Steve Reich - Different Trains (1988)

I posted this on my blog months ago but decided to repost it because it's amazing.
Broken up into three movements (Before the War, During The War, After the War), Different Trains utilizes minimalistic orchestral arrangements, vocal samples and digitally transposed recordings of trains used during World War II from Europe and America to offer up a modern classical composition musical perspective of the war. From Wikipedia:

"During the war years, Reich made train journeys between New York and Los to visit his parents, who had separated. Years later, he pondered the fact that, as a Jew, had he been in Europe instead of the United States at that time, he might have been travelling in Holocaust trains."

What really makes this album interesting is how Steve Reich uses samples of voice taken from interviews about their experiences during WWII and builds melodies based on the cadence of their words (an idea also used in Charles Spearin's 'The Happiness Project') and perfectly integrates things like war sirens into the overall structure of the compositions. Chilling and beautiful stuff. A good starter place for Steve Reichs' music.

DOWNLOAD: Steve Reich - Different Trains

The Hospitals

Not particularly sure why I've decided to share these albums now. There's never a bad time, I suppose. The Hospitals are a noise rock duo from Portland, Oregon. They're sorta like Lightning Bolt yet they stick closer to the garage rock side of the spectrum of noise rock whereas I think of Lightning Bolt as more math rock related. Really splitting hairs as it is all loud and abrasive in the end. The albums are not really that new but they're something to stop and visit if you missed them when they were released. Filled with pounding drums, charged howling and fuzzed out guitar the two of them can make for a raunchy listen. Also of note is that Rob Enbom of Eat Skull cut his teeth in this group and fellow member Rod Meyer was once in the Hospitals too (though I believe he left before these recordings). Hope you enjoy the offering, pilgrims.

To be had here:




The Hospitals (2003) [192 kbps]











I've Visited The Island Of Jocks and Jazz (2005) [160 kbps]

Arthur Russell - World of Echo (1986)

An amazing unique album by the late Athur Russell that I've really warmed up to lately. The majority of the songs are relatively bare, but full of emotion. The first time I listed to this I was really struck by Russell's fragile effected vocals and sporadic bursts of cello, but I began to love it's haunted atmosphere. His songs aren't like anything I've heard before. Stands in hard contrast to Arthur Russells' past catalogue of work of bizarre disco-influenced dance music. Some highlights: "Place I Know / Kid Like You", "Answers Me", "Wax The Van", "Soon To Be".

DOWNLOAD: Arthur Russell - World of Echo

Tropical Pills - Wind Seconds (2010)

This is an EP from the overabundance that I have been sent since making my e-mail address known. I won't lie, I don't get around to listening to most of them, but this was a short one and I was feeling lucky. Indeed it was worth my while, a good noisy EP is never something to dismiss too quickly. In the brief four songs found on this EP, Tropical Pills made me think of them as between Le Shok and Erase Errata (not the vocals though). Certainly a good beginning for these Chicago-based musicians, but it isn't as honed a sound as they guys could be given some time. Lucky for us I've been told another one is in production right now, so hopefully that'll be coming soon.

To be had here:
Tropical Pills - Wind Seconds [160 kbps]

Super Furry Animals colossal post

My friend called me the other night as said he's got a British professor that liked to talk about music throughout class. Too bad none of my classes are like that, eh. Anyhow as he is a British fella he hasn't any good reason not to know of the Super Furry Animals and their long-lived exploits. So as per my friend's request here are all of the SFA releases I possess. Since they've been around for a bit now and they don't shy away from a variety of influences the band as been identified in many genres and movements through their career. In essence I think of them as a neo-psychedelia group, as in they're of a later generation of fine psych rock. SFA were at the forefront of an emergence of Welsh bands in the 90s when Fuzzy Logic was released. It was assembled as Ffa Coffi Pawb disbanded. Drummer Dafydd Ieuan and lead vocalist/guitarist Gruff Rhys gathered the remained members and formed SFA and pumped out consistent albums ever since. Other than their break through debut in Fuzzy Logic, they produced some great albums over the years of which one of my favorites is Mwng. This is because it is sung fully in Welsh, this also applies for the early EPs Moog Droog and Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyndrobwllantysiliogogogochynygofod (in Space). Something that should never been attempted to be spoken aloud. Although they've been doing this for a long time and some bands become less potent with the extended releasing of material, SFA has held their own rather well (unlike Of Montreal in my opinion). Some albums are better than other, alas there are more qualified persons than me to point out which is which. Nonetheless, certainly there isn't a bad one. I don't have every single/EP they've come out with, but I do have three that don't feature material on the full-length albums. I apologize for the shitty bit rates on some of these, I have had them from a really fucking long time and never got higher quality ones.

To be had here:



Fuzzy Logic (1996) [160 kbps]









Radiator (1997) [160 kbps]









Guerrilla (1999) [128 kbps]









Mwng (2000) [192 kbps]









Rings Around the World (2001) [160 kbps]








Phantom Power (2003) [192 kbps]








Love Craft (2005) [128 kbps]










Hey Venus! (2007) [192 VBR kbps]









Dark Days/Light Years (2009) [320 kbps]








Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyndrobwllantysiliogogogochynygofod (in space) EP (1995) [192 kbps]







Moog Droog (1995) [192 kbps]









Ice Hockey Hair (1998) [128 kbps]

Actual Water - Double Negatives (2008)

I've only been living in Toronto since the beginning of last November and only have had the opportunity to make it out to a handful of local shows, so there are still a bunch of specific bands I'm fiending to see. I mostly stay in my apartment listening to or recording music and making enough vegetable stirfry to fell an ox. One band in particular I've been really digging is Actual Water, a ?-piece garage punk band that takes a sexy amount of influence from the propulsive motorik-laden psychrock bands of 1970s Germany and post-punk bands from the same era like the Fall, Swell Maps, etc... but yeah, this album fucking rocks. The further you get into it, the more you see how far their influences actually reach. The instrumental / ambient break right in the middle comes as a welcome and unexpected surprise. Makes me think of Cryptograms-era Deerhunter.

DOWNLOAD: Actual Water - Double Negatives

Kuupuu - Lumen tähden (2009)

I might not have ever explained on here that in my spare time I like to make alcohol. I haven't been at it for terribly long, but I do find making wines out of fruit to be one of the easier and in the case of bananas one of the cheaper. However, when making fruit wine one can not leave enough room in the fermentor, leading to it bubbling up through the airlock and onto the ground, potentially ruining the entire batch. I am pretty fucking sure when I found this had taken place this morning that it is a metaphor for two things, one of which I am prepared to share with you. The sugary banana booze to be that is running on Spacerockmountain floors is another Finnish band. Kuupuu is the name of this solo act by Jonna Karanka. She's played in some good Finnish groups, but this work on her own is well worth a listen in any of the previous Finnish music I shared caught your ear. It is very much along the same lines, but the electronics are veiled a bit more, appearing mostly as loops and altered vocals to create an ethereal sound.

To be had here:
Kuupuu - Lumen tähden [320 kbps]

Brian Eno - Another Green World (1975)

I listened to this record in its' entirety more than anything else over the Christmas break and it's grown to be one of my favourite records of probably ever. The story behind this record is really interesting (which can be explored further in this book). Brian Eno amassed a bunch of musicians to make this album and entered the studio with no demos, ideas or preconceptions whatsoever about what this album was going to be or sound like. He utilized every tool and creative facet available to him to turn out this beautiful self-produced record. This was all before he produced his ambient records, though with about 75% of the record being instrumental passages, it's pretty obvious to see what direction he was going to be headed in. I love every second of this album.

DOWNLOAD: Brian Eno - Another Green World

Ganglians - Monster Head Room (2009)

I got laid off today and I'm overjoyed. That job was incredibly terrible and now I am free to do something good for once. Basically, post on the blog and trying to get an internship involving the production of my favorite beverages beer, mead or coffee. On to the music though, Monster Head Room is different feel than the more or less contemporary release, Woodsist. Well, identifiably the same of the same genesis, this album has a way more lively feel compared to warped sound of Woodsist. The band I can't help but think of when listening to this album is the Beach Boys. Naturally, one must assume a Beach Boys that formed this decade and where shaped by modern musical trends and weren't overly concerned with surfing. Some of the songs appear on both of the release, but in alternative versions, which is always the preferable way to issue tracks more than once. The album is overwhelming happy, and I find it is exactly what a freshly unemployed young man like me requires.

To be had here:
Ganglians - Monster Head Room [256 VBR kbps]

The Love Language - The Love Language (2009)

This has been blazing in my mind since the other night when I first listened to the Love Language, that they remind me of something. Something musical that I have heard before. For the damned life of me I can't put a name for it and it is driving me insane. In a desperate attempt for aid in this mind-sickening quest I am asking for you to tell me what this bands reminds you of. I've looked about on the usual sites that speak of likewise groups to so-and-so artist, but they've not identified what I am thinking about. What I can tell you is that they're lo-fi and remind me of a certain sweet pop music place that nuzzles up to noise and 60s garage rock without crossing any lines into said genres. It is mostly the song "Lalita" that is driving my insanity at the moment. What is even creepier is that they're the second band from North Carolina in a row on the blog. How about them apples, motherfuckers.

To be had here:
The Love Language - The Love Language [224 VBR kbps]