Eternal Tapestry - The Invisible Landspace (2009) & Palace of the Night Skies (2009)

If you haven't caught on by now I'll be explicit. My musical tastes ebb and flow between various styles and I grab up a bunch of shit from one genre or place like a bandit on a raid and post it up fast than I could make bail. This is the long way around of explaining that I am posting more instrumental, kraut-infused, psychedelic rock. Eternal Tapestry is a Portland, Oregon band that makes tunes along the lines of several recently shared groups like Voice of the Seven Thunders and People of the North, but on the epic and spacey side. Perhaps being so poetic with the names is a liberty they choose to take for the lack of lyrics in their songs. I've been spending perhaps too much time at home as the family members that I dwell with have been out of town, thus reading comics and playing computer games has been top priority. These instrumental bands have been the most excellent of accompaniment for these activities, as well as in my far too frequent drive times. Eternal Tapestry is not mind blowing, but certainly damned listenable.

To be had here:





The Invisible Landscape [224 VBR kbps]












Palace of the Night Skies [224 VBR kbps]

Gino Washington - Out Of This World (2000 [compilation])

Gino Washington, not to be confused with similarly named Geno Washington, was a Detroit soul musician that was a product of the soul fascination that swept many sectors of America in the early 60s, with Detroit being one focus. More of a regional star as he didn't get a huge amount of national recognition, so don't find it strange that you haven't heard of him. Apparently, while still in Pershing High School, funnily enough where my own grandfather is an alumnus, he was getting on the local charts with his heartfelt numbers. I read that he has some variety television show on a local channel at some point, but I have yet to meet anyone that has ever heard of it. That is beside the point, which is that he really made some really awesome soul songs such as his most famed tracks "Gino Is a Coward" and "Out of This World." He's backed by a group called Jeff and the Atlantics on the majority of the songs on this compilation and they do a fine job of it. Wish I could seen Detroit when he was in his heyday, must've been sweet.

To be had here:
Gino Washington - Out of this World [224 kbps]

Voice Of The Seven Thunders - Voice Of The Seven Thunders (2010)

Voice Of The Seven Thunders is a similarly named but technically separate project of Rick Tomlinson, who's other band is called Voice Of The Seven Woods. Like much other recently posted albums, this is an instrumental project that is heavily influenced by krautrock. As long as I'm stuck inside due to the resurgence of Michigan's harsh ass winter I have been pleased to have some of these epic jams to hear. Voice Of The Seven Thunders is very much along the same lines as People of the North from a few days back, but seems to have more of a eastern feel to it, almost reminds me of Les Mogol or Bröselmaschine at the mellower parts. The versatility of the album is one of the stronger aspects, as it goes between heavy, slightly drone, psychedelia and lighthearted acoustic tracks. Pretty solid all around.

To be had here:
Voice Of The Seven Thunders - Voice Of The Seven Thunders [320 kbps]

King Blood - Eyewash Silver (2010)

Wish I'd found this sooner. I can't seem to get enough of this band on my drive to work each day. I think that King Blood is still rather young and from what I see on the internets is offering only a 100 LPs of Eyewash Silver, but luckily enough it can be had in digital format. To put it as clearly as I can, King Blood makes droney, instrumental, psychedelic rock that sounds like harsh noise laid on top of the rhythm section of a metal band, kinda. It's distorted, screeching and repetitive is the absolute best possible way. Places me in a downright peaceful trace while I do the most frustrating chores of the day, such as driving that death trap of an automobile. Beautifully simple and remarkably mesmerizing I do look forward to more by this act.

To be had here:
King Blood - Eyewash Silver [320 VBR kbps]

The Black Tambourines - E.P. (2010) & Hombre EP (2011)

I was poking around on bandcamp when I found the Black Tambourines. There was they simply titled E.P. for the taking and I decided to give it a go. Quite pleased with what I was hearing, and continuing to re-hear it a few more times for good measure; I thought to look up what else I could about this group. To place it in the crudest of terms, they're a lo-fi garage rock band from the UK that has influences of surf and shoegaze. No evidence of any full-length or even being signed yet, but there was a second EP available on their myspace page that I zipped up for convenience. There is a split 7" I haven't gotten yet myself can you can hear parts of on their blog, or buy for 4 quid. Not very extravagant but rather charming are both of these EPs. Just the sort of thing I post often.

To be had here:





E.P. (2010)











Hombre EP (2011) [256 kbps]

People of the North - Deep Tissue (2010)

People of the North is more or less a side project, if not an alternate version of, Onedia, the spectacular Brooklyn-based experimental band that we should all know and enjoy. Kid Millions and Bobby Matador have adopted this other moniker for a very krautrock-esque psychedelic album Deep Tissue. Damned minimal and eerie as all get out, this shit is pretty swell. If I had to place it I'd put it somewhere between Faust and Suicide and Onedia's usual outlandishness. It does feel rather elongated and otherworldly, so you gotta be down for relaxing and having a good listen to make the most of it. After really getting into all that Peaking Lights and Parts & Labor again as of late this is a fine compliment, so if we were about that jazz grab this up as well.

To be had here:
People of the North - Deep Tissue

Parts & Labor - Constant Future (2011)

I have long debated posting Parts & Labor as I was a fan of since Stay Afraid came out back in 2006, but I just seemed to put it off until now as I have a brand new album to go off about. Constant Future, however, it is somewhat of a change from their previous sound. The band continues to make noisy, electronic infused, indie rock, but the mood seems to have altered most through the use of more subdued singing. The new style is nearly the choir-like sort of singing used by bands like Le Loup. Not that folksy or quaint though, still rather fuzzed out and capable of getting heavier for spurts. The shift away from the Coachwhips/Deerhoof/Lightning Bolt sharpness is a well executed move, as they're sound fresh but familiar is a way not many bands can pull off. Constant Future reminds me of These Are Powers or Oneida, which is never a bad thing.

To be had here:
Parts & Labor - Constant Future [320 kbps]

Peaking Lights - Space Primitive (2010)

Space Primitive is a cassette released by Fuck It Tapes, a sublabel of Woodsist. Although just three tracks, it is nearly 20 minutes, making it longer than many EPs. I was really enthusiastic about seeing a cassette is around to hear after taking deep delight in Peaking Lights' Imaginary Falcons. By the way I posted Imaginary Falcons a while ago and it was when I was feeling some serious hate for Detroit because of my car getting fucked up royally at a city park. Luckily enough I haven't held too long strongly to any negative associations. In fact Peaking Lights has an impressively calming effect on me, which is handy when I have to deal with the inordinate amount of shitheads the pass through my place of employment each day. To boil it down, it is spacey, noisy, experimental electronic music that is highly recommended to fans of Topaz Rags, Kemialliset Ystävät, Paavoharju, Wet Hair and Super Minerals.

To be had here:
Peaking Lights - Space Primitive [224 VBR kbps]

June of 44

Another chapter in my recalling of music I liked when in high school. June of 44 was making great music before I was old enough to realize it. Still stuck in the suburbs far removed from any good music I found out about June of 44 in high school after they'd already broken up in 2000. In the midst of getting into noisy math rock bands like Ahleuchatistas, Giraffes? Giraffes! and Volta Do Mar, it became obvious that looking up preceding bands would be a brilliant plan. Accordingly I got June of 44 along with others like Slint, Ilium and Les Savy Fav. Created by Jeff Mueller after Rodan broke up in 1994, June of 44 included Sean Meadows of Lungfish and seasoned musicians Fred Erskine and Doug Scharin. I imagine many readers of this blog will be familiar, but I guess I'm just looking to say I still think they're pretty neat. Good math rock/post-rock that would've made the 90s better if I had the wherewithal to know about them at the time.

To be had here:




Engine Takes to the Water [192 kbps] (1995)












Tropics And Meridians [160 kbps] (1996)












Four Great Points [320 kbps] (1998)













Anahata [192 kbps] (1999)











In The Fishtank [256 VBR kbps] (1999)

Dressy Bessy

Lately I've been entertaining some retrospective sentiments in my music listening. Hunting through my collection I've taken to marking some of the albums for sharing here. Some of these bands I really thought were the bee's knees and the ones that are actually making it on here I still think hold considerable merit. Dressy Bessy is a great example of a group that resisted my constant reassessing and devaluing of my opinions. One of many bands that are connected in some way to the sprawling Elephant 6 collective, most directly via the guitarist John Hill who also plays in Apples in Stereo. However, it was formed by the singer/guitarist Tammy Ealom, who played with the Minders, and Darren Albert and Rob Greene serving as drummer and bassist respectively. The music they made some lighthearted indie pop that often incorporated much fuzzy guitar and cheery singing. Although they haven't released anything in a few years, they were rather productive through the late 90s to 2008 when they're last LP came out. Personally, I feel their best work is to be heard on the earlier albums Pink Hearts Yellow Moons and Sound Go Round but none of them are duds and if you like their sound it is pretty consistent.

To be had here:




Pink Hearts Yellow Moons (1999) [192 kbps]












California EP (2000) [128 kbps]












Sound Go Round (2002) [192 kbps]













Little Music: Singles 1997-2002 (2003) [192 VBR kbps]












Dressy Bessy (2003) [192 kbps]












Electrified (2005) [224 VBR kbps]











HOLLERandSTOMP (2008) [256 VBR kbps]

Dum Dum Girls - He Gets Me High (2011)

Got me all worked up when I found this laying about on the internet. I think the Dum Dum Girls are most lovely in their crafting of noise pop tunes. Even included last year's full-length release, I Will Be, in my best of 2010 post. He Gets Me High is a new EP with four tracks of mildly fuzzed out songs that as pleasing as their previous work. I didn't bother to see if this is supposed to be preparation for a new LP, but either way I am glad to have it. Boy am I glad I'm not so poor that internet should be unaffordable.

To be had here:
Dum Dum Girls - He Gets Me High [256 VBR kbps]

The Insane Warrior - We Are the Doorways (2011)

We Are the Doorways is a bombastic and eclectic album done under the new alter-ego of the famed hip hop musician and producer RJD2. He seems to be describing The Insane Warrior as an alternative version of himself where instead of making largely instrumental hip hop the approach is more from sci-fi-esque electronic music that could double as a soundtrack to a real wild flick. Pretty bizarre and intensely exciting I find this is a captivating album that I frankly like more than most of his recent albums released under his usual moniker. So if you like strange electronica, whether a fan of RJD2's other work or not, the Insane Warrior should be worth a try. Now only if they'd finally get to remaking Flash Gordon then we'd really have a project for this persona.

To be had here:
The Insane Warrior - We Are the Doorways [256 VBR kbps]

Zouzou - L'intégrale (2003)

It's been a real long time since any French pop has appeared here. Truly overdue as I do enjoy the sweet songs of the yé-yé girls and 60s chanson. Zouzou is the stage name of Danièle Ciarlet who was born in French Algeria in 1943. Zouzou was one of seemingly dozens of young French women that had multifaceted careers as actresses, models and singers not terribly unlike modern American pop stars in that way. However, unlike the music of modern pop stars, this seemed to have a more artistic flare to it over the mostly showmanship of what passed nowadays. The obvious differentiation was in how chanson was about making songs for the French language rather than English which was the lingua franca of popular music, as it remains. Though some wrote more of their own songs than others. The yé-yé girls like Françoise Hardy, Sylvie Vartan, and France Gall were the starlets of their day they dated famous singers and actors, such as Zouzou involvement with Brain Jones of the Rolling Stones. Time didn't treat them all the equally though and Zouzou is a particularly unfortunate example of an unhappy decline through drug addiction and accompanying legal issues. L'intégrale is a compilation of her songs spanning from 1966 to 2003, and thus the mood and style varies considerably. Overall a very appealing songs despite a rather unpleasant biography.

To be had here:
Zouzou - L'intégrale [320 kbps]

The Black Jaspers - The Black Jaspers (2009)

As I suggested I might, this is another project from one my favorites, King Khan. Instead of being with fellow Montreal musicians Mark Sultan or Bloodshot Bill, this is with Jasper Hood of Moorat Fingers. It is quintessentially what Khan is all about, punk made lo-fi as all fuck with silly lyrics. I'll be the first to admit though that this isn't nearly a catchy or well done as the King Khan & BBQ Show albums nor is it as conceptually curious as Tandoori Knights. However, all this is a bit more expected once informed that this album was actually recorded in 2001. Apparently King Khan just held on to without releasing the Black Jaspers for years but finally felt that 2009 was the year to do so. Thus the more primitive sound the reminds one of a very stripped down Spaceshits makes more sense. Boy howdy, did I ever go link heavy here. Anyhow, hope this tickles your fancy.

To be had here:
The Black Jaspers - The Black Jaspers [192 kbps]

Natural Snow Buildings - Waves Of The Random Sea (2011)

Natural Snow Buildings, I think I had misplaced them in my mind for some time. I think when the blog was younger I had a real heavy post-rock phase and I found Natural Snow Buildings and listened to repeatedly several releases. Well, in this snowbound suburban morning I see that they've release a new album and it is reminding me so eloquently why this band was so mesmerizing. Far less daunting to undertake than The Dance of the Moon and the Sun with only six tracks on Waves Of The Random Sea, admittedly though they're damn long for the most part. The French duo of Mehdi Ameziane and Solange Gularte really demonstrate how droning, avant-garde post-rock can be masterfully done. The epically long tracks take their time in building and evolving the sound, but this is where much the enjoyment can be derived. The lengthiness gives me time to get lost in the music and really relax in a way the is best done with a cup of tea and window to aimlessly stare out of. If you're willing to take the time for it this album is outstanding.

To be had here:
Natural Snow Buildings - Waves Of The Random Sea [256 VBR kbps]

The Dirtbombs - Party Store (2011)

I got this album because of my love of Mick Collins and I assumed that with the Dirtbombs it could range from noisy garage to R&B. I underestimated the range that they'd attempt with Party Store for sure. Collins is involved in several bands of which the Dirtbombs is perhaps the most rock focused, so imagine my surprise to realize Party Store is a tribute to Detroit's history in the innovation of techno music. However, they do so with guitars, drums and keyboards in a manner that makes the music seem like spaced out rock more than techno. Now, from what I understand Collins does resent his position has a rock and roll hero because of his involvement in the Gories and the effect it had upon garage rock in Detroit and beyond. Yet Party Store seems to confirm to me that he can even make techno feel like garage, or at least krautrock. The Metrotimes did a good article on the album. You can also hear a good, albeit slightly dated, interview of Collins and Ben Blackwell from the Sound of Young America.

To be had here
The Dirtbombs - Party Store [320 kbps]

Mother Night - Communistress Demo (2011)

The nice feller from Mother Night gave me the heads up on this new demo there giving out over bandcamp. Like their previous release, Extinct Dialects, which I still strongly recommend, this is some real fancy instrumental math rock. I haven't got terribly much to say and my usually lackluster creativity is at a low ebb as I'm overly concerned by my car being a shit stack that is gonna kill me before I can get out of metro Detroit. Basically these are good guys giving us some good free music, so if you're thing is math rock or post-rock then really do give them a listen and don't forget to grab up the album as well.

To be had here:
Mother Night - Communistress Demo