JACKIE-O MOTHERFUCKER Liberation (Road Cone)
JACKIE-O MOTHERFUCKER The Magick Fire Music (Ecstatic Peace!)
NYC musician Tom Greenwood was a great cog in the local experimental
music scene, and has since moved on to other lands yet still remains a
focus player in this great band, which seems finally to be getting its
critical due. In fact, in a recent issue of the WIRE, the editor's
opening comments inexplicably trashed the White Stripes (who I guess are
big on the NME crowd scene, but hell, I like 'em) and heaped hosannas on
JOMF and we ask, "where the heck have you been?" For the uninitiated, JOMF
take on folk, free jazz, drone rock, roots music and everything else under
the sun, combining all that is GOOD in music in a way few others can. Both
these recent releases are full of shifting textures, dreamy soundscapes,
cluttered jams, and out thinking in general. Very nice indeed.
TED SHRED "Hip Hop vs. Everything"
Yet another stray turntablist west-coast goofball with serious jones for
cheesy radio rock of the 80s. Except its a lot better than most: Cookie
Monster yowls over the rhythm track of "Billie Jean", Christine McVie
meets Xibit AND Snow White, Ol Dirty Bastard goes up against CCR,
D.O.C. vs. Don HO, and Billy Squier battles himself. It's REALLY good, and
hysterically funny, and the whole damn thing was done live on 2
turntables, one take. I'm sure after 2 listens I'll be filing it for
company coming over, but it's still great.
GASP/SUFFERING LUNA Split LP (Deep Six)
From a year ago or so, but as California grind/noise/metal label Deep Six
sent a gigantic package recently, am gradually catching up. Both bands
total sickadelic space metal, Zeni Geva/Hawkwind mulched up even more
lo-fi and twisted. Really great!
SLEEPYTIME GORILLA MUSEUM Grand Opening and Closing
(Seeland/Chaosophy)
Sort of a short-but-concentrated project with members of such excellent
Bay Area groups as Idiot Flesh, Charming Hostess, and Species Being, SGM
dropped jaws at Tonic recently, and not just because they pulled up in a
gigantic specially-converted 1970's urban transit bus. Extremely dramatic
and theatrical like the great Idiot Flesh, SGM also weigh in heavily to
the post-Residents mindset of the Vaccination label folks (many of whom
record at the same studio), with some great furious rock-heavy flairs of
Ruins, Magma and King Crimson. Percussionist Moe! Staiano also brings some
massive jones for the metal-clang action of Einstrurzende Neubauten, and
the bassist builds amazing musical contraptions on his own. More costume
rock in New York City, I say!
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