Les Rallizes Dénudés - '77 Live

It's always tough to pin down a top 10 list of albums. I really try to see every album I listen to through an objective lens, making my best effort to focus on an album's strengths and not be put off by its weaknesses. In summary, I try to love every album, and often that makes it difficult to separate the good from the great. Now and then, an album comes along that just floors me, making this distinction completely irrelevant. '77 Live, which I was first introduced to no more than 6 months ago, is a perfect album. I can't imagine making a serious top 10 list without including it. It's not an album I can recommend to everyone. It's almost annoyingly lo-fi; it's impossible to decipher the Japanese lyrics; and it's louder than hell. But, in so many ways, it sets the standard for every noise/psych record I've ever heard. It would be arrogant and short-sighted of me to think that i can say anything about this album that hasn't been said before. But, I'll say this: it's completely earth-shattering. From the blissfully cacophonous guitar freakouts to the surprisingly melodic bass lines, '77 Live is the best psychedelic record I've ever heard. If this is what the apocalypse sounds like, I can't wait.

http://www.mediafire.com/?mmz32btjejz

best of the year... so far

2010 has been awfully kind to the drone/noise/ambient crowd. The best record yet is Yellow Swans's release Going Places. It's a totally engulfing record; impenetrably dense but still accessible. Play it at loud volumes.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=B8LQNGMP

mixtape!

here's a carefully constructed winter mix tape:

tracklist:

davy graham - grooveyard
robbie basho - eagle sails the blue diamond waters
grouper - invisible
nico - evening of light
windy & carl - you
auburn lull - early evening reverie
ashtray navigations - the slow spectral process of the soap bubble
gas - untitled #1
john martyn - let the good things come
jim o'rourke - there's hell in hello, but more in goodbye

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=AJWIHZ7Y

Windy & Carl - Dream House/Dedications for Flea (2005)

winter is undoubtedly the season for drone. Windy & Carl, a duo from Michigan, have been one of the best acts in the genre for almost 2 decades. this double album is one of the most beautiful albums of the 2000s. written partly as a dedication to a family pet, the album evokes all the warm, peaceful reflective feelings that a proper eulogy should embody. crank it up loud and take a walk around in the snow.

http://www.mediafire.com/?ymmmhnicyx4

music from a film

Throbbing Gristle - In the Shadow of the Sun (1984)
the music of industrial founders throbbing gristle hasn't always translated well to recordings. there's a disorienting sense of doom and unrest here that must be experienced in person. luckily, i was able to catch them earlier this year on their reunion tour and was not let down by their show. although decidedly nostalgic, there were moments of striking force. arguably their finest moment came in the first set when they preformed In the Shadow of the Sun, a film score that was preformed, in full, alongside the companion film. below i have linked a download of the album, which works well on its own. here we find a creeping ambient piece which projects sinister vibes as it meanders for almost a full hour. on par with some of the best works of the genre, In the Shadow of the Sun is required listening for anybody with more than a passing interest in ambient music.
http://www.sendspace.com/file/rib2zn

cold weather music

Beach House - Teen Dream (2010)

On their third album, Baltimore dream pop duo Beach House have released their loudest and most captivating album yet. Draped in a warm, engulfing sound, these 10 songs are capable of warming up the coldest winter night. Providing an introspective, catchy dreamscape, Teen Dream is sure to be among the best releases of early 2010. Try listening to it and not falling in love with Victoria Legrand. The opening track 'Zebra' is among Beach House's best tracks yet. Highly recommended! As always, link below:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=SEI284OA

listen to this music

Neokarma Jooklo Experience - Peaceful Messages (2009)

one of the main purposes of this blog will be to share music with those of you fortunate enough to stumble across my little corner of the internet. from time to time, i'll post an album that's particularly impressive or meaningful to me. yesterday i had the pleasure of listening to this gem from the Neokarma Jooklo Experience. NJE is an Italian collective of musicians who create cosmic jams rooted in the traditions of improvization and experimentation. bombarded with a convergence of ethnic sounds ranging from soaring flutes to soulful saxophones, Peaceful Messages is 33 of the most enjoyable minutes of music i've heard all year. check out the link to the album below:

http://www.mediafire.com/?g3jy1ym2dz2