United States of Electronica - s/t

Name: United States of Electronica
Album: s/t
Year: 2004
Style:  Electronic, Dance, Disco
Similar Bands: Basement Jaxx, Junior Senior, Andrew WK, Daft Punk, Parry Grip
"One-Word" Review: Non Stop Automated Party Rock
Based Out Of: Seattle, Washington
Label: Manaheim, Sonic Boom Recordings

CD & Inner Case

Front & Back

United States of Electronica (2004)

1. It Is On 4:40 (single - Japan)
2. Emerald City 4:05 (single)
3. Climb the Walls (Umbrella of Love) 4:36
4. All Sounds & All People 0:45
5. Open Your Eyes 3:35
6. Takin' It All the Way 5:14
7. ...City of Stars 1:04
8. Night Shift 4:58
9. There's Always Music 4:33
10. Vamos A La Playa 4:43
11. ...the Chase 0:39
12. La Discoteca 4:20

Album Rating (1-10): 7.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Jason Holstrom - Guitar, Vox, Recording, Mastering (Wonderful, Aqueduct, Dolour, Bobby Karate)
• Jon E. Rock - Drums, Vox (Wonderful, Dolour)
• Peter Sali - Guitar, Vox (Wonderful, The Kalendar Band)
• Noah Star Weaver - Keys, Vocoder  (Wonderful, Shane Tutmarc & Travelling Mercies, Rosie Thomas, Dolour)
• Derek Chan - Bass
• Carly Nicklaus - Vox (The Catch, Bruno Pronsato, Michael Vermillion)
• Amanda Okonek - Vox
• PJ Ramey - Additional Performance
• Phil Peterson - Additional Performance (Portugal. The Man, The Bluebird, Sherri Youngward, Pedro the Lion, Rivulets & Violets, Nevada Bachelors, Sarah Shannon, Dear John Letters, Holly Figueroa, Kutless, Demon Hunter, Rosie Thomas, Late Tuesday, Holland, David LaMotte, Leroy M Bell, Wonderful, Dead Poetic, Seven Places. Ken Stringfello, Jeremy Camp, Mastodon, Verona, Lashes, Kutless, Harvey Danger, Acceptance, Brandi Carlile, J. Tillman, Ruth, Owl City, Posies, John Totten, Wavves, Maroon 5, Deniz Tek, Vance Joy, Benny Blanco, Rose Blossom Punch)
• Shane Tutmarc - Additional Performance (Dolour, Gatsbys American Dream, Traveling Mercies, Star Anna)

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band. Picked up the CD in a bin, probably based on the word Electronica in the name. I'm hoping this is a fun rock-electronic hybrid album that's catchy but not too much into the techno genre, even if the cover looks like a spray-painted template of a rave.

Album Review: The band formed as an experimental joke, part joke, part way to express a more fun musical environment, and when it was received well by the audience, the band Wonderful decided to start the side project. They only had this one album for a while, self released & funded, and eventually picked up & distributed. It performed well in Japan, and eventually released a follow up in 2009. Apparently they played a one-off reunion show in 2019, but the members still have side projects they work on.

The album is more mainstream acceptable with elements of pop rock and standard catchy party songs  than other full-on electronic bands, and the atmosphere they create is a care free fun world. It falls somewhere between Daft Punk ("Emerald City" borrows from "Around the World's" vocoder melody) and the amusing tongue in cheek silly songs of Parry Gripp, with a little Vengaboys + dicso thrown in. It starts strong and falters toward the end, whether it be out of tedium or a stronger, padded front.

Stand Out Track: Emerald City

Links:

Spotify
Wiki

Discogs

Allmusic

Website

Facebook

Bandcamp

Pitchfork

Rate Your Music

Reader - Chicago

Robert Christgau

Tinfed - Synaptic Hardware~, Hypersonic Hyperphonic*, Tried+True^

Name: Tinfed
Album: Synaptic Hardware~, Hypersonic Hyperphonic*, Tried+True^
Year: 1993~, 1996*, 2000^
Style: Industrial, Electronic, Nu Metal
Similar Bands: NIN, Fuel, System of a Down, Smashing Pumpkins, God Lives Underwater, Filter, Gravity Kills, Stabbing Westward, Cop Shoot Cop, Bush^, OK Go^
"One-Word" Review: Electro-Clash Industrial Dentistry~* Snotty Alt-Rock^
Based Out Of: Sacramento, Ca
Label: Primitech Releases~, Cargo Music*, Re-Construction*, Hollywood Records^, Third Rail Records^

Cover & Fold out~

Liner Notes & Lyrics, CD, CD Case Back~

Cover & Back*

Liner Notes, CD & CD Tray*

Cover & CD Back^

CD, CD Tray, Lyrics and Liner Notes^

Center Photo^

Synaptic Hardware (1993)~

1. Blood 4:39 (single)
2. Burning 4:01
3. Dominion 4:39
4. Turned Off 4:41
5. Interjector 5:51
6. Reverse Encryption 4:15
7. Cleansed 5:03
8. Mannerism Project 4:55

Hypersonic Hyperphonic (1996)*

1. Thinwall Turmoil 4:27
2. Whatever 4:13
3. Wait Suspension 4:26
4. Dis-jointed 4:20
5. Insulin 5:16
6. Elliv Noir Am 4:09
7. Doubtless 3:10
8. Unfamiliar 5:06
9. Dis-jungle 4:32

Tried + True (2000)^

1. Arrange 3:04
2. Way Thru 3:14
3. Immune 3:48
4. Drop 3:58
5. Never Was Sure 4:17
6. Always/Never 2:45
7. Halo 3:22
8. Mouth As Sharp 3:41
9. Idol 3:44
10. Overrated 3:02
11. Dangergirl 3:50
12. It's Late 4:16

Album Rating (1-10):
~ 5.5

* 5.0

^ 6.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Eric Stenman - Guitar, Bass, Programming, Engineer, Construction~*Writer^ (Elegy, Bureau of the Glorious, Skinny Puppy, Death Valley High)
• Victor Krag - Mixing~
• Paul Stubblebine - Mastering~
• Trevor Henthorn*
• Rey Osburn - Vox, Guitar, Programming Construction~*Writer^ (Elegy, Ghostride, Death Valley High, Platypus Scourge, Deathline International, Vampire Rodents, Deftones, Slave Unit 
• Giovanni Mercado - Construction, Drums~ (Exhale)
• Chino Moreno - Vox^ (Deftones, Palms, Saudade, Team Sleep, Korn, Strife, Far, Soulfly, Skinny Puppy, Hersher, Cypress Hill, Tommy Lee, Handsome Boy Modeling School, Dead Poetic, Norma Jean, Dance Gavin Dance, Zach Hill, Methods of Mayhem, Whitechapel, Lamb of God, Como Asesinar A Felipes, +++, Ray Ramos Y La Sonora)
• Chandler Broggs - Electronic Art & Graphic Production~
• Matt Bassett - Artwork*
• Angi Kelly Lewis - Photography~*
• Scott Torguson - Photography~
• Nick Dickerson Frederick - Bass* (Bureau of the Glorious, Exhale, Pitchfork, Thornucopia, Wet the Rope)
• Rick Verrett - Bass^ (Team Sleep)
• Matthew McCord- Beats, Deprogramming*^ (Elegy, Death Valley High, Bureau of the Glorious, Drop Acid, Platypus Scourge, Cake, Fleeting Joys)
• Ed Buller - Mixing Producer, Engineer^
• Enrique Gonzales - Producer, Mixing, Engineer^
• Howie Weinburg - Mastering^
• Jeff Gros - Photography^
• P.R. Brown - Design^
• Tom Osborn - PR Direction^
• Seth Lichtenstein - Legal^
• Demetre Arges - Web Design^

Unknown-ness: I've never heard of Tinfed, but somehow, probably through a friend ridding himself of some unwanted CDs, I got 3 of their discography. It shows growth from album to album in design and procedure of liner notes, but i still don't know what they sound like, except they apparently all program instruments, on top of the basic guitar drums and bass. From the design, i get the impression that they are sorta like Fuel, with a more tech-centric approach. Nu Metal and pop is my guess based on the last album's band photo.

Album Review: The first album takes a page of NIN's playbook with emotive, screaming vocals in parts and an electro-techno-industrial rock sound with dialogue snippets imbedded in the music. It would be easy to imagine this being on the Crow soundtrack. Hypersonic continues the seemingly experimental industrial-via-electro-clash style and adds to it with dentistry noise. even with a creepy, cavernous ambient instrumental "Unfamiliar," followed by a remix of Disjointed called "Dis-Jungle." which doubles down on the clanging and industrial Stomp. Throw in a song titled Insulin- an unrepresented subject within pop music, and "Wait Suspension," which has a similar base line to Bjork's "Army of Me," and you have a building, dark-techno-wave follow-up.

The third album, from the first note is more straight forward radio alternative produced. The vocals are melodic, not shouty, and the guitars are more prevalent, and the industrial tek is missing. It sounds a bit like Bush with a whiny, Jamiroquai vocal set. Although there is the song Halo, which employs a very NIN style synth and similar vocals. It seems to be an homage/tribute/ripoff of them.

Their height came right before their 2000 major label debut, as they got their single "Immune" on the Mission Impossible 2 soundtrack. Many critics at the time felt they may have had their best years in front of them when they were at the end of their career. 

Stand Out Track:~ Turned Off

* Dis-Jointed

^Halo

Links:

Youtube Tried + True Full album
Wiki

Discogs

Allmusic

Rate Your Music
Bay Area Punk
Sacramento News & Review

Taperecorder - Just Ramble & Think of Ghosts

Name: Taperecorder 
Album: Just Ramble & Think of Ghosts
Year: 2010
Style: Indie, House, Lo-fi
Similar Bands: Fatboy Slim, Tricky, Portishead, The Blow
"One-Word" Review: homespun indie lo-fi glitch danceloops
Based Out Of: Montreal Quebec
Label: Galactique Recordings

Cover, Record

Record, Back

Just Ramble & Think of Ghosts (2010)

1. Gatineau 3:23
2. Cold Spring 3:06
3. Evergreen 2:27
4. Denmark 3:53 /
5. Meet Me In Montauk 3:59
6. Don't Forget to Write 2:12
7. Alight / Alone 4:43
8. On the Wall 3:57 (Jesus & Mary Chain cover)

Album Rating (1-10): 7.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Marc Francis - Writer, Producer, Guitar, Beats, Electronics, Layout (Intergalactic Faerie Funk, Mossyrock)
• Bethany Spires - Vox (My Epiphany, Mossyrock, Honeychurch)
• Jeffro Richards - Bass, Mixing, Mastering (Intergalactic Faerie Funk)
• James Apollo - Banjo 
• Todd Degooyer - Guitar
• Toof (Trey D'Amico) - Keys (Mossyrock)
• Jessica Mailas - Writer
• Loren Erdrich - Artwork

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band, but by the nostalgic namesake, indie design and minimal liner notes, i'm guessing this is some bedroom recorded indie pop/rock. Probably quite fey and feel-good-y (or maybe the exact opposite, dark and depressing) either way, minimal production is my guess.

Album Review: So the bedroom project of Marc Francis relies on more of a trance/rave/house vibe than straight rock, (self-explained as "dancefloor shoegaze") but there are elements of indie in his work. From Quebec, now in Brooklyn. The album has beat breaks and glitchy skips or loops, infused with banjo and other homespun folky elements. The couple songs with female vocals are intimate and light and airy with some hopscotching electronic and guitar samples filling the background. Cold Spring is a solid indie pop song that musically feels like it is a stripped down demo for a Fat Boy Slim song.

Stand Out Track: Cold Spring

Links:
Discogs
Bandcamp
Soundcloud
Short book on how to build a home studio

Roger Powell - Air Pocket

Name: Roger Powel
Album: Air Pocket
Year:1980
Style: Synth, New Wave
Similar Bands: Kraftwerk, Yellow Magic, Thomas Dolby, Duran Duran
"One-Word" Review: harmonic synth prog
Based Out Of: California
Label: Bearsville Records, Warner Bros

Cover, Record

Record, Back

Air Pocket (1980)

1. Lunar Plexus 4:04
2. Landmark 3:50
3. Air Pocket 3:45
4. Windows 4:01
5. Emergency Splashdown 4:54/
6. Morning Chorus 1:59
7. March of the Dragonslayers 3:19
8. Prophecy 3:25
9. Sands of Arrakis 5:26
10. Dragons 'N' Griffins / Mr. Triscuits Theme 4:51

Album Rating (1-10):6.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Roger Powell - Producer, Video Synth Graphics, Music & Lyric Composition & Performance (Utopia, David Bowie, Steve Hillage, Meat Loaf, Born Bluesers, Shaun Cassidy, Ian Hunter, Alice Cooper, Felix Cavaliere, Charlie Rouse Band, Rick Derringer, Randy Vanwarmer, Jim Steinman, Kasim Sulton, Logic System, Barry Manilow, Rubinoos, Sons of Heroes, Joy Ride, Bob James, Todd Rundgren, Lyle Workman, Shelagh McDonald )
• John Holbrook - Engineer, Production Assistant, Rhythm Guitar, Remix (Baba Scholae, Five Day Rain, Utopia, Josh Joplin Group, Paul Butterfield, Claude Dubois, Bernie Cash, Randy Vanwarmer, Isley Bros, Terence Boylan, Ian Hunter, Nicole Wills, Tony Wilson, Natalie Merchant, Joy Askew, Katell Keineg, Madder Rose, David Mead, Jim Weider, Honky Tonk Gurus, Brian Vander Ark, Upchuck, Verve Pipe)
• Mark Styles - Associate Synth Tech, Keyboard Computer (Centrifuge, Jahneen, Thee untuchables, Knew Romeo, Those XCleavers, Stanton Davis)
• Bill Melville - Cover Design, Layout, Inside Sleeve Art
• Jennifer Morris - Video Synth Graphics
• Danny O'Connor - Photos
• Cleve (Robert) Pozar - Drums (Bob James, Peter Ivers, Ed Curran, Bill Dixon, Ed Curran, Peter Ivers, Arthur Miller, Richard Avery, Donald Marsh, Stephen Whynott, New England Conservatory, Michael Sahl, Eric Salzman, Eric Dolphy, Bobby Naughton)
• Todd Rundgren - E-Bow Guitar Solo (Doug Legacy, Legends of the West, Money, Nazz, Ringo Starr & his ALl Starr Band, The New Cars, Utopia Grokware, Woody's Truck Stop, so many more)
• Chris Andersen - Remix
• Lady Jane - Inspiration
• Susan Lee - Coordination
• Mike Pillot - Coordination
• Bob Ludwig - Mastering

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this musician, but the cover looks like a racing checkered flag on an 80's video screen, so my initial though it that this is going to be some long hair power pop. The nerdy tweed-clad person on the back counters that idea, but i still don't know what this will be...singer songwriter perhaps?

Album Review: This album is full of synth-heavy harmonic new wave and prog rock. The titles definitely create a nerdy, science and mythical world. The vocals are nasally, somewhere between Brian Eno and Duran Duran. Most of the songs on side 2 are instrumental soundscapes, exploring the effects and limits of programmable music, and others are just synthy power pop with guitar solos and layered harmonic choruses. Roger Powell was the keyboard player in Todd Rundgren's Utopia, thus the appearance of Rundgren on the album. Powell was right there in the beginning of the Moog synthesizer, as a protege to its creator, Bob Moog and has been at the forefront creating and writing articles about synth technology. He also created the first hand held remote synth controller and called it the Powell Probe. He's worked at many electronics/audio companies, including his time as a senior programmer for both Apple computers and Electronic Arts, and created one of the first PC MIDI sequencers for the Apple II called Texture in 1985.  

Stand Out Track: Landmark

Links:

Spotify full album
Wiki

Discogs

Allmusic

Pollstar: Utopia return (without Powell)

website

Bob Moog Foundation keyboard donation

get ready to rock interview

prog archive

jem writing 10 questions

Expose

Neon Judgement (The) - Blood & Thunder

Name: The Neon Judgement
Album: Blood & Thunder
Year: 1989
Style: Cold Wave, Industrial, EDM/EBM
Similar Bands: Borghesia, Ed Schrader's Music Beat, KMFDM, Front 242, Cabaret Voltaire, Nitzer Ebb
"One-Word" Review: Electric Propeganda Cow Punk
Based Out Of: Brussles, Belgium
Label: Play It Again Sam Records, Waxtrax

Cover, Sleeve, Record

Back, Lyrics, Record

Blood & Thunder (1989)

1. Facing Pictures 5:27
2. 1313 4:44 (single)
3. Damned I Love You 4:41
4. Games of Love 4:06 (single) /
5. Don't Wish Me Luck 3:58
6. This City 4:36
7. Ritual of Earth 5:43
8. Le Suicide Beau Serge 7:18

Album Rating (1-10): 5.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Jean-Marie Aerts - Producer, Slide Guitar, Percussion, Bass (Lala, Louisette, Luk Vankessel & Spirit, Specimen & the Rizikoos, TC Matic, more)
• Luc Van Acker - Producer, Guitar, Backing Vox (Arbeid Adelt!, Danceable Weird Shit, MLYTTKK, Noise Abroad, primitive Race, Revolting Cocks, Spinegrinder, Three Angry Poles, more)
• Dirk Da Davo - Vox, Guitar, Samples, Synths, Korg DDD1, Bass, Percussion (Neon Electronics, Implant, Dave Inox, If It Moves, Vandal X )
• TB Frank - Guitar, Vox, Korg DDD1, Bass, Synths (Aimless Device, Neon Electrics)
• Beatrice - Backing Vox 
• Fats (Mark Devroy) - Harp
• Stoy Stoffelen - Hi Hat, Drums (De Ritme Kings, Lenny & De Wespen, Luk Vankessel & Spirit, Machitun De Chile, Specimen & the Rizikoos, The Centimeters, The Millionaires, Raymond van het Groenewoud, Big Bill, Snaar, Urbanus Van Anus, JM Troisfontaine, Garden, Chirojeugd, Walter Verdin, Jan De Wilse, Jean Blaute, De Kreet, Pas De Deux, Roland, Kazzen, Anne Mie Gills, De Nieuwe Snaar, Dr Feestkapoentjes, Hugo Matthysen, Koen Crucke, Kamagurka, Won Ton Ton, De Kreuners, Tom Wolf, Bart Kaell, Johan Verminnen, The Choice, Suske En Wiske, Bart Van den Bossche, JMX, K's Choice, Yevgueni, Raf Coppens, Aroma Di Amore, Wreed & Plezant, De Grugblavers, Stef Gie & Chris)
• Christian Ramon - Remastering
• Michel Dierickx - Engineer
• Ferre Baelen - Bass (Afro Erotica, Aimless Device, Air of Gloom, Edwards & Armani, inocube, Lala, Le Mystere, Little Little, Panthera, Partisan, Revenge 88, Rossi, Sleepwalker, Stagebeast, TC Matic, Trance Trax, Two Thumbs, Von Coburg & Armani, Zsa Zsa "La Boum", Tjens Couter, Sonia Dufour, Jo Lemaire, Ginger Morris, Niki Mono, Kamiel Kafka & Co, Arno)
• JP Everaerts - Engineer
• Jean Le Belge - Percussion, Bass, Vox 
• Daniel Muffat - Congas (Patrick Nuissier, Johan Verminnen, Vaya Con Dios)
• Wim Wenders - Sleeve Pics 
• Hugues De Wurstemberger - Inner Sleeve Pics
• Stephan Barbery - Sleeve Design

Unknown-ness: I've never heard of this band, but from the bleak photo and an americana mid-western landscape. I can only imagine this will be a sort of western sweeping soundscape record. The packaging reminds me of the band Lone Justice for some reason. 

Album Review: The album does begin with a harmonica, but the synth drum beats added in give it a sterile western vibe. The vocals have an authoritarian Eastern European delivery to them, not unlike Ed Schrader. Some of the tracks are a little dancier, but still with that cold propaganda appeal. The band consists of two members, who have programmed mechanical cold dance tracks since the early 80's, and are somewhat considered to be pioneers in the EBM genre. The album before this one was their first break into the US market. Their last effort (as of 2020) was in 2012.

Stand Out Track: Facing Pictures

Links:
Wiki

Discogs

Allmusic

Spotify Full Album

website

facebook

trouser press

self released 88 tapes bandcamp

peekaboo interview

dark entries

Mantronix - In Full Effect

Name: Mantronix
Album: In Full Effect
Year: 1988
Style: Hip-Hop, Rap, Electronic
Similar Bands: M/A/R/R/S, C+C Music Factory, Grandmaster Flash, Beastie Boys, Ice-T, Two Live Crew, S'Express
"One-Word" Review: Sample Pop Beats
Based Out Of: New York City
Label: Capitol, EMI, 

Cover, Sleeve Notes, Record

Back, Lyrics, Record

In Full Effect (1988)

1. Join Me Please (Home Boys- Make Some Noise) 4:24 (single)
2. Love Letter (Desr Tracy) 4:26
3. Gangster Boogie (Walk Like Sex...Talk Like Sex) 3:55
4. In Full Effect 3:50
5. Get Stupid (Part III) 3:45 /
6. Simple Simon (You Gotta Regard) 4:00 (single)
7. Sing A Song (Break It Down) 4:05
8. Do You Like...Mantronik (?) 3:20 (single)
9. Mega-Mix ('88) Instrumental 4:50

Album Rating (1-10): 6.0

Members & Other Bands:

• MC Tee (Toure Embden) - Writer
• Kurtis Mantronik (el Khaleel)- DJ (Chamonix, Electric Circus, Harry's Afro Hut, Kirk Khaleel, M?, Sound Factory, Wonderland more credits)
• Josh Abbey - Mix Engineer, Recording
• Jim Klein - Engineer
• Chep "Homeboy" Nunez - Editing
• Roger "In Full Effect" Paletto - Editing
• Herb "Pump" Powers - Mastering
• Dave the Original B-Boy - Appearance
• Terry Billy - Appearance
• Keith Plex Barnhardt - Guitar (Chaka Khan, EQ, Melody, Nu Shooz, Oran Juice Jones, Diaonne Warwick, Roberta Clack, Hen-Gee & Evil E, Nuttin; Nyce)
• Eric Watson - Photography

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band, but from the logo and color scheme, it feels like it is going to be a hip hop version of Pet Shop Boys.

Album Review: The album is pretty straight forward samples and hip hop lyrics, like a less dancey C+C Music Factory. I believe i have heard their single Gangster Boogie before, because it sounded awfully familiar. "Get Stupid" is a little embarrassing with the radio announcer vocals, dated jargon, and Liquid Television vocal effects. But for its day, they were a very innovative and important act, combining classic hip hop with electro funk and rhythmic samples featured in the club scene. Per the liner notes, this album was said to be the "First album ever mastered from DAT." and it reached #18 on the R&B Billboard chart.

Stand Out Track: Gangster Boogie (Walk Like Sex...Talk Like Sex)

Links:

spotify album

Wiki

Allmusic

Discogs

red bull music academy

forced exposure

mn2s booking

scaruffi

hip hop music fandom

who sampled

Pheromones (the) - Collateral Damage

Name: The Pheromones
Album: Collateral Damage
Year: 1988
Style: Comedic Pop, Novelty, Folk, Electronic
Similar Bands: Weird Al, Frank De Lima & Na Kolohe
"One-Word" Review: Embarrassing eclectic joke-songs
Based Out Of: Washington DC
Label: Skyclad

 Cover & Record

Record & Back

Collateral Damage (1988)

1. Attaboy 3:08
2. Too Smart to Have Fun 2:56
3. Closet Skeleton 4:02
4. Hey Look Around You 2:37
5. Campaign '88 3:06
6. If I Were Your Prezident  3:15 /
7. Galactic Funny Farm 4:11
8. Space in the World 1:37
9. Ancient One 4:45
10. Mad Elaine 2:44
11. Come & Unite Me Tonight 3:41
12. Yuppie Drone II 3:27
13. Tiki Goes Mad 1:14

Album Rating (1-10): 3.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Jimmy (Patterson) Pheromone -Writing & Programming
• Alvis (Johnson) Pheromone - Writing & Performance
• Mary Von Klotz
• Melcor Shaazendis - Producer
• J.B. Daws - Engineer
• Hank Rand -Arrangements
• Alan Sonneman - Cover Art
• Elliott Landy - Back Photo
• New Age Graphics - Design & Graphics
• Letterforms - Typography

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band, but I like the pink & black color scheme, and the font of the album title gives a little of a punk/alternative vibe.

Album Review: This album is terrible. Very awkward and embarrassing style attempts with cringe-worthy lyrics and dated jests. The one stand out track "Too Smart to Have Fun" has a good melody, and is not a horrible song, and the Campaign-Prezident (ugh, the "z") suite has some interesting ideas and concepts about running & voting for a 3rd party candidate. Those two points gave the album an extra point on its rating. The synth / drum machine effects on Attaboy and Yuppie Drone are just horrendous Devo and rap style parodies respectively (although "Attaboy" has a solid They Might Be Giants worthy lyric "Here at the "department of redundancy" department). The worst Weird Al songs are leagues ahead of anything on this album. Makes a little more sense that they were on Dr. Demento.

Stand Out Track: Too Smart to Have Fun

Links:
Discogs
Get Hip re-release label
rate your music
Washington Post article '88

Mic Holwin - Starting to Remember

Name: Mic Holwin
Album: Starting to Remember
Year: 1986
Style: Electronic, Instrumental, New Age
Similar Bands: Tangerine Dream, Ghostwriters
"One-Word" Review: 80's Drama-Horror Soundtrack for Film
Based Out Of: NYC, NY
Label: Lifestyle, Moss Music Group

Cover & Record

Back & Record

Starting to Remember (1986)

1. Brujo 3:22
2. The Hunt 3:58
3. Aligning the Warlock 3:32
4. This Close 4:06
5. Gray 3:14
6. Amon Ra 3:11
7. Being Swum 3:16 /
8. Abandon 3:08
9. The Bridge 3:56
10. Burning Beyond 3:38
11. Unbound 5:58
12. Shaon 3:01
13. Aviatar 4:43

Album Rating (1-10): 6.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Mic Holwin - Writer, Performer, Programmer, Producer, Asst Engineer (Brujo)
• Paul Zinman - Associate Producer, Engineer, Digital Editing, Additional DX Timbres
• Niko Joel Anducich - Lifestyle Exec. Producer
• Glascock - Cover
• David Meieran - Additional DX Timbres
• Vinnie Fusco - Manager

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this artist, and I keep wanting to call him Mic Howlin' but the L & W are transposed. I like the VHS-quality scanline cover art, and simple artwork & angular font. Not sure what to expect with this one, as it could be really anything from a singer songwriter to future rock. I do anticipate some sort of synth element.

Album Review: Well, this is all synth element. 100% synth done on at least 5 different synthesizers, creating strange and elegant new-agey B-movie background themes. Apparently, the Mic in her name refers to the method she writes music that is visible: "synesthesia'

Stand Out Track: Amon Ra

Links:
Youtube full album
Discogs
Paul Zinman's Soundbyte productions
Fade 2 grey
Rate Your Music
Allmusic

Pankow - Gisela

Name: Pankow
Album: Gisela
Year: 1989
Style: Electronic, Synth, Industrial
Similar Bands: Borghesia, Nine Inch Nails, Nitzer Ebb, Einstürzende Neubauten, Crash Course in Science
"One-Word" Review: Industrial Gothic Fusion Dance
Based Out Of: Italy
Label: Wax Trax

 Cover, Lyrics, Record

Back, Lyrics, Record

Gisela (1989)

1. I'm Lost, Little Girl 5:20
2. Warm Leatherette 3:50
3. Die Beine Von Dolores 2:59
4. Let Me Be Stalin 4:35
5. Pankow's Rotkappchen 3:00 /
6. Me & My Ding-Dong 4:35
7. Happy As The Horses Shite 4:27
8. Deutsches Bier 3:50
9. Madness (Danke Gisela) 2:16
10. Follow Me In Suicide 4:06

Album Rating (1-10): 6.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Maurizo Fasolo - RE301, Samples (FM & Paolo, Kowp, la Corte Di Orfeo, LAShTAL, Scudcrow, Hardsonic Bottoms 3, Diaframma, De Glaen)
• Alex Spalck - Vox
• Paolo Favati - Samples (Die Larm, Exit, FM & Paolo, Kowp, Pippola Music, Poppers, Templebeat, Vanish Memory, Verdiana Raw, Wave Workers Foundation, Meathead)
• Alex Gimignani - Drums (Circosmosi, Exit, Gezz Zero Hrup, Indoeuropean Music Ensemble, Kowp, London Underground, Neon)
• Carlo Rossi - Recording, Space Guitar
• Adrian Sherwood - Mixing, Erased Sounds
• Rico Conning - Mixing, Editing, Helicopters
• Paola Faggioli - Mad Girl
• Nardo Lunardi - Guitar
• Alessandra Micheli - Delightful Girl
• Michela Crociani - Female Voice
• Daria Piccini - Record lending
• Carlo Mauro - Choir 
• Helnwein - Cover Painting
• G Von Toma - Cut

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band...it came into the oddball thrift store I used to volunteer at. From the label Wax Trax, and the unnerving cleft palate painting on the cover, I can only guess it is some weird dark industrial shit.

Album Review: So this band is a pioneer in the EBM (Electronic Body Music)/Industrial scene, as they started 10 years before this record came out. The sound is exactly as the genre dictates: Industrial meets synth punk electronically. There are a bunch of samples, mash ups, and style changes, but underlying it all is a dark, cold industrial soundscape. The music could be interpreted and used as futuristic music in films like Robocop or a bombed out Russia, to show what the anarchist kids are into. "Die Beine Von Dolores" and "Follow Me In Suicide" are nearly vocals only with minimal music accompaniment.

Stand Out Track: Warm Leatherette (cover of The Normal's song & sounds like CCIS)

Links:
Discogs
website
Myspace
Youtube full album

It's Immaterial - Life's Hard And Then You Die

Artist: It's Immaterial

Album: Life's Hard And Then You Die

Year: 1987

Style: Spoken, Roots Rock, Experimental

Similar Bands: James, The Alarm, Borghesia

One Word Review: Discordant Jazz-Theaterical Dreams

Based Out Of: Liverpool, England

Label: A&M, Virgin Records

 Life's Hard And Then You Die - Cover, Record

 Life's Hard And Then You Die - Back, Record

Life's Hard And Then You Die - Notes

Life's Hard and Then You Die

1. Driving Away From Home (Jim's Tune) 4:12
2. Happy Talk 5:29
3. Rope 3:37
4. The Better Idea 5:42
5. Space 3:59 /
6. The Sweet Life 4:38
7. Festival Time 3:52
8. Ed's Funky Diner 3:05
9. Hang On Sleepy Town 4:02
10. Lullaby 6:21

Album Rating (1-10): 5.5

Members & Other Bands:
Dave Bascombe - Producer
Felix Kendall - Engineer
John Campbell - vox (Yachts, La Fiancee)
Jarvis Whitehead - instruments (Branda & the Beachballs)
Dave Bates - Producer
Ross Stapleton - A&R
Jerry Harrison - Keys (Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club)
Tarrant Bailey Jr
Roddy Lorimer
Steve Wickham
Brenda Kenny
Henry Preistman (Yachts)
Gillian Miller
Merran Laginestra - Vox
Red Ranch - Art Direction & Design
Charlie Rivel - Clown on Cover
Tansy Spinks - Photographic Treatment Cover
Alastair Thain - Band Photo
Jim Lieber - Harmonica

Unknown-ness: I've never heard of this band, but from the dark album title, nihilistic name, scratchy clown artwork and general font choices, I'd imagine this is a hardcore, thrash band.

Album Review: “Driving Away From Home (Jim's Tune)” is a haunted country landscape tune similar to the Alarm, full of bouncy bass, echoing vocals and harmonica. The vocals are sedately spoken for the verse, and mildly sung for the chorus. The dead- gong jumps out from the background, echoing off in the distance.

“Happy Talk” kicks off with a discordant couple of notes, and quietly, whispers into a rushed, yet muted tempo. It is poetic, like many songs from James albums Laid and Seven, and the vocals are very similar in sound & style to Tim Booth. There is an over all, wind-swept sound to these songs so far. The song is long and meandering, where it can really lose the listener.

“Rope” begins with a skipping synth drum loop, and the Tim Booth style theatrical vocals continue here, supported by piano bursts and a steady bass. The chorus is very dreamy, upbeat and catchy. It slowly transitions into a Celtic jig, thanks to the violin section. A chorus of vocals supports the lead in bold, deep bursts at the end.

“The Better Idea” starts off with a windy background, and slow wood block percussion. It slowly creeks awake, stuttering and going back and forth between singing and beat poetry. It is much more a work on aestetic art than a song

“Space” begins with some mild, repetitive jungle xylophone action, and cold synth. The vocals are like an instruction manual or encyclopedic entry about space. The chorus breaks out into a cold, dark wave song, there is a little Russian Cold wave aspect here.

“The Sweet Life” is another dream-like minimal song, with held, wavering notes, somewhat operatic.  There is a little optimism in the horns at first before they squawk discordantly. The applause at the end give further suggestion of a theatrical
“Festival Time” starts out with a vibe similar to the Ewok celebration at the end of Jedi. Adding in some tribal rhythms, and flutes, but it also has periods of avant guard jazz bursts. And the song fades out with one or two remaining instruments played

“Ed's Funky Diner” has a more straightforward funky melody, a beat-snapping post-apocalyptic dance with horns and a lot of energy, comparatively to the rest of the album.

“Hang On Sleepy Town” has a slow, quiet swaying swagger with acoustic guitar and violin. The vocals glide through, painting a sad, sullen image. The farmhouse instruments slowly grow in urgency.

“Lullaby” begins with twinkling bells, and unexpectedly fast tempo in bass and guitars for a lullaby. The song is actually driving, musically, as the vocals slowly glide overtop. The lyric “It’s a shame” repeats over in the chorus. The piano and bass have an urgent quality to them, although the overall song is not that pressing. The end of the song has actual lullaby lyrics over synth instrumentations that sound like an ominous heart monitor, which paints a sad picture of a prayer for comfort in a hospital room.

Stand Out Track: Rope

Links:
Wiki
Discogs
facebook
pledge music drive (over)
allmusic
SuperDelux Edition
rate your music

Ellis D - Free Your Mind

Name: Ellis "D"

Album: Free Your Mind

Year: 1989

Style: Techno, Dance, Electronic, House

Similar Artists: Shep Pettibone, C + C Music Factory, Manuel Gottsching, Nu Shooz, Bjork Remixes

One Word Review:

Based Out Of: New York City (from Lancaster PA)

Label: Minimal Records, Criminal records

 Free Your Mind - Cover & Record

Free Your Mind - Back & Record

Free Your Mind (1989)

1. Gotstobeadrag - 5:08
2. You Got Me Burnin' 5:29
3. Jungle Jam 5:04
4. Took My Love Away 4:12
5. Acid Rain 5:00 /
6. I Will Survive 6:10
7. Cum On U Can Git It 4:34
8. It's Paradise 8:19
9. Just Like a Queen 6:06

Album Rating (1-10): 6.5

Members & Other Bands:

Junior Vasquez (Donald Gregory Mattern) - Producer, Writer, Realizer, Vocals, Drum Programming, Mixing, Editing, Cover Concept (The Factory Kids, V-Men, too many credits to mention)

Mark Plati - Engineer, Drum Programming, Keys (Janet Jackson, BEF, BADII, David Bowie)

Steve Wellner - Asst. Engineer

Steve Doria - EAsst. Engineer

Wendy Paff - Cover Concept

Tracy Mostrovoy - Photography

David Bronstein - Photo Asst.

KFC - food

Empire Szechuan - food

Jane & Duffy - Management

Unknown-ness: I've never heard of this project. I see on the back the name Junior Vasquez is mentioned as being the man being Ellis D, and I have heard of him as a DJ and techno artist. It is a weird juxtaposition, with the name being an obvious play on the drug LSD, yet there being lots of anti-drug, and goddy verbiage on the back. I assume it will just be some decent electronic, sampling and club music.

Album Review: Junior Vasquez, originally from Lancaster, PA, has been a DJ in NYC for many years, and still will spin a s a DJ around the world. This era of his career as Ellis D has been attributed to creating the sound of House music, and more specifically gay house music, so says Wikipedia.

“Gotstobeadrag” begins with a creepy castle organ note, and the sampled phrase “got to be a drag” is skipped and scratched over the top. A variety of jungle deep bass and percussive elements are bonded together, along with early 90’s synth. The momentum of the title hiccupping carries the song along. About half way through there is a skipping female vocals sample plugged in, that eventually smooths out to a soulful “Stand up tell everybody I’ve got it”
“You Got Me Burnin’” begins with a steady bass drum, with layers added in one at a time, including hi-hat, cowbell, electronic drum effects, and other club sounds. The vocals are a deep, echoing monotone voice. Mixed in are female disco vocals, singing the song’s title.
“Jungle Jam” features as you can imagine wood block and bass jungle beats, along with stuttering vocal samples, and skipping synth dance beats, including a Nu Shooz sounding scratch. The vocals samples are quite varied from female disco, to whispering, to a choir call and response. Some chanting is added as well as a flute melody. But the base percussion and maraca beat carries on. The call and response choir finishes the song.
“Took My Love Away” was a single. It starts as a mix of the now-familiar soulful female vocals singing the title, reminding me of C+C Music Factory, and a deep monotone vocals singing “baby don’t be that way.” Another male vocal is sampled, and added in is the famous traffic/streaking late 80’s EDM techno effect. Later a female vocal is sampled that is reminiscent of Marky Mark’s “Good Vibrations.”  Like dancing in a round, a couple bars of a variety of effects are spotlit, and then disappear back into the fray.
“Acid Rain” begins with a rubber band strummed effect, and the deep monotone house vocal repeats “acid rain will drive you insane.”  The female vocals are added in to balance the monotony with soulful singing. A shuffling percussion is layered in underneath. The repetitive nature and echoing vocals create the trance like attribute.

“I Will Survive” was released as a single, and is a monotone spoken vocal rendition of the Gloria Gaynor hit. A three-note, downscale synth bass line starts with a drum machine track overlayed. More elements are added, carrying the dance floor groove along. Some of the sounds remind me of EMF.
“Cum On U Can Git It” begins with a simple drum machine track, and the vocal reminds me again of “Good Vibrations,” particularly the “come on swing it” lyric. Robotic synth effects are added, and there is some scratching and hiccup stuttering. Rather than build, sections are introduced and get a chance to play out, and then are removed. There are a few basic effects that remain throughout. But the showcasing of individual sections is key song motivation.
“It's Paradise” used elements of Manuel Gottsching’s epic album, like the glass jar ping, and relaxing waterfall effects and jittery synth melody. I believe it is an artistic homage to the album. As the longest track on the record, it sprawls out, and allows the individual melodies and elements mix in and out of focus. Flutes, female samples and spoken word male vocals are just some of the repeating effects.
“Just Like a Queen” was a single. Tidal waves of synth flow in and out, as dancey drums, wood block percussion, and vocal samples (female of the title track) are added. The streaking siren EDM effect is employed, as well as other female vocals, and the straight-man deep spoken word. Later on a toy piano tinkers out a melody, interplaying with the steady percussion backing track. 

Stand Out Track: Took My Love Away

Links:

Discogs

JV Wiki

JV Facebook

JV Twitter

JV IMDB

Vert - Nine Types of Ambiguity

Name: Vert

Album:  Nine Types of Ambiguity

Year 2001

Style: Experimental, Ambient

Similar Bands: Aphex Twin, Mouse on Mars, Tricky

One Word Review: Fuzzy, Muffled bip bop soundscapes

Based Out Of: Berlin, Germany

Label: Sonig

 Nine Types of Ambiguity - Cover & Record

Nine Types of Ambiguity - Back & Record

Nine Types of Ambiguity (2001)

1. Blindsight 4:51
2. This Precious Meanwhile 4:30
3. Codfish Dada 6:07
4. The Tide Comes In & Then the Tide Goes Out 4:57
5. Somewhere Between Here & Last Week 3:20
6. To Be Is To Doo 2:21
7. Drawers of Water 5:04
8. Last Night From a Bus I Saw 7:45
9. Scope/Lifetime 10:11

Album Rating (1-10): 6.0

Members & Other Bands:
Adam Butler - Sounds, Music (Mouse on Mars, Emmanuelle Somer, Carlito Verde, Wechsel Garland, Epiphany Project)
Christian Zimmerli - Mastering
Frieda Luczak - Artwork Engaving
Andi Toma - Producer
McFarland/ Broxton/ Odijk/ Dommert/ McGrane/ Butler - Beermat Artwork

Unknown-ness: I've never heard of this band. The artwork makes me think it will be minimal or maybe some Saddle Creek worthy folksy indie rock.

Album Review: Most of Vert’s music has been published on Mouse on Mars’ label, and he even opened for them on a 2001 tour. His music is more melodic and straightforward than others in his genre of abstract intelligent dance music (IDM).

“Blindsight” starts with echoing hypnotic chords, with light percussive clicks and taps that would feel right at home in Twin Peaks. A staticy electric drum beat gives tempo and drive to the continuing floating chords. Singular elements bleed in and out, adding to the sound scape, and creating a repetitive pattern. The chords leave, for a sort of background noise and skipping solo. The sounds increase and grow, with the electric sound from Orphan Black added in, until the chords come back, with a brighter and optimistic feel. The song has seemed to find its stable place, and it rides out the hook until the end.

“This Precious Meanwhile” has a muffled street performer percussive tempo, with some juggling wood block effects buried just below. A general hum and other organic jar tinking and tocking effects are added, along with a flute that seems to note when the repetitive loop starts over. Sampled vocals are used as another instrument, sounding a little like Tricky. The effects are stripped back one at a time, and the song blinks out.

“Codfish Dada” begins with a looped scratch. A watery & blurry synth xylophone is added with a simple repetitive beat. The song scurries along, fuzzy effect are added and taken away, some are deep, some squeaky. The song returns to the start with the scratches from the beginning. The song rebuilds, as if it is in the forest, with electronic birds tweeting, and other effects that offer a feeling of running through a forest or field. The song ends with the sound of violins and other string instruments in a frozen state of warming up, and the continued bird tweets.

“The Tide Comes In & Then the Tide Goes Out” starts out with some static ocean water lapping on the beach sounds, mixed with muffled wind chimes, and a bubbling, skittering effects. Other watery, fuzzed out effects that could range from underwater sounds to bullfrog murmurs are added. The whole soundscape changes, like scenery slowly morphing as one would walk along the beach. Near the end, most of the effects are stripped away, leaving the shuffling, bubbling wood block sounds.

“Somewhere Between Here & Last Week” is 3 plus minutes of a sort of two tiered medieval flute melody. Melody-less drips or clicks are added, sounding random in the background.

“To Be is To Doo” comes next, but on most listing, “To Doo is To Be,” a 7:47 min song is supposed to be next. This track reminds me of the melodies from Aeon Flux’s early vocal-less short days. An accordion, violin and a sporadic metal tuning effect are added to the song, which has a sort of eastern European sound overall. It is by far the shortest song on the album, but is also the most concise and straightforward theme.

“Drawers of Water” begins with a skipping in reverse audio track, and echoing, vibrating Aphex Twin like crystal sounds blink out two tones on pulse, answering each other. In the background, a digital clock tone ticks on by, married to vibrating synth notes which parallel the two tone sounds as they change in pitch. Then around the 3:15 mark, a disco melody violin is added, looped in the same time constraint as the tone and synth changes.

“Last Night From a Bus I Saw” spins like a scratchy record (or it may just be my record). Spoken words samples with an emotionless tone begin the song, followed by a sad, minimal piano hook. In the background echoes a wind, like putting your ear to a conch shell. Other groaning and slow moving effects create a scene of waking up depressed and in pain. Electronic tones, like something from a horror movie (at first) take over the scene, and grow like they are punishing the ear drums…changing in tone, but never offering leniency. They suddenly stop, and we are taken so a sort of thoughtless, naive and charming melody played on a squeezebox, accompanied with enlightened, optimistic effects that seem to assist the childlike melody along, like a guardian angel.

“Scope/Lifetime” is a ten plus minute song, that begins slowly with singular notes that seem unsure how to proceed…they almost seem accidental, or like they are discovering their surroundings for the first time. Or they might be secondary noises from a bunch of instruments that are being set up to perform. It is quiet and singular, accompanied with a consistent record skipping sound that sets the tempo with its broom sweep sounds. The piano notes begin to get more organized, but they are like a newborn still discovering their range of motion. Vibrating tonal effects, chimes and swirling electronic crystal sounds play together, invited in by the piano. The song gets a lot more crowded, once the skittering bongos and wah-wah electronic notes take over, along with a jazzy cymbal/percussion performance that morphs into electronic techo onslaught (that is not overbearing, however). The song continues to grow and it loses all natural instrumentation for a symphony of buzzing, vibrating, and oscillating digital effects that cruise together like a variety of winged bugs in a vacant lot. 

Stand Out Track: To Be Is To Doo

Links:
Vert Website
Wiki
Sonig
Discogs
Allmusic
Full Album Bandcamp

DJ Spooky (That Subliminal Kid) presents Haunted Battle Breaks

Name: DJ Spooky 

Album: Haunted Battle Breaks

Year: 1998

Style: Hiphop/Triphop, DJ, Electronic, Experimental

Similar Bands: Tricky, X-ecutioners, Jurassic 5, Cut Chemist, DJ Shadow, Badawi, Aphex Twin

One Word Review: Haunting Collage of Steady Break Beats.

Based Out Of: Washington DC

Label: Liquid Sky Music, Home Entertainment

 Haunted Battle Breaks - Cover, Record

Haunted Battle Breaks - Back, Record

Haunted Battle Breaks (1998)

Album Rating (1-10): 5.0

Members & Other Bands:
Paul D'Shonne Miller (DJ Spooky / That Subliminal Kid) - Writer, Composer, Producer, Performer (the Alchemist)
Dan Yashiv - Engineer
Chris Flam - Compiler (Matthew Shipp)

Unknown-ness: I had heard of DJ Spooky, but I am not familiar with his music or style (or even that familiar with his genre). Figured I'd pick this up when I saw it in a thrift store and see if it was interesting at all.

Album Review: DJ Spooky, AKA That Subliminal Kid (name taken from the William S Burroughs book “Nova Express,” is a DC native, and has been making experimental, electronic music and spinning trip hop since 1996. As he has flown somewhat under the radar, he has worked with a great many people, is the executive editor of Origin Magazine (Art, Music, Humanitarianism, Sustainability, etc.) and is a professor of music/meditated art at the European Graduate School.

Since are no song tracks or names, I’ll be reviewing the album in full, with the style breaks where I can figure them out.

The record starts with a couple of samples scratched. Starting with vocals and flowing into a hip hop song. Then a steady drum-cymbal-woodblock hip hop beat flows steadily. My knowledge of this genre and other examples of it is depressingly low, so I’ll just equate this to a Beastie Boys rhythm for about 3 min.
The beat and rhythm becomes funkier, pulsing jazz horn, akin to James Brown. The beat is skipped and scratched rhythmically, and other funky “Fatboy Slim” effects are thrown over top, like a swirling Doppler effect, and bucket drum beats.
The “third” section begins with another vocal sample scratching, followed by repeating eerie space effects. A skipping bass heavy drumbeat stutters and hobbles along in tip-hop style.
Part four begins with scrabbling, paper crunching effects that birth a muddled, back skipping drum beat.

The next shift begins with some eerie horror movie atmospheric notes, and after a bit of skip-scratching, bombards the listener with an energetic, in your face, skittering drum beat.  It ends with an Atari-like bomb-drop trill.

Section six is slow moving at first, sounding like static electricity focused through a zoob-tube. The sound grows and fades, and halts suddenly,

Shifting to what could be called a war-scape. A windy echoing void is filled with artillery fire, non-steady percussion and chimes that fade in and out on repeat.

More vocal and song samples begin the next track, with “We Gonna Get Ya” followed by voices, some with a beat, followed by a flat siren. Chaotic samples feed in one after another, with popping bubbles filling the space along with screams, quotes, footfalls and other war-oriented effects. Basically, the track comes off like channel surfing, but has a unifying, underlying meaning. This is basically an audio collage. Crowd cheers bleeds into electronic pulses that begin phase two of the collage. There are some haunted themes, along with war, and hip hop that make up the overall soundscape.

Side B starts with gunshots, bubbles and a haunted organ. More channel surfing effects like an old modem dial-up and hip-hop lines transition to a steady, jazzy dance-hop beat with some punctuating synth breaks.

A light breezy hook, followed by a vocal quote leads into another drum and racket ball beat.

Some tape rewind effects lead to a jazzy background to accompany an olde-timey vocal, which is then supported by old-time music, like a broken down take me out to the ball game and other rewinding effects.

This short segment is then replaced by a darker drum beat, with an echoing shock-synth break effect. Second verse incorporates funky bass, various classic hip hop samples: scratches and vocal samples. It ends abruptly, and some scratching intros the next track.

More tape rewinding effects are featured, and a couple haunting vocals, which leads to a steady, haunting reggae beat. It stops abruptly

Pipe percussion comes on next, and is replaced by a jazz-heavy, high hat drum beat. Thicker bass beats are added overtop, and the song cruises along steadily.

The song shifts, and an echo-fading sad siren repeats high and low octaves, supported by a back skipping, trippy drum beat.  The beats stop for a moment, but kick back in after one combo-rep of the siren.

The last track is not too much different than the one right before it, but the production is more industrial, and the deep bass rumbling percussion bubbles along, replacing the octave shifting siren. The whole album ends with a sudden halt of all instrumentation.

Stand Out track: A-5 (or A-6?)

Links:
Discogs
website
Wiki
Twitter
Facebook
Allmusic
egs faculty page

Nick Forte - Pasted Lakes

Name: Nick Forte

Album: Pasted Lakes

Year: 2004

Style: Ambient Electro Experimental

Similar Bands: Ghostwriters, Aphex Twin, Manuel Gottsching

One Word Review: Chaotic Static Techno

Based Out Of: New York Ciry

Label: Schematic

 Pasted Lakes - Cover, Sleeve & Record

Pasted Lakes - Back, Sleeve, Record

Pasted Lakes (2004)

1. Green Language 4:31
2. Drumming in Circles 2:34
3. Cram Corridor 1:19
4. Sugar Lemonade 1:14
5. Did you Feel That 1:33
6. Thistle Rue 2:47
7. Swallowing Gel 1:10
8. Crack and Crevice 1:42 /
9. Fragged 0:31
10. Kill Your Carpet 2:26
11. Blender Dance 3:05
12. Forgotten Music 2:45
13. Avenge Me 1:07
14. Wolf Cry 3:58
15. Join Us 2:13

Album Rating (1-10): 6.5

Members & Other Bands:
Nick Forte - Guitar, Effects, Artwork  (Rorschach, Beautiful Skin, Computer Cougar, Christmas Decorations, Felipe & Forte, Sky Dripping Venom, Hells Hills, Hamsoken, Beautiful Skin, Raspberry Bulbs, Radio to Saturn)
Stacy Wakefield - Design

Unknown-ness: I've never heard of Nick Forte. But based on the collage-like artwork, I'm guessing it is going to be an album of fun, indie songs. I like the bright colors, and am excited to hear what is on the album.

Album Review: So Nick Forte is an experimental guitar and ambient noise songwriter. He was part of the band Rorschach in the 90’s and left focusing on guitar distortion and effects. He had a lot of on-the-job training when he worked for Electro-Harmonix, testing faders, pedals and other equipment. He’s been involved with a lot of different projects and duos, with this 2004 release being his first solo record, full of ambient, electronic, and chaotic noises in mostly short spurts. It is not what I expected based on the artwork. But if I knew more about the label (who also has Crash Course in Science re-releases), I’d have known better. The song break-ups are not always easy to tell, so I’m going to go by my best assumptions, and noted song lengths.

“Green Language” features some Aphex Twin like backwards skipping stumbling horror effects and heavy marine buoy bell ringing. Haunting synth lines float along in the background, mixed with echoing guitar licks. The skipping effects give out to the end for a segment, but come back in, stuttering and spitting.
“Drumming in Circles” starts with a synthetic steel plinking ball bouncing around pinball bumpers. Drum raps sound like old fashioned scorecard flipping around, and haunting deep see notes reverberate, echoing loud to soft. The pattern of the ball sounds comes and go, while the submarine pings continue
“Cram Corridor” is a stretching and shifting of time and space effect, combined with static charges pulsating trying to break through to stay consistent.
“Sugar Lemonade” sounds like the thump-thumping of a brotastic club beat heard muffled through the walls. It is kind of back-skipping with pauses where it comes up for air to maintain a solid note.
“Did You Feel That” is an onslaught of heavy gurgling sound, with a nice, skipping wood block beat as the tempo.
“Thistle Rue” starts with a straight forward house four-beat. It becomes manipulated, and fractured, all while trying to maintain itself. It becomes muffled and still struggles to maintain consistency. Synthetic twsiting and growing steel beam sounds are brought into the rhythm, and cause necessary chaos, and it ends abruptly.
“Swallowing Gel” is a chaotic mashing of watery, gurgling sound clay, while a bouncing racket/pong ball rebounds around in the background.
“Crack and Crevice” slowly grows like an infrared light shining on things beyond the visible light spectrum. There is jitteriness to the growing tone, and scene jump cut sound effects are layered over as dstraction.

“Fragged” is a short haunting crystal, tone, quickly taken over by murky, slowed down revving.
“Kill Your Carpet” continues with the that slowed revving sound as if filtered through plasma. Crashing, crushing tinny effects are placed over the rev-hum, and skitter and dance around in the foreground in heavy, unforgiving overcoats. Echo chamber static hums begin to take over at the end, and if in battle with the bouncing, cruch-thumps
“Blender Dance” begins as a pulsing electronic washing machine grows louder. Static charges are emitted in the background, and highway cars pass by to create only a bit section of the Doppler effect. As if coming through from an adjacent radio station, a delicate simple drum beat tries to gain footing in the mix.
“Forgotten Music” sounds like electric pulses strumming a rubber band to a definite beat. Haunting organ notes rise and fall slowly in the background.
“Avenge Me” is a short skittering of static and a looping Rube Goldbergian sound effect. An echoing zoob tube sound is added just toward the end.
“Wolf Cry” has a lurching video game sound effect of pong bouncing back and forth, picking up speed between the oscillations. The volley finds a constant pace, and the knobs are twittered ever so slightly to create different tones with each connection. In the background is the standard haunting base that rises and falls. The volley stops and starts as if it is playing through a channel that can’t bring in the picture quality well, and is filtered through static. The station is changed back for the last 20 seconds or so for a very clear sound.
“Join Us” could be seen as a haunting spaceship landing slowly in a cold winter field. Haunting wind gusts funnel through the large UFO, as the landing system pulses. The sound moans and wales, like whale mating calls in the deep.

This is not an album I would seek out and put on, but I enjoyed the frantic, yet relaxing vibe it emits, and I enjoyed the remarking about and visualizing the instruments and sounds.

Stand Out Track: Avenge Me / Wolf Cry

Links:
Allmusic
Official Site
Discogs
Schematic interview

(la) Belle Aurore - Revolve

Name: La Belle Aurore

Album: Revolve

Year: 2002

Style: Lo-Fi Art Rock

Similar Bands: Hail Social, Doors, Moog Cookbook, Ween, Ghostwriters

One Word Review: Wobbly Minimal Psych-Sci-Fi

Based Out Of: Washington DC

Label: Matthew Lawrence Ritenburg 

 Revolve - Cover, Liner Image, CD

Revolve - Back, Liner Notes

Revolve (2002)

1. Carbonite 1:03
2. Juice Party Fun 3:02
3. Skybird 3:07
4. Serotonin Guests 1:33
5. Time Can Ghost 3:56
6. Time, Electricity, Sincerity 0:47
7. Remember That Letter 4:37
8. Thursday Years 4:04

Album Rating (1-10): 6.0

Members & Other Bands: (nothing in/on CD)

Matthew Ritenburg - Synth, Programming, Vox, ARP 2600

Unknown-ness: I've never heard of this band. I picked up the CD thanks to it's font and color scheme on the front. The fact that it was a radio station's cd also peeked my interest (WHHS is the oldest High School Radio Station, over in Haverford, right outside of Philly). The artwork is very "nerdy" consisting of computer fonts, and science and technology ideas written inside, so that, along with the lack of band members leads me to believe it is a guy (Matthew Lawrence most likely) and his synthesizer/computer program making short songs and a couple longer ones.

Album Review: The band name translates to The Beautiful Sunrise. Label name, Matthew Ritenburg is, in fact, the main/only creative force behind this 22 minute album. 

“Carbonite” begins with a few electro pulses that fade in and drift away. They are dark, and foreboding. A light drum beat is added in the background, and faint, strained vocals, reminding me of Hail Social start about halfway through the track. It is very minimal, and other than a few other swirls, the Doppler Effect sound of a truck passing, and echoing riffs, the song ends.
“Juice Party Fun” continues with the dark vibe, with more echoing, stretched single guitar notes. Heavier guitars are overlaid, and a digital jumbled voice spews moog-like mechanical nonsense. The guitar that follows has a slight echo, like something from a house dance track. But the ultimate feel is dark, disjointed prog, math rock. Sort of like Fantomas.
“Skybird” begins with a steadier southern bluesy stomp, and wobbly vocals like a minimal Doors cover. Soaring effects, and more echoing vocal effects create a psychedelic soundscape, reminding me more of Ween, thanks to the thick, electric guitar.
“Serotonin Guests” vibrates and jitters with wobbley synth notes, and watery space ghost sounds. Everything sounds like it is either revolving endlessly, or winding down. The song ends with the electronic moog-computer vocals

“Time Can Ghost” starts with simple tones, like Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The vocals are light, and second handedly added underneath. The notes, now coming from a guitar, are layered to make an early morning, hopeful, sun rise song. The digital tones are added back in, as if a breakdown from the positivity is necessary.
“Time, Electricity, Sincerity” starts with a bunch of chaotic sounds at the same second, trying to find their footing. There is squeaky feed back, telephone line hum, and a jam-style guitar.
“Remember That Letter” starts the exact same way as Carbonite, but this song is 4x as long. Once we pass the minute market, the vocals repeat, and the song slowly slinks along, taking pauses to reboot with a little more dark wave danciness…but only for a handful of seconds. The vocals come back for a third time, but with the dancy kick drum beat. Then the song decides to throw in a slowed up sludgy guitar focused breakdown. This slowly plays itself out until the fade away at the end.
“Thursday Years” tries to find its tempo in the beginning, with a stunted drum beat and echoing, vibrating chords strummed. The jazzy bass line is barely present, but adds a little depth. Wobbling trembling sounds like a spaceship taking off are thrown in the background at varying times. The song has a similar vibe as Time Can Ghost

Stand-Out Track: Juice Party Fun

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