new: How I Quit Crack

"Gone Away"

While purchasing the Silent Diane 7" from Answering Machine Records a few minutes ago, JJJV recommended I also pick up the How I Quit Crack single. Intrigued, I scoped the sound and was instantly flooded by synthetic goo crooning from a robotic pipe-organ somewhere under Gotham City. Wiccan drum machines build over frothing synths that make grandfather clocks stop beating. Her reworkings of Beatles and Nirvana tracks on MySpace are at one part haunting and disillusioned, while channeling inner-demons intrinsique to life in the 21st century. "Gone Away" is a spacier-poppier exploration, propelled by digital snares and Ernestina Forbis's alluring siren sound. Check out her YouTube list, 273 psych'd out videos strong.

Listen here.

radio: Sunday Brunch Ep10

"Burn"

A cold, rainy day is the best time to be inside the Newtown Radio studio at Danbro. You don't feel bad about missing out on the afternoon sun, and it doesn't rain inside. You control the atmosphere. When Ari and I walked in, Camilla and Jessa of Future Shuttle and Corky of the Tesla Effect had already set the tone; sage and incense a burning, mystic vibes smoking out the unwindowed fallout shelter. Shit got hot. It helped that Ari brought a handful of dub records and I was really in the mood to crank the low ends all afternoon. And so it went.

Sunday Brunch Episode 10

Laurie Anderson- Sharkey's Day

Scientist- Bad Days Dub

Forest Swords- If Your Girl

Janka Nabay- De Debut (33rpm sage dub remix)

Aquarius Dub- Jah Jah Dub (Produced by Hermin Chin-Loy)

Locked Groove from Black Moth Super Rainbow/Octopus Project split

Phillip Glass- A Gentleman's Honor

An Evening with Windham Hill Live- Hawk Circle/Reflection (arm womp remix)

Gram Parsons- A Song For You (Feat. Emmylou Harris)

Tracey Trance- The Fountain pt.1

Os Mutantes- Maria Fola

Os Mutantes- Baby

Andy Summers & Robert Fripp- China-Yellow Leader

Roxy Music- India

Roxy Music- While My Heart is Still Beating

High Places- Visions First (33rpm sage dub remix)

Stars of the Lid- The Atomium - part one

--Future Shuttle Live Set --

Flying Saucer Attack & Roy Montgomery- excerpt from Goodbye/And Goodbye

Pure Ecstasy- Voices (33rpm sage dub remix)

Neil Young- See The Sky About to Rain

Ernest Rodgers- Willie the Chimney Sweeper

Karen Dalton- Somethings On Your Mind

Vashti Bunyan- Some Things Just Stick In Your Mind (33rpm sage dub remix)

Lau Nau- Painovoimaa, valoa

Sacred Harp- excerpt from Feast of the Green Corn

Roy Montgomery- excerpt from Split 12" with Grouper

Islaja- Pete P

Woods- Creeps Culture

The Incredible String Band- Way Back In The 1960s

Joseph Childress- Leaving the Barren Ground

Download Sunday Brunch Episode 10 (PC: Right Click+ Save | Mac: Control + Click + Save As)

video: John K. "My Only Girl"

"Come on Baby Spend the Night"

John K.'s Lost in the Beat has been in constant rotation in my mind since I first became enamored with John's synthetic bedroom sound. Blurring the line between bedroom syn-phonics and beat-oriented '80s pop, John has an unseemingly natural way of connecting disparate emotions and sounds until they seem so familiar that their roots are hard to trace. I always hear bits of New Order and Madonna, as well as John Maus, when I'm listening to Lost in the Beat, but where their tunes often come off as anthemic, or beguilling, John's music tends to be more personal. It's easy to hear where it comes from, possibly because it's one man making it, or maybe because he's just a guy with some instruments who happens to record when he's not teaching. "My Only Girl," one of the standouts on Lost in the Beat, is a slo-funk trip down memory lane, complete with mega-delayed guitars, an intoxicating bass line and snappy drums that come together over John's falsetto to create a perfect pallate for thinking about your one and only. Fittingly, Alex from Leftist Nautical Antiques recently edited down a bunch of Super 8mm footage he found at a garage sale into a video for the tune. "My Only Girl" will appear on the cassette version of Lost in the Beat, scheduled to come out shortly via a collaboration between Leftist Nautical Antiques and The Curatorial Club.

mix: RVNG's Purple Brain

"The Riot"

Faded and fully zonked, RVNG's Purple Brain mix is the sort of bong'd out sorcery conjured for aiding in spiritual transformations. For most involved, this will probably involve a couch and a pipe, but if your lucky, or just a real bad ass, you'll be crawling on the floor of a dank rain forest, wondering where the hell you are, when the choppers will come, and if/when those dudes with the crazy sticks in their lips are going to get hungry. The mix came out last June and has been sold out for a while, however, RVNG apparently just found 56 copies of the mix CD, which also contains a purple 7". Buy it here.

Purple Brain 7" track listing:

Side A (33 RPM)
A1. Barry DeVorzon and Perry Botkin Jr. - The Riot (PB Edit) (3:30)
A2. Purple Brain - Purple Brain Theme (1:34)

Side B (33 RPM)
B1. Bahumutsi Drama Group - To The Comrades (PB Edit) (5:16)

CD track listing:

01. Isiis - Servant Saviour
02. Stereolab & Nurse With Wound - Trippin' with the Birds
03. Jimi Hendrix - Captain Coconut
04. Joe South - A Million Miles Away
05. Yan Tregger - Sea Trumpet
06. Irmin Schmidt & Bruno Spoerri - Toy Planet
07. Bahumutsi Drama Group - To the Comrades (PB Edit)
08. 2-82 - Purple Paraiso
09. Dominik Von Senger - Dlaluk
10. Alan White - Ooooh Baby
11. Robert Palmer - Si Chatouillieux
12. Barry DeVorzon & Perry Botkin Jr. - The Riot (PB Edit)
13. Electric Sandwich - China
14. Beaver & Krause - People's Park
15. Phew - Our Element
16. Fusioon - Rapsodioa Un Violin
17. Gong - Percolations Parts 1 & 2
18. Roland Vincent & Jean-Pierre Lang - Le Feouk
19. Eroc - Der Prophet

video: Pure Ecstasy "Alexandria"

"Taco Power"

While I was running around like a mad man, Elise Oh, propreitress of Pixel Horse, was stationed front and center, capturing memories with a device that records moving images. (Quite the invention.) Pure Ecstasy were in the zone, all mellowed out and grooving while drunk mess' yelled weirdo shit like "Taco Power" and sang along (half out of tune) to "You're In It Now." By the time they slipped into "Alexandria," from their recently released 7" on Acephale, the vibe was overwhelming, as evidenced by the movements of rhythm section. Mellow thrashing. Snag the new 7" here, and make sure to play it at both speeds. Trust me.

Download a recording of the entire set here. (Recorded by Matt Johnson)

video: Twin Sister "Something About Us" (Daft Punk cover)

"Homework"

Twin Sister played a late (late) night show this past Friday with Holiday Shores on a roof in the shadows of the BQE. I didn't get there until 1:45 and only caught the tail end of Twin Sister's set, though I wasn't really bummed until Dev told me they covered a Daft Punk song. Luckily Ian Perlman was their with a camera and microphone to capture it for everyone. (A few more tracks on his Vimeo page.)

mix: Sun Araw Super Slayers mix

"I Think He's Having a Rap Attack"

Distopia night wrangler Sun Araw recently produced a mix for The Wire's Adventures in Modern Music series. A sur-radical dive into the outer-limits of chaos and righteousness, Super Slayers hits in its quadrophonic intentions and literal title, elevating all unjust energy to a recycling upper level, while harvesting all good, natural vibes from the "groove goin'." Thx Cameron.

Tracklist

Exuma- Exuma, The Obeah Man (from Exuma)

Teddy And The Fingerpoppers- Soul Groove Pt 1 12"
Big Daddy Kane- Ain't No Half Steppin’ (Mr Magic Remix) (from Mr Magic's Rap Attack)
Bayete Umbra Zindiko- Don't Need Nobody (from Seeking Other Beauty)
Danielson Famile- Headz In The Cloudz (from A Prayer For Every Hour)
The Pyramids- Mohgo Naba (King Of Kings) (from King Of Kings)
DMBQ- I'm On My Feet Again (from Fable Of Thinner Lemon)
Selda- Yaylalar (from Selda)
Shinki Chen & Friends- Gloomy Reflections (from Shinki Chen & Friends)
Ariel Kalma- Planet-Air (from Osmose)
Mahmoud Guinia- Sast Demanio (from Mahmoud Guinia)

Sun Araw- Super Slayers (for The Wire's: Adventures in Modern Music series)

mp3: Future Shuttle "Birth of Europa"

"Fields of Dreams"
Birthed from an understanding that as humans we are born of the Earth, just as minerals, gems and tornados, Future Shuttle capture depths of humanity only seen when the surface is scratched away and we're left with nothing but a glowing core. Mystical envelopements structure their free-flying synth raga, channeling what is either an ethereal connection to Tibetan singing bowls or, simply, the wind. It's astonishing to think these zones are created by mere mortals, Camilla Padgitt-Coles and Jessa Farkas (and occassionally, Lizzie Harper) determined to exume life from a once dead shell of a globe. Future Shuttle will be our guests this week on Sunday Brunch on Newtown Radio, from 2-4pm.

Future Shuttle- Birth of Europa

In addition to warping the astral place with Future Shuttle, Camilla Padget-Coles (aka Ivy Meadows), along with Harry Painter, is the host of Arthur Radio. I had the pleasure of meandering into the studio last Sunday night at 9pm just after Transmission #14: Cave Crawling took off and was immediately transported to an alien world where I lost all concept of space, time and feeling. Absolutely unreal sound collage. Total psychic experience. Take the trip.

Download Arthur Radio Transmission #14: Cave Crawling

video: Oneohtrix Point Never "Star Looks"

"Returnal"

Blasting off into the future-present on a random week night in Williamsburg, Oneohtrix Point Never hurls intersteller bliss like Subway's breed lateness. The sort of post-modern retro-activity that makes us wonder, 'Why the fuck aren't we living on the Moon already?' Good point. Aided by friend Matt Mondanile, on fog machine, the vibe was right for Lopatin to lift the room off its nailed hinges into the lunar limelight. Welcome to Space. Shot for Tunnelvision by C. Axel Poekel III.

radio: Sunday Brunch Ep 9

"Soul Shakedown Party"

After a weekend of some most excellent aural-debauchery, we let our spirits unwind Sunday afternoon with some classic soul, Motown, and R&B. The broadcast on Newtown Radio also featured live sets from Pure Ecstasy and Eternal Summers, unfortunately those recordings didn't turn out as well as planned/hoped. All is well though as this set of classics set the mood for the entire day to come.

The Temptations - Run Away Child, Running Wild
Gladys Knight & The Pips - Everybody Needs Love
The Marvellettes - The Hunter Gets Captured By The Prey
O.C. Smith - Little Green Apples
Jr. Walker & The All-Stars - Way Back Home
Pete Wingfield - Eighteen With A Bullet
The Four Tops - Ask The Lonely
BT Express - Gimme What You Got
Marvin Gaye - Trouble Man
Don Covay - She Was Checkin Out, I Was Checkin In
Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes - Don't Leave Me This Way
Booker T and the MG's - Time is Tight
Shuggie Otis - Sparkle City
Oma Heard - Mr. Lonely Hearts
The O'Jays - It's Too Strong
Archie Bell & The Drells - Tighten Up
The Drifters - Saterday Night at the Movies
War - All Day Music
Lowell Fulson - Tramp
Darius - Hello Stranger
Don Covay - Somebody's Been Enjoying My Home
The Temptations - I Wish It Would Rain (LIVE)
Percy Sledge - Warm and Tender Love
The Temptations - Take A Stroll Through Your Mind

Otis Redding - My Lover's Prayer
Donna Summer - Try Me, I Know We Can Make It
Chic - Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)
The Gap Band - I Don't Believe You Want To Get Up and Dance (Oops!)
Carol Douglas - Doctor's Orders
Carol Douglas - A Friend In Need
Rose Royce - Car Wash

Rose Royce - I Wanna Get Next To You
R.B. Greaves - Take a Letter Maria

Sunday Brunch - Episode 9

classic: Zazou/ Bikaye/ Cy1 Noir Et Blanc Remixes

"Undefinable"


Drenched in synthetic polyrhtyhms, Zazou/ Bikaye/Cy 1's Noir Et Blanc set the tone for fusing African music with progressive electronic tones. According to Crammed Discs, who issued the record in 1983, the album resulted from "a torrid encounter between Congolese singer Bony Bikaye, Algerian-born French composer Hector Zazou and mad scientists CY1." The hypnonotic blend of future-forward analog synthesizers Cy1 brought to the mix ("wall-sized analog computers") provide the framework for Zazou to mix with Bona Bikaye's traditional Conoglese vocals. The result is a hyper-futuristic-African-maximalism that sound as outer-wordly as it does obvious... in retrospect. ("Of course weirdo synth geeks were teaming up with African legends from the Congo to produce ecstatic post-modern jungle club riddims in Belgium. Duh!") And while the album is steeped in the sort of progressive electro-experimentalism that makes kids wet their pants (Peep "Dju Ya Feza" above), the latest reissue of Noir Et Blanc contains two blasted remixes that'll turn even the most pessimistic of critics into dance floor fog machine freakers.

Zazou/Bikaye/Cy1- Eh Aye (Remix)

Zazou/Bikaye/Cy1- M'Pasi Ya M'Pamba (Remix)

pics: Tortilla Factory / Home Sweet Home

"Los Hermanos"

Resting up after an incredibly hectic whirlwind of a weekend, it's hard to even recollect what exactly went down. Bullet points would probably read "Weed Hounds, Twin Sister & Pure Ecstasy played a tortilla factory, then "Pure Ecstasy and Eternal Summers played the Sunday Brunch radio show", and then "Pure Ecstasy and Run DMT turned Home Sweet Home into the mellowest, most psyched out basement bar this side of Moracco." Of course, Erez Avissar was there to capture most of the weekend in glorious hues.

Pure Ecstasy

Twin Sister

Weed Hounds

The scene @ Los Hermanos

PURE ECSTASY & RUN DMT at Home Sweet Home

mix: GAMES Heaven Can Wait Vol. III

"For Blazers Only"

GAMES tracks always hit harder post-midnight. It's, like, a state-of-mind, or something. Narco-zones infiltrating basements MacGuyver'd into mini-disco's, man'd by ecstatic youths hopped up on god knows what. "For Blazers Only" speaks volumes. As does the luded out vocals that dominate and set the 60-frames a second atmosphere.

Heaven Can Wait Mixtape Vol. III by Games

Download the wknd ready Heaven Can Wait Mixtape Vol.III (FBO).

show:4/17 Pure Ecstasy/Twin Sister/ Weed Hounds

"This is How We Do It"

It's been a while since we've thrown a show, but I think this should make up for lost time. We've paired Pure Ecstasy and Twin Sister together before (and it ruled), so when we had the opportunity to reconnect the bands at the famous Los Hermanos Tortilleria, we had to make it happen. As if that wasn't enough for a stellar evening, Weed Hounds will also bring their pop-gaze to the Tortilla Factory, a highly appropriate 1-2-3 punch, if you ask me. Not only that, but DJ Rezound (Cascaders, Men & Women, Group Tightener) will be keeping the party abreast all night long on the ones-and-twos. If all this sounds nice, but you're really looking for an excuse to party, look no further than celebrating the 26th anniversary of the birth of Bobka/The Report videographer C. Axel Poekel III (aka Chaakles). Oh yeah, and there will be free tacos. More details available here. Doors will

INFO

Saturday, April 17th | Doors 8 | Show 9-ish | $7 | BYOB | Free Tacos

Pure Ecstasy

Twin Sister

Weed Hounds

DJ REZOUND

Tortilleria Mexicana Los Hermanos

271 Starr St (btwn Wykoff & St. Nicholas) L Train to Jefferson (Right around the corner)

comp: Various Deficiencies Vol.1

"Hey Sue"
Jonathan from Blackburn Recordings has been telling me about this killer comp he's been set to release since we randomly bumped into each other at the Shake Some Action Ethiopean jam during SXSW. I was pretty stoked about it at the time, but that may have been because the dude manning the keg in the parking lot went inside and I kept pumping the keg myself. Either way, was a real pleasant surprise to get my computer back today and simultaneously get an email from Jonathan with the comp. Various Deficiencie Vol.1 hits like a massive headwind bulldozzing down Norman Ave, a heady combination of rough and tumble garbage blowing amongst the translucent blue radiation spewing from the Newtown Creek. It's tough to pin down, but there are some serious heavy hitters involved, including Big Troubles, Cloud Nothings, City Center, Sleep Over, Coasting, Sore Eros and many more. Peep the tracklist and download the comp below, you won't be sorry. In addition, the comp will also be available as a limited edition cassette in the near future, so keep your eyes/ears peeled for that one too.

Blackburn Recordings Presents...Various Deficiencies Vol.1
City Center - Grow Up Again
Big Troubles - Chalk Circles
Cloud Nothings - Leave You Forever
Campfires - Oh Golden Dawn
Sore Eros - Melting
Brett Marren - Love Is A Jawbreaker
Possum - Red Hot
Coasting - Snow Song (Live on WNYU)
Lame Drivers - Working Song
Metal Rouge - Fast Flora Lights
Cursillistas - Trail of Tears
sleep in sundays - Flour
Falsetto Boy - Hey Sue
mountainhood - Coney Island
Sleep Over - The Key
Island's Eyelids - Western Cameo
Sultan - There Goes My Girl

Download Various Deficiencies Vol.1

7": Alex Bleeker These Days

"Never Going Back to School"
Group Tightener are on point again with their latest release, a fresh 7" from lead Freak and Real Estate low-end commander Alex Bleeker. While it's oft silly to judge a record by its cover, the cover of the These Days says it all. Suburban Freewheelin'. Both fitting and touching, the cover transports the listener to a place where rock and roll myth and ethos are mere everyday realities. The Q104.3 classics that built the foundation for much of what we call rock and roll are so ingrained in our minds that its often hard to look away and think of a world where they didn't exist. It's clear Bleeker's got them on his mind, as he unabashedly, and unironically, channels the spirit that birthed so much of the music we now take for granted. Listening to "These Days" it's clear that Jackson Browne's original, written for Nico, is a fond touch point. {ED Note: however, Bleeker's version of "These Days" is not a cover. It first appeared on the Underwater Peoples Winter comp.} It's a tune we all know and love. It's part of our collective cultural psyche, yet Bleeker finds a path in the tune that's never been explored, choosing to wander around the edge, while subtly highlighting his influences and idols. The end result; a brand new, completely different, but still familiar tune that plays with the idea of turning off/on our audio memory. "Getting By" is similar and works in its "I swear to God I've heard this before" head scratchery. Harnessing the vibe of Grateful Dead's late career hit (and most identifiable song) "Touch of Grey" and driving it down the same roads the Feelies explored while recording The Good Earth. Playful and introspective, the new Group Tightener release finds Bleeker moving away from the no-frills Freaks LP and carving a niche for himself as a songwriter unafraid of tackling sounds and ideas many would think cliche, turning them into feel good anthems for youths who only heard "Touch of Grey" years after Jerry passed.

Pick it up at Group Tightener.

Alex Bleeker- Getting By

radio: Sunday Brunch Ep 8

"Trip With Me"

While looking at Charles' records this morning, trying to figure out what to play on Sunday Brunch, I cam across this random Nancy Wilson album. I thought it was Nancy Wilson of Heart, but turns out it was the soul singer. Charles ganked it from his step mom. Looked alright, featured a couple of Burt Bacharach songs and a cover of Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne." But what really struck me was the last track, "Trip With Me." For a second I figured it was some late period, psychedelic soul from Wilson, but turns out, its really more like a title track to a ficticious jet-set swinging '60s film that never was. Or was it??? Download the entire set, sequenced live on two turntables at Newtown Radio's HQ in the Danbro warehouse. Next week will feature a live set from Pure Ecstasy, and a bunch of other random special treats.

Sunday Brunch Episode 8
Nancy Wilson- Trip With Me
White Rainbow- excerpt from "For Terry"
Grateful Dead- Prelude
Real Estate- Motorbikes
Magic Markers- Tighten One, Loosen the Other
Blood on the Wall- Lightning Song
The Premiers- Farmer John
Silver Jews- Cock Sucker Blues
Bram Rigg Set- I Can Only Give You Everything
The Wizards from Kansas- She Rides with Witches
Caribou- Skunks
Atlas Sound- Axis I (F. Grey)
Muddy Waters- You're Gonna Miss Me
Karen Dalton- Are You Leaving for the Country?
Bob Dylan- One More Weekend
The Kinks- Along Way From Home
Righteous Brothers- You've Lost That Loving Feeling
Velvet Underground- I Found A Reason
The Delfonics- Ready or Not
Tyron Ashley's Funky Music Machine- Gotta Clean Up Pt.1 & Pt.2
James Pants- excerpt from Stones Thrown sampler
Jackie Stoudomire- Invisible Wind
Tom Tom Club- Genius of Love
Mono Mono- Ema Kowa Iasa Ile Wa
"Intro to Funky 16 Corners"Ernie & the Top Notes- Dap Walk
Sarolta Zalatnay- Esy Szot Se Szojl
Children of the 6th Root Race- Go With the Flow
Animal Collective- People (live)
The Zombies- Butcher's Tale
The Mantles- Don't Lie
The Byrds- Space Odyssey
Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey- Olu Jeki Ato Agba
Walter Carlos- Spring

Download Sunday Brunch Ep 8

video: The Report DVD- One Week Only

"Epilogue"


As one chapter closes, another opens. And so with Pitchfork.TV now airing the DVD companion to The Report for One Week Only, it's time to look to the future. The next issue of The Report is currently fermenting somewhere North of McGuinness BLVD. In addition, a few editions (roughly 20, give or take) will be available for purchase as of early next week, at which point Volume 1 will cease to exist. Enjoy a few choice selections from The Report DVD.

Pure Ecstasy "You're In It Now"


Javelin "Oh! Centra"


the Report
Vol. 1 - DVD

"Nostrand Ave"
Twin Sister
Above Richie's Gym
January 30, 2010
video by Ray Concepcion

"Unknown"
Three Spanish Gentlemen
Somewhere in Queens
September 12, 2009
video by Chaakles

"Safe At Home"
Eternal Summers
The Delancey
October 23, 2009
video by Chaakles

"Summer" > "Epilogue"
Alex Bleeker & The Freaks
The Studio at Webster Hall
January 07, 2010
video by Chaakles

"Oh! Centra"
Javelin
Under100
November 20, 2009
video by Chaakles

"Blondie"
Family Portrait
Cameo Gallery
August 29, 2009
video by Ray Concepcion

"Halfway To Jackson"
Justin Townes Earle
11th St. Bar
December 09, 2009
courtesy of Bloodshot Records
video by Chaakles

"Opens Arms"
Lux Perpetua
Lutheran Church of the Messiah
December 11, 2009
video by Ray Concepcion

"I'm On Fire"
Alex Bleeker ft Mountain Man
Lutheran Church of the Messiah
December 11, 2009
video by Chaakles

"Dog Song"
Mountain Man
Lutheran Church of the Messiah
December 11, 2009
video by Ray Concepcion

"You're In It Now"
Pure Ecstasy
Above Richie's Gym
January 30, 2010
video by Chaakles

"Droplet On A Hot Stone"
Julian Lynch
Bruar Falls
January 04, 2010
video by Chaakles

"Beach Comber"
Real Estate
The Delancey
October 23, 2009
video by Chaakles

"Epilogue"
Alex Bleeker ft Mountain Man
Luthern Church of the Messiah
December 11, 2009
video by Chaakles

classic: Ship Ahoy

"Now that we've found love, what are we gonna do?"
The demand for album-oriented production in the early seventies had a profound effect on Motown, classic soul, and R&B. While countless acts continued to rely heavily on singles and radio airplay, a few groups took a note or two from prominent rock and folk artists. The Temptations, under the new direction of Norman Whitfield, issued a handful of albums with a more cohesive premise (Cloud Nine, Puzzle People, Psychedelic Shack) drawing countless new fans who otherwise might not have noticed. Thirteen years after forming, Ohio natives The O'Jays released their major label debut in 1972, Back Stabbers, and earned national attention and critical praise. The title track and "Time To get Down" were major hits, and "Love Train" is still played in bars and bar-mitzvahs alike. Back Stabbers put Philadelphia International on the map. However is was their follow-up, Ship Ahoy, that is often overlooked and publicly underrated.

Today, Ship Ahoy is probably best remembered for the single "For the Love of Money" (the theme song from The Apprentice). Like many artists coming off a major success, the group decided to focus on social issues, from racism to greed and most notably, slavery. The album cover features images of half-naked slaves, and the epic title song begins with the sounds of slave ships (breaking waves, creaking wood, and the rhythmic sound of a whip). As the whip fades, an equally rhythmic 2-note bassline takes its place as the rest of the instrumentation slowly emerges, all culminating with an epic vocal barrage. Every track is memorable but other highlights include "Now That We've Found Love" and the super-laid-back nine minute blues ballad "Don't Call Me Brother."

The O'Jays - Don't Call Me Brother

video: Julian Lynch with Family Portrait

"Jam"

Harnessing the rays of a bright sun left stranded over weary plains, this house jam by Julian Lynch, featuring old homies Family Portrait, is the sort of dimly light magic you'd expect to exist only in a place far removed from the grid. The grass is a little longer and the sky is cluttered with massive schools of clouds trotting to their next destination. Subtle and refreshing, the wind blows, shaking everything in its path; hair, weeds, trees, birds. By the time the sun heads over the horizon, the landscape is frozen, serene. Only to be lifted up again in the morning, when the sun rises once again and begins nourishing the seeds its helped grow for thousands of years.

This video was shot at Ben's house in Madison, Wisconsin by Spencer Wells. Wish we could've been there for this one. Thx Spencer.

radio: Sunday Brunch Ep7

"Golden Years"
Took over the air waves this Sunday for the weekly addition of our Sunday Brunch program, but with vibes high and the sun even higher, things swung in an interesting direction. Gone were proto-hypno jams and scuzz-pop balladry, replaced with hi-fi, soul kicking Dad Rock. Swinging from Bowie to Roxy Music to Traffic to Bruce (with Jackson Browne) before finally finishing with a solo set by Alex Bleeker, the afternoon felt like a complete homage to the tapedecks that provided the soundtrack to many family road trips and backyard parties. Come back for more next Sunday at 2pm on Newtown Radio.

Sunday Brunch Ep7- Easter Dad Rock Edition

Ducktails- Surfs Up

David Bowie- Golen years

Nick Lowe- I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass

Roxy Music- More Than This

Tina Turner- Private Dancer

The Clash- Straight to Hell

Gnonnas Pedro et ses Dadjes- La Musica En Verite

The Crusaders- Get On The Soul Ship (It's Leaving)

Steely Dan- Hey Nineten

Traffic- The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys

Dennis Wilson- Pacifac Ocean Blues

Wilson Picket (w/ Duane Allman)- Hey Jude

Percy Sledge- When A Man Loves A Woman

Beach Boys- Surfs Up

Bruce Springsteen- Stay

Fleetwood Mac- Rihanna (live)

T.Rex- Metal Guru

The Feelies- Tomorrow Today

Velvet Underground- Oh! Sweet Nuthin

Silver Jews- Random Rules

--Live Set by Alex Bleeker--

Download Sunday Brunch Ep7- Easter Sunday Dad Rock Edition

mp3: SURVIVE "Lunar Eclipse"

"Holographic Landscape"

Spawned from the birth of star during a nuclear eclipse, SURVIVE dwell in corners neither seen, felt nor touched. Prefering to carve dreams out of the nascent subtlties oft overlooked by mere mortals, the group of knob-heads thrive on putting the beat in imagined future communities, the sort of virtual score music that feels like it should be included in Emilie Friedlander & Camilla Padget-Coles Field Notes. Spacial, and yet ripe for the floor, "Lunar Eclipse" is the result of kids from the Texas hill still hoping their Blade Runner/Demolition Man fantasies will someday be fulfilled. (Fingers crossed.) SURVIVE's self-titled debut is currently available from Light Lodge, the same great Austin label responsible for Silver Pines and Pure Ecstasy, as well as two banging SXSW showcases, and a slew of upcoming releases. Keep yr ears to the ground.

SURVIVE- Lunar Eclipse

radio: Sunday Brunch Ep6

"Rain"

After a bit of delay, I proudly present last weeks Sunday Brunch radio hour. Sequenced live on Newtown Radio, the mix was heavily influenced by two things; torrential rains and a desire to segue Sunday Brunch into Arthur Radio. The later was completely by bellowing out Dream Color's "Spiritual Celebration" tape, effectively entrancing Ivy Meadows & Visitation Rites, who caught the vibe and fleshed it out. A real mellow affair.

Sunday Brunch Ep6

Stars of the Lid- December Hunting for Vegetarian Fuck Face

Twin Sister- Galaxy Plateau

Julian Lynch- Winterer 2

Ravi Shankar- Bangla Dhun

Oneness of Juju- Chants/Don't Give Up

Soul Messengers- Our Lord & Savior

Susan Christy- Ghost Riders In The Sky

Sacred Harp- The Seven Salvations

William Eaton- Untitled

Run DMT- Disaster Babies

Run DMT- Spruce Bringsteen

Atlas Sound- side 4 trac k3

James Ferraro- last american hero

Vashti Bunyan- Wayward

George Harrison- Gimme Love

Bruce Springsteen- I'm On Fire (live)

Kurt Vile- Red Apples

Big Troubles- Grey Dayz

Liam the Younger- 'celebrate today'

Forrest Swords- If Your Girl

Alice Cohen- Anemia

Velvet Davenport- One/Lemon

Marissa Nadler- Mistress (On a Sunny Day)

Mountain Man- Buffalo

Alex Bleeker- Journey Through The Past

Lee Hazelwood- No Train to Stockholm

Michael Parallax- Mountain Girls

Sleep Over- Sun Spots

Alex Bleeker- Time Cloud

Fripp & Eno- Wind on Water

Sun Araw- Beams

Dream Colour- Spiritual Celebration

Download Sunday Brunch Ep6

videos: SwimJams

"Divine Light"


After a string of near flawless releases, OESB hits the proverbial nail on the head once again with the announcement that the label's first double LP (and DVD box set?!?!) will come from none other than Oklahoma's king of paint huffing skurrit riffs, SwimJams. Culled from blood Scott Stapp shed on the alter of Motorhead while smoking sherm with Wayne Coyne and ripping the heads off pigeons for the mere fuck of it, SwimJams take no prisoners harsh-bliss is the proto-Nirvana/Grunge killer to all the hypno-poop Casio obsessed stonejobs have been shitting out for the past few years. It's a throw back, a fuck you to CC Devil and all the washed out Sunkist video obsessing windsurfing posers caught up on Ariel Pink's warped amplitude. OESB offered up a dish of fresh appetizers to get us salivating, but something tells me we're all gonna need lobster bibbs to catch the globs of drool spilling from our unhinged jaws as we induldge in what might be one of the most revolutionary steps music has taken in the past 30 years.

tape: Tracey Trance

"&"

Six occult Iowa corn freakers lurk in the fields surrounding an abandoned carnival. Gased up on NO2 and unknown chemi-bits, tweakers hot wire the Jumbotron and take the old rusty mess for a spin. Wielding crackers and a pinch of fairy dust, a toeless wanderer spin kicks the gears into reverse, sending the gang ass backwards into a time-lapse-tilt-a-whirl. Lost somewhere in the frenetic energy of misaligned molecules, scattered bits of thrown sound ampli-fry in the luminous dawn light comes. The source; their leader, Tracey Trance, riding high on the steel bull, riffing hard on some jack-in-the-box tweakery. "Breaking the Streak."

Tracey Trance brings his three-year (infinite?) "microwavy gravy tour" to Brooklyn next week, with accomplice, and fellow soul child Taterbug.

Tracey Trance- Breaking the Streak