Siouxsie and the Banshees - Playground Twist 7"

I got this 7 inch from a street vendor in Bristol.

Siouxsie and the Banshees - Playground Twist 7"

Ari Up - Baby Mother 12"

Ari Up was in the Slits and is also the godmother of someone famous but the name is escaping me. The single Baby Mother is OK but the two tracks on the B side are better.

Ari Up - Baby Mother 12"

Patrick Wolf - Hard Times 7"

I got this 7 inch at Rough Trade in London last week. I haven't posted in too long so I'm just going to post shit without explaining it. This 7 inch does have a remix by Alec Empire

Patrick Wolf - Hard Times 7"

Buffalo Daughter - Sax, Drugs and Rock 'N' Roll 7"

I love Buffalo Daughter. I just wore my New Rock/No New Rock T shirt this weekend. This 7 inch was recorded live at Club Quattro in Osaka, Japan on July 6th, 1999. I saw them once live at the Grand Royal CMJ showcase at Irving Plaza and it was pretty great. 

Buffalo Daughter - Sax, Drugs and Rock 'N' Roll 7"

PoPo - Kill Tonight 7"

I really like this record a lot. I was kind of surprised that they're on Mad Decent since they're more rock than anything else. They're also playing a show soon - May 27th at the Bell House in Brooklyn. 

PoPo - Kill Tonight 7"

Here's a quick video from their Myspace

I Was King - It's All You

I Was King are from Norway. I like the Norman Black track better than It's All You but both are recommended. They're playing two shows next weekend in NYC and I'm thinking of checking one out. May 30th at Mercury and the 31st at Union Hall.

I Was King - It's All You 7"

Lutefisk - Aerosol 7"

I saw Lutefisk on the second stage of Lollapalooza in 95 or 96. I still have their sticker on my saxophone case. While I was in State College, PA I found this 7 inch for nostalgic reasons. I could see why my 16 year old self was into this but it hasn't really held up. 

Lutefisk - Aerosol 7"

Cub - Pep 7"

This is the second Cub 7" I've posted. I bought this (along with many of the other 7 inches I posted today) at City Lights Records in State College, PA. Two years ago was the last time I shopped there and I purchased the Hot Dog Day 7". This record was there too but I held back due to limited funds. Apparently the turnover at City Lights isn't very high (or no one in State College likes Cub) because two years later it was still there. City Lights is actually closing this year (RIP.) While in college, it was one of my only links to a world outside of Pennsyltucky. City Lights you will be missed.

Cub - Pep 7"

Treehouse - Stawberry Pie/Shag Carpet 7"

Treehouse was a band from Oregon in the 90s. I dont know much more about them than that. The track Strawberry Pie is pretty good. I thought they put out an album on K Records but I might be mistaken.

Treehouse - Strawberry Pie/Shag Carpet 7"

Poly Styrene - Talk in Toytown 7"

Poly Styrene, real name Marian Joan Elliott Said, was the singer of the awesome punk band X-Ray Spex. I remember my friend Mike got in trouble for having "Oh Bondage Up Yours" scrawled on his knapsack. These two tracks are a bit different than her other stuff... it's a lot jazzier but definitely worth listening to. 

I love this "As a teenager, she was something of a "barefoot hippie". At aged 15, she ran away from home with just £3 in her pocket. She hitchhiked from one music festival to another staying at crash pads. She thought of this as challenge to survive. The adventure ended when, possibly hallucinating she stepped on a rusty nail and had to be treated for septicaemia."

Poly Styrene - Talk in Toytown 7"

Fifth Column - All Women Are Bitches 7"

I love this record. I wasn't too familiar with Fifth Column before I bought this 7" over the weekend but I'm very glad I did. Fifth Column are an all-women experimental post punk band that's also from Toronto. I see a theme today. They released this single in 1992 on K Records and "despite being controversial and receiving little airplay, the recording was voted Single Of The Week in the UK music publication Melody Maker."

Fifth Column - All Women Are Bitches 7"

These Are Powers/The Creeping Nobodies 7"

I don't have much to say about this 7". I definitely enjoy The Creeping Nobodies track more though. According to wikipedia, they're from Toronto.

These Are Powers/Creeping Nobodies 7"

Here's a video of Cockles by These Are Powers.

These Are Powers "Cockles" Music Video from Jacqueline Castel on Vimeo.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Young Adult Fiction 7"

It took me a couple of listens to get into The Pains of Being Pure at Heart s/t album but now I'm pretty into it. It's definitely a good driving album. I'm pretty psyched to see them in May at Bowery Ballroom. The B side of this 7 inch is a song called Ramona and it's slightly boring (which is why they probably left it off the album.)

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Young Adult Fiction 7"

Wavves - So Bored + To The Dregs 7"

Two weeks ago, I saw Wavves and Vampire Hands at Mercury Lounge. I hate going to shows on Monday nights but it was pretty fun nonetheless. There was also a Steve Buscemi doppelganger (not really but close) standing in front of me the whole time. He reminded me of the poor kid in my homeroom who had the unfortunate nickname "Golf Ball Head." While I was buying these records over the weekend, I saw the Vampire Hands lp but didn't think it was worth 25 big ones. 

Wavves - So Bored/To The Dregs 7"

The Drift - She Lets Go 7"

I got this 7 inch for free from some ebay seller. I don't know much about this band so I stole the below description from the Silver Girl Web site.

"Three blazing pop anthems from the best guitar band in France. This stuff is in line with the Wedding Present's blend of furious guitar ringing, pounding drums and confident vocals. After releasing several CDs and singles in Europe, they have changed their name to Kyu and started a label Shoshin Sounds."

The Drift - She Lets Go 7"

Video Thursday!

When I was studying abroad in Manchester, UK I went to a karaoke night and someone picked this song and the whole place sang along. One of my favorite songs from high school.

My best friend got me into Cibo Matto after she saw the real Know Your Chicken video on 120 minutes. We used to sing it to her mom while she made dinner. I'm pretty sure she thought we were nuts/on the drugs. After watching this video, I kind of miss the way girls/women dressed in the 90s. 

Eggs - A Pit With Spikes 7"

I bought this 7" over the weekend at Other Music. When I brought it up to the register, the cashier did a double take at it then looked at me and smiled. I'm not sure if his smile said "wow, i haven't thought about this record in awhile. awesome!" or "haha why are you buying this 7" that was shitty when it came out 16 years ago?"

I only went to the second night of the Teen Beat Anniversary show at the Black Cat but apparently Eggs was one of the most anticipated reunions. Getting drunk on oil cans of Fosters and jumping up and down to Tuscadero was definitely good enough for me. This 7" is still available for sale from the Teen Beat site.

Eggs - A Pit With Spikes 7"

The Notwist - Boneless 7"

I'm not a huge fan of their latest album "The Devil You and Me" but I do like this track a lot. The Panda Bear remix on the B side is great but it sounds more like one of his tracks off of Person Pitch than a Notwist remix. Still a pretty great spring jam.

The Notwist - Boneless 7"

Parasol Records 7"s

So over the weekend I ripped the Sarge 7" with their cover of Cyndi Lauper's Time After Time. Sarge was on Parasol Records, who were also very cool about sending me free records for my radio show in college. Then while I was at the record store over the weekend, I saw this Busy Toby 7" which is also on Parasol. I've never heard of them but decided to pick it up anyway. I just put it on this afternoon and was pleasantly surprised. Right away I realized they sounded a lot like this other band I liked called Wolfie. With a little research, I came up with this...connecting all three bands! 

"The side project of Wolfie singer/bassist Joe Ziemba and his fiancee, singer/keyboardist Amanda Lyons, indie-pop combo Busytoby first began taking shape in mid-1996. Originally dubbed Stereotomy, they distributed copies of their debut cassette The Human Is the Keyboard’s Motor in 1997; although Wolfie remained Ziemba and Lyons’ primary creative outlet, the duo (who had subsequently acquired a vintage Wurlitzer organ) soon recorded another cassette, You Love the Crickets, and — with the addition of then-Sarge bassist Rachel Switzky — changed their name to Busytoby. A single, “Me, My Drums and You,” appeared on Parasol in 1998, and after adding keyboardist Jenny Mangun, Busytoby played their first live dates. As grad school forced Switzky to relinquish her duties, the remaining trio released their first full-length effort, It’s Good to Be Alive, in the fall of 1999."

Sarge/Wolfie/Busy Toby 7 inches

Silver Scooter - A Tribute to Phone Calls 7"

Silver Scooter kind of sound like Death Cab for Cutie. They did a split album with Cursive in '99 that was released on Crank! (also home to The Regrets, Vitreous Humor and Mineral.) Apparently this 7" is still available even though it's 10 years old. Go here to buy. The B side is a cover of The Cure's In Between Days.

Silver Scooter - A Tribute to Phone Calls 7"

Tiger Trap/Henry's Dress - Astronautical Music Festival 7"

I found this 7" at City Lights in State College, PA. The Tiger Trap song isn't as poppy as most of their other stuff but it's still pretty good. The quality of these MP3s isn't the greatest but it was the best I could get. This 7" was released on Slumberland.

Tiger Trap/Henry's Dress - Astronautical Music Festival

Psychic Ills - Mental Violence I 7"

I got this 7" when it was self released 6 years ago and I've only listened to it like 2 or 3 times. Since I'm going to see them with Spectrum next month I decided to break it out and give it another listen. It's a lot better than I remember. 

Psychic Ills - Mental Violence I 7"

Spiritualized - Any Way That You Want Me 7"

I also found this 7" in the office of my old radio station. I believe it was part of Sub Pop's singles club but I could be wrong.

Spiritualized - Any Way That You Want Me 7"

Jejune/Jimmy Eat World 7"

The only time I saw Jimmy Eat World was on my 19th birthday at Coney Island High. I'm pretty sure the Delta 72 and At the Drive In played as well but that might have been another show. On the drive home I went west on Canal and almost ended up in New Jersey. 

Jejune/Jimmy Eat World 7"

Cub - Hot Dog Day 7"

I know I really should like Cub. They have all the makings of a band I would really like but for some reason I don't love them. This 7 inch is pretty good though, especially the song My Chinchilla. 

Cub - Hot Dog Day 7"

Video Thursday

I was so busy ripping 7 inches that I almost forgot about video thursday. The video below is by Spiritualized for the song Electricity. I just ripped their 7" on Sub Pop so expect that soon.



So I'm going to see Spectrum next month with Cheval Sombre and I think the Psychic Ills (just ripped one of their 7"s as well.) So Cheval Sombre is the first act signed to Dean and Britta's new label so I thought it would be fitting to link a video from their movie 'Tell Me Do You Miss Me' of them playing 23 Minutes in Brussels.

Love Is All - Used Goods 7"

My friend Doug got me this 7" from their show at the Market Hotel (I think.) I was playing records for my friend's birthday so I couldn't make the show. I saw them later that tour at Knitting Factory with my friend Matty and it was one of the most upbeat and energetic shows I've seen in awhile. They're new album is OK but the first one is really solid. The B side is Motor Boat which is a cover by Kim Fowley (I have no idea who Kim Fowley is.)

Love Is All - Used Goods 7"

Tuscadero - The Remixes EP 7"

This 7" pretty much sucks. There's no real reason for it but I posted it in case anyone wanted to take a listen. I love Tuscadero but all of these remixes are pretty half-ass and sloppy. Enjoy!

Tuscadero - The Remixes EP 7"

I just found this video of them playing a couple songs on some show called Slumber Party TV Show. After watching, I really hope they do another reunion show. I drove from NYC to D.C to go to the Teen Beat anniversary show and it was so fun. 

Hum - Comin' Home 7"

I found this 7" in my old college radio office. I was pretty obsessed with Downward is Heavenward in high school so I was pretty psyched to find it. The B side is called Puppets.

Hum - Coming Home 7"

Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man - Tom the Model 7"

When this album came out I went to see them perform at Saint Anne's Warehouse in Dumbo, NYC. I couldn't convince anyone to come with me so I had to go alone. I got lost on the way and ended up on some shady desolate street in DUMBO. Right as I realized I was on the wrong street, a car rolled up to me real slow and stopped. I was about to start running when this Canadian girl (who drove all the way from Toronto) asked me if I knew where Saint Anne's Warehouse was. I told her I was going there too but I was lost. She invited me into her car and we eventually found the venue and the show was really great. 

Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man - Tom the Model 7"

Digital Hardcore

I was really into digital hardcore for a hot second in high school. During that time I bought these two 7 inches and the Atari Teenage Riot cd. I think both of these 7 inches sound a bit dated but the Shizuo 7 inch is better. 

Shizuo - Sweat 7"

Alec Empire - The Destroyer 7"

Video Thursday

Tomorrow is my birthday. I try to listen to this song (english version) every year. This will have to do. 

The Vibrarians - Red Light 7"

I really don't know anything about this band. I was at Other Music this afternoon recovering from a brunch buzz and I thought the cover looked cool. Also they're on K Records so I thought I would try it out. Pretty good lo-fi rock with muted female vocals. Also as a bonus upload...here's a remix I made for Sonic Youth's Song for Reverse Karaoke off their Sensational Fix ep. 

The Vibrarians - Red Light 7"

Video Thursday

Since I'm in Florida, I thought this was fitting...

I'm headed to the airport and back to NYC so I thought this was fitting...

Velocity Girl - Sorry Again 7"

This is the second Velocity Girl 7" I've uploaded. There's not much more to say than they're awesome and you should download this. The B side is Marzipan. 

Velocity Girl - Sorry again 7"

Bunnygrunt - Standing Hampton 7"

I used to have a radio show in college. My friend Justin and I used to play all sorts of indie rock/pop/etc and basically no one listened. It was still pretty fun though and I scored a lot of free records from it. Justin would always play Bunnygrunt's cover of Holiday Road from the Double Agent 1980 comp. The Softies also did a great cover of Rick Astley's Together Forever.

Bunnygrunt - Standing Hampton 7"

Looper - Impossible Things 7"

I just got this 7 inch on ebay. Looper is Stuart David of Belle & Sebastian. I saw them 10 years ago at Tramps with Khan. I just recently found the ticket stub. I remember being super into Khan my freshman year of college. What ever happened to that guy?

Looper - Impossible Things 7"

Final Fantasy - Many Lives 7"

I previously mentioned that I used to really hate Final Fantasy. Many Lives isn't my favorite track on He Poos Clouds but it's still pretty solid. The B side for this one is The Miner Becomes Forgetful, which I think is better. I'm going to see him with Grizzly Bear and the Brooklyn Philharmonic this weekend...very excited.

Final Fantasy - Many Lives 7"

Video Thursday

I saw these guys a couple months ago at glasslands and they weren't that great live. not terrible but the vocals didn't really hold up. It was sold out and I lied and got my friend Sarah in for free. Then I had to convince a bartender that my friend was sober enough to hang and then fell in love.



This video, like most of Bjork's videos, is amazing. I've been full of wanderlust lately so it's fitting.

DJ Aristocat

I have two 12"s by DJ Aristocat and the other one is boatloads better. I can't find it though so until then, this will have to do. There are three tracks on the record (with two added instrumentals that I didn't bother to rip.) The first track is a mix of DMX's Disco Inferno with the Cure's Close to Me. The second track is Chris Isaac's Wicked Game with some song I don't know. The third track is The Nerd Anthem.

DJ Aristocat 12"

Video Thursday

I love this video. It's directed by Miranda July and it's simple but great. "Do you think I'm an animal? Am I not?"



I love videos where people dance on buses or trains. There have been many times when I was listening to Pizzicato 5 on the subway and half expected everyone to bust out in choreographed dance moves. This is probably one of my favorite songs of all time plus Cibo Matto are in the video. Also as a bonus, here is a remix of Ladyfingers by DJ Wally.



This video is a classic. I used to have an awesome Sonic Youth t shirt of two teenagers slow dancing but I lost it many years ago.

Hazel/Ovarian Trolley 7"

I bought this 7" at City Lights Records when I was visiting Penn State. I first heard Hazel on Beavis and Butthead when they made fun of their video Comet. The B side is by Ovarian Trolley. I really know nothing about them but the song is pretty good.

Hazel/Ovarian Trolley 7"

The video for Comet:

The Electro Project 12"

I'm not really sure where I got this 12" from. I think my brother bought it for me in London. The A side contains the uptown and downtown versions of Yam Who?s remix of Genius of Love. The B side is Si Begg's Al Naafiysh. Both are great.

The Electro Project 12"

The original is of course by the Tom Tom Club and the video is very cartoony.

Video Thursday

I really wanted to link the real video for Portishead's Machine Gun but I couldn't find a copy to embed. The first time I heard this album I thought it was amazing. The fourth time I thought it was boring and now I'm back to thinking it's great.



My brother took me to see Pulp the day before I left for college. Bran Van 3000 opened up. Their set was pretty ridiculous.



I love this song and video. The first time I saw Final Fantasy live he opened up for Arcade Fire. He was dressed in a marching band outfit, had bad dark roots and I thought his music was boring. Two years later, I'm a big fan. I think his show with Grizzly Bear/Brooklyn Philharmonic later this month is going to be great.

Flagrant Fowl 12"

I picked up this 12" the other day at Turntable Lab. It includes a remix of Lykke Li's Breaking It Up as well as remixes of Kanye's Love Lockdown and Champion. Flagrant Fowl is made up of Brooklyn DJ's Cousin Cole & Pocketknife. The Kanye remixes are definitely stronger than the Lykke Li one.

Flagrant Fowl 12"

Buy

Fly Girls! B-Boys Beware: Revenge of the Super Female Rappers!

I just picked up this 2cd comp yesterday and have been listening to it non-stop. While it's not a single, I feel that it still deserves to be mentioned. A full description of the record is below.

"Subtitled B-Boys Beware: Revenge of The Super Female Rappers, the album tells the story of female rap "from its birth in the tenement block parties in New York City's outer boroughs through to the dizzying career heights of Queen Latifah, Missy Elliott and other modern day power-brokers", and also pays tribute to an earlier generation of female black poets who laid the foundations for what was to come.

Every track compiled on here kicks ass, but look out in particular for 'Simon Says', a 1982 jam by Sequence (featuring a then unknown Angie Stone), Roxanne Shante's Marley Marl-produced 'Bite This', and 'Get Off Your Ass And Jam' - a Miami bass classic by the inimitable Anquette (pictured above). You'll be familiar with Missy's evergreen 'The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)', but perhaps less so with the work of trailblazers like Tanya Winley and Sweet Tee. Fly Girls! is a wonderful opportunity to fill in the blanks; another hihgly educational Soul Jazz comp that remembers to be entertaining first and foremost. Lovingly packaged, and available on both CD and LP with extensive sleevenotes, this is simply essential stuff."

Disc 1

Disc 2
Buy

Video Thursday

These are my three favorite videos this week:

Sonic Youth - New Music - More Music Videos

The Concretes - Chico (Avalanches' Werham Hogg Remix) 7"

I already posted Victoria Bergsman's 7" she released under the name Taken By Trees. The below 7" contains only one track but it's definitely worth downloading.

The Concretes - Chico: Avalanches' Werham Hogg Remix 7"

Ahmed Fakroun/Belle Epoque 12"

I just picked up this 12" this afternoon at Turntable Lab. The Belle Epoque track is definitely stronger but both are really good. Check out the space disco/country house video of Bamalama below. Both video and 12" are highly recommended! 

Ahmed Fakroun/Belle Epoque - Yo Son/Bamalama 12"

Time Zone - World Destruction 12"

In 1984 John Lydon of Sex Pistols fame teamed up with Afrika Bambaataa to release this 12". I just learned that he's the stepfather of Ari Up of The Slits.

Time Zone - World Destruction 12"

DJ Mister Cee - Where Brooklyn At?/Shake Dat Ass 12"

I used to play both these songs when I used to spin records at this bar a couple of years ago. DJ Mister Cee is a dj on the Hot 97. He was also the associate exec producer for Biggie's album Ready to Die.

DJ Mister Cee - Where Brooklyn At?/Shake Dat Ass Girl 12"

DJ Language - Rubber Band/Dance Across The Floor 12"

This is highly recommended! Here's the description of it from boomkat: 

A new series of bespoke limited edition custom edits from DJ Language, one of the newest and brightest stars on the international DJ scene, who tears it up all around town with his unique blend of funk, rare soul, deep disco, breakbeats and electro. All Editions Disco releases come in distinctive and intricate hand designed metallicgold embossed sleeves, and the sound quality is great. The series begins with an edit of The Trammps’ rare soul classic ‘Rubber Band’, recently sampled for The Game’s monster hit ‘Hate It Or Love It’. Savvy beatdiggers know that the track was ingeniously chopped by producers Cool & Dre, making for an awkward blend between the original and The Game’s track. Language’s killer edit expertly recreates those chops, making for an easy – and lethal – blend, certified monkey-style bananas! The B-side features a gritty edit of ‘Dance Across The Floor’, the b-boy & dancefloor funk classic by Jimmy “Bo” Horne, worked into a sweaty lather by Shux aka leftfield dance superstar Brennan Green (Balihu / Modal / Bear Funk). The track is distilled into its funkiest, dancefloor-filling essence, and is sure to be a favorite tool of the discerning selector.

DJ Language - Rubber Band/Run Across the Floor

Lindstrom & Christabelle - Music (In My Mind) 12"

I think I got this 12" at Turntable Lab...or my brother gave it to me for my birthday. It's pretty good but I like the Lindstrom/Prins Thomas stuff better. 

Lindstrom & Christabelle - Music (In My Mind) 12"

The Art of Noise - Paranoimia 12"

Art of Noise were an avant-garde synthpop group created by one of the guys who wrote the song "Video Killed the Radio Star." Max Headroom, among other things, was the spokesbot for New Coke. Together, they created an excellent song that is similar to Bonzo Goes To Washington's 5 minutes track. 

The Art of Noise - Paranoimia 12"

Here's the video.