Limited edition of 500 copies LP. Unknown Brain bundles some amazing 1971 lo-fi home recording from Tom Ardolino of NRBQ. NRBQ were one of the most out-of-time rock 'n' roll band ever to escape the 1960s, drawing on a roll-call of influences that would have the most hound-dog record collector rolling their eyes, with garage blues that were equally informed by Thelonious Monk, Sun Ra, Moondog, Paul Bley, the American song-poem factories, Link Wray, The Stones, Duke Ellington and Eddie Cochran. Their vision was of an unbroken American continuum of kicks, high-octane rock and classic popular culture as the central vehicle for outsider 20th century vision. Over the years they have cut a bunch of killer sides that continue to fly in the face of dud post-modern dud culture.
These tracks were recorded by Ardolino a few years before he joined NRBQ and while they reflect on the sound of the mothership they’re just as much a snapshot of the contents of the classic junk-guzzling record hound’s brain at the close of the 1960s, with Ardolino cutting exuberantly primitive versions of advertising jingles, Johnny & The Hurricanes organ stompers, muffled garage rock that sounds like The Novas or The Cramps, jazz instrumentals that are as eerie as your favourite  Saturn moments... if you can imagine Half Japanese cutting their own Basement Tapes drawn from 50s and 60s B-movie, comics and rock/roll culture then you’re almost there. There’s a particularly hilarious moment where Ardolino and friends are jamming on a church organ and the tape keeps running as they get busted by the reverend for drinking beer in the church. An absolute joy, released by Joshua Burkett on his own private imprint with screened sleeves and insert notes.