Spook Houses - The Home EP (2011)

I have had Spook House's Real Ghosts / Pretend Ghosts EP with me all the time since it was sent the link. Damned fine as that is you might see why I am not gonna hesitate to throw a pitch for their new release, The Home EP, which takes its title song from the previous EP but is otherwise material we haven't been privy to on their bandcamp. Unlike the previous EP though this one cost a piddly $7 for the limited release on vinyl. As of this date their not shipping yet, but how better to guarantee one than pre-ordering? As usual you can stream the whole EP for free an unlimited amount of times on their page, but as these musicians keep telling me, they need money for lord knows what antics. But look at me advocating the spending of money, hell, only steal when they're not looking, right? Anyhow, I wish this band luck and perhaps they'll get to Michigan let me hear it live sometime.

To be had here:
Spook Houses - The Home EP

Sigmoid Argonaut - The Noumenon Realm EP (2009)

More submitted material for today's offering. According to the member that sent to this EP, Sigmoid Argonaut was a band. Nevertheless, he was kind enough to share this release for us all to pour into our ears. Believably enough they're spacey as well, but with a math rock feel from the lovely guitar playing flying about. Definitely progressive and bordering on the post-rock at certain moments that works well to create a space-age/futuristic style in my elementary judgment. In fact, as my life as taken on more bar-going and less sitting at home with a six-pack every night, I have seen some bands that can't play half this well in Detroit but spoil even that with dramatic lyrics, or worse the cutely comical lyrics. Beyond my personal feel of lyrics in certain genres, I legitimately think this band had a good and unique a enough sound to be worth hearing. Too bad they're no longer about but I don't think musicians sit idly for too long if they can help it. No art as far as I can find, I sent an e-mail to get the title that isn't tagged but forgot to ask about art.

To be had here:
Sigmoid Argonaut - The Noumenon Realm EP [160 kbps]

Liquid Skulls - Dead In Yr Eyes (2011)

Sorry about the lull but I had to relocate back to my folks' place in my shitstack of a hometown. I've been listening to a massive amount of music to cover up my need to dwell on the shittily depressing situation I've created for myself. However, it is mostly things I have already posted or I don't deem necessary to ever. Luckily enough though there are a good deal of submission coming in so it is time to clear the docket. Liquid Skulls is one of these generous artists to share their work for all of us via bandcamp. It is sometimes instrumental ambient/drone with a sweet psychedelic flavor. Calming without inducing sleep as a good drone song should be. Interesting and absolutely fitting for the spacey and experimental sounds I've been throwing at you lately.

To be had here:
Liquid Skulls - Dead In Yr Eyes

Leroy Carr - Whiskey Is My Habit, Good Women Is All I Crave

Leroy Carr - Whiskey Is My Habit, Good Women Is All I Crave (CD 1)
Leroy Carr - Whiskey Is My Habit, Good Women Is All I Crave (CD 2)

The 40 tracks compiled on this two-disc set represent the entire span of pianist and singer Leroy Carr's recording career that spanned a brief seven years, from 1928-1935.

Maureen Tucker - Playin' Possum (1981) & Life In Exile After Abdication (1989)

Knowledge of solo albums by Maureen Tucker has been something I've been vaguely aware of for a years (I am hoping it isn't necessary to say she's most famous for being the drummer of the Velvet Underground). Stupidly I put off listening to them, not being sure what they'd hold and I'd never heard of anyone mentioning them. While I am shocked nobody has recommended them to me, I can says wholeheartedly that any hesitation was unwarranted. So get this shit, the first album, Playin' Possum, is covers of notable songs originally by artists like Bob Dylan and Little Richard as well as Velvet Underground tracks wherein Tucker plays all the instruments. She handles drums, guitar, sax and singing for some lo-fi versions of some wildly good songs. Then to up the ante in the second solo album from eight years, Life In Exile After Abdication, later she drops the multi-instrumental scheme in favor of bringing in some really noteworthy musicians to record with her. These include Lou Reed, Daniel Johnston, Jad Fair, and members of the Sonic Youth. In fact both albums sound very Jad Fair-like. This album also features different versions of Velvet Underground songs and some covers but contains songs written by Tucker too. Imagine how jazzed I was when I noticed that one of the tracks is "Pale Blue Eyes" which remains one of my all-time favorite songs. To cut to the chase both of these are worth hearing, and while an appreciation of the Velvet Underground helps it isn't required to find the appeal of the lo-fi, noisy and creative sound that Tucker brings.

To be had here:




Playin' Possum [128 kbps] Sorry for the shitty bitrate, if you have a better version please link it in the comments for everyone.











Life In Exile After Abdication [192 kbps]

YALL - Drink From Between Our Hair

My apologies to patient man that sent me this album, probably more than once. I should be more on top of posted submissions, but it is a habit I've yet to solidly form. Anyhow, my regretful tone is because this group is worthy of a good posting. YALL is from Texas and is the other band of one of the fellers from the Wrestling Club, which I posted on here a bit ago. Like that project, this makes excellent use of math rock-esque angular guitar work and fast-paced tempo shifts. He described it was "grog/noise rock" which works for me. Dude's been running a blog blitz with this EP by the way, so you more than likely have seen it about before, but I felt bad not posting something from an enthusiastic reader, especially if I have been listening to it the last few mornings to much pleasure.

To be had here:
YALL - Drink From Between Our Hair [192 kbps]

Six Organs of Admittance - Asleep on the Floodplain (2011)

The latest album by the prolific Ben Chasny, Alseep on the Floodplain a continuation of his soft, ethereal and winsome folk. Although bearing similarities to the experimental folk I posted over the last few days, it is more guitar-based, as is always the case with Six Organs of Admittance albums. Likewise, this album can be considered "new folk," which I gather is the term that people have been putting forth instead of the derided "freak folk" or geographically limiting "new weird America" tags. Nomenclature aside, it is a skillfully done release as good as any launching point for those uninitiated to Chasny's work in this project or Comets of Fire. Plus, it has one of my often favored epic long tracks that evolve and distract me to no end. Who knows, maybe you'll get hooked and being the mildly daunting task of tracking down and hearing the sizable discography.

To be had here:
Asleep on the Floodplain [224 VBR kbps]

Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs - All in Two Sixty Dancehalls (2010) & Household Goods EP (2010)

From the United Kingdom hails Orlando Higginbottom's lengthily named electronic music project, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs. Only two EP out right now, perhaps some additional stray tracks, but I have a feeling this guy might get some attention when a full-length appears. Already seems to be getting good press in the UK if that means anything. Electronic pop tunes that are somewhat dance floor orientated, but remind me of skweee and has some of the nostalgic elements of other things I've posted lately. The last track on All in Two Sixty Dancehalls titled "Dipper" reminds me of the classic electronic song "Popcorn" by Gershon Kingsley, famously covered by Hot Butter. Because I didn't know much about him I read some interviews with Higginbottom and it seems that he just wants some enjoyable music, and based on that criteria I'd say both these EPs are successful. Moreover, it seems he dresses up in dinosaur costumes for live sets, which I always think is charming.

To be had here:

All in Two Sixty Dancehalls [224 VBR kbps]

Household Goods EP [320 kbps]

TwinSisterMoon - The Hollow Mountain (2009)

As suggested in yesterday's post of Isengrind, this is a recent album by the other half of Natural Snow Buildings. Mehdi Ameziane goes by the name of TwinSisterMoon in solo efforts. The Hollow Mountain is without a doubt of the same ilk as Natural Snow Buildings, Isengrind or the Finnish bands I recalled in yesterday's post. Of course, the key to this sort of experimental folk is the subtle uniqueness that an artist can bring to their compositions that help to create a picture or mood in a listener. TwinSisterMoon does a wonderful job at provoking a image of nature for me with her use of recording of such common noises as water flowing and humming, otherworldly vocals. Additionally, what is surprising is the versatility across the album, for toward the end with "To the Green Pastures (of the Land of the Dead)," Ameziane throws in a catchy rhythm and lighthearted hum. Now only if the snow here could melt a bit so I could witness some colorful nature to go along with this....

To be had here:
TwinSisterMoon - The Hollow Mountain [256 VBR kbps]

Isengrind - Modlitewnik (2010)

Sorry about the absence, I was doing nothing important but I couldn't summon the will for posting nonetheless. Tell you what I did do was look at the neat stats thing that google has built into blogger so I can tell what are the most commonly looked at pages, and while I am sure that is warped as all hell from the layout, one thing is clear. People like Natural Snow Buildings so I decided to get off my duff and not put off getting the solo work for the two members that much up that wonderful French duo. Isengrind is the moniker that Solange Gularte has chosen for solo releases (Mehdi Ameziane does so as TwinSisterMoon and I'll likely have some of that up soon). Musically it is in the same ballpark as Natural Snow Buildings: ethereal, droning, and psychedelic. Modlitewnik invokes memories of Joose Keskitalo, Paavoharju and other Finnish experimental folk projects for me. Shares many of the qualities that I find appealing about the Finnish, but doesn't just mimic. I've been listening to this all morning as well as last night, so hopefully TwinSisterMoon is just as good and I am in for a treat.

To be had here:
Isengrind - Modlitewnik [192 VBR kbps]