Sunday 4 October 2009

If I Can have wings then you Can have some more.

Can-Tago Mago-1971
Krautrock, experimental, progressive.



















After a rather crazy weekend involving red wine, 5AM vodka, Hawkeyes struggling to another win and a haunted cornfield, today is thankfully another lazy Sunday, which means another lazy Sunday afternoon post for you guys, and a huge step in out journey through Can's discography, in the first of their three masterpieces; "Tago Mago", "Ege Bamyasi" and "Future Days". "Tago Mago" is the first full album to feature Damo Suzuki after his warm up on the previous album "Soundtracks". The album is one of my favorites, one I will never get old off. Its depth, creativity, composition and sheer crazyness of the album makes it for me one of the essential albums I post on this blog.

All the songs are excellent, with the first half being the stronger, mainly due to its listenability, as the 2nd halfs swirling noise in the epics "Aumgn" and "Peking O" are hard to access for quite some listens through the album,

The first half contains 4 near perfect songs, songs in a style and of such pure expression that hadn't been heard before. "Paperhouse" is the album opener, its downbeat pulse and flowing keys work to create something simply beautiful and the rather simple sympathetic guitar creates a sad yet honest feel to the song. Its not until Jaki Leibzeit's drums really kick into the song after the first few minutes that you get a true idea of where this album and band are heading. The rest of the song is a swirling organised sonic mess of epic proportions. Damo's sound, tone and lyrics really work well, and the band have much more creative freedom than with Mooney. The pause in the middle is just enough time to catch your breath before the ferocious closer to the song, in which Irmin Schmidt pushes along the band with great force straight into the next song "Mushroom".

The song is even more downbeat than "Paperhouse" bordering on insanity, the torment displayed in Damo's muttered lyrics influences the whole feel of music, this song portrays madness so well, its hypnotic. A huge explosion begins the next song and what a stunner it is, 7 minutes of pure brilliance.
"Oh Yeah" is an atmospheric consuming juggernaut. Damo's backwards singing creates a rather uncomfortable feel from the out, and Jaki's drumming is truly magnificent on this song and especially the next "Halleluhwah". I've listened to both songs just to absorb the drumming and vocals as something by themselves. But really the main ethos of Can and why they are so good is the fact that the band has no egos, its not about virtuoso performances and long decadent solos that would plague English progressive music, its about creating fluid, meaningfully expressive music, the skill its takes to turn 5 individuals in to one sound is much more than simply technical prowess.

"Halleluhwah" is 18.32 minutes long, but do not let you put you off, its a stunning song and as mentioned a testament to Leibzeit's drumming expertise. It has a similar feel as the rest of the album, essentially that the drums and bass keep their heavy hypnotic rhythm whilst Karoli and Schmidt are free to explore and weave sounds together over the top, to play with and enhance Damo's vocals. One must not also forget that many of the songs came from extended jams in between takes, and that Holgar Czukay'spioneering editing techinques allow the album to not watse one note, and "Halleluhwah" is that beat-trance monster example of Can's sheer excellence.

Side two contains the swirling madnesses that are "Aumgn" and "Peking O" as well as the closer "Bring Me Coffee Or Tea". "Aumgn" is a wonderful listen, dark and disturbing but with a hint of of the ambigious beauty that the album has at its center. It perhaps show its length too much unlike "Halleluhwah", and so does "Peking O" which are small issues in such an excellent album. "Peking O" is pure experimentalism, and Damo's song, as he chants and screams chaotically to a variety if themes and sounds. Its a crazy song, hard to fathom or make any sense out of, but that not the point, its just to enjoy 12 minutes of musical insanity.
The albums ends with "Bring Me Coffee Or Tea" a respite from the previous 30 minutes and a welcome comedown, much more peaceful than the rest of the album, yet still fits in wonderfully.

Tago Mago was an album not appreciated commercially or critically at the time, yet at least now is being heard by more people. A true masterpiece of the era, its pioneering, deep, beautiful. A gargantuan in experimental music, it has influenced nearly all those who have heard it. One should see this as an album, however I have described the songs.
Next time will be "Ege Bamyasi" the 2nd flawless album by Can from 1972.
Enjoy
jamscoopa

Info
Paperhouse Live (on youtube)
Spoon
AMG
Please buy this album from a good retailer or:
US
UK
Or please delete after 24 hours and then buy:
Oh yeah (256kbps)

Tuesday 29 September 2009

She who talks loud, saying nothing

Neil Young - Dead Man OST (1996)




















Sick greetings from my coughy and nose running deathbed,
I thougt it quite appropiate to feature this epic soundtrack today, also I feel like this soundtrack is particularly enjoyable while enduring a rather delirious and fuzzy state of mind.
If you didn't come across the film Dead Man by Jim Jarmusch or the soundtrack by Neil Young yet, start with either, the soundtrack entails plenty of dialouge, which gives a good impression of the film.
I'm too brainpained to paraphrase:
"Neil Young recorded the soundtrack by improvising (mostly on his electric guitar, with some acoustic guitar, piano and organ) as he watched the newly edited film alone in a recording studio. The soundtrack album consists of seven instrumental tracks by Young, with dialog excerpts from the film and Johnny Depp reading the poetry of William Blake interspersed between the music." (wiki)
I'd also like to contribute this adept film review.
FrauWurst


Mix of main theme, excerpts, and clipshow:



Please buy DVD and CD.
Try here

Sunday 27 September 2009

Can I have some more please...?

Can-Soundtracks-1970
Krautrock,experimental, soundtrack



















What a wonderfully lazy sunday afternoon is is today, the sun is out, the ferocity of my hunger has been satisfied by a burrito, Hawkeyes are ranked 13th after beating Penn State and I'm listening to the second Can album, and it all fits perfectly. Soundtracks is as it says a series of soundtracks to films performed by Can, along with two original songs featuring the bands former singer Malcom Mooney who would leave due to mental health problems, and the rest featuring the newly acquired frontman and talisman Kenji Damo Suzuki. More about the band members next time with the incredible masterpeice "Tago Mago".

The first three songs feature in the film Deadlock, 1970, directed by Roland Klick; "Don't Turn the Light On, Leave Me Alone", Damo's first recorded performance is from the film Cream, "Soul Desert" is from the film Mädchen... nur mit Gewalt, the epic "Mother Sky" is from the Jerzy Skolimowski film Deep End, and the Mooney sung "She Brings the Rain" is from the 1971 film Bottom - Ein großer graublauer Vogel .

The style of this album is oceans apart from their next 3 albums and it only comes close to the originality, exuberance and mind-fucking nature of these stunning albums, but this album holds a special place in my heart/brain.

The whole album seems to ache, it longs for something, and it torments itself about it repeatedly, stabbing away at its own heart. As I said the band were still finding its sound at this point, but the departure of Mooney and Suzuki's introduction really advanced their sound into the extraordinary directions they would explore.

The story of Damo Suzuki's initiation into the band is also extraordinary. On a morning before Can were due to play a gig , Czukay and Liebezeit were sitting in a Munich cafe, when they came across the japanese traveller Suzuki. They invited him to trial for the band and he played the gig that evening, he would become iconic, with his inaudible spontaneous lyrics sung in a variety of languages, he was what would elevate Can to one of the most innovative and influential bands of the time.

The album itself is like a prototype for whats to come, the Mooney songs are much evolved from monster movies more bluesy meets Velvet Underground inspired sounds, and contains the repetitive chaos which would shape "Tago Mago". Without doubt the highlight of this album is the 15 minute epic "Mother Sky". An epic beast, it blows me away every time I listen, its swirling monotony hypnotizes the listener, and Damo's slurred incomprehensible vocals capture your whole consciousness. It captures Can so well, the apparent contradictions of the underlying mechanical bass and drums, the guitar which melodic at some points, and tearing at others, fuses the song together, allowing Damo's insane ramblings to sound so beautiful and natural. Mother Sky is a song to hear intently and involve yourself in like no other, a real journey, it really hits you hard, not for the quiet background listeners please. Get high, drunk, turn it up loud, turn off the lights and immerse yourself. God I love Can
jamscoopa

For more info:
Spoon
Pitchfork
Please buy from a good retailer or:
UK
US
Or please delete after 24 hours:
Deadlock

Saturday 26 September 2009

I Can see why you'd like this......

Can-Monster Movie-1969
Krautrock, experimental, progressive.


















Hallo, ich heisse jamscoopa und ich prezenten Can-Monster Movie. If you'll excuse me for ruining the german language I will present to you in chronological order (of release) the condensed discography of one of my favourite bands Can. I will start with the first proper Can album and the only one featuring the original singer Malcom Mooney.

From AMG:
Always at least three steps ahead of contemporary popular music, Can were the leading avant-garde rock group of the '70s. From their very beginning, their music didn't conform to any commonly held notions about rock & roll -- not even those of the countercultures. Inspired more by 20th century classical music than Chuck Berry, their closest contemporaries were Frank Zappa or possibly the Velvet Underground. Yet their music was more serious and inaccessible than either of those artists. Instead of recording tight pop songs or satire, Can experimented with noise, synthesizers, nontraditional music, cut-and-paste techniques, and, most importantly, electronic music; each album marked a significant step forward from the previous album, investigating new territories that other rock bands weren't interested in exploring.

This first album by Can, is fairly atypical of the sound they would evolve to and perfect in the trilogy of "Tago Mago", "Ege Bamyasi" and "Future Days". Malcom Mooney's voice adds something completely different than from his replacement Damo Suzuki, his bluesy, raw and broken voice tells of troubles which surface most on the stand out song "Yoo do Right".

"Yoo do Right" is a 20-minute monster, edited down from a 12-hour jam of terrifying proportions and beating its way through 8 minutes of white-hot guitar and keys that pulls your chest apart, drums clattering in circles and squares and obese rhomboid patterns about your head, before falling to the silent click of drumsticks and a boiled-to-nothing whisper and then lurching back to unending life, strafing and spinning and rending all in its path.

Monster Movie was released in 1969, and is Can's most rock-oriented album by a considerable margin. Its songs are raw and aggressive-- very much informed by The Velvet Underground's larval trance-rock-- and they mark Malcolm Mooney as nothing if not an inspired amateur. "Father Cannot Yell" leaps out of the gate with a hi-speed keyboard flutter and the snap of Jaki Liebezeit's snare. Although the band would later perfect a kind of ambient funk, here they were brawny (though precise), determined rockers to the hilt; five minutes into "Father Cannot Yell", the song climaxes with a blaze of bass, drums, and fuzzed-out guitar, and an entire legacy of minimalist rock (from Neu! to Comets On Fire) is predicted. Of course, the 20-minute "Yoo Doo Right" is the centerpiece, and gives the best indication of what Can would do afterward. The murky, primal atmosphere of drums that dominates the track never allows the listener to escape the band's propulsion; like much of Can's best music, "Yoo Doo Right" seduces me into hypnosis, and winds through a seemingly endless array of textures and variations. Monster Movie is an amazing debut, but would be Mooney's last. He suffered a nervous breakdown onstage and returned to America.

A great start to a great band, more to come.
jamscoopa

For more info:
Spoon
Pitchfork
Please buy this album from a good retailer or:
UK
US
Or please delete after 24 hours:
MnM 256kbps

Monday 21 September 2009

Creepy, you see.....very creepy

Comus-First Utterance-1971
Acid-folk, folk-rock, proto-progressive, experimental.http://www.ohrwaschl.de/shop/ProductImages/comus.jpg

Good evening boys and girls for your audiological experience tonight I bring to you a daft affair which will entertain, unsettle and drive you into delerium, or i guess you'll just put it on in the background or something.

Comus (with a hard S{not like Camus}) were an english folk rock band from the late 60s early 70s, who produced a few albums of little success or critical acclaim. First Utterance is their debut and their most interesting work. Based on a poem by John Milton it deals with as my good friend wikipedia tells me:

"two brothers and their sister lost in the wood. The Lady becomes fatigued, and the brothers wander off in search of sustenance. The Lady is captured by the debauched Comus, a character inspired by the god of mockery, brought to his pleasure palace, and magically affixed to a chair with "gums of glutinous heat." Comus urges the Lady to "be not coy" and drink from his magical cup (representing sexual pleasure and intemperance), but she repeatedly refuses, arguing for the virtuousness of temperance and chastity. Meanwhile her brothers, searching for her, come across the Attendant Spirit, an angelic figure sent to aid them, who takes the form of a shepherd and tells them how to defeat Comus. The three manage to rescue her and chase off Comus, but the Lady remains magically bound to her chair. With a song, the Spirit conjures the water nymph Sabrina who frees the Lady on account of her steadfast virtue."

It sounds reminiscent of very traditional folk at some points and at other times raucous ramblings of a madman over a drunken flute rock band lost in the woods waiting to die. This complement alone should entice a willing reader to listen, frankly its a very unique album, partly due its concept nature and also due to its rather odd song structures which seem to start, change and stop at odd intervals.

The lyrics are somewhat undeceipherable, whether there about torture, madness or rape is anyone's guess, but that is not the point, if you want pretty lyrics then this is not the place to listen, but if you want a full on journey through a theme of human suffering in a folk rock style than this is your definitive cup of tea.

"Diana" and "Drip Drip" are probably the two strongest songs although the latter tends to go on a fair bit too long, "Song to Comus" and "The Bite" also stand out as highlights on what is a fairly consistent album. A really novel experience and a cult classic, very interesting music, it always has a slightly bemusing effect on me, its really quite eerie. The strained vocals and high pitched violin create a vibe of unease, whilst the "gypsyesque" drum beats force the songs through unabated tension and feelings primal witchcraft. In the end you feel like you've been cursed somehow, only to remember "I don't believe in curses" then lots of your friends relatives get cancer. But you think the odds are high, 1 in 3 people will get cancer, of course it's not a curse, then one day you wake up in the middle of the night and a giant rabbit with a glowing eye is at the end of your bed and asks you to follow it and leads you on to commit a series of crimes, then you find that you time traveled and................oh
Enjoy, recommended for any curious listeners.
jamscoopa

Please buy from a good retailer or:
USA
UK

Or delete after 24 hours:
Utter

Saturday 19 September 2009

It'll suit you, it's kinda Italian luxury jute

Gruppo D'Alternativa - Ipotesi (1972)











Discovered on MUTANT SOUNDS

Good stuff. :)


You may read this review, I think it's funny.
"This band with a strange name and an unusual line-up is still less-known to many Italian prog experts, yet their only album is surprisingly good and has very interesting moments.
The weakest point is the singer's voice, squeaky and monotonous and with some spoken parts to connect the musical themes, but musically the band is competent and the album reveals some jazz-rock influences in the Canterbury vein (listen to some jazzy guitar parts or the use of bassoon).
Acoustic parts are prevalent but there are sudden rhythm changes and complex arrangements and the album can be a nice surprise. The nine tracks are connected to form two long suites. [...]"(source)

Let's learn Italian.

Try it on.

Tuesday 15 September 2009

The most trusted name in the skies

Fly Pan Am - Ceux Qui Inventent N'ont Jamais Vecu (2002)
















Ah, c'est ca, c'est un expérience extraordinaire.

Bonjour people people,

so, this is Fly Pan Am, a Canadian experimental, avant-garde, post-rock, rather untagable band which is definitely worth a listen. Their sound is groovy, it's cool it's energetic, confusing and it's more or less constantly repeating everything which it entails. It's pure joy.
The intriguing thing about this record is the way one song abruptly passes on to the next, from unbearably amazing industrial-like sound sceneries to easy passages back to repeating and hyptnotising sound creations. You will find something new with every listen, I promise.
The best place to listen to it may be a huge empty warehouse with some amazing sound system of course. The album is superb as a whole, personal favourites are track two, four and six.

They released their albums through the Montreal-based Constellation Records, producing and collaborating on works with the likes of Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Shalabi Effect. (last.fm)

Please support and experience yourself.

Sunday 13 September 2009

This is not a dream?....well it sure sounds like one

Dadamah-This is not a Dream-1992
Alternative, psychedelic, rock

















Dadamah as promised folks, is the only album by this somewhat transient and awesome band, enjoy.
While Dadamah is often seen as another step along the way in the artistic path of Roy Montgomery, he'd be the first to agree that does a disservice to his equally talented bandmates. Singer/bassist Kim Pieters writes the fascinating if sometimes hard to read liner notes for this complete career overview, while there's also keyboardist/backing vocalist Janine Stass as well. Together the trio continued the by-then well-established Kiwi underground music tradition of shadowy, haunting music and production, helped by noted figure in said scene Peter Stapleton, who also took care of drumming as needed.

Unless the consistently aggro noise fests of, say, the Dead C or Gate, Dadamah also draw on a generally more spare but no less compelling approach, often building up arrangements and then settling back again, or else maintaining a continuing steady, gently addictive pace. There's the roots of Montgomery's work in the Pin Group, naturally, with its own echoes of Joy Division and early Cure, but there's also a very strange, folky vibe as well that at points suggests the work done half a world away by Dave Pearce in Flying Saucer Attack. Both Pieters and Montgomery's singing draws on the more idiosyncratic post-punk approach to vocals, eschewing technical skill in favor of just getting it out. Whether it's Pieters' higher, sometimes wailing approach or Montgomery's stern, strained and reflective singing, though, words and music almost always go very well together throughout. Stass' keyboard work, meanwhile, adds even more of a strange, odd edge to proceedings. Sometimes the tone is almost a bit jaunty, as the swinging skip and burbling keyboard notes of the lengthy "Too Hot to Dry," sung by Pieters, shows, even with the usual murky production style. With highlights like the Montgomery-sung "High Tension House," where the title phrase comes from, and the truly tripped, Pieters-sung "Radio Brain," This is Not a Dream is well worth investigating.
(All from AMG)

One of my favourite albums from the 90s, it has a fairly low quality sound which when added to the eerie oddly strained vocals creates something quite pleasantly haunting in a way. My highlight would be "Brian's Children" from a subdued start and a rather traditional alt pop verse is spirals down into a repetitive hole drawing you down as it goes, wonderful sounds.
But the album is full of great songs, "Papa Doc", "High Tension House" and "Too Hot to Dry" are all worth putting on loop, each time finding something new.
Capturing sounds reminiscent of the acid psych of the late 60s/early 70s, as many of the early 90s scene bands tried to do, this album is one of the best at doing so, but without sounding like a rehash, it merely takes inspiration from past to create something incredibly good. Its simplicity is its charm, yet the songs produced are far more interesting than alt pop very largely due to excellent writing and musicianship; but in great parts due to Mongomery's deeply disturbed demure vocals.

jamscoopa


Please buy and support this artist:
USA
UK
Or please delete after 24 hours and buy:
Papa

Down by the pond a toad sits sighing.....

Bardo Pond-Bufo Alvarius Amen 29:15-1995
Acid-rock, experimental, psychedelic-rock, drone.


















Hey heroes, for you today I have some distortedly dense droning psych from a band called Bardo Pond.

Bardo Pond issued its first album,
Bufo Alvarius Amen 29:15, in early 1995; its title was taken from the scientific name for the notorious hallucinogenic toad found in the western U.S. The CD version appended "Amen 29:15," a near-half-hour jam that marked Takeda's recorded debut with the band. Later that year, Compulsiv released a CD EP of leftover tracks called Big Laughing Jym. Bufo Alvarius sparked the interest of Matador Records, which signed Bardo Pond and issued their breakthrough sophomore effort, Amanita, in 1996. Titled after a little-known hallucinogen from India, the album won critical praise and substantially heightened the band's profile, as did their increasingly improvisational live shows.

It starts with feedback, hum, and fuzz, then a heavy guitar riff emerging from the murk -- arguably Bardo Pond in a nutshell. Then again, enough other bands do the same thing, so why should the Pond get singled out? It's hard to pin down an exact reason, but whatever "it" is that a band needs to connect, they've got it. The slow, stony pace that "Adhesive" establishes for Bufo Alvarius Amen 29:15 continues through the album's remaining tracks, but in such a way that Bardo Pond rapidly become their own band and not merely the sum of their influences. There's something about the combination of lo-fi crunch, post-shoegaze bliss-out, stoner Quaalude head-nodding, and Loop/Spacemen 3-inspired drone that's truly unique.

Standout moments abound: "Back Porch" has a series of instrumental breaks with brief, beautiful guitar lines, while on the soft jangle of "On a Side Street," various solos unfold slowly but surely in the background as lowly sung lyrics amble about. "Capillary River" has some astonishing, transcendent soloing in the middle of the song, building up to a brilliant final verse as Gibbons' vocals are lost in feedback and haze. The low-key shuffle/drone "Absence" is a good showcase for Sollenberger's singing -- sweeter and clearer here than might be expected. The CD version includes what might be the ultimate head-trip of them all, at least for this particular album: the 30-minute "Amen." The central part of the song is a fairly simple chord progression repeated again and again, but it's the various touches throughout the number -- the extra drones, watery deep reverb on the bass, and slow overall rhythm -- that make it the understated monster it is.
(All From AMG)

Its the bands debut in all its raw form, but a great listen, check out "Amanita" "Lapsed"or "Dilate" if you like this. I will also be posting "Dadamah-This is not a dream" next which is Roy Montgomery's band. Montgomery collaborated with Bardo Pond on a side project "Hash Jar Tempo".(inspired by the brilliant Ash Ra Tempel, whom I will also post)
Excellent album, its takes time to hear through the uber heavy distortion, but once you do it works beautifully. They have also jammed with Damo Suzuki's Network, which I've been lucky enough to have seen twice, the live recordings of the gig are immense, although currently not up anywhere I know-links would be appreciated.
jamscoopa

Please buy this album and support the artist:
USA
UK
Or please delete within 24 hours:
Toad
More info:
myspace
scaruffi

Friday 11 September 2009

The Psychedelic Avengers

The Psychedelic Avengers-The Psychedelic Avengers and the Curse of the Universe-2004
Psychedelic, space-rock, rock-opera, eclectic.

















Good Patriot Day to you Sirs. But I'm not American so whats much more important is that it's the weekend, wonderful. For you on this day I have a collection of like minded artsists;going under the name of "The Psychedelic Avengers" creating an intriguing masterpiece which they chose to call "PA and the Curse of the Universe". I won't review overkill this album, its basically a spacerock opera, with a bunch of different styles from different guys, but it works well if you listen to the whole thing all the way through, whether intoxicated or not.
jamscoopa

Please buy from:
USA
UK
Or please delete within 24 hours:
Spaceman

Monday 7 September 2009

The exuberance of every waking moment


Waking Life -2001

Dear anonymous reader,
I warmly recommend this divine living experince of art to you. Waking Life, is a film like no other, and I don't care how often you've heard that before.
Everything which should occupy your mind is told through a "half" lucid dream of the main character. It's you and me, it's everything you know, knew or will learn during this intangible abstract idea of life, the journey of our minds.

Here are some excerpts:





Watch it

And Listen

Sunday 6 September 2009

Everything is not a taste

Neu-Neu 75-1975
Krautrock, electronic, ambient, experimental.


















Happy Labor day y'all, I'm still not clear about what its actually celebrating here but hey its a day off work.
To you on this day I present to you the 3rd album by Neu!(pronounced noy), Neu! 75. This album is perhaps considered there masterpiece along with their original self titled effort.
Neu! consisted of Michael Rother and Klaus Dinger who had left Kraftwerk in 1971 to create a new sound. The sound was highly inventive and with the so called "Motorik" sound being birthed on "Hallogallo" and "Negativland"from there self titled it went on to influence there old band mates in Kraftwerk.
75 comes at the crossroads in the stylistic nature of the band, with Michael Rother and Klaus Dinger starting to assert there now differing view on the music. Preceding this albums release Rother had worked with another kraut band Cluster to form the "super group" Harmonia. Harmonia's tone of ambient repetitive electronics was contrasted by Dinger's evolving sound which was leaning much more to rock, a compromise was found by splitting the album in two, including Dinger's brother Thomas on guitar and Hans Lampe to play drums on the 2nd half. The album clearly reflects this divergence of taste.

The album opener "Isi" is a wonderfully melodic Rother song that creates images of the musical equivalent of flying. The other two Rother inspired songs also make up the 1st half of the album, "Seeland" and "Leb' Wohl"(meaning farewell). Both songs, but especially "Leb' Wohl" are really beautiful ambient creations.

The second side kicks of with "Hero", this side is Dinger's, a much more upbeat affair which is reminiscent of proto punk and is said to have inspired John Lyndon of The Sex pistols,(an unfortunate consequence) but Neu! are of course much better than punk ever was/is. The song works brilliantly for me, the controlled Neu! sound is contrasted perfectly by Dinger's deranged slurred vocals, this song describes the album extremely well. The second Dinger song is the 8 minute epic "E-Music" an overtly repetitive track that reminds me a lot of their debut/signature sound. The album closer "After Eight" is seemingly a remix/continuation of Hero.

The album is excellent, I'll also so post their debut and 2nd album which both rank along side this. Neu! may be an acquired taste and many listens are needed to fully appreciate this album. True inovators who are often overshadowed by the "mother" band Kraftwerk, Neu!'s sound is one which is solely theirs which although influential can easily stand its ground against anything similar since.
jamscoopa


Please buy from a good record store or from:
UK
US
Or please delete after 24 hours:

Noy
For a decent review:
AMG
Scaruffi

Saturday 5 September 2009

Lowrider

Lowrider - Ode To Io (2002)



  1. Caravan
  2. Flat Earth
  3. Convoy V
  4. Dust Settlin'
  5. Sun Devil
  6. Anchor
  7. Texas Pt I & II
  8. Riding Shotgun
  9. Saguaro
  10. Ode to Io 
Ode To Io

Nebula/Lowrider - Double EP (1998)

Nebula

  1. Anything from You
  2. Full Throttle
  3. Back to the Dawn
  4. Fall of Icarus

Lowrider

  1. Lameneshma
  2. The Gnome, the Serpent, the Sun
  3. Shivaree
  4. Upon the Dune [Full Version]
Double Ep (link dead)


Please by from AllThatisHeavy Store and check out the band's record label Meteorcity.
You can also buy the deluxe version of Ode To Io here, which features the songs from the Nebula split.

Friday 4 September 2009

You don't have a burning desire at all

The Books - Music for a French Elevator and Other Short Format Oddities - 2006
















Bonjour mesdames et messieurs,

I'll break my silence today with something to satisfy and sooth our experimental souls. I present The Books, an amazingly consfusing and inspiring duo consisting of Nick Zammuto and Paul de Jong.
If you like to think deep while brushing your teeth or unlocking your front door, or standing in a french elevator you will be able to enjoy this Geräuschkulisse(soundscape). Their music is something between electronic, folk, accoustic, samples, speech and sounds which can be described as a poor copy of bodily functions.
This being the newest piece of work which was actually designed for an elevator in the french Ministry of Culture (produced on their request), starts of with gentle songs and chants which come close to earlier albums such as Lemon Of Pink (2003). The mostly characteristically short "songs" progress to only consist of recordings and speech. You may remain in a delighted and slightly confused but actually wiser state of mind after listetning to this peculiar music.
It's a short but rather dense album, so enjoy and brush away.

Please buy and support.

But most of all, listen.

Tuesday 1 September 2009

The brave and free

The United States of America-The United States of America-1968
Psychedelic, electronic, experimental.

















A cult psychedelic classic here for you tonight ladies and gentlemen. The United States of America's self titled and sole album rank as one of the best of the 60s, which is a tough decade to stand out in. Recorded and released in 1968 this is unfortunately the bands only release, yet it is a work of huge quality both in its experimental sound and catchy juxtaposed songs. In a broad way it is reminiscent of The Zombies "Odyssey and Oracle" where light poppy songs are accompanied by less than poppy lyrics. Its dreamy ballad songs are some of the albums best songs and due to its freaky female vocals remind me a lot of Velvet Underground and Nico and also a much distorted Grace Slick in Jefferson airplane.
The album was revolutionary for its pioneering use of electronics(
the ring modulator) and heavy mesmerizing themes, its very much a unique album in this sense but one that also fits its era perfectly. Along with Silver apples who also released their self titled album in 1968, this album sound was predicting later decades of ambient synthesizer dominant music, and whose only equivalents can been seen as those in krautrock.

The album starts with a circus themed
"The American Metaphysical Circus", a highlight and bizarre song(see the mildly jaded amg review). The other stand out songs are "Cloud song", "Where is yesterday" and some nice bass in "Coming Down", but really the whole album is excellent. If you like psychedelic, interesting or experimental music check out this album.
jamscoopa

Please buy this album from:
US
UK
Or please delete within 24 hours, and buy:^^
USofA (256kbs)

Monday 31 August 2009

Perry Bible Fellowship

The Perry Bible Fellowship-Nicholas Gurewitch
cartoons, comics.



















Hello everyone, a break from music tonight I thought instead I would bring to your attention a cartoon strip which I love above all others. The Perry Bible Fellowship is the brainchild of Nicholas Gurewitch, I found it when it featured in the G2 supplement of a British newspaper "The Guardian" a few years ago. Since then Gurewitch has been turning PBF into a series of books, and touring with his artwork.
It originated in the Syracuse University newspaper "The Daily Orange". The comics are usually three or four panels long, and are generally characterized by the juxtaposition of whimsical childlike imagery or fantasy with extremely morbid, surreal humour. Common themes include irony, religion, sexuality, war, science fiction, suicide, violence, and death.(stolen from Wikipedia)

There are around 200 strips on the website all of high quality art and humour, on a cold, depressing day these are guaranteed to cheer me up.
Read and watch away, and enjoy
jamscoopa
PBF

Sunday 30 August 2009

King of Translucidity

Phillip Glass-Koyaanisqatsi-1982
Phillip Glass-Glassworks-1982
Classical, modern, soundtrack

















I've got a double post here for you lucky guys and gals, two albums from Phillip Glass, considered one of the 20th centuries most important composers, his music is also incredible in my somewhat humbler opinion. Its actually a triple post if you count a link to a film, anyhow.....

The two albums are from the same phase in his career, both from 1982. The first album "Koyaanisqatsi: A life out of Balance" is a composition for the film of the same name directed by Godfrey Reggio. The film is a journey through the modern world seen in time lapse and slow motion. It consists of some stunning photography of cities and the natural world largely in the USA, with focus on the small details the everyday, repetitive, inhuman aspect of our humanity. All this combined with a stunning soundtrack from Glass elevates this largely cult film to a level of importance overlooked by far too many people.

The word Koyaanisqatsi means crazy life, life in turmoil, life out of balance, life disintegrating, a state of life that calls for another way of living' or from Glass' own page "unbalanced life' in the language of the Hopi Indians. The film, without actors and dialogue, shows the clash between two cultures; that of city life and its technology and that of nature." Its intention is set out with no narration, no story, no dialogue, it allows the music and images to convince its viewers to go on their own to understand it as they please.
The Film is part of the "Qatsi Trilogy", they all have a similar theme and style with Glass composing the music for all three. Koyaanisqatsi is the best of the series, its originality, depth of experience (as long as you have the music loud and the picture clear) sets it above Powaqqatsi and Naqoyqatsi. To listen to the album alone is also a treat, however seeing the film is a must.

The sound and feel develops throughout the album from a brooding monolithic start chanting Koyaanisqatsi; to the hyper modern chan
t at the albums end. It traverses the human journey in, through and then out of nature, into technology and to the point of being an antagonist and destroyer of life via technology. It seems a huge juxtaposition that the technology we've created has both liberated us from and trapped us in our own humanity.
The album has an incredibly fluid feel to it, without sounding bland or laborious at any point. Motifs get slowly reintergrated at key moments to to build and create some breathtaking stages
. The use of the various instruments, electronics and chanting are used superbly to create a soundtrack which can inspire, excite and incite feelings of insecurity all at once, it can be positively eerie at points. The album is truly excellent, as is the film and a great place to start listening to Glass, as is the other album posted; Glassworks.



In a similar vein to the style of "Koyaanisqatsi" is Glassworks, which is considered an ideal introduction to Glass and his music. The albums repetitive, almost hypnotic, evolving sound are the perfect characteristics of Glass' work as a whole. Glass' work has been described as minimalist, but Glass himself refuses this title and I would also reject notions of minimalism, if you want to spend time to fully appreciating this music then you can easily see the depth and intensity in the music, with no less complex or inspirational composition than any standard classical work. Rubric is the stand out track on this album, but its real strength is by seeing the album as a whole, one whole which changes like nature, reacting against unseen forces to twist and change to fit impossible pressures. A true progressive in his field and music at large.
jamscoopa

Please buy the album and film from:
Film US
CD US
Film UK
CD UK
Or please delete after 24 hours and buy:^^
Life (320kbs)
Works (320kbs)

To watch a poor quality version of the film:
Google
More info:
Official site

Wednesday 26 August 2009

Rock Bottom

Robert Wyatt-Rock Bottom-1974
Canterbury, progressive, art rock, experimental.

















This is one of my favourite albums of all time. I present to you all Robert Wyatt's debut solo album "Rock Bottom". The album was released in 1974 after Wyatt had left Soft Machine who were heading down a more intentional jazz path, which Wyatt did not want to follow. It was also after Wyatt's fall from a five story high window, which broke his spine. Most of the material was written before the accident however this event adds a lot of poignancy to the album which due to Wyatt's honesty and introspection creates a stunningly emotive effort. The lineup is also immense and features the cream of the Canterbury scene.

The album marks a huge step from Matching Mole; the band between Soft Machine and this solo work. The songs are much better crafted with more emphasis on the song writing to create deeper sounds and lyrics, with many of the songs building up gently to climax and immerse the listener in powerful moments. The heartfelt nature of the album owes to the excellence of expression by Wyatt, it connects with the listener(if there not a stone) far to much for it to be coincidence.

"Sea Song" is a stunning listen, with a quite apparent but not overdone nautical feel "Partly fish, partly porpoise, partly baby sperm whale",it works in the song better than it does written down. Wyatt carries every sentence like a man longing for something, which is what the feel of the song also portrays to me "But I can't understand the different you, in the morning when its time to play at being human for a while". A longing to really feel something apart from nostalgia or pretty words, to feel love in all its madness.

The other stand out song for me is "Little Red Riding Hood Hit the Road" a song I never get tired of listening to and one of my favourite songs. The rather crazed mix of brass, piano, bass and drums creates a haphazard momentum for Wyatt's soft and gentle voice to try and reign in, before losing itself to the music and speaking as far as I can tell backwards. Its the small moments in this song that are wonderful, the trumpet playing a certain phrase or the bass sounding triumphantly resigned to being part of the mess. It is a wonderfully composed mess, summing up the contradictory and apologetic nature of love. The lyrics are beautifully simple when they are ledgeable and convey such raw emotion.

The stand out songs however do not stand out much, on nearly any other album they would be songs to point out, such is the strength of this album. "Alifib" and "Alife" are somewhat ominous sounding, as they play out their quite deranged thoughts. "A Last Straw" is probably the most straight forward sounding song with a lighter sound, and clearest lyrics.
The closer "Little Red Robin Hood Hit the Road" is an epic affair and a great finish, for me it has a royal feel to it, if the royals were tweaking a guitar surrounded by mermaids and fish.....and clams...........before pulling out the viola and singing an absurd rhyme (with all the inbreeding it may not be too far-fetched.)

A classic for sure, art rock at its finest. Its imagery, emotivity, technical craft and history are a rare combination of traits that stem from the events surrounding this album. The album is largely about love, but its not romantic or flowerly and its far from the hippie pyschedelia of the 60s. This is a mature and somewhat ambigous album, melancholic in its sound yet subtly hopeful in its vocals.
One not to be missed whatever you taste in or knowledge of music.
jamscoopa

Please buy at:(or better, at an independent store)
UK
US

Or please delete within 24 hours, and buy this excellent album:
Rocky (320kbs)
See for more information:
Hulloder
amg
scaruffi

Tuesday 25 August 2009

Its soooooooo beautiful........*starry eyes

Colour Haze-Self Titled-2004
Psychedelic, stoner, instrumental, fuzz.


















I'm quite surprised its took me this long to post this band. Colour Haze are top of my lastfm bands and "Love"(a song of this album) is my top played song. A band formed in the mid 90s but did not create anything truely excellent until 1999s "Periscope" from which they had the lineup they current have. This self titled album released in 2004 is the bands 7th album, with "Los Sounds de Krauts", CO2" and "Tempel" this album shows what has kept them making music whilst others around have abandoned there post. Starting from an agressive Sabbath influenced sound in their earlier albums to a more melodic and gentler sound; the band have been evolving and tweaking their sound. This is very evident on the most recent release "All", which is inspired by Indian classical music, featuring traditional arrangements and instruments (sitar)-they've come a long way.

Lead by the teutonic Stefan Koglek, Colour Haze are a power trio after the likes of cream, with Manni Merwald on drums and Phillip Rasthofer heavy on the bass. The feel is reminiscent of 70s acid rock but it in no way feels retro or dated unlike many bands with a similar style.
The understanding and fluidity between the band is immense and plays a huge part in their music; whether in the controlled subtler parts, where the individual parts feels natural and deft or the more frantic swirling sections where its only the skill and harmony of the band that allows them to create what they do.

The album starts with "Mountain" a CH classic and fairy typical of what to expect from their material, with a slow build up to a frenzied, epic jam to finish. "Tao Nr.43" is a harder song with more aggressive vocals and sound. "Did êl it" is a minute and a bit of light fuzz, with a catching peak 2nd time round.....you'll see. The pinnacle of the album is "Love", a 9 minute epic which takes half of that to get to the heavier stuff, however the build up is brooding but measured. The song is one of their most beautiful and powerful, by the time it gets to the seismic climax, with the longing guitar over dense driving fuzz, a listener (if they aren't a robot) should be hooked. "Solitude" gives a welcome quieter melancholic moment before the 22 minute beast "Peace, Brothers & Sisters!" which should speak for itself. The album closes on a great note with "Flowers" a more poignant affair which is a superb ending a an excellent album.

Colour Haze s/t is one of the best heavy psychedelic albums made, its invigoratingly aggressive and yet sumptuously peaceful, a hard mix to blend smoothly-but that's exactly what it does. They maybe didn't the most original start to their existence (as with many post Kyuss bands) but the band have found a unique and exciting sound and are constantly trying to push their sound to match their ethos. There are quite a few bands in the same genre but few in the same league as Colour Haze. More to come from these guys.
If you like this check out any of their labelmates, or Cream and alike bands. Please support this band by buying their albums and seeing them live.
jamscoopa

Please buy from:
UK
US
Allthatisheavy
Elektrohasch
and many more.
Or please delete after 24 hours:
Haze (320kbs)

Los Natas - Ciudad de Brahman (1999)

Artwork by Artist Frank Kozik

Released on the legendary "Man's Ruin Records" label, this is the second full record by Argentinian rockers "Los Natas". It was produced by Dale Crover (formerly of The Melvins) and recorded in USA. The band cites influences such as Black Sabbath, The Doors, Pink Floyd, The Who and Hawkwind among others and there is definitely parts of the album which is on a level with it's contemporaries. The album is sung in the bands native tongue of Spanish although some of their other material is in English. Their early efforts have been compared with the mighty "Kyuss" and any fans of them or Stoner rock in general will love this hard rocking album which is full of heavy driving riffs and long earthy jams.
Each of their albums has a distinctive sound and the band are constantly evolving their sound and I will almost definitely be posting more "Natas" in the future, I recommend their debut release "Delmar" and the follow up to "Ciudad" titled "Corsario Negro".

Tracklist
  1. "Carl Sagan"
  2. "Meteoro 2028"
  3. "Tufi Meme"
  4. "La ciudad de Brahman"
  5. "Siluette"
  6. "Brisa del desierto"
  7. "Paradise"
  8. "Alohawaii"
  9. "Adolescentes"
  10. "999"
  11. "Resplandor"
  12. "Rutation"
  13. "Polvaredo"
  14. "Nadha"
Please take some time to check out the links below and if you like what you hear please support the band by buying an album or two, go here for an awesome selection of Stoner Rock information and buy stuff from their store.

www.natasrock.com
myspace
or download from here

Still need to relax?

Agitation Free-Malesch-1972
Krautrock, progressive, instrumental


















I thought I'd fill that urge you have by now to also listen to the debut album from Agitation Free. Me being a benevolent blogger have provided it. "Malesch" was recorded and released in 1972 and is the summation of the bands history in extended jams and tours in Egypt and the mediterranean. The vibe is one which very much reflects the ethnic (specifically Egyptian) influences, with the atmosphere being as important as the music.

The music itself is largely lead by dueling guitars and a synthesizer, but the hybrid teutonic-desert beats set the album apart from most from the genre and other sounds at the time. Its originality and honesty are unique, it avoids sounding like a concept and succeeds at creating a consuming musical experience.

There is no weak song on the album, but my favourites would be "You Play For Us Today","Malesch" and one uber excellent album closer in "Rücksturz". For people not used to the Krautrock genre, it may take some listening to click, but for fans of the genre, instrumental or just top quality music its a must. If you like this then check out Amon Duul II, Ash Ra Tempel, Guru guru and of course there other masterpiece 2nd.
jamscoopa
Please buy at:
UK
USA
Or please delete after 24, then buy:^^
free

Monday 24 August 2009

Time to relax.....

Agitation Free-2nd-1973
Krautrock, progressive, instrumental


















Howdy folks, I thought another installment of krautrock was due. I have chosen to follow up Faust(a tough feat) with a superb album by Agitation free. Agitation Free were an avant-garde instrumental band from Germany in the early 1970s, they have an experimental and improvisational feel. They originated from extended jams of cover songs and then began writing their own songs from jamming sessions.

This album "2nd" is surprisingly the bands 2nd album after there excellent debut "Malesch", which has a very potent middle eastern and egyptian feel to it. 2nd has a similar but subtler feel, with the guitar still sounding quite ethnic but also jazzier. The album is one of my favourites and a true instrumental classic of the 70s. It showcases the german progressive scene with all its creativity, talent and worldly inspiration, whether in this case from ethnic countries the band toured or from the modern urban industrial realm as in Faust or Kraftwerk.

The album had two sides originally the first being supreme to the 2nd, which is not at all bad however. Side one starts with "First communication" the most aggressive song on the album, and one of the best. After a slow and gentle build up with some mellowing bass riffs complemented by a mazey and flowing guitar it arrives at the frantic close to the song an all out jazz rock jam to really stir senses.

The other stand out songs are "Laila Parts 1 and 2" the first part being my favourite part of an outstanding album." No forewarning just listen and enjoy.
Part 2 is 7 minute epic builds up slowly with the bass forming a beautifully repetitive hypnotizing base for a winding guitar to sum up an experience in a far away land. It really sends you elsewhere; for a stunning live version of "Laila" check out "Cliffs at the River Rhine" a live album released in 1995.

The second side is a much quieter journey, sometimes maybe too long in places but still wonderfully emotive, with the closer "Haunted Island" sticking out.
The band were extremely talented but lineup changes, poor sales :( and extensive touring forced them to split in 1974. They released "Last" and "Cliffs'" in the 70s until a brief reformation in 1998, and have since released a live album and "Fragments".
They are a definitive band of Krautrock and should be checked out at all cost, both "2nd" and "Malesch" are exemplar albums.
If you like this then also check out Amon Duul II, Guru guru and Tangerine Dream-posts will come later.
jamscoopa

Please buy at:
US
UK
Or please delete after 24 hours:
free

Thursday 20 August 2009

Faust..........

Faust-Self Titled-1970
Krautrock, Experimental, progressive.

















Well kids, what to say about Faust? They can be considered in the top tier of the german progressive movement in the late 60's and early 70's, a genre deemed by the english press at the time as "Krautrock". This being one of my favourite genres and favourite bands, Faust's eccentricity, creativity and originality set them apart from anything else before them and have influenced a huge range of bands since. A mix of electronic, rock, industrial noise, acoustic and editing techniques, it's truly original, a musical revolution of sorts. This is the first of the 4 top quality canon albums in the 70's, the self titled album is composed of 3 songs.

The first song "Why Don't You Eat Carrots" is a semi electronic affair with great usage of tape editing, it also samples some of the eras great bands with lines from "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" and "All You Need Is Love", with feedback and mesmerizing jingles throughout, its a mixed up affair. Its like sticking Mozart in a blender and playing whats left through a broken record player, whilst hoovering, listening to the radio and making a cup of tea.
Separated from the anglo-american rock scene, Faust and the other early Krautrock bands such as; CAN, Amon Duul II, Tangerine Dream etc(I'll feature these later.) were free to do as they pleased, and what they did is certainly pleasing.

The 2nd song on the album "Meadow Meal" starts as feedback before breaking into a starkly ominous industrial sound-scape (pardon my french), it is then interupted by a group mantra. A riff of unsettling simplicity then carries the song until a organ finally closes a superbly imaginative track, a real experience indeed.

The album closer Miss Fortune is a 16 minute epic beginning with a more rock orientated start reminiscent of beach boys only distorted and edited out of comprehension with what sounds like a oscillator and looping. The album is not for the faint of hearted and will take a few listens to understand it. At some points it sounds incredibly foreign for those who are used to more standard rock, and even those who look for something different.

Faust's selftitled is stunning album for anyone willing to devote some attention to it. The ethos of "Krautrock" is just that, to listen to and experience the music to absorb it live, not for a catchy memory to weaken itself through over play. Check out "So Far", and there other masterpeice "Faust IV" if you like this....
More krautrock to come soon-any requests welcomed.
jamscoopa

Please buy at:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Faust/dp/B00005KKB6/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1250819916&sr=8-15 UK
http://www.amazon.com/Faust/dp/B000006YNH/ref=sr_1_45?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1250820011&sr=8-45 USA
Or please delete after 24 hours:
carrots

Sunday 16 August 2009

The Joys of Toys...

Kevin Ayers-Joy of a Toy-1969
Canterbury, psychedelic, pop


















Hello all been in America for just over a week now, Iowa City seems nice if not a tad small, but term starts next week which should liven things up a lot-I'll do a post about "The IC" later :).

My first post in the states will be a slice of whimiscal British psych=pop in the form of the debut solo album by Kevin Ayers-Joy of a Toy from 1969.
After Soft machine undertook a grueling tour of the states(woot) in 1968 supporting Jimi Hendrix, Kevin Ayers was exhausted and set of to Ibiza to relax. He would be replaced on bass by Hugh Hopper(a Wildeflower alumni) for Volume 2.
Ayers spent the time writing and living music rather than the hectic schedule he had been in prior, Ayers music show him to be a fan of the beachy tropical vibe which I can guess would be encouraged by the beauty of Ibiza.
The album is one of charmingly catchy yet gentle pyschedelic influenced pop songs. A very talented writer, Ayers shows his humour and imagination in all the songs which charm and sooth a willing listener. The stand out song for me would be the magnificent "Lady Rachel". It has an almost fairytale nature to it, the oboe creates an eerily inviting base to the song whilst Ayers deep and honest voice carries it with some wonderfully inspired lyrics to put the listener at ease. "The Clarietta Rag" another highlight, is an idylic trip into the mountains and really captures the simple yet satisfying feel of this album. With many of the songs featuring members of soft machine, Wyatt's drumming throughout the album in particular, it has some similarity to early Soft machine("Soon, soon soon"), but Ayers relaxed and somewhat lethargic approach sets it apart-in a good and bad way.
A really good album, maybe not the most adventurous or technically brilliant, but as a start for Ayers' work it's a great place to start.

-Listen out for Bananas-

jamscoopa

Please Buy this Album from:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Joy-Toy-Kevin-Ayers/dp/B00008Y2IU/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1250448445&sr=8-3 UK
http://www.amazon.com/Joy-Toy-Kevin-Ayers/dp/B00008Y2IU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1250448516&sr=8-2 US
and many more other good independent retailers.
Or please delete after 24 hours:
Joy

Wednesday 12 August 2009

Blows Your Mind

Baby Woodrose
Blows your Mind!
  1. No Way Out
  2. Baby Blows Your Mind
  3. What a Burn!
  4. Caught in a Whirl
  5. Pandora
  6. Spinning Wheels of Fire
  7. Living a Dream
  8. Flaminica
  9. Maya
  10. D’ya Get What Ya Give?
  11. Kara Lynn
  12. Right to Get High
  13. Mind and Soul
  14. Nobody Spoil My Fun

An awesome album featuring artwork by the renowned Malleus Art Labs. They have a new record coming out in September which I urge you to buy. In the mean time take a listen to "Blows Your Mind!".


Visit their myspace
Download it here
or buy it from all good retailers etc

Sunday 9 August 2009

-E-n-o-

Brian Eno
Here Come the Warm Jets - 1973



01. Needles in the Camel's Eye
02. The Paw Paw Negro Blowtorch
03. Baby's on Fire
04. Cindy Tells Me
05. Driving Me Backwards
06. On Some Faraway Beach
07. Blank Frank
08. Dead Finks Don't Talk
09. Some of Them Are Old
10. Here Come the Warm Jets


An excellent record, probably my favourite of Eno's art rock, roxy music style solo works. This review from allmusic sums it up:
"Eno's solo debut, Here Come the Warm Jets, is a spirited, experimental collection of unabashed pop songs on which Eno mostly reprises his Roxy Music role as "sound manipulator," taking the lead vocals but leaving much of the instrumental work to various studio cohorts (including ex-Roxy mates Phil Manzanera and Andy Mackay, plus Robert Fripp and others). Eno's compositions are quirky, whimsical, and catchy, his lyrics bizarre and often free-associative, with a decidedly dark bent in their humor ("Baby's on Fire," "Dead Finks Don't Talk"). Yet the album wouldn't sound nearly as manic as it does without Eno's wildly unpredictable sound processing; he coaxes otherworldly noises and textures from the treated guitars and keyboards, layering them in complex arrangements or bouncing them off one another in a weird cacophony. Avant-garde yet very accessible, Here Come the Warm Jets still sounds exciting, forward-looking, and densely detailed, revealing more intricacies with every play".

I will get round to writing my own reviews (eventually) but this one says it better than I probably could anyhow. This is a great example of Eno's early solo work as are his next two records, "Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy)"(1974) and "Another Green World" (1975) and "Before and After Science" (1977) which are all essential Eno material. He moved away from this style of music to instrumental, ambient records which over the years Eno has cemented his place as one of the most creative and talented musicians and producers of the last 50 years.

You can download it from here

But please buy this album and others.