High Rise — Live [1994]

I know I've abandoned this thing the past year and I meant to post far before this but my motherboard died while coping with the feedback and balls of this here record.

As a guitarist I see performance in two identifiable present participles: shredding, and blowing. Shredding is well known by any 15 year old with a baby Gibson and a stack of Maiden CDs, but blowing is the improvisational side you don't dig until maybe you've said fuck you to Kerrang magazine and left eleven far behind. Blowing is the forte of Narita-san and this live album showcases the band like...well, like their studio albums do, but somehow this is better; dirtier, even less restrained and even more ear bruising. Like everyone, I started with High Rise II and the Disallow ep, probably their best studio records, but the versions of "Pop Sicle" and "Sadame" here are somehow more mind-blowing, even with every track showcasing a shorter run time than its studio equivalent (check out 4 minute (?!) version of "Mainliner"). The booklet doesn't list any venues or dates, unfortunately, and its hard to tell if any editing has been done (probably only at the ends of tracks, if any) but this is one of my all time favorite live albums as it never wastes a single note and serves as the best introduction of the band you can have. So many godlike guitar solos here but the greatest moment of inspiration comes during "Ikon" where the feedback reaches new heights and Narita seems to be playing through banging his pickups with his fist alone (right around the 4:00 mark), but in a melodic way that perfectly complements Nanjo's throbbing bass, before completely flatlining only to come back even stronger. Have seventeen minute blowouts its awesome, but shortening them sometimes increases the impact of the sheer heat that this brings to your speakers. If you can't handle it, you don't like rock'n'roll.

Genre: Psychedelic/Heavy Metal
Label: P.S.F.
Origin: Japan
Bitrate: 192k
定めて掴む

Citay — Little Kingdom [2007]

Recent psych masterpiece. If you play guitar (or have any interest whatsoever in guitar-driven rock music) then this IS for you. There are like 80 good riffs per side; I have this on CD, LP and on my fucking computer and I listen to it all the time. Their first release is good, but this is ... well, it just is. Complex layering, multiple delays, synths, 12-strings, and all of what Zeppelin would've been if they'd embraced their feminine side completely.

Genre: Contemporary psych
Label: Dead Oceans
Origin: San Fran, USA
Bitrate: 192k
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Tyrannosaurus Rex — My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair... But Now They're Content to Wear Stars on Their Brows [1968]

More on this after you finish reading the album title...

Genre: Acid Folk
Label: Regal Zonophone
Country: U.K.
Bitrate: 192
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UCHÜ — UCHU + Buddha [2006]

Here's the first two releases from UCHU. That is Kawabata and Hiroshi from Acid Mothers Temple with the addition of female vocals from Ayano. I picked this dreamy piece of work up at the AMT show. The liner notes proclaim "no synthesizer, no sampler, no programming, ...only Guitars!" and thats exactly what you get. Drone out bliss. There is some discrepancy here as the original recording I have of "Buddha" has different track titles as well as one track being completely absent. Though there is a hidden track on this compilation. Enjoy.

Genre: Psych/Drone
Label: Acid Mothers Temple [original releases] / na-mu [re release]
Country: Japan
Bitrate: ripped from CD @ 192k
[REMOVED BY REQUEST]

<3<3<3

What the guy has to say about humiliation & its juxtaposition with performance is brilliant. I also love the guitar tone here.

Spiritualized — 01.16.09

Here is a full live set from J. Spaceman & Co. (I can't keep up w/ who he hasn't kicked out of the band yet) from last month. It isn't bad, what I've seen of it. You atleast have to go watch "Ladies & Gentlemen..." and remember why this is one of the best bands making music right now.

Les Rallizes Denudes - Mizutani [1991]

Here's one of the first official CD releases from LRD, recorded live in '70 and unearthed decades later, this is the lo-fi experience of delay and fuzz from a garage somewhere in Japan. "Otherwise Fallin' In Love With", the last track, is probably the most well known of this, and was recorded at a later date (discogs says '73) and goes by another name, "Romance of the Black Grief". This is one of R'N'Rs most overlooked groups of the 70s and if you don't know them, I suggest you read up. Mizutani Takashi is probably my favorite guitarist. By the time this album came out officially Kevin Shields was already borrowing from this guy and hipsters everywhere were proclaiming genius.

Genre: Psych/Noise
Label: Rivista
Country: Japan
Bitrate: 128k
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Nagisa ni te - The Same as a Flower [2004]

More sweeping acid folk from the land of the rising-san, this boyfriend-girlfriend couple do things up right with clear acoustics, fuzzy wah freakouts and typical hippie vocals. The band leader runs the label, which has also put out shit from Maher Shalal Hash Baz (which I don't like, but whatever). This will make you think of summer days and hallucinogenic drugs. You can't ask for more.

Genre: Acid Folk
Label: Org
Country: Japan
Bitrate: 192k
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Hallucinogen - In Dub [2002]

I'm one to scoff at remix albums but holy FUCK - this is just amazing.

I had forgotten this was laying around on the hard drive. Within around 15 minutes (which barely covers the first track), I was hooked. This is everything awesome about Hallucinogen (who if you don't know, you fucking should) with everything "dubbed up" on MDMA and Red Bull by producer Ott. He's chosen six Hallucinogen favorites, amped up the bass and phasing and seemingly had them injected into Scratch Perry's amygdala. There is just so much going on here. And with six tracks going an hour you'd figure he'd wear out his welcome, but I'll be damned if I ain't gonna search out this dudes solo work (as well as the other Posford remixes he's done (one with Shpongle!)) and see if I can't get more info on him (the wiki is barebones, yo). This will have you craving for more.

And you'd think "LSD", being a staple for the entire goa scene, could NEVER be outdone or remade in any respectable way. Well fucking download this and tell me I'm wrong.

Genre: Dub/Goa/Psytrance
Label: Twisted
Country: England
Bitrate: 320k
Length: 59:49
Part 1 - Part 2

Acid Mothers Temple - The Day Before the Sky Fell In America [2003]

Here's a somewhat overlooked and really great live recording from Kawabata & co. most often known as the '06 release with the Amon Düül-like cover. This is the same recording under the original Eclipse label and showcases no "speed-guru" rock-outs but only a single, droning improvised jam. This was also before Cotton Casino left for a solo career (did that even happen?) and was recorded during their tour for La Novia. So if you liked that release at all you really fucking need to hear this. The main Novia theme is heard at the beginning of the second track. I prefer the first side better but theres a lot going on here for any AMT fan. Alongside Crystal Rainbow Pyramid this is my favorite AMT release.

Genre: Psych
Label: Eclipse
Country: Japan
Bitrate: ~256k
Length: 41:23
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Trees Community - The Christ Tree [1974]

Imagine Ken Kesey's merry group of fuckups getting hijacked on the freeway by Gideons with LSD-blotter papered Bibles and have them record an album and this is what you'd get. This is one of the 70s biggest psych/folk gems, whether you're a Bible beater or a Bible reader beater like myself. There is so much here to enjoy and a lot of it is downright beautiful. The arrangements are godlike (heheh) and the lyrics can be appreciated on more than one (read: Christian) level. For anyone saying Christianity hasn't done anything good in the music world I'll point them to Trouble, and then this group. If you get down with Joanna Newsom, Feathers, Maher Shalal or the like, you really need this. Get this.

Genre: Psych/Folk
Label: Dark Holler
Country: USA
Bitrate: 320k
Length: 37:42
Merry Xmas

Rye Wolves - Oceans of Delicate Rain [2008]

I sure as fuck haven't heard much but a few singles from label Aurora Borealis, but after this dicksucking-balljuicing ride from Rye Wolves I might just have to pay more attention. This is strung out, dirty, tuned-down heavy metal with progressive and doom leanings and vocals in the range of EyeHateGod or some shit. The triggers on the drums are really nice and that snare drum is really reminiscent of Quicksand, though thats probably a horrible comparison. A lot of screaming and Melvins references are found within. The opening track is really great with its intro build and release. There's also a funky little bass/drum break I really like, which presents itself with clean guitar arpeggiating and this can be heard elsewhere on the album too. The two ending tracks are a little too long for their own good. Or are they? Judging an album by its cover is fun, and sometimes reveals a bit into what you're gonna hear. This is an example.

Genre: Doom/Prog/Post Rock/Psych(?)
Lable: Aurora Borealis
Country: USofA
Bitrate: ~320k
Length: 58:30
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Damon & Naomi with Ghost [2000]

I've never really given two shits enough about Galaxie 500 to get past anything immediate in their catalog, and I like to think Ghost is only about half as good as some of their fans think they are, but putting these two together has done something. Highlights include "Judah and the Macabees" and "The Mirror Phase", the former really showcasing Ghost guitarist Kurihara's exemplary use of the ebow and the latter being something that would have to make it into the psych/folk jukebox of eternity, should something that awesome ever exist.

Genre: Psych/Folk
Label: Sub Pop
Country: Japan
Bitrate: 256k
Length: 48:14
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