An Uncontrollable Urge

This Moment in Black History - Pollen CountPublic Square (Smog...

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:20:27 -0500

This Moment in Black History - Pollen Count
Public Square (Smog Veil)

The last record from This Moment in Black History, It Takes a Nation of Assholes to Hold Us Back, might have had more elements of math-rock that kick so much ass, but Public Square, their newest, has the same synth-punk elements of the last one, with even more emphasis on the punk. This one’s pretty great, but I must say I prefer the previous album.

I recommend this if you like riffs, noise, yelling, and fuzzy bass. I also recommend that you like those things.

Black Tambourine - Lazy HeartBlack Tambourine...

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:04:09 -0500

Black Tambourine - Lazy Heart
Black Tambourine (Slumberland)

Slumberland has decided to reissue Black Tambourine’s “Complete“ Recordings (quotation marks added) including six tracks previously unreleased, including four recorded by a reunited Black Tambourine specifically for this record. For those of you unaware, Black Tambourine made some fantastic lo-fi dream pop, influencing a load of groups that you already love - Vivian Girls, for instance, have been doing a great Black Tambourine impression for a while now.

In addition to the ten tracks found on the 1999 issue, there are two demo tracks, two newly recorded originals, and two newly recorded covers - one a Buddy Holly tune, and one a Suicide track. They’re all excellent.

Since a lot of you are probably already familiar with the first ten tracks, which are all fucking awesome, I’ve attached a new one, “Lazy Heart,” for you to sample.

Happy 20th Slumberland/Black Tambourine!

Interview with author of GaragePunk History

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:17:29 -0500

Interview with author of GaragePunk History: Chunklet’s got a pretty interesting...

Wire totally hanging out with Suzanne Somers. Thanks to Ken, who...

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:13:00 -0500

Wire totally hanging out with Suzanne Somers.

Thanks to Ken, who hosts Galaxie Twelve on WMUA, Mondays from 8 pm to 10 pm, for tipping me off to this.

An Uncontrollable Urge Playlist 3/8/10

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:06:53 -0500

Tonight’s show was vaguely rock-themed, either experimental rock, or experimental music...

Magic Places - In the Conservatory…The...

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:45:04 -0500

Magic Places - In the Conservatory…
The Time-Traveler’s Pocket Guidebook Demo

I don’t care what anyone else has to say on this matter, because I’m closing it right now. The Legend of Zelda has proven to be the most influential object on American indie music of the past two decades. Also, fuck Zelda II. That shit was garbage. Don’t even try to tell me that Ocarina of Time, A Link From the Past, and Link’s Awakening, in that order, are not the best things to happen to the world ever.

In conclusion, check this out.

Stiff Little Fingers - Suspect Device I think this song might...

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 08:29:00 -0500

Stiff Little Fingers - Suspect Device

I think this song might have been what got me into punk music.

An Uncontrollable Urge on Yr Radio

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 01:59:54 -0500

What’s on the queue for tonight’s program of experimental rock music? So far, two new...

Mulatu Astatke - YekatitTimeless (Mochilla) Mochilla’s...

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 15:27:00 -0500

Mulatu Astatke - Yekatit
Timeless (Mochilla)

Mochilla’s putting out a set of three DVD’s of live concerts of Mulatu Astatke, The Music of James “Dilla” Yancey, and Arthur Verocai, and, I must say, they’re pretty gnarly. In my opinion, Mulatu’s performance was the most compelling, but, then again, I’m more interested in his style of music to begin with. Each performance was shot in black and white, and each one captured an almost spiritual musical moment. While the Suite for Ma Dukes seemed to be missing something, it still contained many a worthwhile moment, and the first ever performance of Arthur Verocai’s solo record was full of soul and texture. As I said, Mulatu’s concert was phenomenal, with so many fantastic improvised solos, and insane musicianship from each individual.

The set comes out March 30, and you’d be a fool not to check it out. In case you’re still on the fence, for some reason, here are samples from each DVD:

FULL SCREEN
mochilla.com / Mulatu

FULL SCREEN
mochilla.com / Hoc n’ Pucky

FULL SCREEN
mochilla.com / Pela Sombras

I’ve just returned from Gamelan Galak Tika & Ensemble...

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 22:46:37 -0500

I’ve just returned from Gamelan Galak Tika & Ensemble Robot’s performance at Bowker Auditorium on the UMass campus, and, although I’ve had some odd luck with performances at the space, I was quite happy with tonight’s performance.

I’ve never seen gamelan in person before, and the performance seemed to take in to account that there would be many unfamiliar with the style in the audience. They began with two traditional pieces, providing an introduction to the music that was almost aggressively complex in rhythm and tempo. There were so many changes in meter and speed that I almost forgot to pay attention to the actual timbre of each instrument. For a drummer, I don’t think there could be a sight more exciting than a stage full of people wielding hammers, and they really went to town up there knocking the shit out of whatever those things were. I’m still not sure what most of those instruments were, although I’m pretty sure somebody was playing a turtle.

The second piece also made use of two traditional Balinese dancers. Once they were announced, I began to wonder how one would dance to music that made time it’s bitch like that. The answer was that they dance both fluidly, and at times robotically. The expressions on the dancers faces were creepily intense; the piece was about two bumblebees playing, but, to my ears, it sounded so much darker. With the expressions of the dancers so intensely statuesque, the whole thing was almost macabre. It ended up being the high point of the night, I thought, and it made me wish I had more than five dollars in my pocket, since CD’s were fifteen.

After that, they moved on to their original compositions, each of which involved contemporary western instrumentation, creating interesting textures in combination with the traditional gamelan. The star performer of the night was Heliphon, described by Ensemble Robot’s website as “a double-helix shaped robotic metallophone … it uses solenoids to hammer metal keys, and each key lights up as it plays.” The instrument sounds like a glockenspiel, and though I won’t say it’s the prettiest sounding thing I’ve ever heard, it meshed well with the rest of what was happening. Also used in these pieces were electric bass that ranged from droning to straight funk, electric guitar that was almost Quinian in style, as well as violin, accordion, an EWI, and an upright bass.

The original compositions, while interesting in the variety in timbre, did seem to lack the intensely complex rhythms of the traditional songs. Musicians were playing in multiple time signatures at once, but the changes arrived at a much less rapid pace, and though I think it may have been a bit much to continue like that the whole time, I do think they may have shot their wad by beginning the way they did. I think that, and the fact that the Heliphon was not actually just C-3PO playing the glockenspiel were my only complaints.

Googoosh - TalaghPomegranates (Finders Keepers) Another...

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:19:07 -0500

Googoosh - Talagh
Pomegranates (Finders Keepers)

Another excellent comp from Finders Keepers. Pomegranates collects psychedelic music from ’60s and ’70s Iran, described by the label as including “voices and stories that may again prove relevant to a psychologically damaged and spiritually corrupt society, a society whose discontents recall the latter years of the Shah’s rule.” Heavy stuff, if I could understand what they were saying. But it’s great stuff, just the same. And, as per usual with Finders Keepers releases, the liner notes are extensive and enlightening.

Drippy wah-pedals, droning organs, funkified basslines, and drummers that create tight-as-hell pockets, but most importantly, “Googoosh.” I don’t know what that means, but I’ve never been more excited to type a word. Googoosh.

Double Dagger - Sleeping With the TV OnMasks (Thrill Jockey) I...

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 20:00:00 -0500

Double Dagger - Sleeping With the TV On
Masks (Thrill Jockey)

I guess it’s not realistic to expect anything on the level of Double Dagger’s previous record, More, which was definitely one of the best records of last year. But I was hoping for more of a standout track on this EP, and I’m not sure I feel like we got one. ”Sleeping With the TV On” might be the closest to rivaling More in great punk, with it’s accelerating tempo and blasts of energy.

This EP sounds like Double Dagger, which is good, but it sounds like them being lazy. That’s the last thing I was expecting. It’s definitely still worth some time, but on the heels of an excellent full-length, I was hoping for something more.

Eh, who am I kidding? This is still better than 99% of what’s out there. Go get it, I’m just being spoiled.

Splinters - Splintered BridgesKick (Double Negative) Coming out...

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:32:45 -0500

Splinters - Splintered Bridges
Kick (Double Negative)

Coming out of the Bay Area, The Splinters are making fun garage pop that sounds like the Coathangers, if they had better singers … and musicians…

Now, obviously, that’s part of the appeal of the Coathangers, but the Splinters manage to keep things fun without sloppiness, perhaps only because the music is so simple. As far as garage stuff goes, this record is actually pretty cleanly played. The guitars are jangling with just a bit of fuzz growing out of the riffs, the bass is overdriven but not overwhelming, and the gang vocals make the whole thing sound like a sing-a-long with your favorite group of friends.

The later cuts on the record are a bit more interesting, I think, starting from “Sorry,” a stripped down conversational tune that starts off quite simple, with light guitar, drums, and vocals, and as the cut goes on, more voices join in, along with another guitar, and some more percussion as well. ”Electricity” rocks in a bit of a modal feel, using some awesome half-steps in the vocals to add some darker tone to the whole piece. But I think my favorite cut is “Splintered Bridges,” ‘cause it hits the riff just right. Check it out at the top of this piece.

Kick comes out March 9th on Double Negative Records.

Nightmares forever.

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 23:27:37 -0500

Nightmares forever.

NT - NotDoNT (self-released) The group recently sent me a...

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:51:08 -0500

NT - Not
DoNT (self-released)

The group recently sent me a rockin’ five-song demo, and in describing their sound, the words “heavy,” “funky,” and “post punk” were used, and that’s pretty right on. Listening to the track “Not,” I think I’d be more likely to call it “sludgy stoner grooves,” but I definitely get what they’re going for with that description. The bass has some of the best heavy fuzz tone I’ve heard in a long time. You can download or stream the full demo on their MySpace.

I think their name has something to do with Windows.

Peter Prescott is the man.

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 02:20:51 -0500

Peter Prescott is the man.

An Uncontrollable Urge: Special "Horny" Edition

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 19:52:32 -0500

Alex Hornbeck, of Strange Light, hosts tonight’s edition of An Uncontrollable Urge. Tune in...

Capsize 7 - Johnny FalconHorsefly (Pig Zen Space) As I started...

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:40:31 -0500

Capsize 7 - Johnny Falcon
Horsefly (Pig Zen Space)

As I started listening to this record, I thought “This sounds like some lost great 90s alternative record.” Well, apparently, it is. Recorded in 1996 in Encinitas, California, Horsefly is Capsize 7’s second record ever, apparently, their first released in 1995, and it’s pretty awesome, especially for anyone yearning for the glory days of college radio when bands like Polvo and Jawbox were what shit was all about.

Angular guitars; simple, effective harmonies; and a great interplay between the bass and the drums that creates a sort of juggling effect, as focus bounces back and forth between each part, leading to a pretty gnarly whole.

The guitarist is now in Blag’ard, so I’d be surprised if anything else came out under the Capsize 7 moniker, but, hey, maybe there’s another lost record lying around somewhere. There’s always hope, right?

Been reading Our Band Could Be Your Life. Needless to say this...

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 23:45:00 -0500

Been reading Our Band Could Be Your Life. Needless to say this group has been the only thing I’ve listened to all weekend.

… okay, and Mission of Burma.

Billy Green - RaceStone Original Soundtrack (Finders...

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 12:28:00 -0500

Billy Green - Race
Stone Original Soundtrack (Finders Keepers)

Stone, a classic Ozploitation film in the biker genre, paved the way for movies like Mad Max, but the big deal with the movie is definitely the soundtrack.

I was pretty excited to find out “electronic swamp-funk” was a thing, and if the record had been entirely fitting of that description, I would still have been thrilled with it. But you’ll find so many different styles of sound on this album, from hard psychedelic rock to experimental electronic compositions, and each of them are executed brilliantly. The extensive liner notes - which I’ve noticed is something of a calling card of Finders Keepers releases - describe the music as “the kind of soundtrack that makes you wish you could see the film but it’ll probably never happen.” I’d be willing to bet that’s right on, but the amount of information found in the booklet packaged with the CD might be more interesting than what you’d actually find on the film, so I wouldn’t worry too much about it.

The record opens with a dark noise experiment, “Eco Blue / Toadstrip,” an unlikely pairing of the Moog and the didgeridoo. Following that is “Race,” retaining much of the strange noise of the previous cut, but throwing an acid-funk base underneath it, creating a sweet transitional pathway from the sound effects of the opening piece into the heavy psychedelic rock of the later parts of the record.

It’s not often that I can recommend fans of Raymond Scott and Soft Machine check out the same album, but this is it. So do it already!

Stone Theatrical Trailer