1/29: New Era for ZBC

Justin G., formerly of the Cafe of Shame, along with Tom W. (former Nude … New Adventures host on WZBC) have been working for a long while on developing an automatic audio archive of ZBC’s daily content. Their hard work has paid off and I’m happy to announce that the entirety of ZBC’s programming is available for download through ZBC ONLINE. Simply click that link, find the show you’d like to listen to, and click the listen link. Each show is recorded based on its designated time slot and is divided into distinct files based on the hour it was broadcast. For instance, the latest edition of Laughter is divided into two m3u files, one for the 10:00 – 11:00 AM segment and one for the 11:00 to noon segment. Shows will be archived for 2 weeks at a time and will then disappear.

As such, my most recent show is available online. From now on, this is how my shows will appear on the site. No more uploading files – my show is available for download immediately following its broadcast as is every other show broadcast throughout the day on ZBC. Since the m3u files are indexed according to the time the show starts, you may have to wait a few minutes before each show gets going… some DJs start just a little past their official go time…

Thank you Tom and Justin!

I’m adding some new links to the list at your right, please give them a look. I’m also posting the playlist for my most recent show. I am currently back in school and do not have time for a write up, but I promise more material is coming, soon. For now please enjoy the new ZBC feature!

01. Bruce Peninsula “Steamroller” from A Mountain is a Mouth (2009) on Bruce Trail

02. The For Carnation “Get and Stay Get March” from Fight Songs (1995) on Matador

03. Bear in Heaven “Slow Gold” from Red Bloom of the Boom (2007) on Hometapes

04. Cop Shoot Cop “Traitor/Martyr” from White Noise (1991) on Big Cat

05. Religious Knives “On a Drive” from The Door (2008) on Ecstatic Peace!

06. Corb Lund “Student Visas” from Horse Soldier! Horse Soldier! (2007) on Stony Plain

07. The Revolutionary Army of The Infant Jesus “Come Holy Spirit” from The Gift of Tears (1989) on Probe Plus

08. Christy Romanick “4,29 (Remix 06)” from Christy Romanick (2008) Self Released

09. Nadja “Sandskin” from Skin Turns to Glass (2008) on The End Records — originally released in 2003 on Nothingness Records

10. Robbie Basho “The Grail and the Lotus” from Bonn Ist Supreme (2008) on Bo’Weavil — Robbie Basho Live at the Kulturforum, Bonn, Germany, November 24, 1980

11. Ville Leinonen “Hiljaa ui Malawee” from Suudelmitar (2008) on Fonal

12. Christina Carter “Second Death” from Electrice (2006) on Kranky

13. Electric Company “The Lifestyle” from It’s Hard to Be a Baby (2004) on Tigerbeat 6

14. Mo Boma “Invocation” from Jijimuge: Interdiffusion of Particulars (1992) on Extreme

How To Make Darkness Visible: Drone Records

In 1993, Drone Records founder Stefan Knappe began releasing 7″ records of experimental, dark ambient, and pseudo-industrial music. Over time his label would serve as a catapult for new musicians and as a playground for artists interested in exploring the boundaries between music and pure sound. Though the label’s name might suggest the atonal compositions of Mirror, Andrew Chalk, or Phill Niblock, the reality of the matter is quite different. Often far more tonal, lush, and musically dynamic than most drone music is, records released on Knappe’s label invite comparisons to the bleakness of Zoviet France, the synthesizer-rich compositions of early Tangerine Dream, and the heavy, viscous sounds of Bass Communion.

Knappe began his work as with Drone by releasing records from Maeror Tri, a dark ambient German trio of which he was a founding member. In the ensuing 15 years he released music from Aube, Francisco López, Big City Orchestra, Noise-Maker’s Fifes, Herbst9, Aidan Baker, Hélice Pied, and many others. Long before these artists would become the darlings of Alien8, Mego, Die Stadt, and other labels, Knappe recognized their ability and released their music on a format not often associated with experimental music. Artists otherwise known for their lengthy and difficult music have released some of their best and most concise work on Drone Records. Fledgling groups looking to find an audience have likely benefited from the 7″ format, too. Previously inert bands become increasingly active after releasing music on Drone and often receive far more visible coverage from various publications thanks to the weight that Knappe’s label carries with it. Simply put, the simple idea of releasing experimental albums on short-format records has been very effective: difficult music is easier to approach in small chunks and 7″ records are collectibles among already versed listeners.

The respect this label has garnered over the years is not simply a matter of Knappe’s taste and ability to find, attract, and expose previously obscure bands. Knappe’s attention to detail and quality control play a large roll in Drone’s success, too. Nearly every record comes housed in a hand-painted or hand-crafted sleeve and is decorated with elaborate labels and high-quality, multi-colored wax. These records stand out among the slew of cheaply produced and often ignored 7″ releases year in and year out; while some artists will abuse the format and employ it to release music cheaply and quickly, Knappe approaches the production of these mini-gems with an unmatched air of seriousness. Not satisfied with leaving these small records in the hands of the punks and heavy metal musicians, Drone Records (along with perhaps more recognizable names like Die Stadt and Touch Records) proved that texture-centric musicians could use the 7″ to their advantage. While experimental groups of some fame have always used 45s to promote their music, their era was dominated by the record in the first place. When tape releases, CDs, and MP3s came to dominate the music world, Knappe went right ahead with releasing short, concise, and powerful records.

Knappe also brings a kind of vague philosophy to the table. He states,

Drone Records distributes music that encourages and requires sensitivity, calls for a critical awareness, has neither any commercial orientation nor does it follow any common marketing trends (hence staying away from an entertainment industry that is focused on profit maximization). Our declared objective is the support and distribution of an intelligent musical culture that foregrounds personal communication and exchange as well as an utmost variety of alternative, experimental and critical contents.

The experimental and critical content of which Knappe speaks often follows a strange kind of “internal” or”spiritual” logic that magnifies the place of the paranormal, religious, and unknown in the world. The website claims that the music released on the label is “for the unconscious, for the irrational mind, for non-linear perception” and dedicated to an unrealized reality, presumably one that can be penetrated, described, and rescued from that void that typifies its existence. Knappe’s pseudo-philosophy activates the imagination and contextualizes the music, but also describes the content of many of the records on the label. In general, drone music wields an abstract power begging for interpretation; the emotional and intellectual content of the music is formed by the listener as much as it is by the artist. Yet, when listening to Soleïlkraast or Lunar Abyss Deus Organum, there’s little doubt that the music is intended for inner space or for telling a particular story. Uses of words like “landscape” or “soundscape” in reviews or descriptions of this kind of music are often metaphorical, but it is not difficult to imagine this music providing an image of Knappe’s aforementioned “unrealized reality.” This meditative and descriptive quality permeates much of the label’s discography and is a reason I frequently find myself checking their website for updates and information. Knappe has even written a thesis on the connection between music and the unconscious mind. Titled “Das Unbewusste Und Der Klang: Psychoanalyse und experimentelle Geräuschmusik,” the paper ostensibly explores the nature of “noise music” and its effect on the human individual beyond immediate and physical sensations. You can download it from the label’s website, but you’ll need to learn to read German, first.

It is this holistic approach to music that attracts me to Drone Records and also to Knappe’s own musical output as part of Troum. Actively thinking about what he writes and releases, Knappe has expanded abstract music’s vocabulary on multiple fronts and has proven himself to be an arbiter of experimental and obscure music in general. Though painful experience has taught me that some young listeners aren’t aware of a turntable’s basic mechanics, the 7″ is virtually the only way to hear Drone Records releases. I rarely find these uploaded anywhere on the internet as most people don’t want to take the time necessary for ripping a record to MP3. There is one helpful and important exception, however. In 2006, Tumult Records released a double CD compilation of records released on Drone. Picked by Tumult’s curator, the compilation includes music from Maeror Tri, Inade, Aube, Reynols, Francisco López, and several others.

You can visit Drone’s website for more information, including PDF files featuring press information for recent releases and interviews with Knappe, some of which are in English.

Reviews of previously mentioned 7″ records are still in the making; I like to listen to my records while I’m reviewing them and I haven’t had the chance to sit down in front of the turntable much this week.

Thanks for reading and I’ll talk to you on Tuesday.

5/5/08 Show Repost: Talk Talk, Tanakh, and More

“Talk Talk” and “Laughing Stock” are two of the most searched terms on Laughter. Lots of people try to download the show from May 5th of 2008 (on which Talk Talk was featured), but because I used Mediafire back then, the MP3 goodness from that week has been unavailable for a good while. I’ve re-uploaded every second of that two hour broadcast once more so that new visitors can download it and enjoy it.

Glad to know Talk Talk draws so many people to the site! You can download the show below, but I’ve updated the original post so that it utilizes the new link.

Enjoy!

DOWNLOAD: Laughter 05/05/2008, Full Show

An “I Told You So” Moment: All the Saints Reviewed at Pitchfork

Don’t lie; I know that all of you read Pitchfork and use it to determine what records you will or won’t buy. It is the modern Rolling Stone, only with a user interface and much longer reviews. Anyways, for better or for worse it is the meter stick with which many people measure their musical choices. I could complain about Pitchfork and why I think it’s a publication that hurts a lot of music, but I won’t bother with arguments most people aren’t going to read or care about in the first place (and preaching to the choir is nearly always useless). In any case, 8 months ago I told you all to give this unknown band out of Georgia a listen because they had a great record to tour on and because everyone likes to know about cool bands first. Well, it took Pitchfork 8 months to catch up with me and the folks at Killer Pimp, but All the Saints debut record finally received some attention from Pitchfork and the review is mostly positive.

I don’t know why, but it can be so difficult to get people to give a new band or a new record a chance if some almighty publication or another doesn’t approve of it first. I’m not a smug jerk, but I’m going to take this opportunity to say, “I told you so.” There are so many places from which one can obtain free music (even legally!!!) and there are so many ways to hear new things on a day to day basis, but music continues to be hurt by this stamp-of-approval mentality. I know not everyone has time to scour the internet for music they love, but if you have time to read Pitchfork’s reviews (or mine for that matter, they’re way too long, too) then you have time to do a Google search. Go to blogs, download music, check out distributors’ release lists, pay attention to labels, try not to consume your music mindlessly, blah blah blah.

Stay tuned for that Drone Records feature. And damn it, I TOLD YOU SO.

01/06: Drone Records, Have a Nice Life, Human Bell and Other Abstract Sounds

Drone Records as label-project works un-commercially and fights:

• against the capitalistic CD-industry
• for the preservation of vinyl
• against mass-production and for creative individuality
• for the preservation of an independently working Networking-scene to express new thoughts and ideas, society-criticism, and unprejudiced art

Drone Records has been around since 1993 and was founded by Maeror Tri and Troum member Stefan Knappe.  They release nothing but high quality 7″ vinyl from musicians just getting off the ground and from musicians who have labored independently and proven themselves thoughtful artists dedicated to abstract sound. I first heard Cisfinitum and Aidan Baker through Drone Records and many new acts have come to my attention because of their dedication to experimental music. A number of years ago I wrote a series of reviews covering an onslaught of records they graciously sent to Brainwashed, including music from Solielkraast, Herbst9, Cisfinitum, and Aidan Baker. Those reviews are too embarassing to reproduce without serious editing, but the point is that the label impressed me with their consistently excellent output and kindness; the promotional material sent to Brainwashed was not on a CD-R (at least not always), but on vinyl, with full artwork, inserts, and all the extras. Several months later Brainwashed received more promotional material, and more, and more, until a few of the releases became lost and were never given the attention they deserved.

I played a few of those lost 7″ records, today and I plan on giving them coverage over the course of this week. Drone Records provides a standard by which I often measure other labels and bands, especially those units producing exceedingly difficult or abstract music. From their dedication to experimental music, to their aesthetic, to their love for the, weird, the introverted, and the introspective, Drone Records is a superlative label from top to bottom. Many of their releases go out of print quickly and for good reason; I’ve never heard anything bad come from the label. Some of what I played today has been made available again on Drone’s website. I encourage everyone to visit them and peruse their discography.

Expect a couple of reviews (posted exclusively to this site) over the next couple of days, as well as a more in-depth look at the label, a small write-up on Have a Nice Life and Enemies List, and just a bit of info on Human Bell. For now, you can visit Drone’s site (linked to the right and above) and find a number of interesting reads and an enormous catalog to browse.

Thanks for stopping by – talk to you all, soon.

DOWNLOAD: Laughter, 01/06/09

01. Nahvalr “Chorus of the Blasphemes” from Nahvalr (2008) on Enemies List Home Recordings

02. Mare Internum “Regina Solitaria” from In Medtarivm (2005) on Drone

03. Grouper “Tidal Wave” from Dragging A Dead Deer Up A Hill (2008) on Type

04. Tho-So-Aa “The Undefined” from Dying Reveal (2005) on Drone

05. Jacob Kirkegaard “Church” from 4 Rooms (2006) on Touch

06. Ryoji Ikeda “Test Pattern #1001” from Test Pattern (2008) on Raster-Noton

07. Shalabi Effect “Mr. Titz (The Revelator)” from The Trial of Saint Orange (2002) on Alien8

08. Agalloch “Sowilo Rune” from The White EP (2008) on Vendlus Records

09. Lunar Abyss Deum Organum “Zveri Vse (Animals All Have Fallen Asleep)” from Brusnika (2005) on Drone

10. Human Bell “Hanging from the Rafters” from Human Bell (2008) on Thrill Jockey

11. Steven R. Smith “Caprock and Shelf” from Tableland (2001) on Emperor Jones

12. Songs:Ohia “No Limits on the Words” from Ghost Tropic (2000) on Secretly Canadian

13. Swans “Empathy” from Soundtracks for The Blind (1996) on Young God

14. Have a Nice Life “Hunter” from Deathconsciousness (2008) on Enemies List Home Recordings

15. A Silver Mt. Zion “Sit in the Middle of Three Galloping Dogs / Stumble Then Rise on Some Awkward Morning” from He Has Left Us Alone But Shafts Of Light Sometimes Grace The Corner Of Our Rooms (2000) on Constellation

16. Fennesz “A Shadow Passes By” from Transition (2007) on Touch

Ron Asheton of The Stooges Found Dead

• Rolling Stone article

• MLive Report

“As the guitarist for the Stooges, Asheton crafted some of rock’s most memorable riffs, including “I Wanna Be Your Dog,” “No Fun” and “TV Eye.” Guitarist Asheton, along with his brother Scott, Iggy Pop and original bassist Dave Alexander formed the Stooges in Detroit in 1967. The original lineup released two albums, The Stooges and Fun House, before Ron Asheton shifted over to bass guitar for 1973’s Raw Power. All three LPs made Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, ranking at Number 185, 191 and 125 respectively. Asheton was also Number 29 on Rolling Stone’s list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.”

—

R.I.P.

updates, new links, requests, brain salad surgery, more

As I sit here and recover from a day of eating, eating, eating, drinking, and eating, I’ve decided to update the website just a little bit with some new links. Monday is my Sunday and also my chance to catch up on a lot of things I missed. If you check the links to your right, you’ll find a couple of new links to fine musical publications, like Foxy Digitalis. You’ll also find an updated list of labels and distributors that will help you in your quest for new and interesting music.

I’m in the process of contacting To Kill a Petty Bourgeoisie for an interview they agreed to at Brainwaves; you can expect to that to happen over the course of the next month.

Tomorrow’s radio show is going to be formatted in a strange fashion; I’ll be playing some 7″ records and LPs I had buried away in my collection that I never gave any attention, as well as some records from 2008 that I never covered and never played. They’re all very good and neither their late release dates nor my blindness should keep you from hearing them on the air waves (or by download).

I’ve received more than a few emails saying “thanks for the upload” or requesting a full album featured on the show. If you want to say thanks, please leave a comment on the site instead of emailing me; it keeps my inbox a bit cleaner and the comments help the site out more than you might know (WordPress is funny like that). Also, you’ll never find a full album on this site unless I’m 100% certain it is out 0f print and difficult to find on the internet. I’m sorry, but there are more than enough MP3 blog sites out there for you to search.

I’m listening to Emerson, Lake, and Palmer’s Brain Salad Surgery. It’s one of the best “prog” albums I can think of and it reminds me of being at home with my dad a lot. Whatever. Give it a shot.

If you’d like to contribute to Laughter in any way, please contact me via email. I’m a bit lazy and haven’t gotten the contributors portion of the site up and running, but it’s going to happen soon and I’d love to have a some extra contributors on the site. I don’t want any full album uploads, but if you have mixes, photographs, reviews, or anything else to offer, let me know.

Lots of people still search for “Laughing Stock” or “Talk Talk” and there seem to be a group of people who can’t get enough of certain posts. If you’d like a certain show re-uploaded, email me and tell me which show it is you’d enjoy seeing online.

Thanks for reading and listening. Be good to one another. Party on. Avoid eating too many sweet things in one day and avoid getting a stomach ache the following day, etc.

12/30: A Random Addition to 2008 / Pre-Epiphany Celebration (In Hindsight)

I lied when I told you all that the previous edition of Laughter was the last of the year. I misread my calendar and did not anticipate being in Boston for an additional show so close to the new year celebration. This final show has nothing to do with 2008 or what I thought of it; these two hours collect songs I listen to a lot, material I wanted to hear but had not yet heard, and some random stuff pulled for the sake of capriciousness. Two listeners asked why I hadn’t provided a year-end list documenting my releases in a format conducive to ranking. I decided not to do that over at Brainwashed and I wasn’t going to do it here, either. But some friends have also asked for a list of things I liked and I guess there’s no better place to post my favorite records list (including the three mentioned below) than on this site.

I should note that there are still records from 2008 crossing my desk that I’ve not had the time to explore fully. Both the Hush Arbors LP and the Have a Nice Life 2x CD are just now reaching my ears and both are excellent. I’m also going to provide a list of “music I really liked” in order to make it clear that best-of lists are pretty silly most of the time; readers polls are nice, though. There should be more of those.

I’ll talk to you all, tomorrow. Enjoy the music.

Luke’s Top 10 of 2008 and Other Nonsense

10. Windy Weber, I Hate People (Blue Flea/Kenedik)
09. Graveyard, Graveyard (Tee Pee Records)
08. All the Saints, Fire on Corridor X (Killer Pimp)
07. Odd Nosdam, Pretty Swell Explode (Anticon)
06. Matmos, Supreme Balloon (Matador)
05. Boduf Songs, How Shadows Chase the Balance (Kranky)
04. Richard Pinhas & Merzbow, Keio Line (Cuneiform)
03. Fleet Foxes, Fleet Foxes (Sub Pop)
02. Juana Molina, Un Dia (Domino)
01. Extra Life, Secular Works (Planaria)

Cool Things, Late Arrivals, and Other Music to Enjoy from 2008

Hush Arbors, Hush Arbors
Have a Nice Life, Deathconsciousness
Fennesz, Black Sea
In Camera, Open Air
Squarepusher, Just a Souvenir
Portishead, Third
James Blackshaw, Litany of Echoes
Jack Rose, Dr. Ragtime and His Pals
Growing, All the Way and Lateral
Bohren und Der Club of Gore, Dolores
Christina Carter, Masque Femine
Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band – 13 Blues for Thirteen Moons
Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Is It the Sea?
Harvey Milk, Life… The Best Game in Town
Nine Inch Nails, The Slip
Motorpsycho, Little Lucid Moments
Grouper, Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill
Brethren of the Free Spirit, All Things Are From Him, Through Him, and in Him
Stephan Mathieu, Radioland
Aidan Baker + Tim Hecker, Fantasma Parastasie
Eleanoora Rosenholm, Vainajan Muotokuva

Download: Laughter 12/30/2008

01. Coil “Red Birds Will Fly Out of the East and Destroy Paris in a Night” from Music to Play in The Dark Vol. 1 (1999) on Chalice

02. Boards of Canada “Basefree” from Twoism (2002) on Warp

03. Low Motion Disco “The Low Murderer is Out at Night” from Keep It Slow (2008) on Eskimo

04. Black Dice “Seabird” from Beaches & Canyons (2002) on DFA

05. Mouse on Mars “Bertney” from Varcharz (2006) on Ipecac

06. AFX “Every Day” from Hangable Auto Bulb (2005) on Warp — originally released in 1995

07. Squarepusher “Do You know Squarepusher” from Do You Know Squarepusher (2001) on Warp

08. Burial “Untrue” from Untrue (2007) on Hyperdub

09. Luke Vibert / Bj Cole “Dischordzilla” from Stop the Panic (2000) on Cooking Vinyl

10. Lindstrom “Grand Ideas” from Where You Go I Go Too (2008) on Feedelity

11. Seefeel “Spangle” from Starethrough (1994) on Warp

12. Harmonia 76 “Vamos Companeros” from Tracks and Traces (1997) on Ryko — originally recorded in 1976

13. Fad Gadget “Collapsing New People” from Gag (1983) on Mute

14. Kraftwerk “Taschenrechner / Dentaku” from The Mix (1991) on Elektra

15. The Human League “Blind Youth” from Reproduction (2002) on Virgin UK — originally released in 1979

16. Hooverphonic “Autoharp” from The Magnificent Tree (2000) on Epic

17. The Bug “Skeng” from London Zoo (2008) on Ninja Tune

18. Sugar Minott “Little John: Tear Down the Dance Hall” from Dancehall Showcase Vol. II (2008) on Wackies — original release date unknown

19. Rhythm & Sound “Queen in My Empire” from Dub Be Good To Me (2008) on Phazz-a-delic