dredg - catch without arms

||| ONE OF MY FAVORITE BANDS |||

.:: If you wonder too long about where to place a band like Dredg, you’ll miss where they’re going. The band slips between the cracks of whatever rock classifications you try to stuff them into. Likewise, the Bay Area is just a mailing address; Dredg isn’t evocative of any particular place or scene.

So what do we make of a band that makes music that’s heavy, pretty, experimental and tuneful – sometimes all in the same song? You can be frustrated that Dredg rejects the idea that the goal of music is to be easily described a couple of buzz words. Or with attentive ears and an open mind, you can enjoy the hell out of ‘Catch Without Arms.’

Catch Without Arms is as unlike El Cielo as is El Cielo unlike Leitmotif. That is to say that the album has a more "uplifted" feel than any of its previous work, for better or for worse. On the one hand, no great band has ever stood still, aside from maybe AC/DC (that's a different story), but on the other hand every time a band changes its style a bit it leaves some fans behind.


download: dredg - catch without arms

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apeiron - night in krakow

.:: Apeiron is a duo of contemporary improvised music – grand piano and acoustic bass guitar – founded in Krakow by Marzena Lis and Rafal Mazur. They are working together since 2005 playing improvised music and realizing graphic scores. Apeiron is e self-reliant duo but members are really interested in cooperation with other artists.

They worked with Gilad Roth – saxophone, Rafal Drewniany – electronics, Tomek Choloniewski – drums and with Misha Feigin (concert at “Meeting of Improvisers” – Krakow 2007) - guitar. Apeiron working in “trans-idiomatic” aesthetic, it means that on the ground every available kinds of aesthetic artists create new configurations and new shapes and figures of sounds.

Marzena Lis: grand piano
Rafal Mazur: acoustic bass guitar

Recorded in concert, Center of Contemporary Arts, Krakow, October 2006, by Rafal Drewniany ("Dzwiek to Sztuka/Sound is Art" Studio)



download: apeiron - night in krakow

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quarashi - jinx

.:: "We're the band that comes from nowhere but listens to the whole world and then produces a record," says Sölvi Blondal, the songwriter/producer behind Iceland's Quarashi (pronounced "kwa-ra'-she"). "We're not from America, we're not from Europe, we're from Reykjavik, a small city in the North Atlantic. It's probably a good anthropology study: the rappers from Iceland."

But Quarashi is not only geographically unique, the group's music is an eclectic blend of rap, punk, and hard rock that displays an incredibly wide array of influences. "Our goal is to mix hip-hop and industrial, but always with a live feel," says Sölvi. "To make people think this is a live band, though most of it is programmed and sequenced."

On Jinx the beats range from straight-up hip-hop to murky industrial, sometimes provided by a drum machine, other times by a live drummer. Turntable scratches give way to fat bass lines and screeching guitars. Background vocals blend with the flows of two or three rappers at a time. Horns, voices, and piano rolls are sampled and distorted.

The state of the art production is as impressive as anything coming from either side of the Atlantic. "The original point of the band was mixing British break beats and American hip-hop together," says Hössi. "It's as if Chemical Brothers and the Prodigy rumbled with Cypress Hill and Public Enemy."

The group has a loyal following, especially in their native Iceland. Each of their records (Switchstance, Quarashi, Xeneizes, Kristnihald undir Jökli, Jinx, Guerilla Disco) have sold well in their homeland. Quarashi was a rap group, but they combined elements of rock, techno, and funk into their songs, lending an air of unpredictability to their music.

Comparisons to Rage Against the Machine, Eminem, and The Beastie Boys are often heard when discussing Quarashi, but the group had their own unique style that distinguished them from other famous rap/rock groups. Their influences ranged from Public Enemy (Blöndal says that P.E.'s Fear Of A Black Planet is what inspired him to make music) to Led Zeppelin, and that can be heard in their songs.


download: quarashi - jinx

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pedro the lion - progress (ep)

.:: The band -- named after principal member David Bazan's idea for a children's book character -- has been crafting their deeply personal melodic pop since 1995. After numerous personnel changes, Bazan finally settled on a lineup he could live with: himself.

A few months after Winners Never Quit, Suicide Squeeze Records released Bazan's Progress EP, featuring four songs that continue in the mold of Winners.

Progress is the third EP by Pedro the Lion.


download: pedro the lion - progress (ep)

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fugazi - red medicine

.:: … the thing is: if you have Ian MacKaye on vocals & guitars, Guy Picciotto on vocals & guitar, Joe Lally on bass, Brendan Canty on drums… you got Fugazi. So, the questions is: do you really need a review?

It's Fugazi !!! Which means you will enjoy one of the greatest bands ever !!!

BUT if you really need to read a review anyway, let Mark Kemp introduce you to this awesome album:

Fugazi have never been quite as one-dimensional as their critics would have it. On their first full-length album, 1990's Repeater, the D.C. quartet reinvented the sound of American hardcore. They wailed their emotionally charged political diatribes in between sturdy, lurching rhythms, Zeppelin-style changes in tempo and dynamics, and dissonant, distorted guitar textures. Even so, for noncultists, the group's defiantly anticorporate preachiness often overshadowed the music; think Fugazi and you think ideology more than rocking out.

Red Medicine takes great pains to shatter these preconceptions, and the results are stunning. Fugazi have branched out musically and chilled out lyrically; they've added jazzy piano, dub-style bass and percussion, psychedelic guitar and even a snaky Middle Eastern-style melody to their palette. Instead of cramming angry diatribes down your throat, the group pulls back on several tunes, gently whispering its tales of the apocalypse through wavering sound effects. Fugazi even allow the music to speak for itself on a couple of instrumentals.

Fugazi have long been known for their earnest contempt for anything vaguely smacking of "mainstream" – guitarist Ian MacKaye was responsible for the legendary Minor Threat's Überpious hardcore anthem "Straight Edge." Now MacKaye's finally discovered that humor can be a good antidote to the world's woes, too. Behind the catchy surf guitars of "Target," a song about corporate America's co-opting of alternative, guitarist Guy Picciotto sings, "I realized that I hate the sound of guitars." At times, the group camps it up: Check out the glammy delivery on the bitterly introspective "Forensic Scene," the affected falsetto part in the moody "Fell, Destroyed" and the vocal nod to AC/DC's Bon Scott on the hard-rocking "Latest Disgrace."

For all its eclecticism, Red Medicine is rock solid, held together with seductive hooks, hummable melodies and an overarching continuity that takes the listener from the familiar Fugazi sound of "Do You Like Me" and the aptly titled "Back to Base" to the mesmerizing psychedelia and spare dub of "By You" and "Version." This is an album for all fans of inventive guitar rock – whether Fugazi like it or not.



download: fugazi - red medicine

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sarah mclachlan - afterglow

.:: During the mid-'90s, Sarah McLachlan was a near-ubiquitous presence in pop music, establishing adult alternative pop radio with 1994's Fumbling Toward Ecstasy and 1997's Surfacing and spearheading the popular Lilith Fair touring festival, but once the last Lilith wound up in 1999, she retreated from the spotlight, had a baby, and seemingly retired from music.

Four years later, she made a typically subdued return with Afterglow, her first album in six years. Not much has changed in the time she was away. Afterglow is firmly within the McLachlan signature sound -- a softly tuneful, mildly atmospheric blend of classic singer/songwriterism and a touch of vaguely dreamy alternative pop, all shined and immaculately produced by Pierre Marchand.

Some may call that predictable, some may call it reliable, but there's little arguing that Afterglow is a solid effort -- it won't win new fans, but it will certainly satisfy the old ones. -- Stephen Thomas Erlewine


download: sarah mclachlan - afterglow

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aphasia - aphasia

||| REPOSTED |||

.:: Aphasia is a California-based alternative rock band. Forming in 2001, the band solidified their sound and lineup in high school, and began playing shows around the Bay Area, their local area.

By 2003 they had come to the attention of Trapt, another Northern Californian post-grunge band. Trapt mentored Aphasia and provided them with management and record-release assistance. Their first release was a three song teaser EP; shortly thereafter, in 2004, they released their first self-titled album. In 2005, DRT Entertainment re-sequenced, re-titled, and re-released the album as Fact & Fiction. In 2005, the band toured as an opener for Trapt, alongside Blindside. They are now currently on tour throughout the United States.


.:: Aphasia es una banda independiente californiana, que ha base de shows en vivo y la ayuda de internet han ido acrecentando su base de fans. Alejados del punk (plástico) tan en boga en nuestros días, o el "emo" de chicos lindos tocando riffs brutales, Aphasia ha conseguido un sonido sólido, honesto y sin pretensiones: rock con grandes melodías y tintes de hardcore.

download: aphasia - aphasia

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scott walker - and who shall go to the ball? and what shall go to the ball?

.:: 'And Who Shall Go To The Ball And What Shall Go To The Ball' is the second release on 4AD for legendary artist and composer Scott Walker. The album (a 25-minute-long, four-movement instrumental suite), originally commissioned as a contemporary dance piece for disabled and non-disabled dance company CandoCo, is a twenty five minute instrumental work split into four movements.

Over the last 40 years, Scott has created a unique body of work, and it is no exaggeration to say that he is one of the most influential and widely-respected recording artists of all time. In 2003, Scott received a special award from Q magazine, and that accolade was followed by the arrival of the lavish 'Five Easy Pieces' box set, which has further cemented his critical reputation.


.:: Listeners familiar with his erratic output of last couple of decades will know that when Scott Walker breaks those famously-long bouts of public inactivity the results can be perplexing, challenging and downright confrontational.
Commissioned by London’s South Bank Centre in 2006 to produce a score for a contemporary dance piece, Walker has turned in a series of oblique and angular strokes of the musical brush which coalesce into four edgy movements.

Whilst sharing the uneven contours that shaped The Drift as well as some personnel (including Mark Warman, co-producer Pete Walsh and Alasdair Molloy – seen in the recently released SW documentary 30th Century Man being instructed to slap and punch a side of pork for percussive effect), the biggest difference is the absence of Walker’s haunted croon.

The resulting chamber music has the strings, woodwind, and brass of the London Sinfonietta deploy terse motifs and abrupt flicks of rhythm slashing at the air, trading places with ambiguity, silence and solitude. Cinematic echoes abound. The taut grunt of the bowed basses evoke flashes of John Williams, Bernard Herrmann and Elizabeth Lutyens, whilst the dissonant churning of “4th Movement” has shrill galloping Louis Andriessen-like repetitions on the brass, colliding one on top of each other before being electronically accelerated into oblivion.

No stranger to the emotive cues and triggers required for movie soundtracks (in 1999 he provided the music to Leos Carax’ Pola X), this score provides ample opportunity for dancers to make their mark. A master of his entrances and exits, Walker gathers all the loose ends thrown up in to the air during the previous 20 or so minutes, distilling them into a sustained D chord, and thus providing the album with a powerful sense of mournful resolution.

No doubt it’ll be labelled ‘pretentious’ by members of the critical orthodoxy that, by and large, prefers musicians and artists to remain firmly inside the box into which they’ve been interred. Walker has never been one to conform to anyone’s expectations and having been in the game this long, he’s not about to start now. -- by Sid Smith (21 September 2007)

download: scott walker - and who shall go to the ball? and what shall go to the ball?

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univers zero - 1313

.:: 1313 was Univers Zero's first release, and has a kind of primitive feel to it - perhaps because the music is very sparse and almost entirely acoustic. Violins and other stringed instruments intertwine their staccato notes with bassoon and guitar to create a slow-moving, foreboding soundscape that, aside from Daniel Denis' drumming, has as much in common with modern chamber music than it does rock music.

Denis' drumming, speaking of which, is way forward in the mix (much higher than in subsequent releases) and adds a lot of tension and aggression to the music. There are a lot of martial-sounding rhythms egging the compositions on. Edgy stuff.

Overall I find that 1313 is the most difficult of Univers Zero albums for me to really get into. The sparseness of sound makes for a lack of intensity that later albums are not burdened by. Nevertheless, it's still a fairly good album, and fans of chamber-rock in the Art Zoyd tradition, or those that specifically hunt down anything with a heavy Bartok influence, will be in for a good time.


download: univers zero - 1313

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talk talk - spirit of eden

||| AWESOME |||

.:: "Something awful has happened; something terrible. Something worse, even, than the fall of man. For in that greatest of all tragedies, we merely lost Paradise -- and with it, everything that made life worth living. What has happened since is unthinkable: we've gotten used to it".
-- John Eldredge, The Journey of Desire

When most people enjoy a record, they generally speak of the music's vibe. It makes them feel good for no specific reason; it provides a pleasurable escape from the agitations of life. But sample the reactions of those who have listened to Spirit of Eden, and it's immediately apparent that this record draws out the most private emotions.

What's going on here? Why would Spirit of Eden become a person's most prized possession, an object that would be invited into the most intimate moments? It is one of those rare works that causes the listener to get in touch with the inner self -- safely. It drags us by the ear to regions of the heart we would not voluntarily visit on our own. Spirit of Eden has been labeled prog, ambient, experimental; I prefer to see it as a soundtrack.

As such, it suits those quiet moments when, deprived of all the devices and distractions we fill our lives with, we come precariously close to the sickening feelings of our ontological lightness. When life begins to lose its artificial meaning and contrived purpose, when we feel our complete aloneness and despair, when we realize something dear is lost, that's when a record like Spirit of Eden speaks to the soul and says, "the fear is excruciating, but that is where your deliverance lies".

Spirit of Eden was fueled by Hollis' own life and death struggle. Having been addicted to heroin, he arrived at the conclusion that this prop, too, had to be kicked away. The terror of letting go of the one thing that gave a false sense of control inspired the cavernous sound of the record, and within those echoing canyons Hollis pushed through to resolution.

Ditching the taut tones of Casio keyboards, Talk Talk utilized a wholly organic sound for Spirit of Eden: real drums and real guitars augmented by harrowing improvisations on woodwinds and brass. Sustained, irregular piano chords announce thematic changes while swells from a church organ cause the record to draw deep, labored breaths. The falling and rising of the music, from thick silence to cacophony, is the main characteristic of this album.

Techno? New romantic? MTV? Although this music has no direct antecedents, as a matter of reference it feels like Thelonious Monk, Dmitri Shostokovich, and Iron Butterfly meshed together. Yet, there is a timeless if not ancient character to the sounds that reaches across varied traditions. The tracks sprawl to an average length of nearly seven minutes. The lyrics are appropriately cryptic and non-specific. Spirit of Eden bypasses the head and sets a mood directly for the heart.

Spirit of Eden is a record that cuts to the marrow, challenging our resigned contentment with the way things are. It's a spirit that slides under the gates of time and genre, reaching up to haunt us out of a stupor. Like any great art, it defies analysis and can only be experienced at the most individual level.

Heaven bless you, Mark Hollis.
read this great review by Chuck Hicks


download: talk talk - spirit of eden

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helmet - monochrome

.:: It's offical: Page Hamilton still has "it." "Monochrome" features all the classic moves - stutter-stops; polyrhythms; shrieking guitars; sinewy riffs that repeat at the strangest times; terse, clever vocals - that made Helmet such a welcome slap in the face in the late 80's-early 90's. After resurrecting the "Helmet" moniker for 2003's "Size Matters," Page proves in 2006 that he remains a force to be reckoned with.

"Size Matters" was decent, but still came up short of the standard set by classic albums like "Meantime." What makes "Monochrome" a great Helmet album is that Page has found his rhythmic muse again. He's cooked up a few twisted riffs here that rival "Turned Out" or "Distracted" from the early days. On bass, Chris Traynor (who tours as the rhythm guitarist) lays down a solid, supple groove, meshing perfectly with drummer Mike Jost. Jost's drum sound often recalls that of John Stanier, particularly in the force with which he strikes the skins.

Sonically, "Monochrome" sounds like what "Strap It On" would have sounded like if they had had any money at the time. This means that Page's guitar might actually sound more disgusting here than on ANY other Helmet recording - and that is a beautiful thing!

BUT !!! Page's vocals are just way off course.
What "Monochrome" delivers is a bit of old-school Helmet with very few, if any, upgrades. Songs like "Brand New" don't really sound brand new, just retreading old territory. "Monochrome" is better than "Size Matters," their previous effort, by a long shot. But is it anywhere close to what the band did in the late 80's/90's?


download: helmet - monochrome

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faith no more - live at the brixton academy

.:: Led by the colorful Mike Patton alternative metal band Faith No More enjoyed international success without watering down their bizarre blend of thrash guitar wailing vocals and plaintive piano.

Live at the Brixton Academy was the only officially released live album by Faith No More. It was recorded by William Shapland on April 28, 1990 in the Brixton Academy, London during the tour supporting their third studio album The Real Thing.

It was released on August 20, 1990 Internationally and as an audio only version, under the name of Live at the Brixton Academy, in the United Kingdom on February 4, 1991 with two bonus tracks from The Real Thing sessions.

download: faith no more - live at the brixton academy

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ação direta - revolta/repúdio/confronto/resistência

.:: The band started out its activities in the city of São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo’s ABC area: concerts around Brazil, Argentina and Europe, different members, albums released, participation in several greatest hit collections. A story of attitude, persistence and integrity with heavy music, having always pursued the underground paths.

Revolta/Repúdio/Confronto/Resistência, was released by label Bombardeio Distro and counted on the participation of special guests such as Jão (RATOS DE PORÃO), Heros Trench (KORZUS), Parmito (FDS/TUJERPIIS) and Marcus D`Ângelo (CLAUSTROFOBIA). The CD presents an explosive fusion of Hardcore/Metal/Grind, achieving a unique level of sonority.

The lyrics, always up-to-date, bring up issues such as globalization and its effects, wars, social problems, intolerance, existentialism and the human decadence.

The CD was also released in Germany and England. Promotion work of the CD was very intense. In addition to the concerts, in many Brazilian states, the band also set out on its fourth European tour in October and November, performing in 6 different countries, totaling 33 concerts. Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and Slovenia were the countries visited.

A video was shot with the song "pesado (nightmare)" and aired on alternative TV shows and the Internet; also, broadcast by MTV and TV Cultura. Now, in 2006, São Paulo’s ABC area quartet is back with its new album, celebrating 18 years work, with a renewed energy.


download: ação direta - revolta/repúdio/confronto/resistência

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schizm - in the sleep of death

||| RESPOSTED |||

.:: Since their first backyard show in the late 96, Schizm has played every club and backyard in the greater Los Angeles area sharing the stage with such acts as Youth Brigade, Union 13, Voodoo Glow Skulls, Nerve Agents as well as international acts like 2minutos, and Tijuana No.

From their different musical backgrounds the four piece consisting of Abraham Muñoz on guitar, Rene Delatorre also on guitar, Baltazar Rodriguez (Union 13) on bass & Vocals, and Arturo Ramirez on drums, they were able to combine their talents and produce their own aggressive approach to the hardcore/punk scene. Their loyal underground following lead to the success of their first EP. "Where Is Our Savior??" that was released in 2000.

With the combination of angst written lyrics focusing on their dissatisfaction of the world around them, sung over aggressive guitar riffs and a fast and driving rhythm section, their first release seemed to hit home for a lot of fans. With help from their long time friends Union 13, Schizm was given the opportunity to open up on a northern California tour. Schizm also headed south of the border where the Mexican punk scene seemed to embrace their music and energetic live delivery.

After numerous shows and an introduction of many different musical influences, Schizm returned to the studio to begin working on their strongest release to date, "In The Sleep Of Death". With the lyrical content focusing mostly on their individual struggles and the music combining both more melodic undertones and still managing to stay as aggressive as ever, the new record is both a personal triumph as well as a bookmark to the place in life were the members stand.

With the introduction of guitarist Omar Hernandez and drummer Manuel Limon, Schizm was now ready to broaden their fan base by heading south of the border and embarking on a complete Mexico tour. .

Abraham Muñoz : Guitar, Vocals
Baltazar Rodriguez : Vocals, Bass (Union 13)(a friend of mine by the way)
Manuel Limon : Drums
Omar Hernandez : Guitar, Vocals

download: schizm - in the sleep of death

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dred scott trio - live at rockwood music hall

.:: this disc (live at rockwood) demonstrates that scott's vision of bop is a deeply personal one, which can be either cozily swinging or devilishly tricky.' time out, ny

'Live at the Rockwood Music Hall is a beautiful showcase of this dynamic piano trio.' allaboutjazz-newyork

.:: liner notes:

An elder statesman of the jazz scene here in new york city recently said to me, 'i don't know how you guys today learn how to play.' today in manhattan, the billionaires push out the millioaires and while i am always reluctant to say these are the worst of times, the days when musicians ran all over town going from one gig to the next certainly is fading (or gone depending whom you talk to).

Clubs coming and going have always been a part of life but rare is the place a musician can call home and feel supported to develop and try new things. enter ken rockwood. when he opened the rockwood music hall in january, 2005, it was a place with a singer/songwriter format. six acts a night. every night. i thought, hell, original music is original music. so what if it's instrumental. we weren't out enought for the avant-garde downtown scene and we weren't retro (or famous) enough for the uptown/upscale jazz clubs.

We needed a place to play regularly that had a decent piano. so i approached ken and asked him to try my trio on an off night (tuesdays) in a slot nobody wanted (the last one, midnight) and let us sink in for awhile and see if we couldn't garner a regular following. it worked and a year later ken suggested we make a recording documenting our long residency (which continues). words cannot fully express the gratitude i, my band and everyone who plays there (with the exception of the lamplighters - what jerk-offs) feel for ken and tommy. you guys fucking rock!. dredscott.com

This is an album from an artist who really understands how the industry is changing… has changed

download: dred scott trio - live at rockwood music hall

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robi draco rosa - vagabundo

||| REPOSTED (JUST BECAUSE) |||

.:: Anyone who has an interest in poetic, dark, melodic rock should definitely listen to this CD. Puerto Rico has never had many large international artists in the alternative rock genre, then, along comes Draco. Releasing Frio and establishing himself as a genuine artist. Then, in 1996, he releases Vagabundo.

The story of a dark time in the composer's life, and completely establishes himself as the leader of the field. This cd is one of those personal, cult gems that you dont let go of. The cd is in spanish, but anyone can appreciate the mood that is set throughout this album, culminating with an incredible song with impeccable arrangement (Amantes Hasta El Fin) and an exit from the world you have just gotten lost in, listening to this cd (Mientras Camino). Enjoy the journey....

The legend of Draco has been growing since his collaborations with Ricky Martin, composing hits like "María," "La copa de la vida," and "Livin' La Vida Loca." His first Spanish-language album, Frío, was released in 1993; his 1996 Vagabundo, produced by Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera, was included in Spin magazine's 1997 list of the top 10 greatest rock en español records of all time.


.:: Enigmático y excéntrico... Con una propuesta artística enmarcada en el "hard rock" y el "alternative", este álbum, producido por Phil Manzanera (Roxy Music), representó un salto en calidad de grandes proporciones. Armonías vocales al estilo de "Alice In Chains", letras poéticas alusivas "al valle de flores de la muerte", con las guitarras en una afinación más baja de lo usual para crear un sonido más denso y pesado, "Vagabundo" es el disco "gótico" de Robi.

La influencia literaria de poetas como Arthur Rimbaud, Charles Baudelaire y William Blake son patentes en las líricas, que torna el disco en una especie de crónica poética de su etapa de adicción a las drogas que caracterizó sus años de búsqueda musical y personal en Nueva York.

Podría llamarse ésta, "la etapa de la distorsión": distorsión en las guitarras y distorsión en su imagen, desaliñado y con numerosos tatuajes, alejado de aquella imagen de "niño lindo" de sus años con Menudo.

A pesar de la indiscutible calidad del mismo, el disco tampoco logró ventas impresionantes. No obstante, con él Robi fue forjándose de una fanaticada pequeña pero fiel que llenó su concierto en el Anfiteatro Luis Muñoz Marín (1998) y tres funciones en la discoteca Warehouse (1996).

El cantautor anunció entonces que había cambiado su nombre legalmente a Draco Cornelius Rosa; promocionándose en lo sucesivo como Robi Draco Rosa. Igualmente adoptó otro seudónimo para su trabajo como compositor y productor de su compañero de Menudo, Ricky Martin. Bajo el nombre de Ian Blake, Draco es coautor de éxitos mundiales como "Volverás" y "María". También compuso y co-produjo el próximo disco de Martin, "Vuelve" (1998).

download: robi draco rosa - vagabundo

alejandro escuer - aqua, música para flauta y electrónica

||| REPOSTED BY REQUEST |||

.:: ''Aqua'' gathers exceptionally original composers from the United States, Mexico, Italy and The Netherlands. Each piece has a different, contrasting style and offers a fresh, distinctive perspective not just on the use of electronic media but on the conception of flute sound itself, resulting in a unique, very creative, innovative and powerful sound recording.

This project depicts and transforms the most surreal registers of the flute by recording and transforming the sound of water, matching the flutist's breath with the sound of flying insects, using every day speech and combining it with rhytmical patterns, and even taking the listener to an imaginary mirror house full of reflecting and sorrounding sounds. Above all, ''Aqua'' is a comprehensive sonic art journey.

.:: ''Aqua'' reúne el trabajo de compositores de Estados Unidos, México, Italia y Holanda. Cada pieza ejecutaba por este grandioso flautista mexicano tiene un toque y estilo diferente al resto, y ofrece además una perspectiva diferente no sólo de el uso de la electrónica (video, audio, etc) sino del propio sonido de la flauta. La manipulación de elementos electrónicos aúnados a la flauta de Escuer se mezcla con sonidos de insectos, agua y patrones rítmicos, llevando al escucha a parajes nunca visitados. Todo esto da como resultado un disco creativo, único y poderoso.

download: alejandro escuer - aqua, música para flauta y electrónica (méxico)

d'incise - les restes du festin

.::«Rhythms that bleed. Rhythms that rust and fall apart. Rhythms that fracture your perception of time. D'incise's decompositional approach is charged with an electricity that turns actual objects into distorted images. At times, you will find your neck's vertebrae moving back and forth to keep a time only existant in your mind.

In the collaborative nature of "Les Restes du Festin", we can hear micro-cuts from various improvised music recordings of Johann Bourquenez (piano), Christian Graf (guitare), Christophe Berthet (saxophones), Gaël Riondel (saxophones), Cyril Bondi (drums) and d'incise (piano and percusions). In addition, we can hear the talented intervention of Lena, Bluermutt, Hopen, Ibakusha, and Monsieur Connard.

Here, electronic thoughts are translated into numerous acoustic dances to the point of loosing distinction. Dancing thoughts of electronic motion. A grand piano that stands up as anthropomorphic figure to interact and dialogue with the player. Frequencies that tickle the tympanic membrane in order to descend through the eustachian tube reverberating eternally. Binary codes that materialize into percussive instruments; number ones as drumsticks, and zeros as bass drums.

Dusty pieces of metal falling through a waterfall of sound waves until they reach the depths of an ocean of noise. Water ripples become multicolored threads that float around a beam of light. Mercury plugs that melt when plugged into amplifiers. Unidentified Flying Objects that become cymbals and give a message about phenomenal spaces. Static hairs follicles that abandon the skin to encounter the vibrations coming from the speakers. These are some of the visions I receive when listening to this sonic constructions. Micro-cuts from a macro-musician.» - Sebastian Alvarez


download: d'incise - les restes du festin

pass: indie-ground.blogspot.com

oblige - expectants

.:: There's not much info on the net about them, but Oblige are one kickass band, hard pounding double bass with great vocals. Truely a great band! " Expectants " Its sure to be good.

Oblige is a Heavy Metal/Death Metal/Techniquel band from Riverside, CA.
So if you like Pantera and Meshuggah, you better get this album.


download: oblige - expectants

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these arms are snakes - this is meant to hurt you

.:: These Arms Are Snakes is a Seattle-based post-hardcore quartet currently on Suicide Squeeze Records, featuring former members of Botch, Nineironspitfire, and Minneapolis-based Kill Sadie, with drummer/producer Chris Common joining after the recording of Oxeneers or the Lion Sleeps When Its Antelope Go Home.

Born of the ashes of seminal art thrashers Botch and Minneapolis punk heroes Kill Sadie, Seattle's These Arms are Snakes are fast-becoming an integral part of the Pacific Northwest's ever-dynamic musical fabric. Employing sinister guitar licks mixed with equal parts snarly vocals and a pension for spaced out musical long form - has painted the buzz heavy Snakes as anything but conventional.

The band has toured endlessly, plastering both coasts with their livid live shows and with their eyes squarely focused on progressing and challenging all the current notions of hardcore, These Arms are Snakes are now poised to take their game to the next level – bringing all the passion and promise of their previous endeavors to splendid completion.

They have toured the U.S.A. with such notable bands as Minus the Bear, Big Business, Mastodon, Cursive, The Blood Brothers, Engine Down, Hot Water Music, Isis, Pelican and Against Me!. Both Minus the Bear and The Blood Brothers have lent members to assist in the recording of Oxeneers or the Lion Sleeps When Its Antelope Go Home.


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tusk - the resisting dreamer

.:: This is the latest CD from Tusk, which includes three members of Pelican (guitarist Trevor de Brauw, bassist Laurent Schroeder-Lebec and drummer Larry Herwig) along with new co-vocalists Evan Patterson (Breather Resist) and Toby Driver (Kayo Dot).

The Resisting Dreamer finds Tusk moving away from the "avant-grind" of their last album into a little different, but still very unique territory. It's one of those albums that's hard to describe, a diverse and eclectic mix of genres that includes noise, doom, space rock, stoner metal and a few others. The music ranges from slow, simple dirges to fast, complex songs to unusual and experimental tracks that are sometimes noisy and dissonant, other times subdued and groovy.

The album is one long song divided into 4 tracks, and the last one clocks in at 16 minutes and is all instrumental. The different genres, styles and moods described above are all packed into a relatively short album. The Resisting Dreamer is an avant-garde CD that is aggressive, complex, and always interesting.


.:: 28 months after the start of initial tracking, 10 months since anyone gave a shit, Tusk is ready to share their magnum opus, their potential swan song, "The Resisting Dreamer", with the world via the Tortuga Recording Company of Los Angeles, CA.

Two and a half years in the making, "The Resisting Dreamer" is a single 37 minute song divided into four tracks across two sides of vinyl or one side of shiny plastic (depending on your purchasing preference). Original vocalist Jody Minnoch was not available to contribute, but the record benefits from the disparate sounds and intensely talented contributions of Evan Patterson of Young Widows and Toby Driver of Kayo Dot.

The two vocalists contributed their own lyrics in tandem and together weave a tale of regret, resentment, and (classic Tusk lyrical theme) descent in madness as the inner worlds of despair and guilt ravage the soul of the album's protagonist, who caves into their nightmarish inner world to ultimately taste "The Lewdness and Frenzy of Surrender."

Recorded and mixed by Tusk alumn Greg Norman at Electrical Audio studios (during Pelican's "Fire In Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw" sessions from midnight to five am) and Studio Greg Studios II, the album has a sound and style unlike anything we have attempted in the past. Occasionally groove-laden, occasionally spastic, and often unnerving, "The Resisting Dreamer" is the sound of a band that has absolutely no interest in proving anything to anyone.


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ed gein - judas goats and dieseleaters

.:: Noisy, un-economical, polluting and mass consuming, mankind and tractor-trailers seem to share more than a few things in common. And as simply as the wheels of commerce keep turning, many of those in positions of power are always hungry to keep progressing; spreading; growing. In many ways it would also seem that in many respects, humanity and cancer share a lot in common.

"The general population of the United States doesn’t care about much outside of their car and fast food," says Aaron Jenkins, Ed Gein’s bassist/primary lyricist and one of the trios’ three vocalists. The band has been pounding the pavement hard since their formation in 2001, touring furiously and earning themselves a cult-like following across the US and Canada.

Playing a hybrid style of thrash, metal, sludge, grind and punk, Ed Gein use their self-described ‘angry-noise punk’ style as a means to deliver their politically and socially charged message. "It’s all a matter of being aware and thinking for yourself," says Jenkins. "A ‘Judas-goat’ is an older animal at a slaughter-house trained to lead the other animals to slaughter. In exchange, the animal is taken care of almost like a family pet until they are no longer of use. A large portion of the world’s population falls into one of the unfortunate categories of either being a betrayer or one of the millions of mindless, resource-eating followers."

Judas Goats and Dieseleaters was recorded by Chris Owens (Lords, Coliseum, Breather Resist) and all artwork was handled by the famed Paul Romano (Mastodon, The Red Chord, Trivium). Ed Gein has performed at such noteworthy festivals as Hellfest and the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival and also appeared on the Hellfest 2003 DVD compilation.

The band has also played or toured with the likes of Breather Resist (Jade Tree), Minor Times (Prosthetic), Animosity (BMA), The Red Chord (Metal Blade), All Else Failed (Abacus), Burnt by the Sun (Relapse), Pig Destroyer (Relapse), Unearth (Metal Blade), Bleeding Through (Trustkill), Underoath (Solid State), and Every Time I Die (Ferret) amongst many others. Currently on full US tour with Curl Up and Die (Revelation) and Animosity (BMA) with extensive tour plans in the works for the rest of the year.

Armed with the simple motto Go Fast!, expect Ed Gein to take their enraged stance on the current state of world affairs far and wide in support of Judas Goats and Dieseleaters.


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sebadoh - bakesale

.:: As a songwriter, Lou Barlow is the Joni Mitchell of indie rock's low-fi chic. His simple, often acousticbased pop melodies are packed with twisted, unresolved feelings of romance, loss, obsession and self-doubt.Sebadoh are Barlow's Velvet Underground, wrapping his confessions in fuzz, hiss and distortion and setting them alongside complementary songs by band mates Jason Loewenstein and Eric Gaffney.

Although Barlow's is the band's strongest personality, the depth and dynamics of Sebadoh's music lie in the group's democratic approach: The members trade off on guitar, bass and drums, and their individual songs offer slightly differing perspectives.

That recipe has worked, more or less, over the course of numerous homemade singles, cassettes and albums on various indie labels. Last year's Bubble and Scrape was Sebadoh's zenith, its blend of folk, punk and basement experimentation offering a vivid portrait of the trio with more accessible songs and confident playing.

The more straight-ahead rock of Bakesale takes a step backward. Gaffney, an on-again/off-again member from the beginning, has officially left for a solo career, and his replacement, longtime pinch hitter Bob Fay, adds little to the group's sound; Fay's only contribution is the wispy "Temptation Tide" – interesting filler, but it doesn't belong on a Sebadoh album.

Bakesale is not without merit, though. Barlow's shredding "License to Confuse" kicks off the album with a wallop, offering an unintended apology for the currently disheveled Sebadoh: "I'm not attractive today/I'm not a sight for sore eyes."

He also checks in with his quota of melody and introspection, exploring the awkwardness and intrigue of rebound dating in the gently seductive "Skull" ("I don't know who you are/ But I know what I would like you to be") and the hard-rocking "Rebound." Loewenstein's strongest material – the driving "Careful" and the hypnotic "Not Too Amused" – hang on intricate guitar-bass interplay and a steady groove.


.:: It was only a matter of time before the return of the sensitive singer-songwriter. However, the 1990s style requires that the introspection be broken up with a little tomfoolery. Sebadoh are masters of the game. Lou Barlow is the inquisitive and earnest leader who delivers the heartfelt "Not a Friend" and "Together or Alone" with all the hurt and pain he can fit on his sleeve.

Jason Loewenstein is the guy with the captivating guitar line. Put together, they're something like Donny and Marie--one is a little bit sensitive, the other a little bit rock 'n' noise. And just to prove they're a democracy, they give drummer Bob Fay some with his lone composition, the surprisingly tuneful "Temptation Tide." --Rob O'Connor


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