Psychic Teens - Teen

2011; 7 tracks

I know next to nothing about this band (except that they are from Philadelphia), but I do know that they leave me feeling pleasantly cold inside.

One person says they "ride the 80's goth/darkwave era hard, but with a bit more added noise and distortion that will likely draw mentions of influence from shoegaze, etc. The singer especially seems to really be following the Joy Division line of approach, with cold monotone echoed out vocals."

"The seven-song record channels their communal taste for Sonic Youth's dissonance and Joy Division's brooding new wave/punk."

In an interview, the singer-guitarist Larry Ragone says, "I think if there was a character who was the star of all of the songs, it'd be some angry kid. He's probably wearing a black sweatshirt and kicking rocks while he walks down the street mad at the world, mad at girls. It's sort of dark, but that's OK — it has to match the music."

Hopefully you can gain a sense of what this band is like. I'm reminded of the gothic/psychobilly flair of Calabrese, but that's only because I don't listen to music of this sort as often as I should.

Bandcamp / Purchase

Men's Recovery Project - Bolides Over Basra

2000; 14 tracks

For the first post of December, here is the second and last full-length by the punk/experimental band Men's Recovery Project. It is definitely my idea of perfection - recommended if you like The Residents!

What is this bump on your head?
What is this strange taste in your mouth?

Rat At Rat R - Rat At Rat R

1991; 8 tracks

Rat At Rat R was a noise rock quartet formed in the early 80s by Victor Poison-tete. After moving from Philadelphia into New York, they quickly became a major part of the underground NYC scene alongside bands like Sonic Youth and Swans. Rat At Rat R was the group's third and final release, and it is full of noisy, artsy, Swans-y no-wavey greatness.

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Big Black - Songs About Fucking

1987; 14 tracks

I feel a little behind, but even if I found out how incredible Songs About Fucking is today or in 500 years the effect would still be the same: this is incredible.

Big Black was a noise rock/post-punk band from Illinois founded in the early 80s by guitarist/vocalist/lyricist Steve Albini, who you might also know from Shellac (I suggest reading more about their background here). Along with his work with his bands, Albini has also engineered hundreds of albums and recording projects, all of which are top-notch releases - check out the full list here. It is clear why so many people see him as the father of the independent noise and post-punk scenes.

It is a very brutal album, surely, but Songs About Fucking is essential listening.

got a headache like a pillow

Savage Republic - Customs

1989; 8 tracks

Savage Republic was a tribal/noise rock/experimental/post-punk band hailing from the 80s L.A. underground scene. Their sound is a mixture of many elements - psychedelic drones, middle-eastern cantillation and tribal rhythms. Influences include Einstürzende Neubauten, Joy Division, Sonic Youth, Throbbing Gristle, and others. Customs, their last album before splitting then getting back together with a different line-up, can accurately be considered a masterpiece.

I know that much, much more could be said about Savage Republic, and I find myself wanting to go through their entire discography (which is quite large), but standing alone Customs is a terrific album.

"Their brand of ritualistically tribal exhibitions blurred the boundaries of post-punk and industrial music. Their music incorporates minimalist bass rumbles, exotic and/or militaristic drumming, Arabic melodies, primal chants and even a bit of surf guitar."

guilt is a luxury I can't afford

70 Gwen Party - John Peel Sessions 1, 2, 3 & 4

1995; 19 tracks



Politically charged underground industrial duo from Britian. last.fm



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The Clean - Vehicle

1990; 13 tracks



The Clean was a leading and influential indie-rock band from the Dunedin music scene, and have now begun touring again and recently released a new album. Anyway, this album was their first. Enjoy some heavily light-hearted indie pop-rock/whatever you call this stuff.



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Sixx - Sister Devil

2009; 8 tracks

Get this. Get this. Get this. Get this. Get this.

Sixx = members of Von playing Joy Division-esque black metal. First recorded in 1991 but not widely distributed until 2009, Sister Devil is just so dark and bleak and perfect.

"The lo-fi atmosphere and an almost tentative approach to the songs are complimented and tied together by creepy spoken interludes by frontman Goat ... that sound like 'found' recordings of a killer's last confession."

In the boundaries of the circle
Under natural light of white
Sitting with jointed fingertips
A voice which hums
Lost deep within the magic of the circle

Silk Flowers - Silk Flowers

2009; 10 tracks

Groovy and dark, Silk Flowers is a New York-based trio featuring Ethan Swan, Aviram Cohen, and Peter Schuette. This is their first full-length album after releasing the EP As Above So Below, and they more recently released another full-length, Ltd. Form.

Silk Flowers' self-titled album is very dark - the deep, rich vocals are similar to those of Joy Division, and the underground atmosphere of the jungle-like grooves and beats contribute to a distinct spookiness. It took a few tries for me to appreciate it, admittedly. Still, it is very listenable. "Costume" is a favorite. Jazzy, colorful, unpredictable... Silk Flowers made me feel as if I were in a morgue or graveyard full of dancing zombies.

The dead have highways. Only the living are lost.

Cult of Youth - Cult of Youth

2011; 11 tracks

"With a sound that is simultaneously murky and pastoral, Cult of Youth is neo-folk as seen through a post-punk lens, combining effervescent, acoustic arrangements with a dark and moody atmosphere to create a sound that's natural and ominous. Acoustic guitars play off of the twang of the electric bass, almost swapping roles with the bass cutting through the layers of guitar and violin to sometimes lead the rhythm rather than support it. The whole package is tied together neatly by singer/guitarist vocalist Sean Ragon, whose dramatic baritone splits the difference between Ian Curtis' somberness and Nick Cave's flair for the theatrical. This combination works wonderfully on songs like 'The Dead Sea,' adding a sense of foreboding to the maritime thump of the backing track. As the band's first album as a fully realized band rather than a bedroom recording project, Cult of Youth is a terrific entry into the neo-folk landscape, keeping many of the traditional elements of Irish and British folk while expanding the sound into deeper, darker waters."

This is an incredibly lovely album, smacking of Death in June and even The Chameleons (but much more folky, of course).

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My Dad is Dead - Chopping Down the Family Tree

1991; 12 tracks

My Dad is Dead is the recording project of American musician Mark Edwards (of the Cleveland-based band Riot Architecture), and since 1985 has released 11 full-length albums.

Chopping Down the Family Tree is Edwards' 7th album, and fully awe-inspiring. Its opening track, "Cool Rain," which is steeped in a heavier indie/punk sound, sets a very gritty and dark tone for the album. After the first half of the album, however, the tracks become increasingly cheerful (and increasingly enjoyable). The instrumentation of Chopping Down the Family Tree is astounding - bright guitars, exciting vocal harmonies and a great sense of variation and movement throughout. When you listen you will be surprised at the variety of music styles Edwards employs to convey his thoughts. Amazing tracks that transcend perfection: "Without a Doubt," "Cool Rain," and "Chopping Down the Family Tree."

"My Dad Is Dead, most of whose songs were indeed inspired by the loss of Edwards' father, makes music whose appeal lies largely in its matter-of-fact handling of trauma. Growing steadily in fluency and confidence, Edwards, who writes, plays and sings with instrumental and vocal help from a floating gene pool of Cleveland musicians (Prisonshake's Chris Burgess has also produced the bulk of his recordings), makes records that are as comforting as they are harrowing.

Chopping Down the Family Tree boasts its fair share of Edwards' familiar lyrics and dense, metallic instrumentation, but the fog hovering over his head has lifted a little further."

The strength of the family can be an illusion when built on control and based on collusion.

Download / Buy

The Chameleons - What Does Anything Mean? Basically

1985; 12 tracks

Here is the second album (preceded by the stunning Script of the Bridge) by English post-punk/new wave group The Chameleons. I never thought I'd say this, but... I might like this more than Script. I mean, I can't really put my finger on it (can anyone?), but this album is one of the most surreal and encompassing albums you will ever hear. It is quite literally impossible to describe it in words, but put simply - I think The Chameleons, on this record, have become even more vague in every way, and in that, more incredible. Who can tell the exact meaning of music like this? Who could ever divine an answer to the frantic, ecstatic rush of The Chameleons? I'm not sure anyone could, apart from the band members themselves, but there is hardly anything worth more of a listen than this. Listening to this album made me feel as if I were living in a Camus novel, like The Stranger. Wavy lines, a complete world of grey, an absence of time.

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The Sun and the Moon - The Great Escape

1999; 15 tracks

The Sun and the Moon was started by Mark Burgess, the frontman of The Chameleons. The Great Escape is a marvelous conglomeration of new and old - of Script of the Bridge-era Chameleons, and of music completely new to the world. Mark's amazing voice lingers above music that sounds of post-punk at times, but also a burgeoning jazzy style that I literally can't find the words to describe. The lyrics to "Death of the Imagination" bring me to a certain Doctor Who episode, one that I really love:

I bathe in the glare
Of a thousand explosions
With child-like fascination
And time the impact
That ends my existence
With the rhythm of my heartbeat
I taste the sweetness
Of mystical moments
Re-living and savouring
Every sensation
As gravity grips me
In giddy rotation
In my concrete overcoat
A prisoner of reason am I

Music like this deserves to be heard by every citizen of earth, then reflected upon for centuries to come. I am just glad I didn't go my whole life not hearing this...

the great escape

Cocteau Twins - Tiny Dynamine & Echoes in a Shallow Bay

1985; 4 tracks
Download.



1985; 4 tracks
Download.

These two infinitely lovely EPs were released two weeks apart in the November of 1985. They were recorded for the purpose of testing the capacities of the new studio, but seeing how strong the material was, Cocteau Twins decided to release two short EPs comprised of the material, and later a CD with them all together.

Cocteau Twins, if you have the misfortune of never hearing them before, is a dreampop/shoegaze/post-punk group from Scotland, formed in 1979. Their discography is quite extensive, but all worth giving at least one listen. These two EPs might often be overlooked, but their bold beauty is something not often found in the world of music today.

The Oscillation - Out of Phase

2007; 13 tracks

The Oscillation is multi-instrumentalist Demian Castellanos' psychedelic/krautrock project. Aside from The Oscillation's brilliant cover of "Head Hang Low," from Julian Cope's first album World Shut Your Mouth, this album is full of wonderful moments. Out of Phase, from funky post-punk to experimental to psychedelic to krautrock, can accurately be described as phantasmagorical.

Listen to this cover and see if it isn't just the greatest thing ever.



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Purchase

The Skull Defekts - The Temple

2009; 8 tracks

My friend told me about this album, and once I listened, I knew exactly why. The Temple is an intensely powerful album that just blew me away.

The Skull Defekts have made a rock record unlike any other I've heard. It's sexmagic. It's powerthrill. It's everything a rock record should be. I had no idea what I was missing until I heard this. The percussion is so tribal and propulsive and the guitars are buzzing electric raw. This is the record you crank all the way up and fucking pound your chest to. - Anti-Gravity Bunny

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Purchase

The Chameleons - Script of the Bridge

1983; 12 tracks

Script of the Bridge is a stunningly dark and beautiful album that explores many different moods and feelings. The more upbeat songs remind of The Cure's early efforts, although songs like "Don't Fall" and "Paper Tigers" shed some of the unabashed post-punk aggression and gothic atmosphere found on those albums in favor of warmer feelings and emphasis on beautiful melodies and soundscapes. Fielding and Smithies masterfully craft beautiful textures that envelop the listener in a dreamy wall of sound, while Burgess delivers a vocal performance that ranges from passionate to desperate as necessary. Alistair Lewthwaite provides a final touch, tastefully played keyboards that add another dimension to the album. Overall, the band is very tight and they really play well together.

Script of the Bridge is a much overlooked album that is an essential part of the British post-punk movement. You can still hear the impact of The Chameleons in many newer bands even today, but they have yet to be equaled at their craft. It's not just a trick of the light. This album is an absolute classic that is not to be missed. - Implications.

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Einstürzende Neubauten - Stahlmusik

1980; 9 tracks

This is the first official release by German industrial band Einstürzende Neubauten and it is unlike most of their other releases. Stahlmusik is an extremely atmospheric piece of work.. very intimate and eerie. Blixa Bargeld's vocals are quite haunting.. sometimes shouted and sometimes whispered... reminiscent of Jandek at times. The music here is much more conventional and retrained than even on Kollaps, but the interesting industrial noises in the background are still heard. Omg. Highly recommended.

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Strawberry Switchblade - Strawberry Switchblade

1985; 11 tracks

This is Strawberry Switchlade's first album, and it is fucking glorious. The duo, consisting of the infamous Rose McDowall (Current 93, Coil, Sorrow, Spell...) and Jill Bryson, create an interesting blend of post-punk, pop, and gothic/dream-pop. Their music is cute, yet sophisticated, and I really can't imagine a more amazing pop album from the 80s than this.

The two gaudily clad ladies with straw flowers in their hair, Jill Bryson and Rose McDowall, are enlivening a pop scene, eternally geared toward the exotic, with a sunny Coup d'Esprit: colourful, breezy, funny, charming are the adjectives that flow around the heads of listeners when they play the first Strawberry Switchblade album.

Jill & Rose come from Glasgow and answer to the fairy-tale name of Strawberry Switchblade. Bright and unprejudiced, they twitter with their harmonic beat like butterflies over a meadow; and in doing so, touch not only on the fresh harmonies of the 60's (Mamas & Papas) but also on the insouciant, sparsely-instrumented music of early Velvet Underground.

The songs on Strawberry Switchblade bloom melodically, cheekily, childishly, and rampant on the pulsating field of a complex beat instrumentation, whereby melancholy ballads in orotund pop clothing (with strings and oboes) alternate with quicker dance numbers (in the style of their hit 'Since Yesterday'). The singing stems from the tradition of the beat-girl groups (Shangri-Las), charged with a shot of pop shock à la B52s. Light pop music for a nightly stroll over fragrant asphalt.

Another day...

Michael Gira - Drainland

1995; 10 tracks

Amazing, otherworldy album. This version of "Blind" is just so so good.

Michael Gira:

"Drainland is a 1995 obscure solo album by me, co-produced by the lovely Bill Rieflin and myself, with musical contributions from Bill and Jarboe. Spare arrangements (recorded in Bill's living room) with the focus on words.

"You See Through Me" features a surreptitious recording by Jarboe of a drunken rant by me. I think I discovered the cassette one day in a drawer in her desk and decided to use it for a song dedicated to her ("you see through me"). Of course it's incredibly embarrassing to include on an album made for public consumption, but I thought it a legitimately good recording - a good "performance" in a way, despite the fact it was of slovenly, spiteful me. It could have been anyone. Well, maybe not. Prescient, it's subject was money. Anyway, it was just "material" and everything's fair game. In the end, it was an honest homage to Jarboe, though most people failed to notice that. "Fan Letter" and "Unreal" are seen from the perspective of a crazed fan's inverted worship of Madonna. " I See Them All Lined Up" (later re-recorded for Swans) is a naked hate/revenge diatribe, some of the most vile words I ever wrote. I apologize to all concerned. Thank god it’s not too obvious who the subject of my hatred was..."



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