FOUR FROM WHAT ABOUT ME RECORDS

Well, it's been a month since the last post but here I am. The 700 mile trek up to Oregon was a major pain in the ass due to snowy highways but we made it. Time to start looking for a job.



WHAT ABOUT ME RECORDS is a new label started by “Johnny Cash” from New Braunfels, Texas. He sent me his first batch of four CD-Rs. I don't want to sound like an ass but ordinarily I wouldn’t spend any time writing reviews for such amateurish, thrown together releases. I like this kid though. He's enthusiastic, friendly, and these are his very first DIY releases. He seems genuinely excited about what he is doing. Each of these CDs are limited to 10-20 copies and can be acquired at http://myspace.com/whataboutmerex.


ELDERLY PORNOGRAPHY - “Jacking Off An Amputated Nigger Midget (clean version)” CD-R (What About Me Records)

What the Fuck? This CD is seriously less than two minutes long. Every track is almost the exact same thing. This is the “clean version” (ha ha) so what we’re left with are very short blasts of bleeped out cuss words over static-lite pseudo harsh noise with cheesy samples and two seconds of negative space between each track. I hate it so much I almost love it.


XROTTEN NOISEX- “Grindcore is Fucking Dead” CD-R (What About Me Records)

Alright, this is a little more put together. “Grindcore is Fucking Dead” is 50 tracks of ametuerish shitgrind/harsh noise/power electronis. This shit is beyond silly. The vocalist is either a little girl or one of my little brothers weirdo friends. I can’t tell if this is bad in a good way or just plain bad. Part’s of it are actually quite enjoyable but the tracks are all so short there’s no time to develop anything that attention grabbing. The song titles reek of Anal Cunt too so if that’s your thing...


THE WHEN McGRUFF WAS KING/50 WAYS TO KILL ME/BREAKDANCING RONALD REGAN - 3 way split CD-R (What About Me Records)

First up, McGRUFF. After listening to 20 minutes of retarded joke music, I was expecting more of the same. So I was a little surprised to find that THE WHEN McGRUFF WAS KING play actual songs. Actually it’s still retarded joke music, it’s just a little more charming this time around. TWMcGWK kind of reminds me of early PAVEMENT if they were completely wasted(er?) and brain damaged (not in a good way). However, I’d be surprised if these kids had ever even heard of PAVEMENT. In reality, they probably just raided their parents liquor cabinet and then tried to play rock & roll while running a tape recorder. The end of their second song does get a little ‘experimental’. It’s kind of like a less fucked, more adolescent version of THE DEAD C.

What do you get when you cross ATOM AND HIS PACKAGE with a total lack of talent? 50 WAYS TO KILL ME, that’s what! Jay Haley makes cheesy pop songs by programming beats/synths/whatnot and then sings over them. It’s out of tune and off time and I love it. It falls into the category of music that’s so bad it’s good. The added goregrind influence that sneaks in occasionally is a total boner... er... bonus as well. “You know what to do, kill me with Voodoo.” Genius.

BREAKDANCING RONALD REGAN is the solo project of label dude, Johnny Cash. “A History of Southern Tribalism” is his first track. It starts with a repeating loop of 'old thyme' southern sounding piano quickly followed by cut up distortion, strange percussion samples, and and ominous bass line that slowly creeps in and out. The track goes on for almost 9 minutes without really going anywhere but it still manages to create a creepy atmosphere. The second track is sort of built the same way as the first. A chiming loop starts things off and is slowly built upon by elastic crunch and boomy distortion.


WHITE TIGER A:. A:. - "Tiger 7" (What About Me Records)

WHITE TIGER A:.A:. from Australia drop a single 56 minute track of free improv and cosmic psychedelic ambience, heavy on the reverb and delay. I’m not sure what instumentation is used but I think I hear some drums and buried no-wave guitar in there somewhere. Possibly some violin(?) and synth or a wind instrument as well. I love the goofy shouting towards the end. It runs on a little long but this is still without a doubt the most fully realized of the four WHAT ABOUT ME releases. I’d say this recording definitely deserves to be packaged a little more professionally and NOT limited to only 10 copies but that’s just me.

-FRED

THREE FROM ABELIAN GROUPS RECORDS

This may be the last update until late February or early March. I'm moving to Portland in less than two weeks and won't have much time to listen to or write about music until I can get completely unpacked and situated in my new house. Thanks for reading. Stay Tuned...


I haven't reviewed any tapes in a while. What better way to get back into the habit than with 3 new ones from ABELIAN GROUPS RECORDS?


DROUGHTER - "Young Harm" c12 (Abelian Groups Records)

Two short sides of low end brutality from DROUGHTER's Kevin McEleney. I really love when noise releases are kept short like this. The artist is less likely to throw in filler when they've only got two six minute sides of tape to work with. My love of short releases probably stems from years and years of listening to punk/hardcore on 7" vinyl. I've pretty much trained myself to only tolerate 10-15 minutes of one band at a time. But this isn't hardcore at all. This is pure and simple harsh noise made by pure and simple means and done in a very effective way. I'm talking contact mics, distortion pedals, feedback, a tape recorder, and 12 minutes to kill. I'm totally into the burly as fuck lo-fi production too. Both sides are dominated by overpowering low-mids and sloppy mush but they still manage to sound huge and oppressive. Comes with a xeroxed insert on an unlabeled yellow tape. Limited to 50 copies.
http://abeliangroupsrecords.blogspot.com


CAUCHY-RIEMANN & SICK TO THE BACK TEETH - "Illness Transfer" c20 (Abelian Groups Records)

Ohio's CAUCHY-RIEMANN (a.k.a. Allen Cox) and New York's SICK TO THE BACK TEETH (awesome name!) team up for this 20 minute long collaboration. I love mail collaborations. It's always exciting to see what two very different artists miles apart from each other can come up without actually meeting face to face. The results are almost always interesting. This tape is no exception. The A side is ten minutes of tag team noise destruction. The artists parts are slightly panned left and right so you can hear what each of them is doing without it turning into one jumbled mess. They seem to take turns handling the low end and while I'm not sure who is on which side of the stereo field, I'm really enjoying the airplane nosedive sounds and squawking feedback. The B side is a little less harsh than the A side but no less entertaining. Synth slime slowly building and evolving Very intense, very ominous shit. Black tapes splattered with yellow paint. Limited to 30 copies.
http://abeliangroupsrecords.blogspot.com


CAUCHY-RIEMANN & ISRAELI INTELLIGENCE - collab. c20 (Abelian Groups Records/Parsimoneous Recurrence)

Y'know that spattering synth chirp that MITB/BASTARD NOISE is known for? That's probably my favorite sound in the world and it's also what the first side of this tape opens up with. This is another CAUCHY-RIEMANN collab, this time with Palmdale, California's ISRAELI INTELLIGENCE who I'm not really familiar with. Of the three tapes that Allen Cox sent me, this is definitely my favorite. There's a lot of my beloved synth chirp to be found on side A along with some jet engine distortion, buried scuzzed out vocals, and damaged guitar drowning in reverb. Side B is a much deeper, monolithic venture with crumbling distortion and tea kettle electronics. I dig. More paint splattered black tapes. Limited to 30 copies.
http://abeliangroupsrecords.blogspot.com & http://parsimoneous-recurrence.50megs.com/

-FRED

MX NIHIL - "Psycho Killer" 3" CD-R (World Nihil)

Oh geez. Here we've got another 20 some-odd minutes of beyond brutal harsh noise on a 3" CD-R. Germany's MX NIHIL sounds like a million and a half other indistinguishable harsh noise projects but for some reason I can never get enough of this shit. I just love loading the 5 disc changer with all sorts of random harshness and letting it rip. I could be wrong but it sounds like MX NIHIL's basic method for making noise involves running audio from an external source through an effects chain and then overdubbing (?) some more memorable feedback sputters and whatnot over the top. Very basic but very effective. I especially like when the horror movie screams and Godzilla growls cut through the thick distorted mess. Very nice looking black & white computer generated cover art pasted on a red spraypainted cardboard sleeve. Mine came with some absolutely ridiculous "Will Fuck for Harsh Noise" stickers. Limited to 35 copies. You already know if you want this or not. http://worldnihil.de but it doesn't work so try this... http://myspace.com/worldnihil

-FRED

THREE FROM INDUSTRIAL CULTURE RECORDS

PRAEW JIK - "Wu Wei" 3" CD-R (Industrial Culture)

This blog/zine was started because of my love for DIY harsh noise. PRAEW JIK is the embodiment of DIY harsh noise and this little 3" is about as "pure" as it gets. "Wu Wei" is a 21 minute barrage of pure sound. Barely audible traces of synth and screamed vocals are buried in what sounds like ultra distorted field recordings of waterfalls and then mastered at a ridiculously loud level. The one-sheet that came with this CD mentions the "Japtronic Stalwarts" as an influence. I'd say that's a great place to start seeing as how classic japanese harsh noise seems to be the ONLY influence. It's like channeling the combined spirit of classic Merzbow and Masonna through the body of a white dude from Florida. "Wu Wei" definitely isn't breaking any new ground but it doesn't need to. It's a fun way to unwind after work and piss off the neighbors. http://freewebs.com/praewjik & http://industrialculture.org


THE SLEEP SESSIONS - "Heatwaves & Snowdrifts" 3" CD-R (Industrial Culture)

Kielce, Poland noise newcomer, Dawid Kowalski checks in with 17 minutes of psychedelic noisy goodness under the moniker, THE SLEEP SESSIONS. There are two tracks on this CD not surprisingly named "Heatwaves" and "Snowdrifts". "Heatwaves" starts things off in midrange harsh mode. Lots of slowly evolving textures and thought out knob tweaking. The sound is constantly changing but never far enough in a new direction for my tastes. It gets a little tiresome at times. Good but not great. The second track, "Snowdrifts" sounds almost exactly like the first track. I had to check to make sure there wasn't a mistake in the track sequencing. I like that both these tracks sound like they were recorded live with no overdubs or editing but I would have like to see what else Dawid is capable of doing texturally. http://myspace.com/thesleepsessions & http://industrialculture.org


NO JOHN - "Parasite" 3" CD-R (Industrial Culture)

Experiencing to the music of NO JOHN feels like listening in on a study into the properties of sound. Usually when listening to noise, I can picture some chubby unbathed scalawag punching distortion pedals and sticking contact mics in his mouth. When I try and visualize NO JOHN, all I see a scientist wearing a lab-coat, tweaking a knob then taking notes, tweaking another knob then taking more notes. There are no "jamz" to be found here. NO JOHN's is a very "academic" kind of noise focusing more on subtlety than brute force. After the short 'wall noise' snippet at the beginning of "Fig. 1", the saturation disappears only to return a few times during the CD's 15 minutes of crackles, warbles, and synth buzz. Very original and highly recommended. http://nojohn.org & http://industrialculture.org

P.S. The chubby, unbathed scalawag I was referring to is me.

-FRED

TWODEADSLUTS ONEGOODFUCK - S/T fan disc CD-R (self released)

Boston's TWODEADSLUTS ONEGOODFUCK have been around for a few years. They're touring the US, putting out records, and their live show is a thing of legend (I'm serious, check on YouTube). They seem to be on their way up in the world which is pretty good considering how overly offensive they are. Ah yes... Power Electronics. That's what this is. TDS OGF start with your basic PE mold, take out the goofy Whitehousities found in a lot of PE, and replace it with shit-hot hardcore rage and pent-up sexual aggression. All the usual ingredients for PE are here. You've got the warbling synth, the obnoxious as fuck microphone feedback and of course, the token sexism and homophobia (ugh). But (unlike certain unnamed Power Electronics artists that bore me to tears) TDS OGF takes those ingredients and uses them to create an extremely high energy Power Electronics sound bordering on straight-up Harsh Noise and dripping with violence. It's like taking the ingredients for a chocolate cake and making a chocolate dildo instead. Wait, did I just type that? "Fuck First... Ask Questions Never" is my favorite track on here. The distorted PE vocals mix with brutal walls of distortion and make little tinglys up and down my spine. They keep it short and sweet on this one with six quick tracks that are over before you know it and leave you wanting more. Comes packaged in a very professional looking black digipack with a simple insert and gross cover art. Mastered by the mighty James Plotkin and limited to 200 copies. I have a feeling this shit is moving fast so get on it. Recommended for anyone who likes it naughty. Not recommended for the PC noisers.

-FRED

Spotlight :: GLAUKOM SYNOD

GLAUKOM SYNOD - "Hydrocephalizer" CD-R (self released)

This is the kind of "industrial" I can really get into. No dramatic goth bullshit. No sugary techno fluff. Just pure cut-up electronic brutality and noisy distorted rhythm. GLAUKOM SYNOD is the work of Frenchman, Gabriel S. Using a computer, Gabriel creates a noisy, fun, beat-driven experiment in musical schizophrenia. Because of his use of a computer. Gabriel is able to throw anything he wants in there... and he does. Unlike most beat-driven music, there is almost zero repetition. In the title track alone there are harsh noise like rumblings, field recordings, samples of an actual rock band, low drones, danceable beats, blastbeats, glitched out retardedness, and way too much shit to actually type out. Because of the constantly changing form, it makes "Hydrocephalizer" seem a little unfocused but that doesn't keep it from being a whole lot of fun. The next three tracks are very short, the longest clocking in at 2:31 and showing a more controlled (though not as fun) side to GLAUKOM SYNOD. Recommended for people who think they don't like modern industrial music. http://glaukomsynod.site.voila.fr


GLAUKOM SYNOD - "Obsessism XXIII" (self released)

Another one from GKS. This one apparently came out before "Hydrocephalizer". A quick internet search tells me that this is GKS's first demo. The 10 songs on this release aren't nearly as all-over-the-place as "Hydrocephalizer". The beats are more danceable and there are lots of heavy metal guitar samples. This sounds like something I would have really been into in the '90s. Y'know? Ministry, Rammstein, Skinny Puppy, the whole bit. It's still noisy but not anywhere near the mind-fuck that is "Hydrocephalizer". Unfortunately the CD was too long for me. I lost interest about halfway through and had to struggle to listen to the whole thing. That's not to say it's bad. It's just not really my cup of PG tips. Worth checking out if you like your industrial to be in "song" form and mixed with extreme metal. My copy came with a super pixelated xerox cover and was hand numbered 433 out of 150. http://glaukomsynod.site.voila.fr


V/A - "Reincremation" CD-R (Nhilistic Holocaust)

This isn't a GLAUKOM SYNOD release at all but a 4-way split CD-R that GLAUKOM SYNOD's Gabriel S released on his label, NIHILISTIC HOLOCAUST. The 4 bands featured are IMPUREZA, ARSONIST, SUDDEN DEATH, and INGURGITATING OBLIVION. France's IMPUREZA starts things off with some awesome well-recorded catchy death metal (sung in Spanish?!) ala IMMOLATION or NILE but with more modern thrash metal influences. Totally brutal! Totally awesome ! Not what I was expecting at all after listening to GLAUKOM SYNOD for the past hour. The acoustic flamenco guitar was a nice touch too. That shit seriously made my fucking day. Next up is ARSONIST from Sweden. ARSONIST keeps it up with some brutal Cannibal Corpse influenced death metal. From the song titles ("Sadistic Necrophile Bed-Pleasures") to the relentless pounding blastbeats, their four songs reek of Cannibal Corpse and I love it. Germany's SUDDEN DEATH sounds remarkably similar to ARSONIST but with a slightly rougher production and a more old school approach to song writing. Last but not least is another band from Germany. INGURGITATING OBLIVION close this CD off nicely with a lethal dose of modern brutal death metal. No thrash or hardcore influences. Just straight up Suffocation worship. I haven't listened to this kind of over the top macho death metal shit since I was a teenager and I after listening to this CD, I wonder why I ever stopped. My copy was number 857. That's a lot of fucking CD-Rs! http://site.voila.fr/NIHILISTIC

-FRED

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