The Lonesome Organist -
This is one of the most twistedly, creatively entertaining CDs I've bought in a long time. There's a bit of guitar, but the dominant instruments are various keyboards and percussion (organs, marimba, vibes, toy piano, steel drums, melodica, etc) which makes it an unusual record based on instrumentation alone, but there's a lot more to it than that. He manages to be both very noisy and also very tuneful, causing a constant exciting tension, not unlike a rickety amusement park ride - the sort they have at the beach, the one's they set up and take down on a single fun-filled week of Summer. Beyond the metaphor, there's a clear influence of carnival music, but I also hear strains of Adrian Sherwood style dub, industrial, exotica, and early American blues. This record makes me happy.
Marbles -
Apples in Stereo leader, Robert Schneider, spent a year making solo recordings with his 4-track before the Apples were formed. That's what this is. It's essential listening for anybody who loves smart pop music and/or has an interest in recording music. One of the downsides (and upsides) to having been in a band is that it's totally changed the way I listen to music, so I'm not sure if people who have never made music will be similarly enthralled as I am with these recordings. I have to admit I was always a little puzzled by people that put the Beach Boys on the same tier as the Beatles, but listening to the two influences melded together in the music Schneider has released under the Marbles pseudonym, it makes a little more sense.
Spaceways
I like Acid Jazz a lot, but I've had trouble expanding my taste in dance music any further in the last few years. Then these Spaceways guys got the idea to mix in some more current rhythms (drum 'n bass? Trip-hop? I'd be lying if I told you I was fully informed about these terms) with a healthy dose of Sun Ra worship. Sun Ra, his interplanetary self, would be proud I think. After all, the integration of new rhythms and high technology each played an important part in the music Sun Ra was making 30 years ago.
Various Artists
I suppose it should be no surprise that this compilation of 12 Japanese ska bands is much better than any American ska compilation I've heard recently. The Japanese, in my opinion, also make better acid jazz. In addition to the horns, there's a common theme between ska and acid jazz in the way roots music is updated and energized. Maybe the distance from the music's origins gives these bands a freer hand to take risks as well as a better understanding of the essential elements that need to remain front and center. In addition to being solid high quality ska all the way through, there's a nice mix of vocal and instrumental tracks as well as punkier versus mellower tracks.
Bargain Bin Finds
Various Artists -
This is a quarterly series that has a list price of $5.98. You can often find it used for even cheaper, but it's already a bargain at the suggested price. The series mixes lo-fi guitar and electronic indie-pop and more spacy tracks from Darla's ambient bliss-out series. Volume 8 is the 4th one of these I've bought. For my listening taste, at least half the tracks tend to be throw-aways, but I've gotten turned on to a number of cool bands this way. One of the other things I like about this series is that it's not limited to Darla bands. There's always a few bands with releases on other similarly-minded labels.
Record Shoppin' Tips
Amoeba Records
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September 1997
(Amy Rigby, Nothing Painted Blue, Yo La Tengo, Phillistines Jr, Bargepole, Kalahari Surfers, Chumbawamba, Desperate Rock 'n Roll, This Is Acid Jazz)
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