VARIOUS - 'GOLDEN APPLES OF THE SUN'

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• BAST001 - CD

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Third and final pressing of this much loved Compilation! The Arthur Magazine's first release on their Bastet label imprint? way back in?well, a whiles back? Still essential listening, and still a great intro to that continually burgeoning (and almost mainstream) "Freak America" Scene. All unreleased tracks, compiled by Devendra Banhart (and artwork too!) and featuring songs from?Devendra, Vetiver, Jack Rose, Matt Valentine, Antony (w/Current 93), Iron & Wine, Jana Hunter, Vashti Bunyan, Currituck Co, Six Organs, Espers, Joanna Newsom, Coco Rosie and more too.. it's a winner folks.

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BIRDS OF MAYA - 'READY TO HOWL'

Formats

• AGIT016CD - CD

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Agitated is super chuffed to be handling the CD reissue of this monster... Over the past few months and years, dropouts all over the world have been nodding out to the amped up riffing of PURLING HISS & the economical chug-a-lug zen of SPACIN'. But only the most committed seekers have been privy to the roaring big bang that started it all: BIRDS OF MAYA. They're a locked-in dynamo that gets real, real gone at the strike of the first note that needs to be seen to be believed. But as the Birds rarely (very, very rarely) perform outside of their North Philadelphia neighborhood, Ready To Howl will have to suffice. Formed in 2002, BIRDS OF MAYA is the finest meat n' potatoes neanderthal rock group operating in the world today, and they're undoubtedly the outfit most committed to creating throbbing, thoroughly relentless, blues-based hard rock. On Ready To Howl, astute listeners will note nods to the fried power-rock of Split-era Groundhogs or the relentless garage mayhem of High Rise recorded under claustrophobic sub-Funhouse decadence. Anyone with ears will hear fried-Hendrixisms all over this thing. It was the most ambitious TestosterTunes release to date: a 3-song, double-LP by the three men of Philadelphia's BIRDS OF MAYA. Called Ready To Howl and it's the soundtrack to an upcoming feature length film of the same name. Ready To Howl, the film, deals with one dude's struggles in- and outside of polite society. According to the producer, "the order of events is something like... getting off of work, partying, a parking lot bottle fight with a marine, driving drunk, the purchase of a deadly snake for purposes of revenge, hitchhiking, off road driving, car accident, the folly of vindictiveness, and finally a physical and metaphorical ascent to the highest point of the mountain." The soundtrack follows the same line, with album sides tracking Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. This is only BIRDS OF MAYA's second vinyl offering, and it's looooong overdue. The CD version features the 3 tracks of the 2LP in unedited for vinyl length, no splits in the songs for you to get up and turn the record over...turn it UP!!! Vinyl version now out of print folks...

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BYRDS OF PARADISE - 'TEENAGE SYMPHONIES'

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• DG39 - LP

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WAREHOUSE FIND: 10 COPIES ONLY.....At once filthy, dreamy, druggily intoxicating and soberingly intense, Brooklyn-based BYRDS OF PARADISE churn out slop pop tunes wearing garage/psych/punk clothing that are as sweetly sticky as they are layered, noisy and driven. The band, started by D.C. expatriate KENNY BROWN in late 2009, is clearly informed by classic D.C. punk sonics, although not defined by them. That winter, Brown left D.C. to return to his New Jersey home and dedicate several weeks to recording a long- planned demo with his dear old friend and now singer JARED J. JONES (ex-DUSTHEADS). Brown then relocated to Brooklyn, where a full band came together with ALAN YUCH (ex-MONGOLOIDS) on drums and BRENDEN BRITZ (SUBWAY SADISTS, WHITEWORKS) playing bass. Byrds of Paradise released their debut "Rowena" 7-inch on Wild Words records, followed by their Don Giovanni Records debut, the "Omega Man" 7-inch and their most recent 7-inch, "Barefoot Paradise," on UK label Sleep All Day Records.

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WILLY MOON - 'RAILROAD TRACK'

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• TMR-161 - 7"

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Willy Moon is our absolute favorite producer/singer/rock'n'roller, New Zealander by way of the UK. All of 21 years old, Willy writes, records and produces everything on his own and keeps things short. Nothing grazes the three minute mark. He doesn't just blend different sounds, he smashes them together. It's as if rock'n'roll was deep-frozen in 1965 and abruptly reanimated 45 years later by a laptop hip-hop producer. Willy loves the physical energy of Cab Calloway, the brevity of The Ramones, and the style of film noir. The 7" of "Railroad Track" b/w "Bang Bang" (written by Sonny Bono) rings out as Big Bang size collisions of R&B (new and old), gospel and doo wop suave making this single one of the most exciting things we've heard this year.

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QUINTRON & MISS PUSSYCAT - 'LIVE AT THIRD MAN'

Formats

• TMR-147 - LP

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Quintron...Miss Pussycat...King Louie...the Oblivians!?!?!?! A night of pure epic-ness surely not to be rivaled any time soon. 9 tracks of pure rock and roll fun.. in plain black sleeve...

Tracks

1. Rhinestone Cowboy
2. Shoplifter
3. Place Unknown
4. Banana Beat
5. I?m Not Good Enough
6. New Years Night (featuring King Louie)
7. Call the Police (featuring the Oblivians)
8. Freedom
9. Dream Captains

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FLAVOR CRYSTALS - 'ON PLASTIC'

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• MPLSLTD007 - CD

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The debut album from new Forte favourites, the Flavor Crystals. This was originally released in 2005, and it features all the hazy lazy gloss that's made their second album such a big hit here. Languid drawn out guitars, drown out narcotic vocals, with a sound that wonderfully captures the essence of past heroes like Acetone and third album period Velvets. Recent 3LP set, "Three" turned us onto this band, just checking in with the back catalogue...

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FLAVOR CRYSTALS - 'AMBERGIS'

Formats

• MPLSLTD011 - LP

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Another of the back catalogue offerings from Flavor Crystals, a new fave at Forte Towers, The Flavor Crystals are a five piece psyche-pop outfit from Minneapolis, and "Ambergris" is their second album. Recorded and mixed in a mad six days under the stewardship of the legendary producer Kramer, "Ambergris" sees the band spread their wings sonically from their 2005 debut. Harkening back to the vibe of 70s psychedelia, and adding a late 80s shoegazing influence they've come up with a loose and primordial sound that recalls the likes of Galaxie 500's "On Fire" (a previous Kramer production), and old Piccadilly favourites Acetone. Reverb drenched guitars and a laid back pace combine with hushed vocals to create a dreamy, intense and beautiful atmosphere, that you can get lost in for days.

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