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Saturday, November 5, 2011

Vaz "Chartreuse Bull" review from Aquarius Records!

More love from Aquarius...Thanks aQ!!


http://www.aquariusrecords.org/

VAZ Chartreuse Bull
(Sleeping Giant Glossolalia)
Not sure how we managed it, but this is the first we've heard from noise rock heavies Vaz, which is kind of weird for a couple reasons, one, this is their 3rd or 4th record so far at least, and those past records were on some seriously kick ass labels, and two, Vaz is in fact two members of the late great AmRep outfit Hammerhead, who we LOVED. But better late than never, and this is indeed a serious chunk of blown out super hooky and heavy noise rock, pop at its core for sure, but wrapped in some thick, crumbling ultra distorted riffage, not to mention some tripped out psychedelic guitar action, anchored by the drums, a wild chaotic pound, and the vocals, surprisingly melodic, which positions Vaz more alongside other poppier heavy rock combos like Torche, but Vaz definitely twists up their sound, atonal and off kilter, jagged and frenzied and frantic, sleeping easily from twisted crunch to soaring hookiness and back, with a definite brooding downer pop vibe running through some of the songs too. And some ridiculous hooks tucked amidst all that crunch and pound. We gave this a quick listen when it first came in, and thought it sounded pretty good, but when we finally sat down to really dig in, it quickly became a new fave, sounding suddenly like some impossible hybrid of Nomeansno, The Melvins and Torche, with a hint of the WipersÉ and we've been listening to it like crazy ever since, which pretty much says it all.


Killer stuff, and definitely recommended for fans of heavy pop and poppy heaviness. Packaged in swank silkscreened jackets, includes a free download as well.



MPEG Stream: "Charteuse Blues"

MPEG Stream: "Blockade"

MPEG Stream: "The 2nd"

Bobb Bruno "Mellowdramas" review from Aquarius Records!

One of our all-time favorite places/sites has some kind words for this incredible LP....

http://www.aquariusrecords.org/
BRUNO, BOBB Mellowdramas (Sleeping Giant Glossolalia)
Most folks probably know Bobb Bruno as the guitar player in sunshiney retro poppers Best Coast, although some aQ-ers no doubt know him as the man behind ultra heavy guitar/drums duo Goliath Bird Eater, and still others might remember him as a member of late great nineties indie rock weirdos the Polar Goldie Cats, so with all that in mind we weren't sure what to expect from this long in the works solo record, on which Bruno plays everything, but has some notable guests along for the ride (including Nels Cline, and Josh Klinghoffer from the Red Hot Chili Peppers!).


The title is your first clue, as these are in fact mellow sonic dramas, the opener is a dark, dreamy gloom pop gem, all murky chordal whir, shimmery organs, and some gorgeous torch song vocals, courtesy of Kandyce Lynn Crane, the song smolders and slithers, peppered with pizzicato strings, sounding a bit like a moodier creepier Best Coast actually, the music could maybe be a Best Coast 45 spinning at 16rpm, but regardless it's so lovely. The second track is another dark pop gem, this one more orchestral, sweeping and grand, a dreamy softly fuzzy epic, laced with some cool droned out buzz, it's the sort of sound you might have expected from Cardinal back in the day. "Loveletter" is another symphonic pop number, all swirling soaring strings, swaddled in mysterious electronic chitter, the melody theremin like, hazy and lush and again so lovely, the guitars warm and buzzy, and when the drums finally kick in, the song slips into a Mazzy Star like shoegaze drift, all dreamy slowcore, and again, the song features a cool, weirdly effected super melodic guitar solo.
The vocals return on "We Know You Know" which is all low slung, electro-skitter, which quickly blossoms into a sort of dubbed out Portishead-y downtempo shuffle, but with lush squalls of super distorted guitar and some gorgeous wordless vocals, the sound dark and dramatic and a little bit gothic, sounding like a more post punk shoegazey Zola Jesus, which is not at all a bad thing.


"Loners" is all murky lysergic slow jam, with James Blake like distorted slo-mo soul vox, the sort of track Balam Acab or Clams Casino might conjure up, woozy and washed out, warped and warbly. "Near Ecstasy" starts off all minimal and fuzzy, with some sweetly crooned vox, again sounding very goth, almost Kate Bush like at times, all over an almost krautrock sounding groove, wreathed in flanged synths and swirling gauzy thrum, and then finally, the record finishes with "Over", a strange bit of experimental synthscaping, that sounds like it was modeled after some Beach Boys outtake, pounding chords, overlapping, all over a hushed shimmer, finally coalescing into a fuzzy chunk of dream pop, with a sweet tinkling chime melody, only to seemingly melt into a warped stretch of druggy murk, that sounds more like the Skaters than anything, but a gorgeously tripped out finish to a pretty fantastic record. Not at all what we were expecting, but all the more exciting for that. Definitely for fans of dark, lush pop and hazy electronic dreaminess, we're actually digging this like crazy!


Cool bloody panda bear sweat sock cover art!


MPEG Stream: "Building"
MPEG Stream: "Look Out The Window"
MPEG Stream: "Loveletter"

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Heroes.

Did anyone else miss this edition of Dusted's Listed with Codeine's Chris Brokaw and our very own Lame Drivers? Link below...

http://www.dustedmagazine.com/features/982

VAZ at CMJ..



http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=182097235202182

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Bobb Bruno "Mellowdramas" LP available now!


Bobb Bruno, known for his work in fuzzy dream-pop outfit BEST COAST, slow-burning metal merchants GOLIATH BIRD EATER, and post-rock lurkers POLAR GOLDIE CATS, to name but a few, not to mention his role in shaping the current LA underground by making records with MIKA MIKO, POCAHAUNTED, and MAGIC LANTERN, in addition to stints with THE FOR CARNATION and IMAAD WASIF, has been turning out his thoughtfully-crafted solo work for years, and never so seamlessly as on "Mellowdramas". With it's combination of late-night-loner electronic drift, dream-inducing rhythmic workouts, and masterful avant-pop orchestrations, this is a record that stays with you. Written and recorded during a period of personal turmoil, the album travels the arc from the deeply melancholic to the triumphant, leaving bad dreams to die on the bedroom floor. Not concerned with coolness, with "Mellowdramas" you get the real thing, and just maybe, a good night's sleep.
Mastered by JAMES PLOTKIN (KHANATE, JODIS)
GUEST appearances by NELS CLINE (WILCO), REBECCA COLEMAN (PAGEANTS, ex-AVI BUFFALO ), JOSH KLINGHOFFER (RHCP) & MORE.
Limited Edition. Available in our online store and fine record shops everywhere.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

What Headbanger's Ball & 120 Minutes don't want you to know...


alt. mix/edit of "Skin/Stamina" by MjolniirDXP from the Sleeping Giant Glossolalia release "Great Skin & St. Amina" SGG - 14
Reisinger - vocal/percussives/electronics/instruments
Writer - percussives/electronics
"Filmed on location in the Hound and the Worm"
-M. Reisinger- camera -Z. Writer - makeup

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Monday, September 19, 2011

Troo Youtopia

Did you see this video of Lame Drivers performing outdoors in Fort Greene, Brooklyn during the Summer Solstice for Make Music NY? Did you see these little kids dancing to Lame Drivers?

Saturday, September 17, 2011

VAZ return home to NYC in fine company...


http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=141503269277499
A tour return for all three bands....St. Vitus Bar in Greenpoint.....TONIGHT.

THE MEN
http://www.sacredbonesrecords.com/releases/sbr057/

VAZ
http://vazavis.blogspot.com/

PYGMY SHREWS
http://pygmyshrews.blogspot.com/

advanced tickets here...
http://www.ticketfly.com/event/60037?utm_medium=api

Friday, July 29, 2011

MjolniirDXP & Echo Beds West Coast Tour 2011


July 31 - Albuquerque - Small Engine Gallery w/ Horsethief
August 1 - The Beach
August 2 - San Diego - Tin Can
August 3 - Los Angeles - Handbag Factory w/ Submissions(Best Coast, Goliath Bird Eater), M. Geddes Gengras(Robedoor, Pocahaunted)
August 4 - Disneyland
August 5 - San Francisco - Bleakhaus
August 6 - Oakland - 1727 Goss St. w/ Deep Teens, Slaughter High, Rind, Joey Casio
August 7 - Red Woods Camping
August 8 - Portland - East End w/ Landmine Marathon, Excruciator, DJ Nate C
August 9 - Christmas Horse - DXPetit, Alameda
August 10 - Olympia - Le Voyeur w/ SEDAN + Total Life(Growing)
August 11 - Seattle - Highline w/ Crawlin'
August 12 - Seattle - Sureshot
August 13 - Noise In The Woods w/ Argumentix, A Story Of Rats
August 14 - Boise? Help!
August 15 - Grand Junction - Weird Place w/ weirdos
August 16 - Denver - Jiggawatts

Vaz and Pygmy Shrews to tour in the hottest month of the year, 2011


Fri, Aug 5- at DBA in Brooklyn with Mick Barr, Lichens, and The Dreebs
Then off we go:
Fri, Aug 12 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Garfield Artworks
Sat, Aug 13 - Chicago, IL @ Panchos
Sun, Aug 14 - St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club
Mon, Aug 15 - Minneapolis, MN @ tba
Tue, Aug 16 - Fargo, ND @ Aquarium
Wed, Aug 17 - keep driving to..
TOTAL FEST X!!!!!!
Thu, Aug 18 - Missoula, MT @ Top Hat
Fri, Aug 19 - Missoula, MT - advil /vomit
Sat, Aug 20 - Missoula, MT - advil/weed check out Hammerhead @ Badlander/Palace
Sun, Aug 21 - Seattle, WA @ The Rendezvous/Jewelbox Theatre
Mon, Aug 22 - Portland, OR @ The Tube
Tue, Aug 23 - Arcata, CA @ The Jambalaya
Wed, Aug 24 - San Francisco, CA @ The Hemlock Tavern
Thu, Aug 25 - Santa Cruz, CA @ The Crepe Place
Fri, Aug 26 - San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar
Sat, Aug 27--LA (uh, what's going on here
Sun, Aug 28 -Tempe, AZ @ The Fixx w Dead (Australia), Unstoppable Death Machines
Mon, Aug 29 - Las Cruces, NM @ Train Yard
Tue, Aug 30 - Denton, TX @ Rubber Gloves
Wed, Aug 31 - Austin, TX @ Scoot Inn
Thu, Sep 1 - Houston, TX @ Super Happy Fun Land
Fri, Sep 2 - Pensacola, FL @ Sluggo's
Sat, Sep 3 - Atlanta, GA @ Drunken Unicorn
Sun, Sep 4 - Charlotte, NC @ Snug Harbor
Mon, Sep 5 - Durham, NC @ Casbah
Tue, Sep 6 - Philadelphia, PA @ Danger Danger
Whew. But wait there's more:
Fri, Sep 9-St. Vitus in Brooklyn with Pygmy Shrews and The Men.
Sun, Sep 11-Monster Island Block Party with Oneida, Man Forever, Soldiers of Fortune, K-Holes, Knyfe Hits, Dubknowdup and many more...

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Fan-made video for a track off Bobb Bruno's new album...

Bobb Bruno // Look Out The Window So They Won't See You Crying from Jarred Beeler on Vimeo.

Bobb Bruno interview from easttowestau.blogspot.com...


Sitting backstage at Oxford Art Factory, a tired Bobb Bruno slumps comfortably into a black leather couch. Outside, the dull roar of patrons is heard less and less as they vacate the building after dancing to a cheery and youthful set from LA’s Best Coast. Lead singer Bethany Cosentino and drummer Ali Koehler snuggle in couches behind us, typing away steadily to loved ones. Bobb Bruno sits, stroking his beard and omitting a wise and serene aura. Jarred Beeler [Life: Aquatic] and I look at each other and nod, let’s do this thing.

Holly: So how does it feel playing with Bethany [of Best Coast] who openly admits to writing songs for sixteen-year-old girls?

Bobb: Oh it’s awesome. I’ve loved pop music for a really long time. Every other band I’ve played in has been like experimental or some kind of heavy band and just not that kind of music. So after being a fan of that kind of music for so long it’s really cool to get to play pop music.

Jarred: Does pop music make you generally happier as a person?

Bobb: Yeah, for sure, that’s why I love pop music so much. Whenever I’m down, there are certain songs that you can put on and they change your perspective. Even though in my own music the songs are really long and not poppy, most of my influences are coming from pop music. Like half and half: pop music and experimental music, and I’m just trying to find a middle ground between the two.

Holly: Listening to your solo stuff, it has a lot more of a sombre feel to it compared to Best Coast. Is that intentional?

Bobb: Yeah it is. This record I have coming out called ‘Melodramas’, which the song you [Life: Aquatic] posted is from, came from a really down period in my life, which was pre Best Coast and post Pocahaunted. I basically had a falling out with some people who I thought were really close friends but it turns out they weren’t. The music that came out of that period of my life is what’s going to be on that record. So a lot of it’s really melancholic. It’s sad but towards the end it get’s up, which is kind of the arc of where my life has gone.

Holly: The song ‘Look Out The Window So They Won’t See You Crying’ feels very alienated, and it’s got this real sombre, quiet feel to it. Where exactly did you write that?

Bobb: I wrote that in my bedroom - it was actually one of the last songs I wrote for the record. Especially for this record, the way that some of my songs were born were kind of from my live set. Basically, I’ll work on these kind of improvisational songs, then I record them and then refine them so they have a much more set structure. So I was kind of playing around with these piano chord samples, of me just playing the keyboard, and then just from doing these random chord sequences that whole song came out of it.

Jarred: I’ve heard from a lot of people who’ve heard it, it’s really spoken to them – it’s a piece of music they can really relate to and emotionally it’s really close to them.

Bobb: Oh cool.

Jarred: Were you intending to create a piece of music that was universally accepted by people going through the same situation?

Bobb: With all my music, that’s what I’m trying to do. I don’t want to make something that alienates anybody. I’m trying to reach [people], not in a sell out way, but I want my music to appeal. I don’t want to make music that nobody wants to listen to. That’s where the pop influence comes in. I try to take techniques that are used in like avant-garde and experimental music and just apply that to pop songs; like structures. Try and take those elements and incorporate melodic elements. So no, I’m really happy people are into that. When I started playing music, I had no intention of being in a band, I had no intention of playing in front of people, it was just bedroom stuff that I did and the sole purpose of it was to make music I could fall asleep to *laughs* ‘Coz like, I had a hard time going to sleep so I tried to make this dreamy, kind of sleepy music, and that’s still the core inspiration to all my solo music. Everything else that’s happened afterwards has been a bonus. I never thought I’d be touring, I just thought I’d be a postman or something like that.

Jarred: I think to a lot of people you’ve kind of become this priest figure, omitting this sort of calming vibe.

Bobb: Oh that’s cool. I haven’t heard that.

Holly: Yeah maybe you should tour in a priest’s outfit.

Bobb: *laughs* Yeah, that’s a good idea. I’m starting to get sick of the bunny outfit.

Jarred: Yeah speaking of the bunny outfit, we were going to ask you about that. What’s up with that?

Bobb: I took a trip to Japan, just like a vacation, and I found it in a department store and I didn’t know what I was going to do with it, I couldn’t even try it on, but I just bought it. Then someone asked me to play a solo show and I was like I should just wear this outfit. Then once I did, it made playing solo a lot easier because I felt like people weren’t looking directly at me, there was like this other thing they were focusing on; just looking at this giant head.

Jarred: I think the best thing about the bunny outfit, is that your music is so sad and melancholic and you’re just sitting there in this bunny outfit with this serious face and playing the drum machine… It’s a very surreal situation.

Bobb: Yeah the bunny suit is very sad ‘coz it’s never been washed. It’s completely filthy. At this point there’s all kinds of grease stains through it. I don’t know, a lot of shows I just end up rolling around on the floor; it’s gotten really dirty.

Holly: Do you find that playing in The States as a solo artist that people automatically know you’re part of Best Coast?

Bobb: No because once Best Coast started touring a lot I made the decision, and it had nothing to do with Best Coast, to stop playing solo. The year in between when Best Coast started and before Best Coast took off I was playing a lot of solo shows and I just got sick of them; I really hated doing them and it got to the point where I was like “I’m not going to do this anymore” – on the second last show I didn’t even wear the outfit. I was like “fuck this shit, I don’t give a fuck.” It became more fun to practice for my shows in my bedroom than to actually perform in front of people. I was like “I don’t wanna sit in front of people and be fucking miserable.”

Jarred: Once your next album is released, can you imagine yourself getting back onstage, maybe with a band, maybe Bethany supporting you?

Bobb: I tried playing with a band once, and it was kind of cool, but I think with my own music I’m too much of a control freak. It’s better to just do it all myself. I mean I have a guest on one or two songs, but the core of it should just be me.

Holly: Is it easy to manage the two projects?

Bobb: Yeah, I mean, the way it is with my solo stuff, it’s not something I do like piecemeal. If I write a song, I get one idea and I start recording pretty much immediately. Once I have the basis of a song I’ll just improvise over the top of that until the song is done. So pretty much I start the song and I finish it in one or two sittings.

Jarred: When you are recording a song, is there one instrument you get to and you feel relieved to hit that instrument?

Bobb: It’s always bass. I started out as a drummer and I was fucking terrible at it.

Jarred: But in your live shows it’s amazing!

Bobb: Yeah I’ve gotten a lot better at it but when I got interested in playing bass, it was just a more natural thing for me. Even now with my solo stuff, when I feel like a song is kind of “urgh” I put the bass down and I kind of know where it’s going to go. And it’s the same with Best Coast. I think it’s the instrument that’s most natural for me to play.

Jarred: When’s the album coming out?

Bobb: It’s all done, it’s been mastered and it’s probably at the pressing plant right now. I just need to finish the artwork, which I’ve been lagging on for like ever. It’ll be out hopefully by summer time.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

"Troo hardcore is hard to find."

We recently hosted our Bay Area friends Mothercountry Motherfuckers in Denver for a hardcore matinee that was so good it made us miss, well, hardcore. Despite their impressive pedigree(Fuel, Bread & Circuits, Torches To Rome, etc.), we had no idea we'd be so blown away by these guys in the live setting. Do yrself a favor and catch this unit whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

VAZ on TV.

http://www.pukekos.org/2011/07/bj-rubin-show.html
For those of you who missed it on July 4th, here's The BJ Rubin Show which features our boys in Vaz and also out-there stylings of The American Liberty League. Hope you like anarchy. Note drunken jam at the end. By the way, you can catch BJ's show at various times on BCAT.

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Today, all day in Brooklyn.

BBQ starts at 3:30

Music starts at 4 *sharp* and goes until 8:30
we got 2 kegs and 4 grills, BYO if you want
$5 donation at the door (optional)

4:00
:: Sick to the Back Teeth ::
Chris M
http://www.sicktothebackteeth.com/

4:30
:: VAZ ::
(Jeff Mooridian and Paul Erickson of AmRep legends HAMMERHEAD)
http://www.myspace.com/thevaz http://vazmusic.bandcamp.com/

5:15
:: TinniTusk ::
D Going / A Scott / J Sigal / B Turner performing Fleetwood Mac as Pussy Galore
http://lockerz.com/s/110943071

6:00
:: DeTrop ::
Ryan, Theresa, Dave
Synths, electronics, tapes
memb Home Blitz, York Factory Complaint
http://soundcloud.com/detrop_brooklyn

6:45
:: Epileptinomicon / McCord ::
(Denver, CO/Philadelphia, PA)
http://www.sleepinggiantglossolalia.blogspot.com/
http://www.myspace.com/epileptinomicon
http://www.myspace.com/eamonmccord

8:00
:: Lame Drivers ::
http://lamedrivers.com/

http://twitter.com/rad_town
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=184746128245652

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Reminder: Don't miss this show on Thursday, New York.


Key of Shame
(mem. Sightings, No Neck Blues Band/Malkuth/decimus)
Epileptinomicon
McCord
Panther Modern
(Baltimore, MD mem. T.O.M.B.)
OPPONENTS
Human Relief
(mem. Forma)

DJ: Jeff Conklin (EVR)

6/30/2011
Doors: 8:30
Show: 9:00
$7
The Schoolhouse
330 Ellery st. Floor 3
BK
J train to Flushing ave. / L to Morgan ave.

Monday, June 20, 2011

SGG SXSW belated visu...

From the bottom up: outside the venue the day of our showcase, The Body(before killing the power a few times), Topping Bottoms, Shit & Shine, Lame Drivers, Expo '70, Borneo, Blank Realm, a backyard blowout and various hijinks.


















Epileptinomicon/McCord Northeast Live Aktions 2011 Summer


Thursday June 30: NYC
w/
Key of Shame (mem. Sightings, No Neck/Malkuth, decimus)
Panther Modern (Baltimore, MD mem. T.O.M.B.)
OPPONENTS (http://soundcloud.com/opponents)
Human Relief (mem. Forma)
DJ: Jeff Conklin (East Village Radio)

@ The Schoolhouse
330 Ellery St. Floor 3
Brooklyn, NY
J train to Flushing ave. / L to Morgan ave.
Doors: 8:30, Show: 9:00


Friday July 1: Philadelphia, PA
w/
Work/Death
Lolly Gesserit
Slow Tongued Beauty

@ Recovery House
5th and Washington


Saturday July 2: Providence, RI
w/
The Body
+ TBA

@Paragon
(ask for details, location hush-hush)

Sunday July 3: NYC
w/
VAZ
Nackt Insecten
Lame Drivers

@Rad Town - 251 Throop Ave. Brooklyn, NY
Daytime Show - 3pm
Eating and drinking encouraged/supported

More from Philadelphia's McCord here:
http://www.myspace.com/eamonmccord
http://vimeo.com/23099044

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Vaz in Village Voice


​Scum-pop blasters Vaz are a consistently underrated Brooklyn treasure. Vocalist/guitarist Paul Erickson and spasmodic herky-jerk drummer Jeff Moordian have outlived all your favorite scenes--both emerged from the distressed clobber of AmRep stalwarts Hammerhead and released full-length records on practically every cool label in the '00s (Gold Standard Labs, Load, Narnack). Their fifth album, Chartreuse Bull (Damaged Rituals), adds second guitarist Tyler Nolan and accidentally stumbles into the cassette Renaissance. Their first tape release (and easily their most aggro to date), Bull is 11 charred burners as taut and ugly as secretly bubblegum as anything in their gotta-catch-em-all catalog. Their ill-tempered blast and squawk updates AmRep's sinister sizzle for more extreme days, still teasing it with the boldest, brashest, shiniest hooks in the nu-pigfuck underground--think Queens Of The Stone Age getting a Pissed Jeans makeunder. Album highlight "Blockade" is two minutes of swinging-from-the-rafters grime-bluster that somehow lets Erickson's ghostly melodies shine through some fairly merciless muck.

Q&A: Vaz frontman Paul Erickson on "Blockade"
What is "Blockade" about?
It's about writer's block! I was thinking about how I couldn't think of anything and then thought of it! [Musically,] I think it's inspired by my Norwegian DNA. Working with [producer] Ben Greenberg is just the tops. No fuss, no hassle.

One thing that's always made Vaz stick out is the boldness of your hooks. Are there any contemporary major-label rock bands you secretly love?
Drawing a blank here.

Why did you release your new album on cassette?
One reason for the cassette was the time factor. We had a tour coming up and wanted it out now.

What's the most memorable show you've played in New York?
Opening for the Fall at Knitting Factory. Not my favorite, but the most memorable.

What's your favorite place to eat in New York?
M. Wells in Long Island City!

Go here to download "Blockade": http://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/2011/04/vaz_blockade_mp3.php

Monday, April 4, 2011

"Excess" by our very own Lame Drivers. For the dogs.


The first few minutes of this fan-made video feature an old school Cruisin' Classic from our boys Lame Drivers. Enjoy the tune, enjoy the beasts.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

A little rough. Who isn't?

ECON/Hijdra= unlikely joining of forces? Perhaps. Brave & The Bold, Marvel Team-Up, Red Heat, you know the drill. Sometimes it takes a coven, sometimes it takes the perfect pair.

Shit & Shine w/ King Coffey of Butthole Surfers @ our SXSW party last weekend...

Monday, January 3, 2011

You can't do that on television..


In what seems like unlikely news, SGG recording artist Bobb Bruno will be performing on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon tonight. Bobb will be shredding with his group Best Coast, so it's not really that weird. 12:35 EST on NBC. If we had TV we would cheer our buddy on for sure...

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Our favorite record store made the new S&S LP a record of the week. Thanks, aQ!

www.aquariusrecords.org/cat/newest.html

SHIT AND SHINE Live At The aQuarius recOrds / WFMU Showcase - SXSW 2010 (Sleeping Giant Glossolalia)
Last year's aQuarius / WFMU South By Southwest showcase was pretty tough to beat, if we do say so ourselves. An entire night of aQ faves, every single one kicking huge amounts of ass, and basically blowing us away over and over again. Just check out the lineup: Speedwolf, Iron Man, Moon Duo, Pierced Arrows, Dengue Fever, Epileptinomicon, Todd, True Widow, Sonny & The Sunsets, Headdress, Home Blitz, Drunkdriver, and Shit And Shine. We'd be hard pressed to pick a favorite set of the night, but lots of folks, ourselves included, might find ourselves leaning toward the rhythmic chaotic cacophony of Shit And Shine, a UK based multi-drummer drone-psych-noise unit who once called Texas home. And who, besides kicking up a glorious drum heavy racket, managed to keep the crowd riveted for their whole set, the members clad in strange costumes, a bunny suit, creepy plastic masks, furry animal heads, all while manning multiple drumkits and constantly switching instruments, and creating a glorious wall of pulsing, pounding, hypnotic sound. Luckily, the whole thing was captured on tape. And while maybe something is lost without the visuals, the music holds up surprisingly well on its own, the group's single song set spread out over two sides, right out of the gate, the band lock into a rhythm and don't let up.
The sound is blown out and in the red, helping make it sound exactly like being there (and like you forgot your earplugs), the legion of drummers, pounding out a rhythm in perfect unison, while the rest of the $+$ crew do their thing, their thing in this case being super distorted fuzzed out bass, processed alien vocals, blasts of screeching feedback, squalls of psychedelic white noise buzz, a sound that is basically krautrock writ NOISY and BLOWN OUT and HEAD CAVINGLY LOUD!
By the time the second half (side) rolls around, the buzz and pound are interrupted by thick shards of almost poppy melody, streaks of almost shogazey looped fragmented noise, until finally the jam switches gears, just a bit, and we get the $+$ version of 'bringing it down', a churning Circle like sludgekraut hypnorock groove that plays out until the record settles into a locked groove, which if you're not paying attention, will have you listening to that single groove for EVER, before realizing something is up. And hell, we actually listened to it for 5 or 6 minutes, and probably would have let it keep on playing... (and the first side ends with a locked groove too, so be prepared to be mesmerized, endlessly there too!)...
Heavy and hypnotic, the perfect sonic souvenir if you were there, an even more perfect slab of crushing corrosive rhythmic noise rock weirdness if you weren't.
Housed in a full color sleeve, an Austin backyard on one side, one of the $+$-ers on the other. Includes a Xeroxed insert, LIMITED TO 500 COPIES, each one hand numbered.