Photo
March 18, 2013
Interview with horror disco artist Antoni Maiovvi: The Internet is a strange beast. Record stores and radio used to be my main source of discovering new artists now it’s youtube and soundcloud and random internet blogs. Italo disco has been of interest to me lately so a few short searches later I’m watching Antoni Maiovvi videos on youtube and really digging them. Then a few days later his name shows up as a record store day release on the Death Waltz record label and now I’m really interested in finding out about this guy. Luckily a few emails were exchanged and the man behind the musical persona Antoni Maiovvi agreed to answer some questions about his score for the short film Yellow and it’s upcoming vinyl treatment from Death Waltz Recording Co. (http://www.deathwaltzrecordingcompany.com/record-store-day/) YELLOW a neo Giallo short film trailer from Ryan Haysom on Vimeo. Record Store Day is fast approaching and the soundtrack you did for the short film Yellow is getting the vinyl treatment. First off how did you get involved on the Yellow project?   When Gianni and Myself were crowdfunding our Giallo Disco label, Ryan the director of Yellow was also crowdfunding for the film, we were both in Berlin at the time and met up. It’s wonderful, we’re very close friends now and it’s very much a case of ‘where were you all this time!’. Legendary Bromance Action…   Did they give you free reign on the music or did they have a direction they wanted the music to go in?   Ryan and I have pretty much exactly the same taste in film so he said “Manhunter & Tenebrae” and I knew instantly how that sounded. There were about three tracks I sent that weren’t in the film, but I sent them about 40 minutes of music initially.   Yellow is still making its way through festivals, is there a dvd release in the works?   There is a release for the crowdfunders, but the team is already working on the feature film and I’d imagine (although I don’t know for sure) that it would be included on that release.   Obviously you must be pleased with the results of the soundtrack. What’s it like to join the ranks of Carpenter and Frizzi on the Death Waltz label?   A little surreal, I mailed Steve Moore when I saw his name attached, I’ve tried to keep in contact with him since he said nice things about my work as I’m a big admirer of his work. We both agreed that given that our music wouldn’t be the same without Carpenter or Frizzi it’s an odd but amazing feeling. Given that Antoni Maiovvi started out as a fake Italian composer, who then became a cop, part time vigilante murderer and emotional karaoke singer, this whole thing has legitimized him in lots of ways. Needless to say, it’s awesome.   How did the idea for the Record Store Day release come about?   When the film showed at Fright Fest in London, Spencer Deathwaltz was tweeting about it so I just sent him the score via email and he loved it.   Your music has been called Horror Disco and your work shares similarities with the old horror soundtracks. What kind of influence has film had on your work?   I got into film when I was about 16 / 17 they showed all the Jess Franco films late at night and there was something about beautiful Mediterranean women, blood, nudity and freaky music that my teenage brain REALLY liked. I probably watch more films that I do listen to records, everything from 70s arthouse pornography to 80s comedies. I think the music is better in old horror and sci-fi though. I understand the problem, synth scores can make it sound cheap and strings add a touch of class, but hell.   You have cited Goblin, Tangerine Dream, and John Carpenter as influences, any other go to artists or records that you would like to share?   Italo Disco, old EBM, New Beat, Steve Moore, Bronnt Industries Kapital, Unit Black Flight, Vercetti Technicolor, David Kristian, Klaus Schulze, Neu!, Michael Garrison, Cyber Dance Records, Weidorje, Michael Stearns, Eduard Artemyev, Crème Org / Clone / Bunker Records, Umberto… I could go on and on about this…   Giallo Disco Records seems to be home to your new releases. What’s the story behind the label? (http://giallodiscorecords.bandcamp.com/)   Gianni (Vercetti Technicolor) and I were in a position in 2012 where no one would touch our music anymore for some reason, Gianni had been in a position where three labels changed their mind about a release, one even paid for a Legowelt remix before deciding not to continue! So the plan was just to start a vinyl label (Gianni and I both DJ with vinyl and are avid collectors) to give us a platform for our music that no one seemed to want. We crowdfunded enough pre-sales for the first pressing, then Clone in Rotterdam (the best record shop in the world!) for distribution, we were super happy, we never expected any of this to happen. People started sending us demos, really amazing artists that, personally, I never would have heard about any other way. Since we started the label both Gianni and I have a bunch of records coming out on other labels now. If you’re a young producer I would offer this as advice, DIY everything, speak to the distributors yourself and remember people take a physical release much more seriously.   Do you have plans for any future releases?   Next up is the long awaited solo release from label partner Vercetti Technicolor, then we have plans for releases from the amazing Alessandro Parisi from Italy. A new band called Izorzi from Paris. I can’t wait.

Interview with horror disco artist Antoni Maiovvi:


The Internet is a strange beast. Record stores and radio used to be my main source of discovering new artists now it’s youtube and soundcloud and random internet blogs. Italo disco has been of interest to me lately so a few short searches later I’m watching Antoni Maiovvi videos on youtube and really digging them. Then a few days later his name shows up as a record store day release on the Death Waltz record label and now I’m really interested in finding out about this guy. Luckily a few emails were exchanged and the man behind the musical persona Antoni Maiovvi agreed to answer some questions about his score for the short film Yellow and it’s upcoming vinyl treatment from Death Waltz Recording Co. (http://www.deathwaltzrecordingcompany.com/record-store-day/)

YELLOW a neo Giallo short film trailer from Ryan Haysom on Vimeo.

Record Store Day is fast approaching and the soundtrack you did for the short film Yellow is getting the vinyl treatment. First off how did you get involved on the Yellow project?

 

When Gianni and Myself were crowdfunding our Giallo Disco label, Ryan the director of Yellow was also crowdfunding for the film, we were both in Berlin at the time and met up. It’s wonderful, we’re very close friends now and it’s very much a case of ‘where were you all this time!’. Legendary Bromance Action…

 

Did they give you free reign on the music or did they have a direction they wanted the music to go in?

 

Ryan and I have pretty much exactly the same taste in film so he said “Manhunter & Tenebrae” and I knew instantly how that sounded. There were about three tracks I sent that weren’t in the film, but I sent them about 40 minutes of music initially.

 

Yellow is still making its way through festivals, is there a dvd release in the works?

 

There is a release for the crowdfunders, but the team is already working on the feature film and I’d imagine (although I don’t know for sure) that it would be included on that release.

 

Obviously you must be pleased with the results of the soundtrack. What’s it like to join the ranks of Carpenter and Frizzi on the Death Waltz label?

 

A little surreal, I mailed Steve Moore when I saw his name attached, I’ve tried to keep in contact with him since he said nice things about my work as I’m a big admirer of his work. We both agreed that given that our music wouldn’t be the same without Carpenter or Frizzi it’s an odd but amazing feeling. Given that Antoni Maiovvi started out as a fake Italian composer, who then became a cop, part time vigilante murderer and emotional karaoke singer, this whole thing has legitimized him in lots of ways. Needless to say, it’s awesome.

 

How did the idea for the Record Store Day release come about?

 

When the film showed at Fright Fest in London, Spencer Deathwaltz was tweeting about it so I just sent him the score via email and he loved it.

 

Your music has been called Horror Disco and your work shares similarities with the old horror soundtracks. What kind of influence has film had on your work?

 

I got into film when I was about 16 / 17 they showed all the Jess Franco films late at night and there was something about beautiful Mediterranean women, blood, nudity and freaky music that my teenage brain REALLY liked. I probably watch more films that I do listen to records, everything from 70s arthouse pornography to 80s comedies. I think the music is better in old horror and sci-fi though. I understand the problem, synth scores can make it sound cheap and strings add a touch of class, but hell.

 

You have cited Goblin, Tangerine Dream, and John Carpenter as influences, any other go to artists or records that you would like to share?

 

Italo Disco, old EBM, New Beat, Steve Moore, Bronnt Industries Kapital, Unit Black Flight, Vercetti Technicolor, David Kristian, Klaus Schulze, Neu!, Michael Garrison, Cyber Dance Records, Weidorje, Michael Stearns, Eduard Artemyev, Crème Org / Clone / Bunker Records, Umberto… I could go on and on about this…

 

Giallo Disco Records seems to be home to your new releases. What’s the story behind the label? (http://giallodiscorecords.bandcamp.com/)

 

Gianni (Vercetti Technicolor) and I were in a position in 2012 where no one would touch our music anymore for some reason, Gianni had been in a position where three labels changed their mind about a release, one even paid for a Legowelt remix before deciding not to continue! So the plan was just to start a vinyl label (Gianni and I both DJ with vinyl and are avid collectors) to give us a platform for our music that no one seemed to want. We crowdfunded enough pre-sales for the first pressing, then Clone in Rotterdam (the best record shop in the world!) for distribution, we were super happy, we never expected any of this to happen. People started sending us demos, really amazing artists that, personally, I never would have heard about any other way. Since we started the label both Gianni and I have a bunch of records coming out on other labels now. If you’re a young producer I would offer this as advice, DIY everything, speak to the distributors yourself and remember people take a physical release much more seriously.

 

Do you have plans for any future releases?

 

Next up is the long awaited solo release from label partner Vercetti Technicolor, then we have plans for releases from the amazing Alessandro Parisi from Italy. A new band called Izorzi from Paris. I can’t wait.

Photo
March 14, 2013
2 notes
Red Jacket Mine-Someone Else’s Cake (Fin Records) Buy it here: http://finrecords.com/store/someone-elses-cake-lp It’s no secret that Fin Records does some of the best packaging around and they keep upping the ante. The new Red Jacket Mine album has a seriously cool pop art vibe on the sleeve art and is a hand numbered edition of 500 on white vinyl with a custom inner sleeve that keeps up the fun artwork. “Someone Else’s Cake” is an album that lives in the realm of soulful power pop that is radio friendly to the max. If dusty copies of Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, and Nick Lowe lps are living on your record shelf than you should make room for this lp. “Listen Up” and “Bellar & Bawl” were both released as singles as part of a limited edition colored vinyl series leading up to the release of the bands third full-length album. Leading man Lincoln Barr pairs smart songwriting with pop melodies and catchy lyrics that will have you nostalgic for the days when the power pop trio ruled the radio-waves.

Red Jacket Mine-Someone Else’s Cake (Fin Records)

Buy it here: http://finrecords.com/store/someone-elses-cake-lp


It’s no secret that Fin Records does some of the best packaging around and they keep upping the ante. The new Red Jacket Mine album has a seriously cool pop art vibe on the sleeve art and is a hand numbered edition of 500 on white vinyl with a custom inner sleeve that keeps up the fun artwork. “Someone Else’s Cake” is an album that lives in the realm of soulful power pop that is radio friendly to the max. If dusty copies of Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, and Nick Lowe lps are living on your record shelf than you should make room for this lp. “Listen Up” and “Bellar & Bawl” were both released as singles as part of a limited edition colored vinyl series leading up to the release of the bands third full-length album. Leading man Lincoln Barr pairs smart songwriting with pop melodies and catchy lyrics that will have you nostalgic for the days when the power pop trio ruled the radio-waves.

Photo
March 14, 2013
2 notes
Informatics-Dance to a Dangerous Beat (Dark Entries Records) buy it here: http://www.darkentriesrecords.com/store/dark-entries/informatics-dance-to-a-dangerous-beat-lp/ If the buzzing, rumbling, chirping analog awesomeness of early electronic equipment like synths and drum machines is something that peaks your interest the new reissue of the Informatics early 80s material from Dark Entries will be a must have record for you. Australia is not exactly the first place you think of for cutting edge electro synth post-punk sounds so the Informatics are a bit of a gem. They were doing things in there own way using whatever electronic gear they could get their hands on. The songs mostly ended up being recorded in a very DIY fashion, mainly in a garage to a four-track tape machine. The result is really fantastic electronic music that runs through synth punk vibes and even has touches of krautrock on the instrumental track “Underlife.” “Proximity Switch” stands as their most popular over the years and it is easy to see why. Dance to a Dangerous Beat is really an excellent compilation of a band that was worlds away from the scene yet stood tall creating very innovative music that still sounds fresh today. The packaging and archival photos look great and the sounds are pressed up on classic black vinyl.

Informatics-Dance to a Dangerous Beat (Dark Entries Records)

buy it here: http://www.darkentriesrecords.com/store/dark-entries/informatics-dance-to-a-dangerous-beat-lp/

If the buzzing, rumbling, chirping analog awesomeness of early electronic equipment like synths and drum machines is something that peaks your interest the new reissue of the Informatics early 80s material from Dark Entries will be a must have record for you. Australia is not exactly the first place you think of for cutting edge electro synth post-punk sounds so the Informatics are a bit of a gem. They were doing things in there own way using whatever electronic gear they could get their hands on. The songs mostly ended up being recorded in a very DIY fashion, mainly in a garage to a four-track tape machine. The result is really fantastic electronic music that runs through synth punk vibes and even has touches of krautrock on the instrumental track “Underlife.” “Proximity Switch” stands as their most popular over the years and it is easy to see why. Dance to a Dangerous Beat is really an excellent compilation of a band that was worlds away from the scene yet stood tall creating very innovative music that still sounds fresh today. The packaging and archival photos look great and the sounds are pressed up on classic black vinyl.

Photo
March 13, 2013
1 note
Interview with One Way Static Records a new soundtrack reissue label out of Belgium that is gearing up for their first release the soundtrack to Wes Craven’s 1972 film The Last House on the Left. This will be a label to watch out for as they will soon join the ranks of the best reissue labels I predict! One Way Static Records is a new record label. How did it all come about and what are your plans for launching the label? Yes, we are brand-new and located in Belgium. Well, I myself have been involved in labels, distribution & producing records for over 13 years now. Soundtracks have been a passion of mine since I was a kid. I’ve always been impressed by the impact that sounds can have in combination with moving images. So the idea of starting a soundtrack label was always lingering somewhere in my mind you know. It was partially born out of frustration due to the fact that a lot of these scores are so hard to find or just plain non-existing. I just want to re-release these records so I can spin them myself & let others discover or re-visit these forgotten gems.  Do you plan on only doing reissues of soundtracks and if so how will you make the label stand out from the plethora of labels getting into the market right  now? We mainly focus on reissues but we have an open mind towards more contemporary motion picture scores. We’ll see what the future brings. As for the many labels getting into the market, this has always been the case you know. Since the eighties labels like Varese, Beat, Cinevox and many others have been doing this. Those labels are still around as we speak. The last year has been really exciting with the rise of Death Waltz Records who released an incredible catalogue of killer soundtracks in just under a year’s time. Mondo from Austin is also releasing some awesome scores. I guess you can call us the new breed, releasing old material and giving it our personal touch and vision. For me standing out is not the main focus, our focus lays with quality. The recordings & the movies speak for themselves, they do the standing out. Your first release is the soundtrack to Wes Craven’s 1972 film The Last House on the Left. How did that come about being the first release and do you have any special packaging plans for the vinyl? I guess you can call it a labour of love. I first saw the movie on a crummy VHS tape about 20 years ago, the music’s been stuck in my head ever since. Together with the brutal imaginary it really made an impact on me, I just could not believe that such beautiful songs were used over scenes of extreme sadism. A thing that was undone at the time, but it worked and added to the movie’s cult status. I had to wait a long time to hear the complete score, keep in mind that those were the days when there was hardly any internet available, let alone this thing called Youtube. I re-discovered it when David Hess (the artist) released the score in 1999 on a limited CD. When I started thinking about doing OWS records, I just knew this had to be my first release. A choice that came with some consequenses :-) I’ve been working on it since June 2012, getting all rights and permissions, tracking down all the players involved, selecting bonus tracks and making sure it would turn out the way I envisioned it. Sometimes it was quite frustrating you know, seeing other labels releasing albums each month and me fighting to get this out. I could have done 3-4 releases by now, but I stuck with this one and I have no regrets, the support and response so far has been amazing. Packaging will be high end: gatefold sleeve, printed inner sleeve with EXTENSIVE liner notes, bonus flexi disk for the limited edition,… and so on. When you put this kind of effort & time in a release, you don’t want to slap it in a crappy package and be done with it. What is in store for the future of the label? Top secret my man! But if you like the LHOTL release you’ll love what’s up next. What labels inspire you? I mostly get inspired by labels who put a lot of effort in their releases. Labels that have a strong concept/vision or release high quality products. Labels that come to mind are :  Light In The Attic They are very diverse in terms of their release catalog, but you can count on it that every release they put out is hand-picked for it’s quality and historical importance. They top all this of with high end packaging and a great service. As a matter of fact, they are our North American mail-order & distribution partner, the place to get OWS releases in the US & Canada. Really happy about this. Death Waltz Records Spencer who runs DW is man with great vision who sticks to his concept. He runs his label the way he wants it, a thing I have the utmost respect for. Every DW release is a classic score you can just add to your collection without hesitation, complete with cover art by the best established and upcoming artists in the scene. We became good friends and sworn enemies in the last year and we try to promote each other’s stuff, something that came naturally since we share similar interest in music and movies. We are now teaming up to bring fans and collectors a vinyl/OST forum. This will be a great community space for people to hang and interact with each other, ask us questions or just waste time on. ! SPIN THE BLACKEST CIRCLES ! Are you a vinyl collector? That goes without saying, over the years my spectrum broadened (a sad thing for my wallet). I started collecting UK punk, US Hardcore, Wave,… back in the days. These days I collect a lot of French stuff like Gainsbourg, Piaf,… I also found a renewed passion for Country and Bluegrass. Very diverse collecting as you can see. What are some of your go to releases over the years? Ooh, though one. There are so many of them. But I can recommend the following blindly:  Joy Division ‘Unknown Pleasures’  No explanation needed on this one. The Adverts ‘Crossing The Read Sea’  1978 UK punk in it’s purest form. Johnny Cash ‘San Quentin/Folsom Prison’  Those records are classics every household needs. Fabio Frizzi ‘The Beyond OST’  One of the most epic soundtracks ever composed. Black Flag ‘My War’  This is the go to record when you are angry. Goblin ‘Suspiria OST’  Italian prog-rock that will haunt you in your sleep.   Sebastiaan Putseys One Way Static Records www.onewaystatic.com Check us out on : Twitter // Facebook // Pinterest // Google+ // New Myspace // Instagram // Youtube // Soundcloud

Interview with One Way Static Records a new soundtrack reissue label out of Belgium that is gearing up for their first release the soundtrack to Wes Craven’s 1972 film The Last House on the Left. This will be a label to watch out for as they will soon join the ranks of the best reissue labels I predict!

One Way Static Records is a new record label. How did it all come about and what are your plans for launching the label?
Yes, we are brand-new and located in Belgium. Well, I myself have been involved in labels, distribution & producing records for over 13 years now. Soundtracks have been a passion of mine since I was a kid. I’ve always been impressed by the impact that sounds can have in combination with moving images. So the idea of starting a soundtrack label was always lingering somewhere in my mind you know. It was partially born out of frustration due to the fact that a lot of these scores are so hard to find or just plain non-existing. I just want to re-release these records so I can spin them myself & let others discover or re-visit these forgotten gems. 
Do you plan on only doing reissues of soundtracks and if so how will you make the label stand out from the plethora of labels getting into the market right 
now?
We mainly focus on reissues but we have an open mind towards more contemporary motion picture scores. We’ll see what the future brings. As for the many labels getting into the market, this has always been the case you know. Since the eighties labels like Varese, Beat, Cinevox and many others have been doing this. Those labels are still around as we speak. The last year has been really exciting with the rise of Death Waltz Records who released an incredible catalogue of killer soundtracks in just under a year’s time. Mondo from Austin is also releasing some awesome scores. I guess you can call us the new breed, releasing old material and giving it our personal touch and vision. For me standing out is not the main focus, our focus lays with quality. The recordings & the movies speak for themselves, they do the standing out.
Your first release is the soundtrack to Wes Craven’s 1972 film The Last House on the Left. How did that come about being the first release and do you have any special packaging plans for the vinyl?
I guess you can call it a labour of love. I first saw the movie on a crummy VHS tape about 20 years ago, the music’s been stuck in my head ever since. Together with the brutal imaginary it really made an impact on me, I just could not believe that such beautiful songs were used over scenes of extreme sadism. A thing that was undone at the time, but it worked and added to the movie’s cult status. I had to wait a long time to hear the complete score, keep in mind that those were the days when there was hardly any internet available, let alone this thing called Youtube. I re-discovered it when David Hess (the artist) released the score in 1999 on a limited CD. When I started thinking about doing OWS records, I just knew this had to be my first release. A choice that came with some consequenses :-) I’ve been working on it since June 2012, getting all rights and permissions, tracking down all the players involved, selecting bonus tracks and making sure it would turn out the way I envisioned it. Sometimes it was quite frustrating you know, seeing other labels releasing albums each month and me fighting to get this out. I could have done 3-4 releases by now, but I stuck with this one and I have no regrets, the support and response so far has been amazing. Packaging will be high end: gatefold sleeve, printed inner sleeve with EXTENSIVE liner notes, bonus flexi disk for the limited edition,… and so on. When you put this kind of effort & time in a release, you don’t want to slap it in a crappy package and be done with it.
What is in store for the future of the label?
Top secret my man! But if you like the LHOTL release you’ll love what’s up next.
What labels inspire you?
I mostly get inspired by labels who put a lot of effort in their releases. Labels that have a strong concept/vision or release high quality products. Labels that come to mind are : 
Light In The Attic They are very diverse in terms of their release catalog, but you can count on it that every release they put out is hand-picked for it’s quality and historical importance. They top all this of with high end packaging and a great service. As a matter of fact, they are our North American mail-order & distribution partner, the place to get OWS releases in the US & Canada. Really happy about this.
Death Waltz Records Spencer who runs DW is man with great vision who sticks to his concept. He runs his label the way he wants it, a thing I have the utmost respect for. Every DW release is a classic score you can just add to your collection without hesitation, complete with cover art by the best established and upcoming artists in the scene. We became good friends and sworn enemies in the last year and we try to promote each other’s stuff, something that came naturally since we share similar interest in music and movies. We are now teaming up to bring fans and collectors a vinyl/OST forum. This will be a great community space for people to hang and interact with each other, ask us questions or just waste time on. ! SPIN THE BLACKEST CIRCLES !
Are you a vinyl collector?
That goes without saying, over the years my spectrum broadened (a sad thing for my wallet). I started collecting UK punk, US Hardcore, Wave,… back in the days. These days I collect a lot of French stuff like Gainsbourg, Piaf,… I also found a renewed passion for Country and Bluegrass. Very diverse collecting as you can see.
What are some of your go to releases over the years?
Ooh, though one. There are so many of them. But I can recommend the following blindly: 
Joy Division ‘Unknown Pleasures’  No explanation needed on this one.
The Adverts ‘Crossing The Read Sea’  1978 UK punk in it’s purest form.
Johnny Cash ‘San Quentin/Folsom Prison’  Those records are classics every household needs.
Fabio Frizzi ‘The Beyond OST’  One of the most epic soundtracks ever composed.
Black Flag ‘My War’  This is the go to record when you are angry.
Goblin ‘Suspiria OST’  Italian prog-rock that will haunt you in your sleep.
 
Sebastiaan Putseys
One Way Static Records
Check us out on :
Twitter // Facebook // Pinterest // Google+ // New Myspace // Instagram // Youtube // Soundcloud
Photo
March 12, 2013
Fall of Saigon (Dark Entries Records) buy it here: http://www.darkentriesrecords.com/store/dark-entries/fall-of-saigon-untitled-ep/ Dark Entries is a label that comes highly recommended by Troy of Medical Records whose releases have been covered in depth here at RAD Vinyl so it is with great pleasure that I spin Dark Entries latest release from France’s Fall of Saigon. The 6 song ep was originally released in 1983 and 30 years later these songs stand as the only release by the trio of Florence Berthon (Vocals), Pascal Comelade (Organ, Synth) and Thierry Den (Guitar, Vocals). With rudimentary equipment including a drum machine with little more than a few stock beats and a tempo adjuster the group crafted 6 ultra minimal tracks stripped of intros, outros and bridges. Armed with a love of groups like their namesake This Heat, Suicide, and The Velvet Underground, Fall of Saigon recorded the album in two stages with two tracks featuring Thierry Den’s vocals while the other four feature Florence’s gorgeous whispered vocals. The simplistic drone of the drum machine could easily be distracting in other bands but the Fall of Saigon manage to work with what they have and create moody post-punk with ghostly melodies both on the synths and vocals.”So Long” is an incredible song featuring an acoustic guitar paired with a samba like drum machine patch that creates an atmosphere of nostalgia and longing. The drumless last track “The Swimmer” is a haunting masterpiece that is not to be missed. It’s easy to see Fall of Saigon’s mark on the music that was to come with bands such as Stereolab and Beach House and thankfully Dark Entries  pressed up a new batch of this EP that is ripe for rediscovery.

Fall of Saigon (Dark Entries Records)

buy it here: http://www.darkentriesrecords.com/store/dark-entries/fall-of-saigon-untitled-ep/


Dark Entries is a label that comes highly recommended by Troy of Medical Records whose releases have been covered in depth here at RAD Vinyl so it is with great pleasure that I spin Dark Entries latest release from France’s Fall of Saigon. The 6 song ep was originally released in 1983 and 30 years later these songs stand as the only release by the trio of Florence Berthon (Vocals), Pascal Comelade (Organ, Synth) and Thierry Den (Guitar, Vocals). With rudimentary equipment including a drum machine with little more than a few stock beats and a tempo adjuster the group crafted 6 ultra minimal tracks stripped of intros, outros and bridges. Armed with a love of groups like their namesake This Heat, Suicide, and The Velvet Underground, Fall of Saigon recorded the album in two stages with two tracks featuring Thierry Den’s vocals while the other four feature Florence’s gorgeous whispered vocals. The simplistic drone of the drum machine could easily be distracting in other bands but the Fall of Saigon manage to work with what they have and create moody post-punk with ghostly melodies both on the synths and vocals.”So Long” is an incredible song featuring an acoustic guitar paired with a samba like drum machine patch that creates an atmosphere of nostalgia and longing. The drumless last track “The Swimmer” is a haunting masterpiece that is not to be missed. It’s easy to see Fall of Saigon’s mark on the music that was to come with bands such as Stereolab and Beach House and thankfully Dark Entries  pressed up a new batch of this EP that is ripe for rediscovery.

Photo
March 11, 2013
1 note
fairweatherfriend “You and I” 7inch (Fort Lowell Records) buy it here:  http://fortlowell.blogspot.com/ Fort Lowell has been an interesting and eclectic label to follow and with the release of the fairweatherfriend “You and I” single they have really grabbed my attention by diving into the showgaze/dream pop pool which is especially timely with the release of the new My Bloody Valentine record. Shoegazers across the globe are dusting off their 90’s records and remembering a time when music was more than an mp3. For four fellows out of Arizona they do an incredible job of channeling a very english sounding other worldliness of blurry eyed romanticism. They have some ethereal guitar tones and hushed vocals that are catchy and draw you in. They don’t have the bite of Kevin Sheilds incredible guitar wall but they make up for it in the vocals and melodies department where the new MBV album falls a bit short. Fairweatherfriend stands tall on their own though and takes and old sound and keeps it sounding polished and fresh. This release is hand numbered and limited to 500 on a gorgeous red/maroon marbled vinyl with a very classy black and white sleeve and I recommend you check it out.

fairweatherfriend “You and I” 7inch (Fort Lowell Records)

buy it here: 

http://fortlowell.blogspot.com/

Fort Lowell has been an interesting and eclectic label to follow and with the release of the fairweatherfriend “You and I” single they have really grabbed my attention by diving into the showgaze/dream pop pool which is especially timely with the release of the new My Bloody Valentine record. Shoegazers across the globe are dusting off their 90’s records and remembering a time when music was more than an mp3. For four fellows out of Arizona they do an incredible job of channeling a very english sounding other worldliness of blurry eyed romanticism. They have some ethereal guitar tones and hushed vocals that are catchy and draw you in. They don’t have the bite of Kevin Sheilds incredible guitar wall but they make up for it in the vocals and melodies department where the new MBV album falls a bit short. Fairweatherfriend stands tall on their own though and takes and old sound and keeps it sounding polished and fresh. This release is hand numbered and limited to 500 on a gorgeous red/maroon marbled vinyl with a very classy black and white sleeve and I recommend you check it out.

Photo
March 06, 2013
2 notes
R. Stevie Moore- I Missed July b/w I Traded My Heart For Your Parts buy it now from Sweaters & Pearls Records  http://sweatersandpearls.com/ I am late to the R Stevie Moore party. Just a few months ago he clicked for me and I have been madly trying to find his stuff on vinyl and even cassette. He is a prolific home recording artist with a catalog that spreads over four decades and numbers in the triple digits somewhere in the range of 400 records. It is hard to quality control or weed through that many albums for the uninitiated. Thankfully for the Sweaters & Pearls 7” Mr. Moore hand picked two tracks that are separated by nearly  sixteen years and they are both gems pressed into a very cool redish pink vinyl. Moore mixes humor into his quirky song arrangements and keeps things catchy lighthearted and seriously incredible. R. Stevie Moore is a legend and there is no better time than now to jump on the bandwagon or revisit and old friend. Here is to hoping Sweaters & Pearls does a whole 7” archival series of Moore’s work. For those on top of things the first 50 records were silk screened covers and this release is limited to 300 so act fast. Also check out Jason of Sweaters & Pearls other site where he writes about vinyl great stuff from a great guy!  http://7inches.blogspot.com/

R. Stevie Moore- I Missed July b/w I Traded My Heart For Your Parts

buy it now from Sweaters & Pearls Records 

http://sweatersandpearls.com/

I am late to the R Stevie Moore party. Just a few months ago he clicked for me and I have been madly trying to find his stuff on vinyl and even cassette. He is a prolific home recording artist with a catalog that spreads over four decades and numbers in the triple digits somewhere in the range of 400 records. It is hard to quality control or weed through that many albums for the uninitiated. Thankfully for the Sweaters & Pearls 7” Mr. Moore hand picked two tracks that are separated by nearly  sixteen years and they are both gems pressed into a very cool redish pink vinyl. Moore mixes humor into his quirky song arrangements and keeps things catchy lighthearted and seriously incredible. R. Stevie Moore is a legend and there is no better time than now to jump on the bandwagon or revisit and old friend. Here is to hoping Sweaters & Pearls does a whole 7” archival series of Moore’s work. For those on top of things the first 50 records were silk screened covers and this release is limited to 300 so act fast.

Also check out Jason of Sweaters & Pearls other site where he writes about vinyl great stuff from a great guy! 

http://7inches.blogspot.com/

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March 01, 2013
1 note
Plates of Cake-Teenage Evil (Uninhabitable Mansions) Buy it here: http://uninhabitablemansions.com/objects/um027-teenage-evil/ When I received this Plates of Cake lp the first thing I noticed was the name Jonathan Byerley and the note of familiarity it rang inside of me. At first I thought maybe I reviewed something by him already but after a little bit of searching it was obvious that was not the case. I couldn’t for the life of me place the name. A glance at the bio says they are from Colorado originally but are now in New York. All of the sudden the name and place starts to come together. I walk into the basement into my band practice area and hanging on the wall is a poster for a show my band played years ago in Minneapolis and lo and behold the name Jon Byerley. I have a vague recollection of a guy with an acoustic guitar and a trumpet player from Colorado. Years later he is heading up the indie rock quartet Plates of Cake who are set to release their new album March 26th. Eleven mid tempo grizzled rock songs populate “Teenage Evil” including a fitting cover for Byerley’s vocals “Underwater Moonlight” by the Soft Boys. This isn’t quite bar rock or country rock but it has a southern dusty road, pull up a bar stool and have a tall glass of whiskey vibe worthy of a few blurry eyed spins. Certainly recommended for fans of Robyn Hitchcock or The Silver Jews.

Plates of Cake-Teenage Evil (Uninhabitable Mansions)

Buy it here: http://uninhabitablemansions.com/objects/um027-teenage-evil/


When I received this Plates of Cake lp the first thing I noticed was the name Jonathan Byerley and the note of familiarity it rang inside of me. At first I thought maybe I reviewed something by him already but after a little bit of searching it was obvious that was not the case. I couldn’t for the life of me place the name. A glance at the bio says they are from Colorado originally but are now in New York. All of the sudden the name and place starts to come together. I walk into the basement into my band practice area and hanging on the wall is a poster for a show my band played years ago in Minneapolis and lo and behold the name Jon Byerley. I have a vague recollection of a guy with an acoustic guitar and a trumpet player from Colorado. Years later he is heading up the indie rock quartet Plates of Cake who are set to release their new album March 26th. Eleven mid tempo grizzled rock songs populate “Teenage Evil” including a fitting cover for Byerley’s vocals “Underwater Moonlight” by the Soft Boys. This isn’t quite bar rock or country rock but it has a southern dusty road, pull up a bar stool and have a tall glass of whiskey vibe worthy of a few blurry eyed spins. Certainly recommended for fans of Robyn Hitchcock or The Silver Jews.

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February 27, 2013
2 notes
Nazi Gold- A Message of Love (Super Secret Records) buy it here: http://www.supersecretrecords.com/releases.html Nazi Gold releases their debut long player for Super Secret Records limited to 300 copies- 200 black and 100 white. Over the 8 tracks of noise riddled angular post-punk inflected rock songs one man stands out…. Thor. I had the pleasure of witnessing Thor’s percussion skills for Swans last year and was blown away even if he was only in an auxiliary position.  On “A Message of Love” he is in full capacity and his drumming is tight and ferocious giving this 3 piece the muscle of an oncoming freight train.Thankfully in the press release they say the band doesn’t support hate or Nazi related activity but this record will not leave you warm and fuzzy. Brutal low end bass mixed, grinding angular guitar riffing along with Thor’s drumming will take you to Swans and Shellac like territory. The ending track “River” does have some Joy Division sounding moments especially with the bass guitar line. I had reservations going into the album seeing Thor on drums and the Swans like cover art but in the end this is a confident band of seasoned musicians who have put together a great album.

Nazi Gold- A Message of Love (Super Secret Records)

buy it here: http://www.supersecretrecords.com/releases.html

Nazi Gold releases their debut long player for Super Secret Records limited to 300 copies- 200 black and 100 white. Over the 8 tracks of noise riddled angular post-punk inflected rock songs one man stands out…. Thor. I had the pleasure of witnessing Thor’s percussion skills for Swans last year and was blown away even if he was only in an auxiliary position.  On “A Message of Love” he is in full capacity and his drumming is tight and ferocious giving this 3 piece the muscle of an oncoming freight train.Thankfully in the press release they say the band doesn’t support hate or Nazi related activity but this record will not leave you warm and fuzzy. Brutal low end bass mixed, grinding angular guitar riffing along with Thor’s drumming will take you to Swans and Shellac like territory. The ending track “River” does have some Joy Division sounding moments especially with the bass guitar line. I had reservations going into the album seeing Thor on drums and the Swans like cover art but in the end this is a confident band of seasoned musicians who have put together a great album.

Photo
February 27, 2013
1 note
Adam Widener-Gimmee Gimmee Scientific Stuff-(Sexy baby Records) Buy it here: http://sexybabyrecords.storenvy.com/products/301330-adam-widener-scientific-stuff-7-w-download-card Adam Widener is back again with another amped up 7” ep of garage punk with a bit of a quirky Devo like spin on some of the breaks of the title track “Gimmee Gimmee Scientific Stuff.” Like the ep I reviewed of Widener’s in early 2012 the guitar work is blazing but this time around he goes for a more rhythmic approach at times starting and stopping on drum cues which can help to break up the monotony of a three chord song. All the tracks are certainly foot stomping fist pumping speeds and the lyrics are clever and catchy. Available in 3-d cover art design that makes things a bit fuzzy to decipher butt still looks cool and a blue and red split vinyl that comes with a download code for maximum portability plus a bonus ep of unreleased material including a Devo cover.

Adam Widener-Gimmee Gimmee Scientific Stuff-(Sexy baby Records)

Buy it here: http://sexybabyrecords.storenvy.com/products/301330-adam-widener-scientific-stuff-7-w-download-card

Adam Widener is back again with another amped up 7” ep of garage punk with a bit of a quirky Devo like spin on some of the breaks of the title track “Gimmee Gimmee Scientific Stuff.” Like the ep I reviewed of Widener’s in early 2012 the guitar work is blazing but this time around he goes for a more rhythmic approach at times starting and stopping on drum cues which can help to break up the monotony of a three chord song. All the tracks are certainly foot stomping fist pumping speeds and the lyrics are clever and catchy. Available in 3-d cover art design that makes things a bit fuzzy to decipher butt still looks cool and a blue and red split vinyl that comes with a download code for maximum portability plus a bonus ep of unreleased material including a Devo cover.