kNOw Deposit, kNOw Return

Covid-19 and Bandcamp, Post Number 24: More Punk

I've been going through my boxes of 7"s lately, and of course many of them are punk, which made me decide to make that today's theme.

Ruin Nation Records are based in Bremen, which is where my dad's side of the family originated. I've never been there myself, but I remember the old German fairy tale, The Bremen Town Musicians, from childhood, so I guess that's close enough. The record label features a few old (and newer) favorites of mine, like Civilised Society?, Oi Polloi (I love their recent, "Donald Trump - Fuck You!" 7"), Cross Stitched Eyes, and Appalachian Terror Unit. I haven't heard much more than that, but I'm sure the rest is worth investigating as well. Oh, Appalachian Terror Unit has their own Bandcamp page too.

Ruin Nation Records Bandcamp here.

Appalachian Terror Unit Bandcamp here.

Profane Existence is kind of a Mecca for angry crust punk. I'm not as familiar with their more recent releases, but I used to buy a lot of stuff from them. Coincidentally enough, you can get Appalachian Terror Unit releases here too.

Profane Existence Bandcamp here.

Boss Tuneage Records are doing a great job of re-releasing some great UK hardcore bands from the eighties, like Dan, Sofa Head, Heresy, Ripcord, Political Asylum, and more. They also release more current stuff, but I do love the punk of my youth.

Boss Tuneage Bandcamp here.

Southern Records has a diverse roster, but their bandcamp page has Antisect's "In Darkness, There Is No Choice," which is an absolute classic. Lot of other good stuff too. Speaking of Southern, they've also released and re-released a lot of Rudimentary Peni records over the years, although there are none of their Bandcamp page. There is a new one song Rudimentary Peni 7" available from the Sealed Records Bandcamp page though. The song was originally released on a CD accompanying Peni singer/artist Nick Blinko's "The Haunted Head" book, released by David Tibet under his Coptic Cat imprint. It is hands-down the weirdest book I've ever read. That's a recommendation, by the way.

Southern Bandcamp page here.

Buy the new Rudimentary Peni 7" from Sealed Records here.

Area Pirata is an Italian label. I've heard virtually none of their releases, but they did release a comprehensive discography double disc by Cheetah Chrome Motherfuckers, a fact which endears me to them.

Area Pirata Bandcamp here.

Oh, and Crass have a Bandcamp page. Who knew? Go back to your roots, anarcho punk!

Crass Bandcamp here.

And finally, since I just listened to one of their 7"s, De Lyckliga Kompisarna, who play trallpunk in the vein of bands like Asta Kask and Strebers. Damn well worth your while, I say.

De Lyckliga Kompisarna Bandcamp here.

Covid-19 and Bandcamp, Post Number 23: Doc Wör Mirran

Doc Wör Mirran is the work of Joseph Raimond and a rotating cast of weirdos, plus anybody else he can convince to contribute, musically, textually, or visually. Sometimes the contribution is nothing more than a rejection letter (as is the case with the Iggy Pop letter that graces the back of the "Change" 7"). 

I first stumbled across the band when I was volunteering at the legendary Blacklist Mailorder warehouse in San Francisco sometime in the late eighties. One of the first Doc Wör Mirran records I bought, "Deadthings In Love", featured glow-in-the-dark bits on the cover and locked grooves between each song. The record is throbbing, vaguely rhythmic noise, which thanks to the locked grooves, can be played infinitely. Each song can last as long as your needle and your access to electricity does. 

That's the exciting thing about Doc Wör Mirran: you never know what to expect. From a 10 disc box set of drones called "Ambiall", to a recent cassette release, called "Covfefe Live", which comes packaged in an old automobile cassette player. There have been lo-fi garage rock releases, and also jazz, power electronics, noise, drone, weird poetry, experimental, pop, and everything in between. Some of it is downright silly and/or crass, but overall it is truly the product of someone following his muse wherever it goes, which is exactly how it should be. Doc Wör Mirran can't really be lumped in with anybody else. Plus, Joe has recently been releasing physical Cdrs for next to nothing (they would be free, but it looks like you can't give away physical artifacts for free via Bandcamp, so he's charging half a euro), which is pretty damned punk, if you ask me. He also sells things through Discogs. There are only a few releases available on his Bandcamp page (for comparison, Discogs says I own 103 Doc Wör Mirran releases, and I don't have a complete collection), which I guess is good because it would be pretty overwhelming if all of them were there.

So, if you're bored of bands who never surprise you anymore, check out Doc Wör Mirran.

Doc Wör Mirran Bandcamp page here.

Covid-19 and Bandcamp, Post Number 22: Traditional and Not-so Traditional Music From Around the World

 I first stumbled across Swedish folk rock band Garmarna back in the nineties when I worked at Tower Books, which being next to Tower Records, was a good place for a budding music nerd to be, not to mention a lifelong book nerd. Garmarna, along with another Swedish band, Hedningarna, were among the first examples of this type of music I'd heard. Driving music with fiddles and other interesting instruments (Garmarna features the hurdy gurdy playing of Stefan Brisland-Ferner, who also released an album under the band name, Hurdy-Gurdy, so you know he means business). Before that, It was Agnes Buen Garnas and a couple of albums by the duo of Lena Willemark and Ale Moller, which are all fantastic too. Another stand-out feature of Garmarna is the perfect voice of Emma Hardelin. Most Swedish folk vocalists have a kind of icy, pristine power to their voices. Maybe the all practice the art of kulning while growing up. Hardelin also sings with Triakel, who are likewise excellent, albeit more traditional than Garmarna. You really can't go wrong with Swedish folk music.

Garmarna Bandcamp page here.

Triakel Bandcamp page here.

In nearby Latvia, there is an excellent folk rock band called Ilgi, who also have a Bandcamp page.  The melodies will take up residence in your head.

Ilgi Bandcamp page here. 

Valravn are no longer a band, but they still have a Bandcamp page. Colin Potter sent me some cdrs because he really likes them. That's because he has good musical taste.  Do you? There are only a couple of songs on their page, but they're "pay what you like."

Valravn Bandcamp page here.

Chirgilchin are one of my favorite Tuvan bands. They tour relatively regularly too, or at least they did. Hopefully they will again. There are only a couple of releases on their Bandcamp page, so it's easy just to get them both.

Chirgilchin Bandcamp page here.

Yat-kha take the whole throat singing thing to an almost punk level. Plus, they've released a whole album of covers, including their versions of songs by bands like Joy Division, Motorhead, and Iron Butterfly, to name a few. Plus, if  you look on their merch page, they're selling their own brand of tea!

Yat-kha Bandcamp page here.

Tanya Tagaq is an Inuit throatsinger, which is completely different from the Tuvan style(s) of throatsinging, although not too far removed from some of Tuvan singer Sainkho Namtchylak's more avant garde moments. As with some of the other artists mentioned above, her Bandcamp page isn't comprehensive, but it gives you a taste, at least.  Oh, look! You can get a Sainkho Namtchylak release on Bandcamp too, through the Crammed Discs site. It's actually the first Tuvan CD I bought, outside of  a compilation CD. I'm now almost embarrassed to say how many Tuvan CDs I have.

Tanya Tagaq Bandcamp page here.

Get Sainkho's "Out of Tuva" release here.

Covid-19 and Bandcamp, Post Number 21: Americana

O'death are a great live band, playing stomping americana that sometimes takes abrupt turns into alleyways full of darkness and mystery. The melodies are memorable too, and I sometimes find myself humming  them at random moments. I notice that they released a collaborative track with Hungry March Band on May 1st, so I guess I'll be buying that on June 5th, which is the next Bandcamp day.  Guitarist/vocalist Greg Jamie has his own Bandcamp page too, as well as another band called Blood Warrior, so I'll link to those as well.

O'death Bandcamp page.

Greg Jamie Bandcamp page.

Blood Warrior Bandcamp page.

Where to go from there? How about Calexico? Calexico offer a mellow, southwestern take on American music. You can almost feel the grit of desert sand, and envision that long line of blacktop vanishing arrow-straight to a point on the distant horizon while the ground shimmers with rising heat. There is something cinematic in their sound. As you can see, it paints pictures in the mind.

Calexico Bandcamp here.

That brings me to Cordelia's Dad, another American band who vacillate back and forth between folk and folk rock, and do both quite well. There is plenty of tragedy in the songs they play, but room is left for humor. Bandleader Tim Eriksen also has plenty of solo offerings. Links below.

Cordelia's Dad Bandcamp here.

Tim Eriksen Bandcamp here.

Cassie Morgan hasn't released anything in awhile, but what she has on her page is worth checking out. DIY singer-songwritery americana.

Cassie Morgan Bandcamp here.

Bug Guts are a bit of an oddity. They started out as a quirky noise rock band, and before that, singer Rosebud was in a great punk band called Night Soil Man who released a couple of albums back in the eighties. Currently, Bug Guts write acoustic songs that could be classified as folk or americana, or even pop. The lyrics are still pretty damn punk though, at least most of the time.

Bug Guts Bandcamp here.

One more for the day... Jesca Hoop apparently is based in Manchester now, but she used to be local (since the accidental theme of today's post is american folk/americana). She used to be in a band called Majesty's Monkey with Kirana Peyton, who went on to form a band/project called Black Bird Stitches. Jesca Hoop now has a number of releases behind her, and they're all beautiful. Go listen:

Jesca Hoop Bandcamp here.

My train of thought is going to enter the station for the evening. More tomorrow.

Covid-19 and Bandcamp, Post Number 20: More Musical Goodness

I stumbled across Hungarian avant garde metal project Thy Catafalque via Finnish label Blood Music, and have been buying their/his releases ever since, although I'm currently one release behind. Thy Catafalque is the brainchild of Tamás Kátai, who has also released music under his own name, as well as under the moniker Neolunar. Thy Catafalque's music incorporates Hungarian folk into its black metal harshness. Later albums have dialed down the harshness a bit, and Kátai's other recent works aren't metal at all. The same high quality and attention to detail is woven through all of his releases though.

Thy Catafalque Bandcamp here.

Tamás Kátai Bandcamp here.

Warning and 40 Watt Sun are both the work of singer/guitarist Patrick Walker. I was late to the party for Warning, but fortunately saw them play twice, once in San Francisco, and once at Days of Darkness in Baltimore, when Walker reformed the band to do a "Watching From A Distance" tour a couple of years ago. The shows were an emotional ride of crushing intensity. 40 Watt Sun continues in a similar vein, although a slightly less traditionally heavy one. Walker was supposed to do a solo show in Seattle on May 8th, which obviously didn't happen. Hopefully he'll get a chance to play some shows in the future. In the meantime, support him on Bandcamp.

Warning Bandcamp page.

40 Watt Sun Bandcamp page.

Shifting gears a bit, we come to Dark Leaves, a project I discovered earlier this month when Roger Linney of Reverb Worship decided to release a lathe cut 7". I gave a listen and decided that I had room for one more lathe cut on my sagging shelves. Plus, their home base is Penzance, which seemed like a nice little town when I visited. Dark, atmospheric folk is the order of the day here.

Dark Leaves Bandcamp here.

Similarly, I came into the Alula Down fold via Roger Linney and his current tendency to release lathe cut 7"s. They're a beautiful UK experimental folk duo, and well worth your time.

Alula Down Bandcamp here.

Simon Finn, on the other hand, has been in my life a lot longer, although not nearly as long as he has been releasing music, since I wasn't quite  three years old when his first record came out. By the time his second record came out (a mere 35 years later), I was on board. This was mostly thanks to David Tibet putting him on my radar. Finn was a member of Current 93 for awhile. He does raw ferocity and resigned melancholy equally well, and his lyrics are insightful observations of the human condition. Plus, he's a nice guy.

Simon Finn Bandcamp here.

United Bible Studies are an experimental, sometimes improvisational, UK folk collective who have countless releases in a variety of styles. Various members have their own projects as well, but for now, I'll just share the main Bandcamp page. Every release is a musical adventure.

United Bible Studies Bandcamp here.

More tomorrow...

Covid-19 and Bandcamp, Post Number 19: More Essential Music

There is no real theme today, just a collection of artists worthy of attention and support.  There is a Lhasa de Sela Bandcamp page, even there is no longer a Lhasa de Sela. Lhasa passed away on the first day of 2010, so I'm not sure who is collecting the money from this page, but the music is too good to not share. Her smoky voice, her songs that effortlessly combine melancholy and hope, and her ability to sing in multiple languages are just part of the picture. Dive in.

Lhasa de Sela Bandcamp page here.

Stig C. Miller used to play guitar for Amebix, and lately has been quietly releasing new songs, a song at a time, on Bandcamp. So far, the only physical release has been a split 7" with Swiss band Excruciation on Auric Records. The new songs are great, and hopefully there will be a proper album in the future.  The music is not a million miles away from the work of Amebix, but it's also not a retread of any kind. It's a proper balance of melancholy and snarly. Auric Records is also well worth checking out. Lots of gloomy metal.

Stig C. Miller Bandcamp here.

Auric Records Bandcamp here.

Dowth features my old friend Tim Ording. I was in a proto-grindcore band called Backslide with Tim sometime in the late eighties. We were loud and unskilled, but had fun. Dowth is nothing like that. Dowth is a mysterious, atmospheric take on Irish folk, and doesn't really sound like anything else. There is only one album at present, and it is my hope that soon there will be more.

Dowth Bandcamp here.

In the past year, I've re-discovered the work of Felicia Atkinson, which led to an obsessive need to buy as many of her releases as possible. I guess she is best labeled "experimental," but that doesn't really cover it. It is delicateness married to the unexpected. Beauty shines through in unusual ways. Just go listen.

Felicia Atkinson Bandcamp page here.

Covid-19 and Bandcamp, Post Number 18: Organ Drone

This decade has seen the release of at least two essential albums of pipe organ music. If one wants to create a massive, warm drone, the pipe organ is a very helpful instrument. Of  course, it usually means having to go to the pipe organ rather than bringing it to you. Aine O'Dwyer's "Music For Church Cleaners Vol. I and II"  is a double album of massive, sustained pipe organ drones played in situ, with an audience of, well, church cleaners. It amuses me to no end that you can hear one of them politely complaining between pieces. For me though, this is music to lose myself in. It's like drowning in the massive tidal surge of a warm ocean, without all of the bothersome water in the lungs. And this is just one of the amazing releases you can find on O'Dwer's Bandcamp page.

Aine O'Dwer Bandcamp page here.

More recently, I stumbled across the works of Swedish musician Kali Malone. Her album, "The Sacrificial Code," is a great place to start.  It features roughly two hours of blissful, subtle organ drones, and definitely creates an immersive sound environment that creeps up on the listener and holds them hypnotized.

Kali Malone Bandcamp page here.

Covid-19 and Bandcamp, Post Number 17: Wood and Bone, Sea and Stone

I have always been drawn to music that celebrates the mystery and beauty of the non-human world. It's no coincidence that I work as an outdoor educator, introducing children to the wonder to be found in wild landscapes. Music that expresses that wonder, painting sonic pictures of the myriad natural environments to be found on our planet, has my ears for life.

I also find myself drawn to musical longing for simpler times, whether it be through neofolk or black metal (or any other genre, really). I am well aware that these two musical genres also attract people whose idea of simpler times comes with all sorts of racial baggage, which is unfortunate. This just means I need to weed through the music available and discard the sketchy crap.

The idea of returning to some sort of natural state is a compelling one, but I'm realistic enough to know that it would take a catastrophe much greater than the current pandemic to make it possible. Our current population is too large for us all to return to the land.

So, instead, I'll listen to this ideal world in musical form.

As I type, I'm listening to the new Forndom album, which is like a breath of icy winter around the eaves of a snowbound cabin while I'm safe inside, ensconsed in front of a roaring fire  It's medieval in its simple intensity, marrying the drama of Dead Can Dance and the icy serenity of Tenhi.

Forndom Bandcamp here.

Speaking of Tenhi, they are one of my favorite bands. They bequeath an album to the world every so often, although it seems as of late that the intervals are stretching. The aforementioned icy serenity describes their music aptly, but there is also enough warmth there to keep the frost at bay. It is music to accompany flickering vistas of firelight and auroras.

Tenhi Bandcamp here.

Where to go from there? Stone Breath take a more rustic, back-woods americana approach to this yearning for the majesty and mystery of nature and the unknown. Banjos figure prominently, and Timothy Renner's art is a wonder in itself. I've bought original art from him on several occasions. There is quite a discography at present, including various related projects and solo outings. Some of it is wyrd folk, some of it is drone, all of it is worth a listen.

Stone Breath Bandcamp here.

Covid-19 and Bandcamp, Post Number 16: Get Some Post Rock In The Post

Oiseaux-tempete produce epic, emotional musical soundscapes, sometimes with spoken word accompaniment from G.W. Sok (ex-The Ex) and always providing an immersive, cinematic ride. Comparisons can be made to artists within the orbit of Constellation Records, but Oiseaux-tempete is definitely its own thing.  Despite the fact that all of their works sounding like soundtracks to dystopian films, the collective only recently released their first actual film soundtrack.

Oiseaux-tempete Bandcamp here.

Perhaps you might want to compare Oiseaux-tempete with the Constellation Records roster. Well, here's your chance:

Constellation Records Bandcamp here.

To round things out, I must mention French post rock project Kwoon, who scratch the same sort of itch, although perhaps at a mellower, song-based level.

Kwoon Bandcamp here.

Covid-19 and Bandcamp, Post Number 15: For Folk's Sake!

Warning: darkness and anger may vary. No terms or conditions apply.

Folk music is the original DIY music, and thus it reflects the reality of the average citizen. It's telling that the subject matter is usually full of darkness (both literal and figurative) and death. Below is a not at all comprehensive list of folk and folk-related bands that appeal to me in some way. That means they are usually grim or righteously angry, preferably both. Some of them are also hauntingly beautiful. Acts that combine all of these qualities are usually at the top of my list.

I'm currently listening to Whip "Blues For Losers", which is Jason Merritt of Timesbold and, more recently, Miracle Whips. I was introduced to this little world within a world when I saw Timesbold kick off a show way back when that ended in a bit of a trainwreck when the second band played too long, leaving Greg Weeks and Six Organs of Admittance to rail against the harsh reality of closing time. The whole show, musicians and audience, actually migrated to another venue (Hemlock Tavern) in an attempt to continue, but to no avail. leaving Weeks to issue refunds to people who wanted them. Timesbold was my positive take-away from the evening. There is a little bit of Tom Waits in the mix here, with a heaping helping of melancholy americana. All three projects/bands come highly recommended. There isn't a Bandcamp page for Whip, but there are for the other two.

Timesbold Bandcamp here.

Miracle Whips Bandcamp here (as of this writing, there is one copy of the cassette version of their album - maybe it could be yours!).

Speaking of a little bit of Tom Waits, ex-Chumbawamba rabble rouser Danbert Nobacon has gruffened up a bit in recent years, and is releasing music that isn't too far removed from Waits. Or maybe it's just me. I do notice that the one album he has available via his first Bandcamp page is tagged with the words "pirate boogie," which is somehow appropriate. Think sea shanties with a conscience. Music for our times. The second link takes you to his more recent releases. As always, expect well thought out critiques of entitlement and greed, plus pretty much everything else that ails us.

Danbert Nobacon Bandcamp here.

Danbert Nobacon & the Axis of Dissent Bandcamp here.

Where do we go from there? Perhaps Blackbird Raum, who are/were a punk band masquerading as a folk band, or perhaps vice versa. If you want to hear hoarse shouting merged with accordions, washboards, and other folk instruments, perhaps Blackbird Raum is for you. There is a definite Chumbawamba influence both musically and philosophically. The music is often driving and angry, but room is left for beauty to leak in. I've included links to a couple of other related projects too, the beautifully haunting Cinder Well, and the more chamber-folky but still just as beautiful Pale Robin.

Blackbird Raum Bandcamp here.

Cinder Well Bandcamp here.

Pale Robin Bandcamp here.

My train of thought leads down the rails to stop at Lankum, who have a fearless mindset similar to Blackbird Raum, and produce some fantastic modern takes on old Irish folk standards.  This isn't your grandparents revolution!

Lankum Bandcamp here.

Moving over to England, we have Stick In the Wheel, who I had the good fortune to see on stage the last time I was in the UK. More beautiful folk music with an edge, and an excellent live band.

Stick In The Wheel Bandcamp here.

One international flight later, and we're in Santa Cruz, California, where Byssus reside. Byssus is a duo featuring accordion and guitar, and the results are haunting, beautiful, and necessary. Just one short release so far, but it's a great one.

Byssus Bandcamp here.

I'll stop here for the day. There are lots of other bands still to mention, but I'll save some for later.