Tuesday, November 27, 2007

FAT LEGS - "Ripe for the Harvest" CD-R (self-released)


What do I know about the husband and wife duo called FAT LEGS? Almost nothing! I've been in contact with Danny Milanese/FAT LEGS through email since this past summer. I even put out a split tape with them (scroll down a few posts for more info on that). Still though, I feel like I know nothing about who they really are. Why do they seem so mysterious? Am I the only one who thinks so? They seem like very nice people. I'm pretty sure the mystery of FAT LEGS is part of what draws me to them. Well, that and the fact that they make some very enjoyable, very unpredictable noisy music.

On "Ripe for the Harvest", FAT LEGS have created their most cohesive set of compositions yet. These four tracks take you on an incredibly haunting reverb-soaked journey through the way-the-fuck-out-there mind of Danny and his wife, Tiffany. Very seldom is DIY abstract music this well thought out... this conceptualized. As soon as the first track, "Sickle Cell Anemia" hit the one-minute mark, I could tell that this disc wasn't going to be leaving the CD changer for a while. All four tracks are full of buried drones, manipulated tape hiss, slo-mo synth slime, and an ungodly amount of reverb. The haunting ambience is overwhelming at times. This is definitely the slowest and most meditative I've heard FAT LEGS yet.

After listening to this CD 3 times in a row I've decided that this is essential listening for any fan of DIY homemade noise/drone. Expect to hear more from this band in the future. Grotesque cover artwork by Dan Milanese (as always). This CD-R is was put out in a limited edition of 50 copies. Chaoz Records (Netherlands) also helped put this out as a net release (so you don't have to feel too bad if you miss out on the CD-R). myspace.com/thefatlegs

-FRED

Thursday, November 22, 2007

SUBURBIA MELTING - "Tired of Waiting" CD-R (Smell The Stench)


Illinois native and recent Portland, OR relocater, Andy Quitter (a.k.a. SUBURBIA MELTING) is back with an awesome CD-R of unreleased (collab.?) sessions recorded in late 2005/early 2006. Alot of Andy's recent recorded and live work has been dominated by the use of his beyond brutal homemade "spring bass" (which is exactly what it sounds like) but I think these recordings were done before the building of the spring bass was completed. What we have here are 8 untitled tracks that can get pretty hectic at times but stay mostly in a psychedelic, sci-fi sludge. I hear contact mics, strange percussion, squishy circuits, tea-kettle electronics, and (guitar?) feedback. This stuff isn't as balls out violent as the other SUBURBIA MELTING recordings I've heard but that doesn't mean it's any less enjoyable. "Tired of Waiting" is actually one of the more interesting noise releases I've heard in recent months. It comes off as being much more exploratory than the straight up harsh noise that SUBURBIA MELTING is known for. It's definitely more "musical". The packaging is nothing fancy however. A black & white inkjet printed single-fold cover in a resealable plastic envelope. The CD-R is a store bought thing with a small hand written label stuck to it. Judging by the rate in which SMELL THE STENCH puts out releases, I can understand the simple packaging but I still appreciate a little more effort. Fortunately, the quality of the music more than makes up for it. This is an excellent release. Recommended for any fan of noise or experimental improv. geocities.com/discodumpster & smellthestench.net

-FRED

Sunday, November 18, 2007

FISTOPIA - "Destruction Fuck!" Deluxe Edition CD-R (Total Vomit Records)


This is my first encounter with Alberta, Canada's FISTOPIA. Judging by the CD's cover I was expecting some sort of perverted hi-fi professionalism. Shit, was I wrong. This CD is nothing but cheesy movie soundbites and beyond brutal lo-fi harsh noise. Heavy use of contact mics and what sounds like a mile long chain of distortion pedals. And with that said, it's pretty fucking enjoyable. I know almost nothing about the mind(s) behind FISTOPIA but it sounds to me like they're influenced by a lot of early '90s noise/gore/porn grind. The heavy use of sample intros followed by trashy overloaded chaos is what tipped me off. Mind-numbing but not mind-blowing. Comes packaged in a standard jewel case with a laser printed card-stock cover and (for some reason) a picture of the Teletubbies (dressed up as KISS) on the tray card. After some internet scouring, I've determined that what I have is actually the "deluxe edition" of this release. The basic version comes with a different cover in a slim CD case. Still worth checking out for fans of juvenile lo-fi harsh noise and gore grind (er... minus the grindcore). Also, they spelled marijuana wrong in the liner notes. Awesome.
myspace.com/fistopia & myspace.com/totalvomitrecords

-FRED

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

TWO NEW TAPES FROM BLASTBEATS FOR FREEDOM


bff5- THE TWO-YEAR CURSE / JOSEPH ANDREOLI - split c21

Santa Cruz, California's Federico Avila (a.k.a THE TWO-YEAR CURSE) and JOSEPH ANDREOLI team up again for another 10 (ish) minutes each of experimental improvised sound.

JOE ANDREOLI's guitar is so effected, the signal so damaged it sounds like a glitched out fucked up computer breathing it's last breath... whirring it's last whir. He could be boning up on his mixolydian shredding skills or he could be cramming the neck of his guitar into the cartridge slot of his calecovision. Who the fuck knows? Alien shred on the fritz.

For the first time, THE TWO YEAR CURSE does a 180 and uses all analog recording devices to capture all digital instrumentation (rather than the other way around). Free improv electronic drum-kit blasts break through the seams of spastic laptop generated feedback clatter. "I nearly broke the track-pad on that fucker!". Limited to 50 copies.



bff6- THE TWO-YEAR CURSE / FAT LEGS split c30

FAT LEGS, the mysterious husband and wife noise duo from Alberta, Canada rip out 15 minutes of beautiful female vocals, hideous male vocals, distorted keyboard damage, and zoned out electronic scuzziness.

After Fred Avila's recent forays into heavily edited, complex as fuck, mapped out recordings he gives up and goes back to basics. These are THE TWO-YEAR CURSE's most stripped down recordings yet. Slimey bubbling feedback kept at a simmer collides with non-stop brute force electronics and pissed off vocals that are more microphone feedback than human voice. Limited to 33 copies.

$4.00 ea. ppd in North America / $7.00 for both
$5.00 ea. ppd everywhere else on earth / $9.00 for both
paypal to blastbeatsforfreedom at yahoo dot com

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