My Autumn Empire II is a collection of subtle, 70s-tinged space pop with a hint of folk around the edges and just a whiff of psychedelia. The second album from epic45's Ben Holton was the last fruits of an old computer and a radical side step from the minimal acoustics and electronics of its predecessor, The Village Compass. Instead, the focus is on the layering of vocal harmonies, washes of vintage synth and prominent melodies.
Although reminiscent of ELO's symphonic pop or a rural English take on Grandaddy, MAEII seems to exist in a world of its own, strangely implacable. The album features the single Say It Again, perhaps the most overtly pop track, although the lyrics reveal a darker heart. "Like Sparklehorse covering The Beatles," reckons Phil from Norman Records. This Heats apocalyptic Sleep is then given an almost Alasdair Roberts-sounding makeover for the final track.
- "Hello Skinny is the brainchild of in-demand drummer extraordinaire Tom Skinner, who's other current involvements include Sons Of Kemet, Mulatu Astatke, Matthew Herbert, Eska, Finn Peters and The Owiny Sigoma Band amongst many others.
Taking its cue from a song by The Residents, the project is Skinner's first as bandleader, composer and producer [playing most of the instruments] and sees him exploring areas around and between psych-dub, electronics, downtown/freak jazz and folk stylings. This debut album follows on from his widely spread 'Smash + Grab' mixtape and takes the musical themes from that release and flexes and focuses the sound into a coherent, deep, soulful listening experience, featuring contributions from Shabaka Hutchings, Tom Herbert (of The Invisible), Byron Wallen, Trudie Dawn Smith and Nick Ramm.
Album opener Aquarius sets the tone with its combination of electronic bleeps and drones, synth squelches and a Morricone esque refrain, underpinned by Skinners vibrant groove. Next up, the title track, and cover of The Residents tune, whose main riff is re-configured as a dubby bassline which builds to incorporate an intense rhythmic work out, propelled by some fiery saxophone work courtesy of Shabaka Hutchings. Crush and Knot Blue continue to marry taut and soulful grooves and dubbed out experimental electronics with strong melodic themes, whilst Bump again invites Hutchings to prowl its warped electronic landscape with his sax. Tracks like Foot Tap, The Sky Is Falling and Venus take a more acoustic turn and demonstrate Skinners skill as a composer with a strong ear for an exquisite melody. The track 'Crush' was picked up by Gilles Peterson, featuring on the recently released Brownswood Bubblers 8 compilation. In all, Hello Skinny plays out as eclectic, cinematic and as retro-phuture funky as a library (music) of Soul Jazz compilations."
- http://www.slowfoot.co.uk/helloskinnylp.html Emusic
Fred Frith guitars, violin, viola, harmonium, xylophone, piano, bass guitar on "Terrain" and "The Tube"
Chris Cutler drums, percussion, noise
Dagmar Krause voice
Tim Hodgkinson organ, clarinet, piano on "The Pirate Song"
Lindsay Cooper bassoon, oboe, soprano, recorder
Georgie Born bass guitar, cello, vocals on "Maze"
Peter Blegvad bass guitar on "Coda to Man and Boy"
Marc Hollander piano on "Coda to Man and Boy"
- "Hopes and Fears is the debut album by the English avant-rock group Art Bears. It comprises tracks by Henry Cow, Art Bears's predecessor, recorded at Sunrise Studios, Kirchberg in Switzerland in January 1978, and tracks by Art Bears, recorded at Kaleidophon Studios in London in March 1978."
- "Hopes and Fears began as a Henry Cow album, but after the first recording sessions in Switzerland, some of the members of the band were unhappy about the predominance of song-oriented material. As a compromise it was agreed that two albums would be made: the songs would be released under the name of a new group, Art Bears, and the instrumental compositions would be released later by Henry Cow. The newly formed Art Bears recorded four more tracks in London to complete Hopes and Fears, which was released in May 1978. Henry Cow returned to Switzerland in July that year to record additional instrumental pieces for what was to be their last album, Western Culture (1979)." Wikipedia
Part of the Natch series at FMA, this one is really, really good; featuring a Titanic song which is short and simple, but I think rivals Bob Dylan's recent Titanic song, as great as that is. A great little collection and it's free! I'm going to add this to Confused's garden thread too, because I can't imagine stuff not growing to this.
Octopus tells the story of a man falling through the earth only to end up drifting through space as a cephalopod. He endlessly and consciously drifts towards the sun.
I came across this totally awesome program metal album completely by accident but I'm loving it.
Here's what they say about themselves:
Trojan Horse. We listened to a load of King Crimson, Jethro Tull and Yes LPs, and dragged the 70s kicking and screaming through the subsequent decades, whilst cutting away all the 20 minute keyboard solos and ditching the capes. Rolling that ball of musical joy, further forward in time to create a genre snowball effect. Until we landed, ready to sculpt the mass of noise into beautiful shapes.
Har is an American solo ambient artist, as well as guitarist/bassist/Chapman Stickist* for the experimental art-rock band Christus and The Cosmonaughts (Beta-Lactam Ring Records recording artists).
Comments
My Autumn Empire II is a collection of subtle, 70s-tinged space pop with a hint of folk around the edges and just a whiff of psychedelia. The second album from epic45's Ben Holton was the last fruits of an old computer and a radical side step from the minimal acoustics and electronics of its predecessor, The Village Compass. Instead, the focus is on the layering of vocal harmonies, washes of vintage synth and prominent melodies.
Although reminiscent of ELO's symphonic pop or a rural English take on Grandaddy, MAEII seems to exist in a world of its own, strangely implacable. The album features the single Say It Again, perhaps the most overtly pop track, although the lyrics reveal a darker heart. "Like Sparklehorse covering The Beatles," reckons Phil from Norman Records. This Heats apocalyptic Sleep is then given an almost Alasdair Roberts-sounding makeover for the final track.
Available from E Music and Bandcamp
I'll follow that last one up, thanks Lowlife
Hello Skinny - ST
- "Hello Skinny is the brainchild of in-demand drummer extraordinaire Tom Skinner, who's other current involvements include Sons Of Kemet, Mulatu Astatke, Matthew Herbert, Eska, Finn Peters and The Owiny Sigoma Band amongst many others.
Taking its cue from a song by The Residents, the project is Skinner's first as bandleader, composer and producer [playing most of the instruments] and sees him exploring areas around and between psych-dub, electronics, downtown/freak jazz and folk stylings. This debut album follows on from his widely spread 'Smash + Grab' mixtape and takes the musical themes from that release and flexes and focuses the sound into a coherent, deep, soulful listening experience, featuring contributions from Shabaka Hutchings, Tom Herbert (of The Invisible), Byron Wallen, Trudie Dawn Smith and Nick Ramm.
Album opener Aquarius sets the tone with its combination of electronic bleeps and drones, synth squelches and a Morricone esque refrain, underpinned by Skinners vibrant groove. Next up, the title track, and cover of The Residents tune, whose main riff is re-configured as a dubby bassline which builds to incorporate an intense rhythmic work out, propelled by some fiery saxophone work courtesy of Shabaka Hutchings. Crush and Knot Blue continue to marry taut and soulful grooves and dubbed out experimental electronics with strong melodic themes, whilst Bump again invites Hutchings to prowl its warped electronic landscape with his sax. Tracks like Foot Tap, The Sky Is Falling and Venus take a more acoustic turn and demonstrate Skinners skill as a composer with a strong ear for an exquisite melody. The track 'Crush' was picked up by Gilles Peterson, featuring on the recently released Brownswood Bubblers 8 compilation. In all, Hello Skinny plays out as eclectic, cinematic and as retro-phuture funky as a library (music) of Soul Jazz compilations."
- http://www.slowfoot.co.uk/helloskinnylp.html
Emusic
Recommended Records 1978
Fred Frith guitars, violin, viola, harmonium, xylophone, piano, bass guitar on "Terrain" and "The Tube"
Chris Cutler drums, percussion, noise
Dagmar Krause voice
Tim Hodgkinson organ, clarinet, piano on "The Pirate Song"
Lindsay Cooper bassoon, oboe, soprano, recorder
Georgie Born bass guitar, cello, vocals on "Maze"
Peter Blegvad bass guitar on "Coda to Man and Boy"
Marc Hollander piano on "Coda to Man and Boy"
- "Hopes and Fears is the debut album by the English avant-rock group Art Bears. It comprises tracks by Henry Cow, Art Bears's predecessor, recorded at Sunrise Studios, Kirchberg in Switzerland in January 1978, and tracks by Art Bears, recorded at Kaleidophon Studios in London in March 1978."
- "Hopes and Fears began as a Henry Cow album, but after the first recording sessions in Switzerland, some of the members of the band were unhappy about the predominance of song-oriented material. As a compromise it was agreed that two albums would be made: the songs would be released under the name of a new group, Art Bears, and the instrumental compositions would be released later by Henry Cow. The newly formed Art Bears recorded four more tracks in London to complete Hopes and Fears, which was released in May 1978. Henry Cow returned to Switzerland in July that year to record additional instrumental pieces for what was to be their last album, Western Culture (1979)."
Wikipedia
God's Away On Business
christian demons
I'm not sure how they got this picture of my brother and me. I'm the one on your right.
Divine
Respect Yourself
Hotel Band (With Cody Canada)
Congratulations Bad Thoughts, PhD!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tank_Battles
Now if only No New York would become available in mp3.
Craig
Michael Chapman and the Woodpiles - Natch 7
Part of the Natch series at FMA, this one is really, really good; featuring a Titanic song which is short and simple, but I think rivals Bob Dylan's recent Titanic song, as great as that is. A great little collection and it's free! I'm going to add this to Confused's garden thread too, because I can't imagine stuff not growing to this.
Nmperign & Dörner -Beins
Also free at FMA - thanks Brighternow!
NYOP at bandcamp; really good but warning, some painfully high frequency noises on this one.
This is the very fine "Bonus Tracks" disc, just issued in the last year or two
I am thinking this just might be what ten of my last eleven Guvera credits go to.
Cult Cosmos - Octopus
NYOP and really good.
Trojan Horse - Trojan Horse
I came across this totally awesome program metal album completely by accident but I'm loving it.
Here's what they say about themselves:
That sounds about right.
NYOP/free- highly recommended
ETA: Soundcloud:
Noisetrade