossed spaces with the sad, violent, desperate echo of efforts for surviving. Despite of its raw character, Miller`s music reflects a sensitive spirit, a high artistic instinct and also hides some hope. "THE SHROUD OF", whose front cover was painted by Miller himshelf, was followed by a second LP, SAFARI (1983), before Miller`s relocation to Belgium, where he was related with Tuxedomoon and released four more LPs. Early 90`s Miller returned to USA, giving though, no further music documents of his persona of "minimal man".
This post is for his memory and comprises the 13 tracks of the original release. A quite recent reissue of the album includes 5 extras (singles, live...).

Sep 16, 2008

DROWNING POOL "Satori" (US,1987)

When those transatlantic darkwave winds, carrying with them english fog & european melancholy, blew over the folk-psych Californian grounds, many strangely beautiful "flowers" begun blooming in the area. Drowning Pool was one of the most extraordinary and (for their quality) the less known. Most representative work the double LP "SATORI", a collection of tracks most of which had already found shelter in previous obscure releases (cassettes, EPs, etc.)
Summing up eclectically the main 80`s inclinations (new wave, electronic, ambient, experimental, psych, world...) and adding a touch of love for 70`s prog, SATORI finds an hypnotic and ceremonial way to consolidate its influences into the local psych (pagan) manifestations of landscape adoration.
If you have loved bands like Savage Republic, Fourwaycross, 17 Pygmies, For Against, Red Temple Spirit, Shiva Burlesque... try Drowning Pool and very soon, i think, you`ll have to add SATORI to the pantheon.

SATORI (67mb)

Sep 15, 2008

THE CHUD "Silhouettes of Sound" (GER, 1986)


Rare, ultra subterranean, organ driven, garage psych debut LP from Berlin timehole diggers, THE CHUD. They acted second half of 80`s, and made one more LP called "Mirage".

Silhouettes of sound are neanderthal-comets-dwellers which came from "lands of milk and honey" to give genre insiders enough of what they need.


BEYOND THE END OF THE ALPHABET: Hector Zazou passes away


Sad coincidence, post of Reivax au Bongo, brought us, via comments, the bad news of HECTOR`s passing away on 9th of this month. His memory, for us, faraway listeners, is (and will remain) his art. We are mortals but we have the music...

Sep 13, 2008

HECTOR ZAZOU "Reivax Au Bongo" (FRA, 1986)


With threads thrown in separate time-labyrinths and differently directed pathlines Hector Zazou draws the maps of his imagination. He makes up countries (BONGO) and puts characters (REIVAX) acting, following uncertain indications, running after illusions, magnetized by the plot of the dreams. Music is the five oceans sea that surrounds these imaginary scenes, while photographer XAVIER LAMBOURS gives them the life of light...
Unjustly low acclaimed among Zazou`s amazing works, and personally speaking perhaps my favourite,
REIVAX AU BONGO returned in my ears after long absence, via digital, just recently. It is, with no second thought, a gem to share with others immediately.

GNAC "Sevens" (UK,1999)

Compilation of 7``singles tracks and other early material from Mark Tranmer (a.k.a. GNAC). Instrumental music influenced by Durutti Column, 80`s indie acoustic works, and the atmosphere of 60`s - 70`s soundtracks for noir films or mystery tv series. Slow, minimalistic developments reflecting melancholy and appearing a sympathy for tiny nostalgic sounds and memories half sunken into the autumn fog. Quite far from new age traps, this lazy idyllic wandering has a charming pop personality and all the necessary lightness to divide the listeners to these they would join gracefully its dreamy flight and those who would drift indiferrent into a weightless loungeness.

sevens (80mb) (new link)

Sep 12, 2008

LOUNGE LIZARDS "No pain for cakes" (US,1987)

John Lurie`s LOUNGE LIZARDS is one of the most eclectic avant jazz bands came out of the no wave period from NY scene. New York though, is here only the departure point to a journey that passes from New Orleans, East Europe, Cuba, South America... meeting free jazz, rock, funk, latin, tango, avant garde, film soundtracks... NO PAIN FOR CAKES second studio LP, moved away from dry, noir-ish sound of their classic debut, to embrace a wider spectre of moods & influences.
Recorded in the end of 1986 and the contributing musicians were: John Lurie (alto sax), Evan Lurie (voc, piano), Marc Ribot (cornet, banjo, guit), Eric Sanko (bass), Curtis Fowlkes (trombone), Roy Nathanson(reeds), Dougie Brown (drums), E.J. Rodrigues (percussion), Anders Gaardmand (baritone sax), Jill Jaffe (violin).

Sep 11, 2008

KAMPEC DOLORES "Levitation" (HUN, 1990)


KAMPEC DOLORES is one of the most important rock bands that have been acting since 80`s in eastern (communistic then) Europe. They formed 1984 and attracted a small attention of western audiences supporting NICO in her 1985 Budapest concert, and participating PERE UBU`s reunion tour (1988). Dutch anarcho-punk collective THE EX helped them to release their first self-titled album. "LEVITATION" was the second. Locally acclaimed, released internationally on vinyl by RECOMMENDED records (RER MEGACORP) and reissued later, along with the first album in one cd.
Traditional hungarian folk & eastern european jazz elements plus unfamiliar sounds & melodic qualities of hungarian language give an exquisite flavour to an already amazing balance between alternative 80`s underground rock and avant/R.I.O.
Later works went occasionally more experimental ( improvisation, vocal eccentricities etc), the band though, finally, focused on a world-folk settled down direction, more ethnic/ethereal, less underground passionated, still very good... but it is here, the early albums, i believe, that you can full enjoy the most furious and condensed alchemies of this avant rock-goes-peripheral-goes-global band, which has chosen to be called kampec dolores - the end of pains, whatever optimistic or pessimistic this may means.

KAMPEC DOLORES core members are GABI KENDERESI:vocals,violin, and ex Kontroll Csoport (early 80`s important hungarian alt-rock band), CSABA HAJNOCZY: guitars, bass, etc.

LEVITATION (66mb) (March 2013 updated)

TORU TAKEMITSU: In an Autumn Garden (JAP,1966-1973)


1. In an Autumn Garden, for gagaku ensemble (1973)
2. Voyage (Tabi), for 3 biwa (1973)
3. Autumn (Aki), for biwa, skakuhachi & orchestra: Excerpt (1973)
4. November Steps, for shakuhachi, biwa & orchestra: 10th Step (Variation) (1967)
5. Eclipse, for shakuhachi & biwa (1966)


Kinshi Tsuruta,biwa
Katsuya Yokoyama,shakuhachi

HIROSHI TESHIGAHARA: Woman in the Dunes (Suna no Onna), 1964


“Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles. As the term is used by geologists, sand particles range in diameter from 0.0625 (or 1⁄16 mm) to 2 millimetres. An individual particle in this range size is termed a sand grain. The next smaller size class in geology is silt: particles smaller than 0.0625 mm down to 0.004 mm in diameter. The next larger size class above sand is gravel, with particles ranging from 2 mm up to 64 mm (see particle size for standards in use). Sand feels gritty when rubbed between the fingers (silt, by comparison, feels like flour)…..” From Wikipedia


This is the technical definition of sand, made of and used by geologists, e.g. scientists. But what is actually sand? And what does it actually feels like?

Woman in the Dunes is a 1964 film directed by Hiroshi Teshigahara, based on Kobo Abe’s 1962 novel, and it is a film that uses sand as a means to explore human beings, their nature, their desires and actions and, finally, their fate.



Niki Junpei is an amateur entomologist who is trapped, like one of his specimens, in a bizarre, surrealist situation. Junpei, being on an expedition to collect insects in an area of sand dunes, is trapped by some local villagers at the bottom of a sandpit, along with the young widow living there. His and the woman’s task is to endlessly shovel sand. In exchange, they are provided by the villagers with food and water.

Every night the sand is shovelled away, and every morning is inevitably re-deposited again; the monotonous (and meaningless) task is repeated again and again, night after night, without any sign that this will somehow of sometime end.



The woman, totally surrendered to her fate, accepts this situation as it is; for her, this is how things are, and they could not be different. Jumpei, instead, unable to find a meaning in all this, rebels against his Sisyphean fate, and tries in several ways to escape it, with no success. When at last he actually has the opportunity to escape, he chooses to stay in his captivity, having found a meaning (or believing he does so) into this situation; partly due to the fact that the woman is pregnant to his child, and partly because he has started working on a mechanism to pump water from the sand (and by this way giving a meaning to it).



In Teshigahara’s film sand is the mean, the instrument. Sand is the boundary and the limit, but it is also the guarantor of sustaining life, it is thus equally the precondition, the purpose and the target, even being (or maybe exactly because it is such) a meaningless one. Slipping like water and continuously changing its form, sand becomes the symbol of the world and of time, a time that is eternal and inescapable, time in which the human fate is created, and at the same time sand turns almost into a character of the film, having its own life; it is the character that governs human existence, like a (physical) god. Towards this god, which like sand particles is tiny, elementary but also huge in its wholeness, the human being, small against the world like a small insect, reveals the core of its existence; the desire for life, which is expressed in its most fundamental elements throught lust for sex and food, and the desire for freedom.



“Are you living to shovel, or shoveling to live?”; this is the question that the entomologist poses to the woman, and to all of us.


Woman in the Dunes is one of cinema’s masterpieces; surrealistic, deeply philosophical, aesthetically bizarre and highly erotic (it contains, in my opinion, some of the most erotic scenes ever filmed), is a film that someone worth to see.

With a small search, you can easily find and download the film, with English subtitles, through torrents (check out the Pirate Bay).

The film’s music is composed by Toru Takemitsu.
With this opportunity, check out the following post with Takemitsu’s "In an Autumn Garden" (it is NOT the film’s music).

Sep 10, 2008

PAUL ROLAND "Strychnine" (UK,1992)


Along with new versions of some of his own songs, the master of haunted-folk-gothic-psych chemical reactions... covers old classic gems fitted in with his idiosyncracy.Poisoning as one of the fine arts.
TRACKLIST:01.Too much to dream / 02.Arabian Nights / 03.Iscariot / 04.Strychnine / 05.Young girl blues / 06.Guinevere / 07.Lady Rachel / 08.Venus in Furs / 09.The King is dead / 10.Great Edwardian air raid / 11.Candy says / 12.Ghost Ships

Τον αφήνεις να ψάξει ξένα σεντούκια και αυτός, ως ανίατη περίπτωση παλαιομοδίτη που εξελίσεται όσο του ανοίγεται ο ορίζοντας προς το παρελθόν, πάλι εντοπίζει και ανασύρει μεσα απο κρύπτες του χρόνου... το λυρικό, το στοιχειωμένο, το ρομαντικό, το φαντασιακό. Εκτός όμως απο ζήτημα ιδιοσυγκρασίας & εξαίρετου προσωπικού γούστου, οι επιλογές του Paul Roland παραπέμπουν σε εποχές, πρόσωπα και καταστάσεις ορόσημα για τις ανα τους καιρούς παραστρατημένες νεολαίες... και εν πολλοις συνθέτουν μια μινι αναφορά στην σύγχρονη ηλεκτρική & ακουστική ιστορία αγωγής, μύησης και συνειδησιακής διάβρωσης, γνωστής και ως ροκ εν ρολ. Γύρω λοιπόν απο τον άξονα αγάπης-γνώσης-μνημης-θάρρους εξυφαίνεται (όπως κάθε αξιοπρεπής αλχημεία), η αισθητική πλεκτάνη τούτων των διασκευών στις οποίες εμπλέκονται σεμνά και μερικές δικές του συνθέσεις, σε νέες (ακουστικές κυρίως) εκδοχές. Μολονότι μερικές στιγμές στέκονται σε λίγο χαμηλότερο επίπεδο έμπνευσης, και γενικά τα παλιά εκμαυλιστικά τεχνάσματα ακούγονται που και που λίγο φθαρμένα, ειναι τελικά αυτή η φωνή, η ραμμένη λες πάνω στην πρωταρχική ανάσα των τραγουδιών, που περνώντας τα μέσα απο την αχλυ του βαλσαμωμένου λυκόφωτου, τα κάνει να σε ξανααποπλανούν. Το κάτι δε παραπάνω που ξέρει ο Πωλ για τις συντελούμενες μέσα στα έργα και τους άλλους οργανισμούς χημικές αντιδράσεις... τον κανει να ονομάζει την στοιχειωμένη αυτή συνεστίαση που παραθέτει στα πνεύματα του παρελθόντος... " ΣΤΡΥΧΝΙΝΗ".
STRYCHNINE (58mb) 
( version free of other poisons)



More poisons-added version of the ...medicine
(Νεώτερη έκδοση του φάρμακου ενισχυμένη και με άλλα δηλητήρια).

Sep 9, 2008

HOME & GARDEN "History & Geography" (US,1984)


PERE UBU`s hybernation years, while frontman David Thomas was releasing a series of experimental solo works, founding Pere Ubu drummer Scott Krauss and bassist Tony Maimone were giving life to a lower ambitions project called HOME & GARDEN. With friends contribution they released an experimental, ambient flowing EP called "How I Spent my Vacation". Gradually things got more serious and with addition of guitarist Jim Jones and singer/lyricist Jeff Morrison, became more like a band, and made the LP "History & Geography". Using various keys & synths they brought new, strange, technological and yet exotic sounds and noises in marriage with songforms and alternative pop structures. Jeff Morrison`s poetic-intellectual-spoken style and his lyrics for unusual subjects (Marco Polo, King John, monkey towns, penguins...) reinforced the dreamy, really historical & geografical spirit of an album that carried Pere Ubu`s avant view to a less garagy and more atmospheric level. Briefly, an excellent work that would be great mistake if ignored as one more of family`s byworks. It really needs no support of PERE UBU`s fame to be more widely known.
After History & Geography, few more HOME & GARDEN releases followed (singles, EPs, compilation tracks, etc), but since core members jointed PERE UBU`s reunion, the band gradually diminished activities.


Home & Garden, 1985


Jeff Morrison

History & Geography reissued edition (2006) includes 6 extra tracks (sessions out-takes) plus the complete How i spent my vacation EP. This post presents only the 8 tracks of the original release (riped from cd reissue).

TRACKLIST:
1.Marco Polo, the voyage
2.Marco Polo, the city of Kin Sai
3.Holiday
4.Monkey town
5.Big winter
6.King Penguin
7.The bells of Ever and Never
8.From the life of King John


LOUIS SCLAVIS " Chine" (FRA,1987)

LOUIS SCLAVIS - clarinettes, sopr sax
FRANCOIS RAULIN - piano , synth, percussion
BRUNO CHEVILLON - contrabass
CHRISTIAN VILLE - drums , percussions
DOMINIQUE PIFARELY - violin

LOUIS SCLAVIS touches jazz and avant rock, world and improvisation, classical and avant garde, traditions and experimentalism... very little. Yes very little! Because the full new grounds land, he establishes here, shares only borders with above genres. It is a land surprising, mysterious, enigmatic, extending widely in space and time. Louis Sclavis ensemble crosses it from edge to edge. Following passages others cannot imagine, moving from place to place with a penetrating nimbleness that only dreams sometime have. The quality of CHINE perfomances reaches incredible heights while all the instruments (carrying with clarity whole pieces of history each) have a full developed participation in the compositions. From the ultimate blows before silence to innovative tango lessons, ...from weird lamentations for Louis De Funes to arousing comparisons with the best avant prog (Art Zoyd, Univers Zero), CHINE is a superior work in all levels. Absolutely no reason to avoid using here the word masterpiece.


CHINE (43mb)


Sep 7, 2008

SHINY GNOMES "Wild Spells" (GER, 1986)


Couple in life & art FIT & LIMO have been making music since late 70`s. As a result of their early amateurish explorations they released various tapes of naive, folk-pop-punk mixtures. They attracted some small attention and finally they made under moniker SHINY GNOMES (while the EP "Sexmaniac" had just released from Glitterhouse) their first LP, a quite influenced by archetypes (early Pink Floyd, Velvet Underground a.o.) psych-garage-punk work, so fresh though, so subterranean, so live powered and heady that it got easily (beyond revivalism rejections) a position among the most genuine psych documents of 80`s.
After "Wild Spells", Stefan "Limo" Lienemann and Mrs Fit cultivated much further their mind effecting activities. Under various monikers (Pure Luege, Shiny Gnomes, Fit & Limo, Discolor, Welttraumservice, The God Box, ), they have released numerous garage, psych, world folk, space, electronica works, expanding towards both past & future their still juvenile forced world.


Wild Spells (35mb)

Sep 6, 2008

DOCTOR NERVE "Armed Observation" (US, 1987)

Eighties, avant-jazz-prog, Zappa influenced and developed mainly around clever, often complex dialogues among skilled electric guitar and horns (sax,clarinettes,trumpet). Angular, imaginatively arranged, much richer in details than a first listen reveals, ARMED OBSERVATION includes also funky vibes, heavy-light contrasts, improv-art inclinations, and a good sense of humour. It is their second album.

Armed Observation (65mb)


cd reissue of 1st & 2nd DOCTOR NERVE LPs (CUNEIFORM)