ORANGE HUMBLE BAND - 'DEPRESSING BEAUTY'

Formats

• CITCD585 - CD

  9326425808610

Details

*REPRESSED FOR SUMMER 2016*For those not in the know, Australia’s Orange Humble Band is one of the greatest power pop outfits ever to set foot in a recording studio. Founder Darryl Mather (Lime Spiders, Someloves) launched it around 1995, going on to release two albums and an EP—1997’s Assorted Creams, 2001’s Humblin’ (Across America) and the ’98 Down In Your Dreams EP. Ken Stringfellow was recruited for vocals, and a good chunk of the recording was done with Mitch Easter, making it a true transcontinental supergroup of sorts. 'Assorted Creams' met with huge acclaim from power pop aficionados who hailed its energy and melodious purity. Genre writer John Borack ranked it the 8th greatest power pop album ever recorded in his definitive power pop guide 'Shake Some Action'. Only the likes of Big Star, The Raspberries, Cheap Trick and Tommy Keene ranked higher. At the end of 2000, Mather chose to take an extended break from music, continuing however to sporadically pen songs in the event the band were to ever reform for a third album. Whilst a guest of Jody Stephens at the 2012 SXSW industry preview of Big Star's film documentary 'Nothing Can Hurt Me', an emotional charged atmosphere saw close friends Mather, Stephens, Easter and Stringfellow agreeing to regroup and record. During demo preparations, Mather also reached out to pop legend Dwight Twilley with the idea of recording Twilley's song 'You Close Your Eyes'. Twilley agreed and additionally offered to help Mather write bridge sections for two of the new songs and to appear as a guest backing vocalist. 'Depressing Beauty' was recorded in Oct 2012, again at Ardent Studios. The line up remains largely unchanged from 'Humblin' with core members Ken Stringfellow, Mitch Easter, Jody Stephens and Mather all present. They are joined by the supremely gifted Jon Auer (Posies, Big Star) and highly respected Memphis session men Dave Smith (bass) and Lucero's Rick Steff (keyboards). Along with the towering pop figure of Dwight Twilley, additional special musical guests for this recording include Susan Cowsill (background vocals), Spooner Oldham (Wurlitzer piano), multi-instrumentalist Shawn Lynch, (backing vocals, guitar, keyboards and percussion), Kirk Smothers, (baritone and tenor sax), Scott Thompson (trumpet and flugelhorn) and former Alex Chilton long time colleague Jim Spake (tenor sax and clarinet). Finally, as a most welcoming inclusion, string arrangements were created and scored by Carl Marsh. Cult like in status, Marsh most famously wrote and conducted strings for the revered Big Star's 'Third' album of 1974. Hailed pop luminary Chris Stamey (dB’s) also provided additional string arrangements. Produced by Mather and Mitch Easter, engineering honours were shared between Ardent's Pete Matthews, Bob Engel and Easter. Mixing was concluded by Easter, Mastering was completed by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound NYC. Cd packaged in LP style card sleeve, individually numbered to 1000, with pull out lyric sheet and “poster” of the beautiful cover art. 

Tracks

1. You Close Your Eyes (D Twilley) (4:18 m:s)
2. The Girl Without A Name (D Mather / D Twilley / Orange Humble Band) (3:45 m:s)
3. Conversations With Myself (D Mather / Orange Humble Band) (4:12 m:s)
4. Sowannadoit (D Mather / Orange Humble Band) (3:51 m:s)
5. Ain't Tougher Than Me (D Mather / Orange Humble Band) (5:12 m:s)
6. Our Beautiful Selves (D Mather / Orange Humble Band) (3:49 m:s)
7. If That's What You Want (D Mather / A Bautovich / Orange Humble Band) (3:56 m:s)
8. Get Straight Down (D Mather / A Bautovich / Orange Humble Band) (3:46 m:s)
9. Once My Precious You (D Mather / Orange Humble Band) (3:19 m:s)
10. Oughta Feel Ashamed (D Mather / D Twilley / Orange Humble Band) (3:00 m:s)
11. No One Cares About Me (D Mather / Orange Humble Band) (3:38 m:s)
12. Emma Amanda (D Mather / J Auer) (2:26 m:s)
13. Upon Cindy's Will (D Mather / A Bautovich / Orange Humble Band) (3:04 m:s)
14. With The Universe In My Hand (D Mather / Orange Humble Band) (6:48 m:s)
15. Something Goin' On (D Mather / Orange Humble Band) (4:47 m:s)

Press

Audio & Video

ANDREW WEATHERALL - 'CONVENANZA'

Formats

• RGCCD022 - CD

  809651402221

Details

‘Convenanza’ is the sound of Andrew Weatherall looking back at the clutter of a life thoroughly lived and realising it’s too late to tidy it up in any meaningful way. It would be marvellous to throw out lines about the artist exploring the periphery of his musical vision or redrawing the boundary between confrontational electronica and a fondness for a decent melody. That would however indicate some kind of preconceived plan or, failing that, a musical objective which shaped the record. Even serendipity would suggest a more organised approach to the album than was actually the case. Many years of listening to music with a unique ear has resulted in the disordered cabinet of highlights, touchstones, revelations and half recalled good times that make up being Lord Sabre. Frankfurt Advice’s post funk punk rhythm takes a deep breath but soldiers on when the disquieting sound of the trumpet playing in the next room intrudes and remains firmly in control despite momentarily stumbling over an unruly guitar. The Confidence Man’s self-assured top line collapses in on itself and the loosened beats enjoy a gentle unrestrained boogie atop the solid bassline before the vocal’s final hymnic retreat. The upside of Weatherall’s promiscuous attitude to music is the sheer joy when it all comes into focus on We Count Our Sins… The trumpet returns but this time it’s the soaring sprit of the song which strains against a deeply anchored bassline. The message of abandonment in the verse is thwarted by the obstinate optimism of the key refrain and there’s a sense of resolution as the song ends and melds into the blissful Thirteenth Night. That Andrew has grasped random thoughts, memories and life markers then assembled them so they become such a satisfying musical voyage is a testament to a mind that can draw pictures in the air but still has trouble finding the on-off button on his laptop. Vinyl version limited to 1000 copies only

Tracks

Press

**** Mojo

Audio & Video

ALI BELETIC - 'LEGENDS OF THESE LANDS LEFT TO LIVE'

Formats

• LTG012 - LP

  655035031217

Details

Ali Beletic is best known for her work as an installation artist, creating beautiful, symbolic stunts such as hiking in and installing mahogany and glass Judd-like sculptural pools into remote deserts, throwing parties with hidden drummers, lighting up an entire boulder field one can hike through or riding vintage motorcycles backcountry to create beautiful lines of fire. Legends of These Lands Left to Live is her long-anticipated debut record, written and recorded during her time in the Sonoran Desert, after having left the saturated Brooklyn art / punk scene to explore concepts of transformation, personal rebellion, and that which exists on the boundaries. Filled with mysterious and emotional songs, Legends is the anthem of that journey, tracing rock ’n’ roll’s ancient history off road and telling her vogue rebel stories from the artist streets of New York and the vast Southwest. What emerges is a powerful, feminine rock ’n’ roll record, evoking the bare humanity of solo-era Lennon, the overtone depths of Skip James, the proto-punk power of Patti Smith and the sounds of self that emerge from the quiet, raw, visceral American landscape when we allow ourselves to hear our own intimate voice. Beletic’s stories of cultural nomadism travel from beatnik New York to the new wave of women motorcycle riders, enlivening wild romantic trips through the backcountry of ancient deserts. Her sensual, jazz-like vocals evoke singers as far flung as Mary Travers or Cat Power; up-front, dry, intent, rhythmic and powerful, and accompanied by her broken-speaker, gritty electric guitars. Legends was recorded and produced alongside Seth Olinsky (Cy Dune, Akron / Family, Angels of Light) in the art / music studio they set up in the Sonoran Desert. They finished the record in several different studios in Los Angeles and New York with drummers Danny Frankel (Lou Reed, Fiona Apple) and Mike Horick, and are releasing the record on Lightning Records, the label the two founded alongside Lightning Magazine to bring the badass, rock ’n’ roll spirit of funhavery back into the world.

Tracks

1. Ends of the Earth
2. Stone Fox
3. So Much to Love
4. Walk This Earth
5. Rugged Ancestry
6. Dead Serious
7. Band of Outsiders
8. Lit Museum
9. Brilliant White Heat
10. The Hunting Fields
11. Wild American

Press

Audio & Video

HELLACOPTERS - 'SUPERSHITTY TO THE MAX, LP PIC-DISC (RE-ISSUE)'

Formats

• HC064 - LP (PICTURE DISC)

  602547803276

Details

Twenty years ago this scorching album hit the racks.. Recorded in 26 hours and originally released in an edition of 500 vinyl copies on the White Jazz label. It was quickly repressed, and also issued on CD. This debut album also won the Hellacopters a Swedish Grammy award in the year of its release. Uncompromising high energy garage rock and roll!!! Some of this limited Picture Disc managed to hit the racks In Sweden for RSD 2016, regrettably we were unable to get any here in time for RSD. After a limited repress for Universal in Sweden, we have been supplied with 150-200 for UK sales. 

Tracks

Side A
01. (Gotta Get Some Action) Now!
02. 24h Hell
03. Fire Fire Fire
04. Born Broke
05. Bore Me
06. It's Too Late
07. Tab
Side B
01. How Could I Care
02. Didn't Stop Us
03. Random Riot
04. Fake Baby
05. Ain't No Time
06. Such A Blast
07. Spock In My Rocket

Press

Audio & Video

BEN LUKAS BOYSEN - 'SPELLS'

Formats

• ERATP085CD - CD

  4050486111703

• ERATP085LP - LP

  4050486111697

• ERATP085LE - LP (COLOURED)

  4050486111994

Details

Erased Tapes are set to release ‘Spells’, the new album by their latest signing: Berlin-based composer, producer and sound designer Ben Lukas Boysen, on 10th June 2016. ‘Spells’ merges programmed piano pieces with live instruments, combining the controllable technical world and the often unpredictable aspects of live improvisation. In some ways it continues where his underground debut ‘Gravity’ left off, though a lot of weight is lifted, making room for a lighter and more energetic listen. Friend and fellow Erased Tapes artist Nils Frahm mixed and mastered both albums. Ben is not a master pianist like his dear friend, but his sound collages are so meticulously designed that after hearing the result an impressed Nils declared: “from now on, if anyone asks – this is a real piano”. His intricate, humanised programming – enhanced by drummer Achim Färber, cellist Anton Peisakhov and harpist Lara Somogyi, and a considerate selection of echoes, delays and compressors – has been used to create a hybrid sound that intends to deceive, question and challenge existing listening habits. Utilising the contrast between reduction and decoration, ‘Spells’ can be seen as a quest to find out how much or how little composition is required to constitute a song. Why the ear can and should be deceived about the authenticity of instruments. What significance these instruments have within this process, and why the personal perception of balance and sound exclude ultimate truths. Linking the two albums are the four movements of ‘Nocturne’, an everdeveloping conversation that on occasion flirts with the grandeur of compressed rock drums. The first single, ‘Golden Times 1’, received a world premiere by BBC 6 Music’s Mary Anne Hobbs, proclaiming it as "incredible." An alternative version of ‘Sleepers Beat Theme’ – composed for the soundtrack to a short film about the Trans-Siberian Express – opened Jon Hopkins’ Late Night Tales album from 2015, who noted “I thought it was such a calming and sensitive piece that sounded to me like the beginning of something...the warmth and depth of the sound entrances me every time”. Though ‘Spells’ and ‘Gravity’ are his first albums recorded under his own name, as acclaimed electronic producer HECQ he’s released nine albums since 2003, exploring everything from ambient to breakcore. He has simultaneously established himself as a trusted composer and sound designer, working for a wide array of clients including Amnesty International and Marvel Comics; composing for feature films, games, art installations and convention opening titles. After embracing this demanding line of work, in 2010 Ben felt the need to explore his roots and early education, which inspired these albums under his own name. Born in 1981 as the third child of opera singer Deirdre Boysen and actor Claus Boysen, his classical music training on piano and guitar began when he was seven years old; the works of Bruckner, Wagner and Bach laid an important foundation. Rediscovering this music shared with his parents – united with the sounds of Autechre, Cristian Vogel and Jiri.Ceiver to Pink Floyd and Godspeed You! Black Emperor – brought back an understanding of why he wanted to write music in the first place.

Tracks

1. The Veil
2. Nocturne 3
3. Sleepers Beat Theme
4. Golden Times 1
5. Nocturne 4
6. Keep Watch
7. Golden Times 2
8. Selene

Press

"Golden Times 1 is an exercise in patience. Its pieces ebb and flow
between the fore and the edge in a single, assiduous undulation that
explores the flux of both time and texture." ? Earmilk
"A slowly unfurling gift reminiscent of enjoying the pretty simplicity
of watching a flower bloom in slow motion." ? Stereogum

Audio & Video

BEN LUKAS BOYSEN - 'GRAVITY'

Formats

• ERATP084CD - CD

  4050486111673

• ERATP084LP - LP

  4050486111666

Details

In celebration of their latest signing, Erased Tapes are set to re-issue Ben Lukas Boysen’s compelling debut album ‘Gravity’, alongside new album ‘Spells’ on 10th June 2016. ‘Gravity’ was the first album Ben recorded under his own name, merging programmed piano pieces with live instruments, combining the controllable technical world and the often unpredictable aspects of live improvisation. From ‘Only In The Dark’ to the two movements of ‘Nocturne’, it’s a serious, solemn listen. And yet, with pieces like ‘To The Hills’ and ‘Eos’, ‘Gravity’ is an exploration of heights, cliffs and vertigoes. With piano lines and choir-like drones, this record suits its title in all its meanings, as the magnetic force takes us deeper towards the core. Marking a new beginning, this debut reveals a touching, and more melodic side to Ben’s body of work, which he previously only hinted at as HECQ. Friend and fellow Erased Tapes artist Nils Frahm mixed and mastered the album. Ben is not a master pianist like his dear friend, but his sound collages are so meticulously designed that after hearing the result an impressed Nils declared: “from now on, if anyone asks – this is a real piano”. His intricate, humanised programming – enhanced by drummer Achim Färber, additional synthesisers played by Nils, and a considerate selection of echoes, delays and compressors – has been used to create a hybrid sound that intends to deceive, question and challenge existing listening habits. Utilising the contrast between reduction and decoration, ‘Gravity’ as well as its successor ‘Spells’ can be seen as a quest to find out how much or how little composition is required to constitute a song. Why the ear can and should be deceived about the authenticity of instruments. What significance these instruments have within this process, and why the personal perception of balance and sound exclude ultimate truths. Linking the two albums are the four movements of ‘Nocturne’, an ever-developing conversation that on occasion flirts with the grandeur of compressed rock drums. As HECQ Ben has released nine albums since 2003, exploring everything from ambient to breakcore. He has simultaneously established himself as a trusted composer and sound designer, working for a wide array of clients including Amnesty International and Marvel Comics; composing for feature films, games, art installations and convention opening titles. After embracing this demanding line of work, in 2010 Ben felt the need to explore his roots and early education, which inspired these albums under his own name. Born in 1981 as the third child of opera singer Deirdre Boysen and actor Claus Boysen, his classical music training on piano and guitar began when he was seven years old; the works of Bruckner, Wagner and Bach laid an important foundation. Rediscovering this music shared with his parents – united with the sounds of Autechre, Cristian Vogel and Jiri.Ceiver to Pink Floyd and Godspeed You! Black Emperor – brought back an understanding of why he wanted to write music in the first place.

Tracks

1. Only In The Dark
2. Nocturne 1
3. To The Hills
4. You?ll Miss Us One Day
5. Gravity
6. Eos
7. Nocturne 2
8. The Behenian Gospel

Press

?Gravity strips away the cloaked mysteries of electronic music
production to expose the tender side of this musician?s mind.?
? Headphone Commute

Audio & Video

LIBERATION - 'S/T'

Formats

• LSSN037 - LP

  5060446120989

Details

Liberation is the latest evolution by David West, a dedicated underground dweller and traveler with his groups Rat Columns and Rank/Xerox and previously spotted in Lace Curtain and Total Control. Many familiar elements of West's songwriting creep out from the speakers this time around, albeit in a sonically more adventurous and personal manner. Swathed in analogue and FM synths, pinned down by near-funk drum machines, and with a vision expanded into the past and future. While in previous incarnations, West's alienated and fragile vocal has battled with jangling guitars and distortion, Liberation sets free his woes and ruminations into space. Taking inspiration from the heyday of Mute Records, the beginnings of electronic dance music's rudimentary sampling, broken  and sound art, Liberation's debut LP is 10 songs of the road, about the nameless ghosts on the highway, accidental lovers, the alienation of the stranger in a strange land, the unbearable weight of freedom. Beginning with a curveball, Liberation's first vocal sets out the position of the forever-cuckold, the sad lover hanging on: Looking For A Lover combines a Roland 707's loping mid-tempo with creeped-out synth lines as West intones his intentions close to the ear. Continuing in a more baroque manner, Move Me makes astounding use of string samples and space, with esteemed engineer Mikey Young's (Total Control / Eddy Current Suppression Ring) production prowess making for a distilled yet inviting loneliness. Forget is the night-drive centerpiece of the album, a 7 minute that erupts into a nihilistic sub-disco darkness. A constant theme of Liberation is the friction between West's characters: a frustrated love in victim-status paired with a menacing intent. The adorable, fragile stalker in the moonlight, illuminated by Whatever You Want, a subjugated protagonist offering they have while the city burns. The brightest pop moment of the album has this in abundance: Cold And Blue, a classic synth pop jam to be played on repeat til the end of time, like New Order played by one man in his bedroom, with no drugs for a cushion, coming down the stairs, she looks like a perfect fear and Im a monument to your existence.? But West has moments of touching sincerity that speak direct to the listener, as in album highlight Leaves Falling; a sparse string arrangement frames his vocal, "why do I keep falling for you? I must just really like to be alone." Liberation is the freedom from attachments, about how sometimes they're what you want most.

Tracks

1. You Do The Rest
2. Looking For Lover
3. Move Me
4. Forget
5. Distant Song
6. Demonstrate
7. Whatever You Want
8. Cold And Blue
9. Leaves Falling
10. Flight Number

Press

Full stream premiere: http://www.hartzine.com/liberation-st-full-stream-premiere/

Audio & Video