comp: Rose Quartz Christchurch EQ Relief

RQEQ

The fine young gentlemen at Rose Quartz have compiled a collection of tunes to benefit the city of Christchurch, which some of the RQ team call home. If you recall, the Kiwi City was devastated by a recent earthquake, which rattled the city's bones and left it a fragment of its former self. The Rose Quartz team reached out to some of their favorite artists (Thurston Moore, Sun Araw, Grouper, Dolphins into the Future, Monopoly Child Star Searchers, amongst others), many of whom have played in the city, at venues that are now not much more than rubble. The compilation is full of heavy hitters who loved the city. That said, everyone involved would greatly appreciate if listeners could support the relief effort by giving a few bucks to the Red Cross.

RQ CHRISTCHURCH EQ RELIEF 2011 COMPILATION
TRACKLIST:
1. Spelunks - "ba-DUNK"
2. Shocking Pinks - "Black Envelope"
3. Thurston Moore - "Circulation (1st Demo)"
4. Coasting - "Discovery"
5. Canterbury Rams - "Simple Mind"
6. Dolphins Into The Future - "Armona"
7. Wet Wings - "Feeeel It"
8. Golden Axe - "Catmaster"
9. Secrets - "RMBR U"
10. Monopoly Child Star Searchers - "Winds Emotive Inner Key"
11. Mount Pleasant - "Florida"
12. Sun Araw - "Thrasher"
13. Grouper - "He Knows (Live at St. Lukes Cathedral, Christchurch)"
14. With Moths - "We All Sleep"

7": Kria Brekkan "Wildering"

Pickup Sleepy
While AC and Grouper were both phenomenal last night, the highlight of my evening may have come before the show when I noticed that Animal Collective was selling Kria Brekkan's Wildering 7" alongside their own merch and a bunch of Grouper vinyl. (If you are heading to upcoming shows, be sure to snag the Pumice split, I can't believe it's still available.) For a long time now I have been under the impression that this limited run single was long out of print, so finding it for 5 bucks at a former shipping terminal in the absolute middle of nowhere Manhattan was quite a pleasant surprise. Like much of Kria's work, Wildering plays like a black lullaby from a decrepit, abandoned old barn, where a young orphan girl lives with a family of mice, subsiding only on bread, water and worms. The sound of the wind in the house is like her dead parent's voices and often comes clattering in from the cold shore, shaking windows and making the floor boards creak an unsavory creak. Often horrifying, the young orphan girl takes comfort in the company of her rodent friends, who bundle crumbs for her and make sure not to naw away at her only blanket.

Kria Brekkan- Wildering (via Raven Sings the Blues)

live: Animal Collective @ Terminal 5

"A Guy On The River Really Can't Make You Change"
(photo by rezflicks)
Like clockwork, Animal Collective continues to absolutely crush. That might seem a little dry and 'bro-y", but it's true. The show started with "Chocolate Girl," a choice opener to get the ball rolling, before getting down to business. They got "My Girls" out of the way early, subsequently working the crowd into an ecstatic fervor. As expected, it was jam packed and the kids were really getting down on MPP cuts, especially "Summertime Clothes," which I've heard 4 times live and it just keeps getting better. While the band didn't reach too far into the back catalog and the set was pretty much what I expected, having seen them on MPP release day in January, I was once again blown away by how tight Geologist, Avey and Panda have become on stage, and just how far their sound has truly come. It's almost at the point where we have to start guessing what they'll do next? My guess, back to their more acoustic roots, as it'd probably be the most unexpected thing. Then again, AC always have two feet firmly planted in the future, so maybe the next record will be recorded in Space? or 20,000 leagues under the sea?

Setlist
Chocolate Girl
My Girls
Also Frightened
Summertime Clothes
Slippi
Why Would I Want The Sky (new)
Guys Eyes
Comfy In Nautica->
Essplode->
Fireworks->
Leaf House

Encore
Bleed
Lion In A Coma
Brothersport

Animal Collective- Why Would I Want The Sky (Live on BBC's Rob Da Bank sessions)

live: The Sight Below, Grouper NYC

"Love Is Enormous"

Reclusive Seattle ambient provocateur The Sight Below performed his first ever live radio set on Seattle's KEXP back in September. Just after the new year, Ghostly made it available as the 18th edition of its highly subscribable Ghostly Cast. The impressive set was also listed as one of KEXP's "Live In-Studio Sessions You May Have Overlooked." While this 27 minute live set is the perfect companion to The Sight Below's Glider, it only makes me even more excited about the ambient artist's set this weekend at (le) poisson rouge. Not only will the Sight Below be making his NYC debut, but he'll be doing it as part of a lineup that also includes the Portland's Grouper, whose Dragging A Dead Deer Up A Hill has kept me company on many a long, cold winter's night.

Billed as "An Evening of Sensual Machine Music with Lusine, Grouper, Michael Brofman performing pieces by Erik Satie, and The Sight Below, I'm not exactly sure this is the best place to take your significant other, that is, of course, unless your significant other is J. Spaceman or Yoko Ono. Regardless, I'll be there spacing my face and sipping on a can of Pork Slap. Romantic, eh?

The Sight Below- Ghostly Cast

new: The Sight Below

Further Away
The Sight Below's icy ambiance has properly positioned itself as the electronic counterpart to my Grouper winter blanket. Ghostly puts it best, describing The Sight Below's crystalline minimalism as "half-remembered dreams and soft-focus sentiments with elegiac beauty." Space cadets and eternal dreamers can rejoice in the announcement that The Sight Below will play a special Valentine's Day edition of the Wordless Music Series with none other than Liz Harris (aka Grouper). That means you've got less than a month to get your hands on some of Dr. Price's Edible Treats.

Download The Sight Below- No Place For Us EP for FREE (from Ghostly)

The Sight Below "Further Away" Filmed at Deception Pass, WA Summer 2008

Bobkast #22: Listen, The Snow Is Falling

"I Need Another World...This Ones Nearly Gone"
(Photo by automaticbobby)
It's funny how a little bit of snow can bring a city to a stop. Aimless and carefree, it floats amongst smoke stacks and skyscrapers, lulling the avenues to a quiet hush. Quickly, it builds, hypnotizing wide-eyed onlookers as it dusts dirty streets with crystalline sparkles that shine under street lights like diamonds in a summer sky. Quiet. It swirls, whirls and falls. You stick your tongue out and taste its frozen delight. "Ahh, nurishment." And all of the sudden, the world is anew.

Bobkast #22: Listen...The Snow Is Falling
Galaxie 500- Listen, the Snow is Falling
Yo La Tengo- Nowhere Near
Alela Diane- White As Diamonds (Daytrotter)
Bjork- All is Full of Love
Grouper- Heavy Water/I'd Rather Be Sleeping
Koushik- Morning Comes
Apollo Sunshine- Happiness
Japancakes- Blown A Wish
Julianna Barwick- You Were Waiting
Mum- I Can't Feel My Hand Anymore, It's Alright, Sleep Tight
Mogwai- Yes! I Am A Long Way From Home
Antony & the Johnsons- Another World

Download Bobkast #22: Listen...The Snow Is Falling (PC: right click+ save as; Mac: command (apple)+ click)

upcoming: Grouper & Kria Brekkan

"I'd Rather Fall In A Tidal Wave"

Last night I found out at that the Silent Barn will be hosting one helluva show this Sunday. The venerable Ridgewood, Queens DIY performance space will showcase the quiet sounds of Kria Brekkan (mum, kria & avey tare) and Portland's absolutely enchanting Grouper, whose Dragging A Dead Deer Up A Hill is showing up on a lot of year-end lists, and with good reason. Liz Harris, the brains and body behind Grouper, has truly captured the essence of night on Dragging A Dead Deer..., so much so that I often wake up unable to distinguish my dreams from reality. For this, I thank you Liz Harris. If you are doing anything this Sunday, besides watching the Giants dominate the Cowgirls, I suggest going to this show. Do it for the sake of your dreams. For fans of Julianna Barwick, Eno and Stars of the Lid.

Kria Brekkan "bee xlaura"


Grouper- Heavy Water/ I'd Rather Be Sleeping

morning music: Grouper

"I'd Rather Be Sleeping"

One could argue that Grouper doesn't make music, they (aka Liz Harris) make dreams, or vignettes of noir-consciousness. They are understated, foggy and often drift into your psyche like a lost breeze, until you find yourself cold and in need of a blanket (or seal pelt). However, these wafting bits of semi-consciousness tend to linger longer than a breeze, following you like a shadow until your alone in the dark with no choice but to drift off into a sea of dreams. With day light savings behind us, and a rainy morning upon us, there is no better time to explore the haunting beauty of Grouper than today. For fans of Kria Brekkan, Lau Nau, Islaja and Paavoharju.

Grouper- Heavy Water/ I'd Rather Be Sleeping

Grouper- Heavy Water/ I'd Rather Be Sleeping