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Imaginational Anthem
Imaginational Anthem 2
Tompkins Square TSQ-1424
CD
£8.99
Follow-up to the first volume of this on-going series that joins the dots between an earlier generation of American Primitive guitarists and contemporary intuitive sound-as-thought players. Once again Jack Rose is featured (with an absolutely gorgeous 6 string re-think of "Cross The North Fork 2") but every other player puts in a first-time appearance on this volume. The inclusion of Christina Carter is a particularly inspired move and one that speaks of the liberated range of the series in general and her track is a beauty, a stubby acoustic guitar miniature. Nice cover snap too. Other tracks include a particularly mesmeric recording from UK guitarist James Blackshaw and contributions from Peter Lang, Jesse Sparhawk, Michael Chapman, Sean Smith, Fred Gerlach, Billy Faier, Sharron Kraus, Robbie Basho and...uh...Jose Gonzalez. Another rich, far-sighted assortment from this great label.
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Charalambides
Rose/Thorn
Klang Industries/Eclipse No Cat/
LP
£15.99
"Long-, long-, long-, loooooong-awaited and singular entry in the Charalambides and Klang Industries discographies; one of those does it really exist? items thats finally seeing daylight, or moonlight. A stark, unsettling and beautiful slice of duo Charalambides invocation/incantation, taken from the period between Jason Bill and Heather Leigh Murrays tenures with the band and featuring extraordinary chord organ and vocal work from Christina and some signature lap steel mastery from Tom. Fans of the bands most recent, more song-based work will find this revelatory, long-time listeners will say ahhhh and settle in for the flight. Heavy vinyl, limited pressing, covers handiwork by Tom, the first release in years from Klang and a sign perhaps of a truly epic revival." "Long-awaited Klang debut of Charalambides. This record has been brewing since 2000, and is now finally available under the auspices of Eclipse/Klang. Two side-long improvisations in much the same vein as IN CR EA SE, a bit more topographical perhaps, but still horizontally serene and horizonless. Chord organ, lap steel, vocals." --Wholly Other.
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Charalambides
Branches
Wholly Other #13
CD
£8.99
Much requested CD reissue of this hard-to-score Charalambides release, originally issued as a Peter King lathe LP on Eclipse in an edition of only 100 copies. Dedicated to Bruce Connor, it features inkblot artwork by Heather Leigh. The sonics are supremely dilated and fully orbit the kinda late-90s/early ‘00s mystery zone that would combine extended improvisatory modes ala FMP/Incus with F/X clouded dreamtone works, gorgeous otherworldly vocals from Christina and sudden surges of volume pedal gliss from Tom. This is still one of their most beautifully fucked recordings and speaks of their ability to inhabit the furthest edges of form while still sounding like the best rock band of your life. Can’t think of anyone today who could pull off the same kind of seamless psychedelic schizophrenia with such fucking aplomb. A great record from a great group, highly recommended.
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Christina Carter
Lace Heart
Root Strata 36
2xLP
£18.99
Gorgeous double vinyl reissue of what still stands as one of Christina Carter’s finest moments, originally issued in an edition of 300 copies on her own Many Breaths Press. This edition comes in a run of only 500 copies pressed on red vinyl and with an etching by Christina on the fourth side. Lace Heart consolidates the spooked overdubbed form first plotted on Human As Guitar. Her guitar playing veers away from her earlier single-notes-dropped-into-deep-black-space approach and instead focuses on drugged, metronomic chords and weird inverted blues runs over which overdubbed/reverbed vocals cycle like sad constellations. Beautifully atmospheric songs and another classic of Jandek/Haino-style late-night soul stasis. A comparatively hi-fi recording from Christina too. Highly recommended.
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Christina Carter/Islaja
Tsuki No Seika
Root Strata No Cat
7”
£6.99
Limited edition of 100 copies split 7”, only officially available direct from the label. Christina’s side is one of her weirdest tracks, a ‘protest’ song scored for multiple overdubbed voices that move from catatonic Jandek-isms through haunted choral styles. Islaja contributes a spare, intimate vocal piece with a twisted folk melody illuminated by smears of backing vocals.
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Heather Leigh
Jailhouse Rock
Not Not Fun NNF-153
LP
£12.99
Deluxe vinyl edition of this classic solo album from Heather Leigh (Jailbreak/Scorces/Jandek et al) originally released in a tiny edition on cassette by Fag Tapes. Two fully-extended high metal masses for amplified pedal steel and vocals that blow all notions of form, fidelity and frilly fucking folk-picking fops to the kinda sweet metallic ribbons previously worn as crowns by Keiji Haino, Jojo Hiroshige and Teenage Jesus & The Jerks. Very different in tone and attack from the recent Jailbreak LP, Jailhouse Rock has a more amorphous sound, with muzzy smears of guitar caked in NZ-style fuzz and clouds of high string tone that conjure the miasmic electronics of Maurizio Bianchi. One of Heather’s most blasted sides with all-new nuts artwork by Heath Moreland. “Jailhouse Rock is in fact a wax reissue of a long OOP 2006 cassette classic on Michigan crud factory Fag Tapes. It was a fave of ours that year (and every year), so it feels extra celebratory to be able to offer up a freshly remastered (by Pete Swanson) LP edition of the album for global re-appreciation. Sprawling, long-form descents/ascents into mythic electric disorientation, powered by her trademark recipe of FX-soaked pedal steel and voice. Jailhouse feels loosely more aligned with a mid-aughts drone/noise aesthetic than the outsider dirt road Americana of her Devil If You Can Hear Me LP (also on NNF), but the distinction is a slight one. Side A swims in swooping sheets of vox and tempestuous wind tunnel dynamics before slowly dying away to wheezing disembodied harmonica. The B piece begins in a more overtly beautiful mode, a trinity of crystalline notes picked and stretched until they’re transformed into a rapturous sky of textural distortion. Sensual and vertigo-inducing in equal measure. Black vinyl LPs in jackets with brand new paint/collage artwork by Heath Moerland (of Sick Llama, Slither, Odd Clouds, etc). Edition of 400.” – NNF. Highly recommended!
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