Vegyn Remixes Air

Record Store Day was last weekend, and as per usual i spent way too much money.  But i got some cool shit, like a reissue of Marty Willson-Piper's (The Church) 1987 solo album "In Reflection" and the 12" single of The Cure's "Alone" remixed by Four Tet.  I also snagged "Blue Moon Safari," electronic musician and producer Vegyn's remix and reinterpretation of Air's debut album "Moon Safari."  It's wonderful.  Check out the mix of "Sexy Boy" below and download the album here.

Goat & Graveyard

I have yet to see it on any official Record Store Day list for the US, but evidently Swedish psych rock band Goat and fellow Swedish hard rock band Graveyard have teamed together for a one-off collaborative 7" single on the UK release list from Rocket Recordings.  Here's hoping some of those managed to trickle across the pond before the Trump Tariffs went into effect.  Cross your fingers and look for the "A Ship of Fools / Light as a Feather" 7" on Saturday.  In the meantime, check out the classic psych rock of the B-side "Light as a Feather" below.

Daily Jam - Hallucinations (April)

Record Store Day is coming up in three weeks (check the list here), and one of the releases on my radar is the reissue of percussionist Hal Blaine's 1967 album "Psychedelic Percussions."  Break beats for everyone.  Anyway, check out "Hallucinations (April)" below, our Daily Jam.

The Unrighteous Brothers

Record Store Day has for obvious reasons been really different this year.  The event usually happens in April, but this year was pushed back to June, and then later pushed back again and divided over three weekends in August, September, and October.  And for the most part, it's been entirely online.  The second drop was yesterday, and while i missed out on the reissue of the '90s Black Sabbath tribute "Nativity in Black," i did score the debut 7" from The Unrighteous Brothers.  The duo consists of masked country music weirdo Orville Peck and East Texas singer-songwriter Paul Cauthen covering two all-time classics from The Righteous Brothers.  It's kind of a silly idea, but also totally awesome.  Check out both "Unchained Melody" and "You've Lost that Loving Feeling" below, and look for the record (online) in brick and mortar record stores everywhere.

Metavari

Electronic artist Metavari utilizes elements of drone, IDM, synth wave, and ambient house to craft pieces of sound that could perfectly accompany some imaginary film in your head.  But, sometimes he actually does that could play alongside actual, real life movies.  Newest album "Absurda," which came out in some limited quantities today for Record Store Day, was inspired by the early short films of David Lynch and it's as weird and wonderful and sometimes spooky as it needs to be.  Listen to "Absurd Encounter with Fear" below and download the whole thing from the artist here (name your price).

Record Store Day 2019 Recommendations

We're just over a week away from one of my favorite days of the year, and probably the only one where i openly embrace overt capitalism and commerce.  You know what i'm talking about.  It's almost Record Store Day.  Anyway, keeping up with what i've done the last few years, here are a handful of recommendations for you to keep in mind if you go out into the melee.

Francois de Roubaix - "Les Levres Rouges" 7"
Also known as "Daughters of Darkness," an erotic French vampire film from 1971, this 7" release features a couple of song's from Francois de Roubaix's score.  And it's an intoxicating listen.

Aaron Lupton and Jeff Szpirglas - "Blood on Black Wax" HC Book
Weirdly enough, my next recommendation is a book from a couple of "Rue Morgue" magazine writers about horror soundtracks.  This one is right up my alley, tackling old school releases as well as the wave of reissues over the last 10 years.  And, this RSD special edition of the book comes with a 7" record featuring music from Paul Zaza, Carl Zittrer, and some disco tunes originally featured in "Prom Night."  I'm stoked for this one.  Shake your booty to "Love Me Til I Die" below.

Green Jelly - "Cereal Killer" LP
This one is just me wanting to feel like an immature, snot nosed teenager again, as the silly and grimy punk jams of Green Jelly's "Cereal Killer" were a big part of my early adolescence.

"The Crow" OST LP
While the movie has really not held up, i still love the soundtrack as much now as i did when i was 15 years old.  At the time, it was an amazing allotment of '90s alt-rock bands slinging new tunes or deep cuts, and that lineup is still stellar 25 years later.  And i think you could make a pretty solid argument that "Burn" is the best Cure song of anything post-"Disintegration."

Sunn O))) - "Life Metal" LP
New music from experimental drone doom metal band Sunn O))) is always something to get behind, and this time around, the band's latest "Life Metal" gets an early release on Record Store Day.  Hazaa!  Check the preview.



So there you go.  There are plenty of other great releases to try and score (The Charlatans, "Twin Peaks" season 2 soundtrack, Alice Clark, etc.), but these five are the ones i can't wait to get my grubby little hands on.  Check the full list here and have fun everybody!

Some Record Store Day Recommendations

So, this Saturday is the day.  And while i don't get nearly as stupid as i used to, i still take the day off of work so i can go wait in line outside of a record store at the ass crack of dawn.  So i guess i'm still kind of stupid.  That being said, here are 5 releases slated for this year's Record Store Day that are on my "must procure" list, that should be on yours too.

1. Lulu - "Heaven and Earth and the Star" LP
This cool reissue of the Scottish singer's 1976 album features her "Man with the Golden Gun" Bond theme and a couple of David Bowie covers, of which Bowie himself produced and appeared on as instrumentalist and backing vocalist.

2 Demon Fuzz - "I Put a Spell on You" 7"
British afro-rock band Demon Fuzz only released a couple of albums and a single in the '70s, all of which are amazing and expensive, so i'm pretty stoked to be able to finally afford one, and it's a Screamin' Jay Hawkins cover to boot.

3. Ennio Morricone - "Autopsy" OST LP
So, the fantastic Arrow Films also releases records, and this one is for a weirdo horror movie scored by the legendary Ennio Morricone.  Sold.

4. King Black Acid - "Sunlit" 2LP
Originally released in 1996, Portland artist King Black Acid's second album features 3 epic tracks of sprawling, psychedelic '90s space rock, and this is its vinyl debut.  Hooray!

5. The Black Lips and The Khan Family - "Play Safe" 12"
Some collaborative garage rock from The Black Lips and The Khan Family, so you know King Khan will be there, and his daughter Saba Lou too.  This record should be killer.



So there you go.  Be sure to check out releases from The Flaming Lips, Brian Eno and Kevin Shields, Tom Waits, S U R V I V E, and more, more, more...

Southwest Side Story: Vol. 19

Yesterday, i sadly missed out on procuring a copy of Ike Reiko's "You, Baby" LP, reissued for Record Store Day (and i'll be damned if i'm gonna drop $100 on one on Ebay), but every year, i inevitably end up digging on something unexpected.  One release this time around comes from the always wonderful and dependable Numero Group, a collection of rare and obscure soul jams out of San Antonio called "Southwest Side Story: Vol. 19."  The compilation consists of 14 grooving little nuggets that's probably going to have me heading south on a mission to find original old 45's.  Listen to The Eptones' "No One Else but You" below, snag a digital copy of the album here, and venture out to a brick and mortar record store to find a physical copy.

5 Record Store Day Recommendations

Well, tomorrow's the day: the 10th anniversary of Record Store Day, a yearly Saturday in April best known as the day where i spend way too much money.  But hey, i get some bitchin records to take home...and that's important.  This year is seeing the release of tons of great stuff, as per usual.  And i'm trying to narrow my selections down and keep to my budget, which generally means i'll have to make some cuts while i'm at the record store tomorrow morning.  But here are 5 releases i'll be searching for, and that i recommend you save a little scratch for.

Good luck.

 1. David Bowie - "Cracked Actor (Live Los Angeles 74)" 3LP
This one's kind of a no brainer for me, a 3 disc Bowie live album from 1974, lovingly mixed and mastered by Tony Visconti, featuring a whole slew of great songs from Bowie's earlier years.  Yes!  Yes!  Yes!

2. John Scoggins - "Pressed for Time" LP
Rhino Records reissues a rare power pop gem from the 1970's from John Scoggins.  Finding an original copy of "Pressed for Time" will set you back a few hundred bucks, so this reissue is probably the way to go.  Oh, and it's fucking great.

3. Ike Reiko - "You, Baby" LP
A mix of erotic jazz, spy music, and Japanese pop, all with a quirky Serge Gainsbourg vibe, Ike Reiko's very rare "You, Baby" LP is a wonderful oddity that needs to be on my record shelf.

4. Popol Vuh - "Cobra Verde" OST LP
An exotic and trippy Popol Vuh score to a Werner Herzog film starring crazy person Klaus Kinski?  Why would i not own this?

5. The Wipers - "Better Off Dead" 7"
Old Wipers records are pretty hard to find, and usually kind of expensive when you do, so what better way to close out you record buying bonanza tomorrow with a reissued copy of the legendary band's debut release?



So there you go.  I could easily recommend a dozen more (The Bad Signs, Dennis Wilson, Nico and The Faction, etc.), but i wanted to keep it reasonable.  Have fun tomorrow.

The Black Angels - Currency

Austin psych rock outfit The Black Angels are back at it in April with their new album of blasting drums and guitar freak-outs.  "Death Song" comes out officially on Record Store Day, but you can pre-order it here.  In the meanwhile, listen to "Currency" below with some disorienting, accompanying visuals.

The Bad Signs

Nashville band The Bad Signs are set to release their debut EP, "Black Magic Moments," next month on Record Store Day via Number Nine Creative Cult.  The trio craft a mysterious yet familiar brand of Gothic-tinged Americana, using elements of old school country music, dark folk, psychedelia, and good old fashioned rock n' roll.  Hypnotic, dusty, and just a tad ominous, it's like something from Lynchian sketch that never quite made it to screen.  Watch the video for "Blue Love" below.

Chinatown

Record Store Day offered up their Black Friday releases yesterday, and they went pretty easy on me this year in regards to stuff i really want.  I did make sure to snag a copy of the "Chinatown" soundtrack from Light in the Attic though.  Great film.  Great score from Jerry Goldsmith.  Listen to "Love Theme from Chinatown" below and look for the regular edition of the soundtrack soon.

Doused in Mud, Soaked in Bleach

Every single Record Store Day, i come across an album i didn't even know was coming out because it was never included on the official list.  And every single Record Store Day i'm surprised by this.  I should probably be used to it by now.  Today brought the release in the now yearly series of Nirvana tribute albums courtesy of Robotic Empire.  "Doused in Mud, Soaked in Bleach" features artists like Thou, Young Widows, and Beach Slang taking on Nirvana's debut album "Bleach."  Take a listen to This Will Destroy You's version of "Paper Cuts" below, and i guess we'll see an "Incesticide" tribute next year to go along with the other three.  Hooray!

Xiu Xiu - Into The Night

A week or two ago, i posted experimental band Xiu Xiu's cover of Julee Cruise's "Falling" from their upcoming "Twin Peaks" tribute/reinterpretation album.  Here's another cut from the record, which is definitely on my must-obtain list for Record Store Day this Saturday, and the video for the band's take on "Into The Night."

Xiu Xiu covers the music from Twin Peaks

Been a little busy lately with work and kids and SXSW, i barely just now had a chance to check out the slate of releases coming out on Record Store Day.  There's some great stuff set to come out, but if experimental band Xiu Xiu's "Twin Peaks" cover album isn't at the top of your list, then i don't know you anymore.  Listen to the dramatic and breathtaking cover of "Falling" below, and be sure to grab the record next month courtesy of Polyvinyl.

Ariel Pink

So, this Friday is the dreaded Black Friday.  As someone who works in retail, let me just say...ugh.  Anyway, Record Store Day's Black Friday event sees a slew of new and limited releases hitting the shelves on the 27th, and while there really aren't many that piqued my interest, we are getting a new Ariel Pink 7", featuring an assist from Blood Orange's Dev Hynes.  The two songs are taken from the film, "Heaven Knows What," and they're warped and spacey.  Try to grab it on Friday at your local brick and mortar record store, and watch the video for A-side "I Need a Minute" below.

Nothing cover Nirvana

Last year on Record Store Day, Robotic Empire Records released a tribute to Nirvana's "In Utero" featuring a whole slew of great artists (Thou!).  This year, the label is releasing "Whatever Nevermind," a tribute to the band's 1991 breakout album "Nevermind," also on Record Store Day, and also featuring a bunch of great bands.  Take a listen to Nothing's haunting and desperate take on "Something in the Way" below and be on the lookout for the record next weekend.

Merzbow and Xiu Xiu

Record Store Day is swiftly approaching us, and one of the more interesting releases on the docket is a collaborative album from Japanese noise artist Merzbow and LA's experimental Xiu Xiu.  Fittingly enough, the record is called "Merzxiu," and it's two sprawling, epic tracks of noise, dissonance, drone, and more noise.  This is what the world ends to.  Listen to "Merzxiu B" below.  The record will be out on Record Store Day, though Kingfisher Bluez has a limited number of copies available for pre-order for those with no record stores in their area.

Hinds

Madrid's fuzzy, lo-fi girl group Hinds, who used to be called DEERS until some lawsuit stuff, have a pretty wonderful cover of Thee Headcoats' "Davey Crockett (Gabba Hey!)" that they will be on their forthcoming debut LP as well as on a Record Store Day 7" split with fellow Spaniards The Parrots.  I'm really hoping to catch these gals next week.  Listen below.

Faith No More - Motherfucker

Faith No More's new single "Motherfucker," the band's first new material since 1997's "Album of the Year" comes out on Friday as a Record Store Day Black Friday release.  At some point during the day, i will be skipping out of work for a bit to procure myself a copy.  You should too.  Listen below.