Grass Widow

All girl trio from San Francisco's debut LP.

Grass Widow - Self-Titled LP (Make A Mess, 2009)



Self-Titled EP

Grass Widow - Self-Titled EP (Captured Tracks, 2009)

Japanese Telecom - Virtual Geisha (2001)

There was some fair amounts of downloads of Auto-Biography by Le Car that I posted up earlier in the month. This got me to thinking that some people might enjoy here some more of the less renown, but still very admirable, electro acts of Detroit. Japanese Telecom is just such an artist. These electronic musicians from Detroit love to use monikers that shroud them in a degree of facelessness, such as Dopplereffekt, AUX 88, and Ectomorph. Unless I am mistaken Japanese Telecom one of the two men that were the electronic act called Drexciya, who made a significant impact on the Detroit techno scene and beyond. As with most anything related to techno music, this stuff has the dance-floor in mind, however that is not required for enjoyment. Personally, being a fan of some more IDM and 8-Bit artists, Virtual Geisha is not that far off the mark from what is appealing with those genres. Almost feels like the older brother of the cloying chiptune of Japan and Sweden I believe I shared in the past. Oddly enough, despite being established in the Detroit techno circles, this moniker was only used to release two albums, with this one being the only CD issuing (the other was exclusively vinyl). Perhaps this album's weakest points is being a bit esoteric and slightly dated, yet you're not hearing on the radio for any lack of talent.

To be had here:
Japanese Telecom - Virtual Geisha [192 kbps]

Mark Sultan - $ (2010)

Might seem like I've become a broken record by recommending that you get the music of the same handful of musicians, but I know there will be some readers on here upset if I don't share this album. Mark Sultan is, as you might suspect, BBQ of the King Khan & BBQ Show and a frequent collaborator of Khan's from previous bands and the recently posted Almighty Defenders. This is the second full-length release that Sultan has done solo (at least under this name), but the style isn't terrible distant from the stuff he's made in bands. If anything it is slowed down and subdued in tone. In fact, there is a different version of one of my favorite tracks from Invisible Girl, the upbeat "I'll Be Lovin' You" that is slower and more whimsical. I should make it clear that I got this album from the most excellently maintained Know Your Conjurer blog. It has been that most of my most recent listening has been taken from other blogs, so it might be a few days before I've gotten something I haven't seen floating around all over to share, but hold in there and maybe we'll get lucky and one of the many less active posters have something they'd like to spout off about.

To be had here:
Mark Sultan - $ [256 kbps]

Memoryhouse - The Years EP (2010)

If there's to be any album to remind me of June 2010 the rest of my life, it'll be this one! Super dreamy EP from a duo I can't wait to see more from.

Available for Free on Arcade Sound Ltd.

Avarus - Jättiläisrotta (2004)

I ran out of steam for posting Finnish experimental folk for a bit after I shared it almost exclusively for a week. However, time heals all wounds as they say. Avarus is a band intimately connected to many of the previously posted bands like Kemialliset Ystävät and Anaksimandros, which in fact so commonly have the same members that they're hardly different bands at all. Perhaps the most notable difference between this and the "other" bands is the more acoustic feel. Much in the way of clanging and clinking to be found herein. The rhythm and percussion of the album reminds me of the music I've heard from monasteries of Asia and North Africa. All this stuff needs is some chanting of Buddhist or Islamic prayers or whatever the men are singing about to be a reasonable match. However, this is anything but a bad thing, as Jättiläisrotta is a highly enjoyable album if you're looking to relax to something unusual.

To be had here:
Avarus - Jättiläisrotta [192 VBR kbps]

The Almighty Defenders - The Almighty Defenders (2009)

Earlier this month I shared King Khan & the Shrines, so I won't give the story on who he is again. I will tell you that he and his current bandmate, Mark Sultan who is BBQ in the King Khan and BBQ Show, have been up to some collaborating. In this case with the members of the Black Lips while holing up with Khan in Berlin. Basically a garage rock jam session branded as a band. Though I think it was fully recorded it the studio, it has the roughness of a live recording. This is made all the better in that a main source of inspiration seems to be gospel, which is naturally meant to be preformed live. It certainly possesses a feeling of nostalgic reflection on the earlier period of rock music, when the influence of soul and gospel were readily apparent. This album isn't as fast-paced and jazzy as Khan's work with the shrines, but does feel very close to the most recent album with BBQ.

To be had here:
The Almighty Defenders - The Almighty Defenders [192 kbps]

Diamond Watch Wrists - Ice Capped At Both Ends (2009)

I swear that Zach Hill must be one of the most prolific drummers around. Admittedly, I am behind on posting this, as it came out last year, but the son of gun comes out with so much stuff that I haven't tired of the last album he worked on before he's got something new out. Diamond Watch Wrists is the name that Hill and Guillermo Scott Herren of Prefuse 73 are calling their collaboration. They've each been around for a bit and are responsible for some successful albums in their careers in their main projects and main side ventures. This album is a change of pace in a way, as it is more psychedelic and elongated than the punchy and wild drumming Hill has displayed in some of his work. An excellent and evoking release that should be gotten by a fan of either of the artists. And I do recognize that the album art is shitty.

To be had here:
Diamond Watch Wrists - Ice Capped At Both Ends [192 kbps VBR]

The Love Language - Libraries (2010)

Good news is I have the new album by The Love Language to share. Bad news is that I can't locate it anywhere in a bit rate better than 128 kbps. So we'll have to make do with what is available until people find some higher quality conversions. For those of you that might've missed it, this is the second release by the North Carolina band masterminded by Stu McLamb. The first album has some mighty powerful lo-fi tracks on it and this follow-up seems to be along a very similar vein. If anything it apparently was produced with more resources, mostly evidenced in the instrumental flourishes sprinkled throughout. Nonetheless, it maintains the lo-fi pop/rock songwriting that made the previous effort so endearing, though it lacks a standout, fast-paced track like "Lalita" was. A solid if not superior effort that should be treated like candy, enjoyed in moderate doses to avoid ruining it for yourself.

To be had here:
The Love Language - Libraries [128 kbps]

Women - Public Strain (2010)

This release will doubtlessly make the rounds on many blogs, and this is for a good reason as first album by Women is such a spectacular effort that it is automatically garnering attention for any follow-ups. Moreover, leaks are exciting as I don't think this is supposed to be officially released until August. To refresh any foggy memories or inform the unknowing, Women are a Canadian post-punk group that started in Calgary that despite the name is fully comprised of men. Their first self-titled was epically good and was part of a small surge of post-punk/noise pop bands that were gathering a following like Wavves, No Age and Vivian Girls. I'm so jazzed about this album I am writing this post whilst giving it the first listen, so I haven't the experience yet to attest to any replay value. However, this first go-around has me recalling my fondness for the band as well as noting that these tracks seem a bit more subdued and elongated. At times they've made a drone-like sound-scape. Certainly a change of pace but a well-conceived one.

To be had here:
Women - Public Strain [320 kbps]

Math and Physics Club

I've been contemplating on sharing some slightly aged twee pop lately, but the issue was settled when I found a new release by Math and Physics Club with me choosing to give out both. This is basically the entire discography of Math and Physics Club, in which one could notice the gap between full-length albums and even from the last EP and the newest release. This Seattle-based band makes some of the sweetest indie pop to be had. The sweet cheerful pop they make similar to several bands of from Australia on Matinee Recordings and Candle Records such as The Lucksmiths and The Mabels, as well as American groups like The Galactic Heroes, The Fairways and Le Coupe. It seems slightly different from the indie pop/twee groups that have been produced in large numbers in Iceland and Sweden in the last few years, but not terrible distant. Despite all of the songs they make being sweet as hell, the newer album has a more cheerful feel achieved mostly by lighter vocals and different instrumentation. Also note the Belle & Sebastian-style album art with the monochromatic photography. If you're into twee at all, this is a band to get.

To be had here:




Movie Ending Romance EP (2005) [160 kbps VBR]












Weekends Away EP (2005) [192 kbps VBR]












Math and Physics Club (2006) [192 kbps]











Baby I'm Yours EP (2007) [224 kbps VBR]












I Shouldn't Look As Good As I Do (2010) [285 kbps VBR]