Tuesday, February 23, 2010

NEW ARRIVALS: DVD - Arthur Russell and Burn To Shine 01

ARTHUR RUSSELL Wild Combination: A Portrait Of... DVD
*** BACK IN STOCK! "A visually absorbing portrait of seminal avant-garde composer, singer-songwriter, cellist, and disco producer Arthur Russell. Arthur prolifically created music that spanned both pop and the transcendent possibilities of abstract art."

BURN TO SHINE 01: Washington D.C. DVD
*** BACK IN STOCK! The first in a series produced by Brendan Canty (FUGAZI) of live documents: 8 bands playing one song in a house that will be destroyed. Feat: THE EVENS, Q AND NOT U, TED LEO, WEIRD WAR, MEDICATIONS, FRENCH TOAST, GARLAND OF HOURS, and BOB MOULD. http://trixiedvd.com/bts/01

NEW ARRIVALS: Vinyl - Four Tet arrives!

FOUR TET There Is Love 2xLP+MP3
*** NOW ON VINYL!

NEW ARRIVALS: CDs - Joanna Newsom, Johnny Cash, Fela, Eluvium and more

AFRICAN HEAD CHARGE Songs Of Praise CD
*** REISSUE!

JOHNNY CASH American VI: Ain't No Grave CD
*** "The sixth and final installment of Johnny Cash's critically-acclaimed American Recordings albums is deeply elegiac and spiritual, with each song its own piece of the puzzle of life's mysteries and challenges - the pursuit of salvation, the importance of friendships, the dream of peace, the power of faith, and the joys and adversities that entail simple survival."

ELUVIUM Similes CD
*** "Similes is a courageous creative leap into elements previously uncharted by Eluvium: percussion, a verse-chorus song structure, and singing. In this way, Similes is the most truly experimental Eluvium album yet, and the most accessible."

FELA Gentleman / Confusion CD
*** "Gentleman is both an Africa 70 and Afro-beat masterpiece -- some of the most interesting and innovative of Fela's '70s material. Fela Kuti's 1975 Confusion shows him and Africa 70 at the heights of instrumental prowess and ambiguous jibes."

ERIC JOHNSON Tones CD
*** REISSUE!

LOCAL NATIVES Gorilla Manor CD
*** "Soaring, sky-scraping harmonies, dreamy orchestral melodies, & throbbing tribal beats. Draws a line from the vocal stylings of Crosby Stills Nash & Young & the Zombies through the more esoteric edges of post-punk & Afro-beat."

JOANNA NEWSOM Have One On Me 3xCD
*** "Joanna Newsom fans: don t look now, but Joanna's about to let her hair down -- this 125 minutes-worth of songs is nothing more than a new album. Through the course of eighteen songs, Joanna visits upon us ditties, weepies, court dances, rump-bumpers, epics and moments of wraparound fantasia. Have One On Me - ah, have three, they're small!"

THE SILVER MT. ZION MEMORIAL ORCHESTRA Kollaps Tradixionales CD
*** Sixth album. "The newly minted quintet has lost none of its raw and frazzled anthemic power and continues to forge bold new ground in its search for a unique hybrid of punk, blues, psych, folk and modern orchestral idioms."

ALI FARKA TOURE & TOUMANI DIABATE Ali & Toumani CD
*** "Ali and Toumani is the second and final album pairing the late Malian guitar virtuoso Ali Farka Touré and kora master Toumani Diabaté, and features Orlando 'Cachaito' Lopez on bass. Playful, effervescent, and masterful."

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

NEW ARRIVALS: Vinyl - Yellow Swans, Oh No, Jeff Buckley, Pop Ambient & more

v/a MATA LA PENA LP
*** "Mellow dramatic music from around the world, from Calypso to Flamenco to Thai ballads to Indonesian instrumentals to American country to Hawaiian music." On MISSISSIPPI.

v/a POP AMBIENT 2010 LP+CD / CD
*** "Kompakt's highly-anticipated Pop Ambient celebrates a whole decade of densely layered ambient soundscapes that are not concerned with beats, percussion or bass lines."

DAVID BOWIE Hunky Dory LP
DAVID BOWIE The Man Who Sold The World LP
DAVID BOWIE Space Oddity LP
DAVID BOWIE The Rise & Fall Of Ziggy Stardust LP

*** BACK IN PRINT! On 180g fancy vinyl.

JEFF BUCKLEY Grace LP

*** BACK IN PRINT! On 180g fancy vinyl.

CITY CENTER Spring St. 12"+MP3
*** "The latest from Fred Thomas (Saturday Looks Good To Me) and Ryan Howard (Canada), this four song EP is offered as a limited screen-printed, one-sided 12"." High-quality, DRM free, 320kbps MP3s included. Limited to 500.

GASTR DEL SOL Camofleur LP
*** NOW ON VINYL!

OH NO Dr. No's Ethiopium 2xLP
*** NOW ON VINYL! "36 hip hop instrumentals inspired by and sampled from rare 60s and 70s Ethiopian soul, jazz, funk, folk and psychedelic rock. Even if you've never heard an instrument tuned to the qenet modes, Ethiopium will blow you away in its otherworldly funkiness."

ORCHESTRE POLY-RHTHMO DE COTONOU Vol.2: Echos Hypnotiques 2xLP
*** NOW ON VINYL! "Orchestre Poly-Rhythmo de Cotonou combined traditional Vodoun rhythms w/ funk, sato, Latin, sakpata, psychedelia and Afro-Beat, all mixed into a heavy hypnotic sound -- Les Echos Hypnotiques."

JIM O'ROURKE The Visitor LP
*** BACK IN STOCK!

RAINCOATS Raincoats LP / CD
*** "Containing Slit's drummer Palmolive, The Raincoats were an all female band who owed nothing to male fantasy outfits like The Runaways, and produced a primeval punk-folk sound, with cheek, fun and a pinch of salt."

IRMIN SCHMIDT & INNER SPACE Kamasutra: Consummation Of Love 2xLP / CD
*** "A precursor to Krautrock pioneers CAN, this 1968 recording assembles Can's original line-up (later crafting the band's seminal debut, Monster Movie) for several laid-back, percussive instrumentals laced with flutes and sitarsand three vocal tracks."

THE UNITS History Of.. LP+MP3
*** "The first legit reissue of SF synth-punk legends, Units! The LP features an abridged tracklist showcasing the original 7"s and LP. Please note however the included download coupon card entitles buyers to the full 21 CD songs."

YELLOW SWANS Going Places LP+CD
*** "In April 2008, Yellow Swans announced their decision to split but neglected to announce that a final album was in the works. Distilled and reflective, Going Places retains the grit and damage of their earlier work, adds layers of harmony & pulsing rhythms, leaving an almost Kosmische narrative." Includes a bonus 70-minute CD of extra material.

NEW ARRIVALS: CDs - Madlib, Yeasayer, Hot Chip, DNA, Jazzman comps & more

v/a BRAZILIAN GUITAR FUZZ BANANAS: Tropicalia Psychedelic Masterpieces 1967-1976 CD
*** RECOMMENDED "Following the success of PSYCH FUNK 101, Brazilian Guitar Fuzz Bananas is a master class for those entranced by the funky, heavy psychedelic wonders of the Tropicalia movement. 'Even though you will recognize some of the labels contained here, you won't find Os Mutantes or their maestro Rogerio Duprat: some of the rarest, and best, examples of fuzzy, funky Brazilian psychedelia came out as promo-only 7" records on these labels.'"

v/a DANCE THE LATIN: Swingin' Mambos, Soulful Salsa And Funky Rhythms From The Hip Latin Dancefloors Of New York City CD
*** "Take driving, hypnotic and sexy rhythms from 1950s to 1970s South America, mix them up with jazz, soul, funk and R&B with driving and the result is a fiery, vibrant musical mix that's irresistibly danceable." On JAZZMAN.

v/a GOOD THINGS: The Story Of Saadia Records CD
*** "In a collecting world dominated by oddball one-offs, random indie obscurities and the occasional major label mishap, late-'60s Miami's SAADIA was a local independent label with a small but consistently impeccable musical output." On JAZZMAN.

v/a HUNK OF THE HEAVEN CD
*** RECOMMENDED A truly unruly comp of funky & peculiar super-rare 7"s reissued by Jazzman in the UK, the label behind many of the amazing compilations released by Now Again (a Stones throw imprint). Groovy, sometimes moog-y, soulful tunes, all from the 1960s and '70s. Impeccable. On JAZZMAN.

v/a POP AMBIENT 2010 LP+CD / CD
*** "Kompakt's highly-anticipated Pop Ambient celebrates a whole decade of densely layered ambient soundscapes that are not concerned with beats, percussion or bass lines."

v/a POW WOW: Yet More Jazzman Sevens CD
*** "Pow Wow is the best, rarest, and tastiest in hard funk, driving Latin, sultry soul, deep jazz and crazy Egyptian music! Compiled by the the world's best regarded funk soul 'n' jazz reissue label." On JAZZMAN.

v/a Quantic Presents THE WORLD'S RAREST FUNK 45s Vol. 2 CD
*** "Super-producer/DJ extraordinaire Will Holland (Quantic Soul Orchestra) and Jazzman team to compile some of the best and rarest heavyweight and super-tough funk 45s in the world." On JAZZMAN.

v/a WELCOME TO THE PARTY: Sister Funk, Latin Soul, Egyptian Jazz & More CD
*** "Hip-shaking soulful grinds, Middle-Eastern twang, nitty-gritty & low-down funk, funky sitar grooves, flipped-out electronics and psychedelic funk. In other words: SERIOUS." On JAZZMAN.

AFRICAN HEAD CHARGE Vision Of A Psychedelic Africa CD
*** NOW AVAILABLE!

PHILIP COHRAN & THE ARTISTIC HERITAGE ENSEMBLE On The Beach CD
*** "Previously available in limited quantities, this rare album is the definitive representation of one of the most significant groups of this era in jazz history featuring players from SUN RA and AACM."

MILES DAVIS SEPTET Live In Vienna 1973 CD
*** 2009 live archive release from the Jazz legend containing a previously unreleased complete performance from his 1973 European tour! Six tracks, three of them are 10+ minute workouts including a 23 minute version of 'Calypso Frelimo'."

DNA On DNA CD
*** BACK IN STOCK! "The definitive collection of studio and live recordings by New York's seminal no wave band, DNA. Formed in 1978 by ARTO LINDSAY, the band featured two different lineups in their brief four year career, including stints by ROBIN CRUTCHFIELD, IKUE MORI, and TIM WRIGHT (PERE UBU)."

FIELD MUSIC Measure CD
*** "Field Music returns with a new 20-track double-album of gloriously rich English pop album that entwines the brothers' renewed love of the Rock music canon with a rediscovery of some of Pop's overlooked adventurers."

FLEET FOXES Fleet Foxes 2xCD
*** Two-disc import version containing 'Sun Giant EP.'

FRANCO & LE TPOK JAZZ Francophonic Vol. 2: 1980-1989 2xCD
*** "Francophonic finally gives Franco his due. Vol. 2: 1980-1989 comes out on the 70th anniversary of the artist's birth. From Sterns -- 'one of the world's finest disseminators of African music,' according to The New York Times."

JOAO GILBERTO Chega De Saudade CD
*** RECOMMENDED 24-track expanded edition of this 1959 album from the master of the Bossa Nova supplemented by the impossibly rare EP of songs from the film Black Orpheus and other recordings.

K.D. LANG Recollection 2xCD
*** "The best of k.d. lang. 2 discs - 11 classic tracks - 11 songs never before heard on a k.d. lang album."

HOT CHIP One Life Stand CD
HOT CHIP One Life Stand CD+DVD

*** "One Life Stand is the band's most boldly accomplished record yet, at once offbeat and anthemic, cerebral and danceable. Features the single 'One Life Stand'."

MADLIB Medicine Show Vol. 1: Before The Verdict CD
*** "The first installment in a 12 CD series from the California-based rapper/producer -- a full 17-track hip hop album with original tracks and 'the OJ Simpson remixes' featuring GUILTY SIMPSON. There are two brief guest appearances by MED and J DILLA."

MASSIVE ATTACK Heligoland CD
*** "Much anticipated fifth studio album from legendary trip-hop duo features guest vocals from DAMON ALBARN, HOPE SANDOVAL, MARTINA TOPLEY-BIRD, GUY GARVEY, TUNDE ADEBIMPE and HORACE ANDY."

MERZBOW 13 Japanese Birds Vol. 13 CD
*** "This is the final CD in the 13 month/13 CD series of bird-inspired CDs from Merzbow. Merzbow's 13 Japanese Birds is a 13 month series of releases inspired by Olivier Messiaen's Catalogue D'Oiseaux."

PAX NICHOLAS AND THE NETTEY FAMILY Na Teef Know De Road Of Teef CD
*** "Buried by bandleader FELA KUTI for more than 30 years, Nicholas Addo-Nettey's heavy afro-funk album was recorded with Africa 70 members in Ginger Baker's Lagos studio where many of Fela´s albums were recorded as well."

PENTANGLE Basket Of Light CD
*** UK remastered reissue of the British folk super-group's 1969 album. Includes 4 bonus tracks,

PRINCE LASHA Insight CD
*** "A rare, exotic-sounding record from Prince Lasha on plastic alto and wooden flute, two bassists, and some beautiful jazz-based harp, ala Dorothy Ashby. The record's got a beautiful balance of modern conception and soulful expression." On DUSTY GROOVE.

RAINCOATS Raincoats LP / CD
*** "Containing Slit's drummer Palmolive, The Raincoats were an all female band who owed nothing to male fantasy outfits like The Runaways, and produced a primeval punk-folk sound, with cheek, fun and a pinch of salt."

GIL SCOTT-HERON I'm New Here LP / CD
*** "A new record from Gil Scott-Heron, forty years after his first solo album, is a cause for major celebration and something that the world needs now more than ever."

SLUM VILLAGE Fantastic Vol. 2.10 2xCD
*** Updated version of the classic!

THE SOFT PACK The Soft Pack CD
*** Formerly known as MUSLIMS, The Soft Pack play no-frills, straight-shooting punk-rock-garage-rock. They've toured with all kinds of jerks & people like them.

TINDERSTICKS Falling Down A Mountain CD
*** "Picks up where the band's wonderful return to form on "The Hungry Saw" left off, delivering a follow up that brims with similar texture, swinging from exuberance to melancholy & back, with healthy tinges of 'Northern Soul' & STUART STAPLES' inimitable deadpan voice anchoring the album throughout."

YEASAYER Odd Blood CD
*** "If All Hour Cymbals was Yeasayer's attempt at global and ambient cultural mash-up then Odd Blood takes place in an off-world colony sometime after the Singularity. Glimmering reverb haze is eschewed and replaced by a cavalcade of disorienting pitch effects and flickering ectoplasmic wisps.

YELLOW SWANS Going Places LP+CD
*** "In April 2008, Yellow Swans announced their decision to split but neglected to announce that a final album was in the works. Distilled and reflective, Going Places retains the grit and damage of their earlier work, adds layers of harmony & pulsing rhythms, leaving an almost Kosmische narrative." Includes a bonus 70-minute CD of extra material.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

EVENTS - HOTT LAVA III, Ann Arbor Soul Club, Explode Into Colors!

HOTT LAVA III wsg CHICAGO UNDERGROUND DUO - Friday, February 5 @ YELLOW BARN
*** One-and-a-half hours of the brainbending, the hair raising, the beguiling & gnarly tempered with that mysterious & otherworldly SOMETHING. Mini-epics & contemporary monsters are the name of the game. Plus a performance by Thrill Jockey artists CHICAGO UNDERGROUND DUO!
Facebook event link: http://bit.ly/6r5PCx
Yellow Barn / 416 W Huron, A2 / 8PM / $8

ANN ARBOR SOUL CLUB - Friday, February 5 @ BLIND PIG
*** Robert Wells, Brad Hales, Breck Bunce & Aaron Anderson play the finest Northern Soul, r&b, modern, Motown, etc. you will never hear on the radio or pretty much anywhere else. Always, always a good time.
Blind Pig / 208 S. First, A2 / 9:30PM / $5

EXPLODE INTO COLORS wsg Tyvek - Sunday, February 7 @ YELLOW BARN
*** Seriously, the best new band to hit the world in at least one calendar year is making their Michigan debut in Ann Arbor. Three thrilling females that sound a touch like Liquid Liquid will boil your blood. Detroit's excellent TYVEK plays + spins by Forest Juziuk & Brett Lyman.
Facebook event link: http://bit.ly/57IskK
Yellow Barn / 416 W Huron, A2 / 8PM / $5

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

NEW ARRIVALS: Vinyl - Nico, Blakroc, Pete Tosh & other jerks

BLAKROC Blakroc LP+CD
*** BACK IN STOCK!

NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS Nocturama 2xLP
*** BACK IN STOCK!

LOS CAMPESINOS! Romance Is Boring 2xLP+MP3
*** NOW ON VINYL! Includes MP3 download.

NICO Chelsea Girl LP
*** BACK IN STOCK! Super-fine 180g pressing.

PETER TOSH Legalize It LP
*** BACK IN STOCK! We have no idea what he's talking about.

NEW ARRIVALS: CDs - Strong Arm Steady, Midlake, Jacques Dutronc, Oh No, Keb Darge & more

v/a KEB DARGE & PAUL WELLER Present Lost & Found Real R&B & Soul CD
*** RECOMMENDED 2010 28-track CD album - Keb Darge & Paul Weller set out to expose lesser known or forgotten lights of the much purer, and more honest soul music from the 50's and 60's."

OH NO Dr. No's Ethiopium CD
*** "36 hip hop instrumentals inspired by and sampled from rare 60s and 70s Ethiopian soul, jazz, funk, folk and psychedelic rock. Even if you've never heard an instrument tuned to the qenet modes before, even if you're more into ballads than you are tezetas, Oh No's transformative effect on his source material will blow you away in its otherworldly funkiness."

JACQUES DUTRONC Et Moi Et Moi Et Moi 1966-1969 CD
*** RECOMMENDED "Fran‡oise Hardy's beau, impeccably dressed and equally handsome, Dutronc was above all a consummate musician, able to turn his hand to whatever style took his fancy. Although the non-French interest in Dutronc stems from his superficially Garage Rock leanings, his mix of sarcastic lyrics with the boulevardier tradition and '60s rock offers so much more."

MIDLAKE The Courage Of Others CD
*** "A novel world of intricately textured keyboards, flute, guitars and voice, woven into broad cloaks of sound, meant to be digested in a single sitting. Creeping and epic, the band blends early Brit folk influences with thick-throated guitars to propel themselves toward new sounds and emotions."

JOE PERNICE It Feels So Good When I Stop CD
*** "A companion piece to Joe Pernice's debut novel -- originals & cover tunes.''

CORINNE BAILEY RAE The Sea CD
*** "Corinne Bailey Rae's voice, always an expressive and soulful instrument, resonates with a newfound depth; a sense of beauty and wonder ultimately radiates from the album's dark corners."

STRONG ARM STEADY In Search Of Stoney Jackson CD
*** "Prompted by MADLIB's stalwart DJ, J. ROCC, who supplied SAS' Krondon and Phil Da Agony with 14 new Madlib beats, this album's conception and delivery bear resemblances to the trajectory took by 2003's Jaylib (with J. Dilla) and Madvillain (with Doom)."