[ aquarius records new arrivals

What with the Heavenly Vs Satan re-issue, the five Messthetics 70s/80s UK compilations and this 14 Iced Bears collection, it seems to be high time for a UK bubblegum punk/pop resurgence. So how 'bout hopping aboard this bouncy Brit buggy. "In The Beginning"

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RealAudio clip: The Balloon Song (Peel Session)

Not to be confused with the identically named "ladband" we discovered while trying to look up info on this one on the internet -- no, this 5ive are no boyband, they're a Boston psychedelic-doom-core duo making their cd debut after releasing one amazingly heavy

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Not to be confused with the identically named "ladband" we discovered while trying to look up info on this one on the internet -- no, this 5ive are no boyband, they're a Boston psychedelic-doom-core duo making their cd debut after releasing one amazingly heavy

RealAudio clip: The Baron

a qui avec Gabriel is a young female Japanese accordion player with a strange name, who presents her debut recording on John Zorn's Tzadik label. Her playing will remind some of accordionist Theodoro Anzellotti's beautiful interpretations of Erik Satie themes, while on some tracks she's joined by a full band in rock/exotica mode (clarinet, piano, violin, drums). It's a really

RealAudio clip: Takehaya-Sayat (a blue black storm or a poet)
RealAudio clip: Shikku (hard to fade away)
RealAudio clip: Hikari No Shizuku

Mr Robert Pollard has been quite prolific as of late. This is #13 in the Fading Captain Series. All new material and the first full-length collaboration between Robert Pollard and Tobin Sprout, since 1996's Guided By Voices 'Tonics And Twisted Chasers'. Of

RealAudio clip: Burns Carpenter, Man of Science

Furious and screaming metal core from these Philadelphia kids. Lots of chugging riffs and howling vocals. Not super complex, but relentless and seriously kick ass. Also contains a 10 minute video!

Not your laptop processing from Mille Plateaux or 12K, Amenti Suncrown prefer the increasingly antiquated arsenal of multiple keyboards, samplers, and color flashing gadgets to achieve their dark ambient / electronic soundscapes. Aptly released by World Serpent, Amenti Suncrown reflects a number of the same ideas held by World Serpent staples Coil and Nurse With Wound, with an

Adventurous accordionist Teodoro Anzellotti has already adapted the piano music of Erik Satie for another Winter & Winter disc. Now he turns to the harpsichord music of Italian composer Domenico Scarlatti, who flourished in Spain 1685-1757. Scarlatti's music

Aunt Sally only had one studio record, issued in 1978 on Japan's Vanity Records. Featuring the damaged vocal scree of Phew (who went on to record many solo records -- she's currently a frequent collaborator of Otomo Yoshihide and Seiichi Yamamoto, among many other luminaries of Japan's avant underground), this live collection documents the early manic insanity of her punk rock youth.

We were totally blown away by this band when we got the ep precurser to this record and we've been super anxious for the full length and it's finally here. Avenged Sevenfold are kids from Southern California who play some of the most explosive metallic

RealAudio clip: To End The Rapture
RealAudio clip: The Art Of Subconscious Illusion
RealAudio clip: We Come Out At Night

Just like all of the productions for Fallt's "Invallid Object Series," Cards On The Table is a 3"CD that is meant to be played through the random function on your CD player. In fact, the entire process of this album revolves around chance, with the artists

More of the same from Mistress Bjork (thus, no disappointment). Making appearances are Herbert (Dr Rockit), Console, harpist Zeena Parkins and our pals from Matmos. One track has an Oval sample and Bjork sings some e.e. cummings lyrics. And one song is written

RealAudio clip: Pagan Poetry

Yowza! We are *so* excited to finally have stock (and at a nice price, too) of this masterpiece of heaviosity by the amazing Japanese band Boris, who have become big AQ-faves over the past few years. The more-than-aptly-titled "Amplifier Worship" is their A good shorthand description of "Amplifier Worship" would be to say that it sounds like a cross between the low-end riffage of Boris' obvious heroes the Melvins, and the more recent, rhythmic trance experiments of their countrymen the Boredoms. Psychedelic punk metal, utterly crushing. Pretty much essential to anyone who is into "heavy"! If you like the dirgey sludge of Corrupted and Earth, as well as the more rocked-out sludge of Sleep and Melvins (circa "Ozma" and "Bullhead"), you'll love Boris! Recommended!!

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We've listed this before, long ago, but have been out of it for a while...but now, along with Boris' "Amplifier Worship" and the Keiji Haino w/ Boris disc, we've got this back in stock *and* at a much cheaper price than before (while supplies last). This is a

Goodness, is this the Vaselines reincarnate??? I'd swear it was Eugene Kelly singing. No, wait! On second thought, it's Belle and Sebastian. Slouchy Scottish-y pop by way of Portland, OR. The breezy indie pop duo Bryce and Rachel (of the Minders) deliver delightful boy/girl harmonies and straight-up playful pop melodies. Watch the K Records kids swoon.

More of Andee's favorite not-exactly-traditional electro-dub from the Bush Chemists. The appeal for me, used to be the exaggerated use of effects (even for dub!) that the Bush Chemists seemed to treat everything to: vocals, drums, guitar, EVERYTHING! Making

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These German hardcore kids play metal better than most American metalheads. Caliban (along with Heaven Shall Burn) seem to be leading the new wave of metalcore, where almost every trace of hardcore has been eliminated, leaving nothing but METAL. Vent starts with acoustic guitar and howling wind like all great metal records, but by track two Caliban are tearing heads off with a

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RealAudio clip: Love Taken Away

Split cd from AQ faves Circle and Japan's Marble Sheep, recorded in 1996 (Circle) and 1989 (Marble Sheep) and released 1998. Circle contribute a stellar live set of their perfect cyclical drone rock including a haunting and breathtaking cover version of

RealAudio clip: Brilliant Colours For Bright Ideas
RealAudio clip: I Saw the Light
RealAudio clip: Good Old Marble Sheep

The Clean, who have been around for more than 20 years, are credited with helping to develop the New Zealand sound and are an influence on many of the great pop bands around today. This is their first release in 5 years, and while it's slower and less manicly delightful than their earlier material, it still pleases at times. Ira and Georgia from Yo La Tengo each play on two

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Sad old songs sung in the beautiful, pure voice of the incomparable Shirley Collins, the UK's "first lady of folk". This cd is a reissue of her very first album from 1959, recorded by her then-boyfriend Alan Lomax (with whom she travelled the American South

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It's raining blood in Boston with the release of this new, state-of-the-art Converge album. These New England metalcore masters (the closest rivals to the now-defunct Coalesce) have produced their most vicious, best-sounding disc yet; pummelling, complex,

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RealAudio clip: Hell To Pay
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Brutal noise collage from SF (relocated from Pittsburgh, PA) grind activists Creation Is Crucifixion. Three super long tracks of dynamic harsh electronics and rumbling drones. Comparisons to Bastard Noise inevitable, CIC's aural palette is similarly aligned with that of Monde Bruits or Russell Haswell's.

Split 3" cd-r of two hardcore technical grind outfits in extreme power electronics mode. Uum features Travis Ryan of San Diego's Cattle Decapitation. Three short tracks, one small price...

The debut release from San Francisco's the Damsels contains three jangle pop tunes for our listenin' enjoyment. Gentle, bouncing guitar hooks. Shy boy vocals occasionally a bit shoegazerish. Quite reminiscent of a young Teenage Fanclub circa "Bandwagonesque".

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Like the passing of a rare comet, the appearance of a new Darkthrone disc is a time for God-fearing natives to cower and tremble, and for the chosen, corpse-painted few (black metal fans) to revel in barbaric worship. Yes, Nocturno Culto and Fenriz (who, along

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Portland, Oregon trio Dear Nora make very very pretty, but not sugary pop. Slightly wistful, bittersweet teen girl tunes with harmonies a-plenty like those of Heavenly or Rose Melberg. Recorded by the awesome Amy Linton of The Aislers Set in her basement

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RealAudio clip: Springtime Fall

Furious old-school blackened death metal from Australia. This record was quite a surprise considering how much their earlier efforts sucked. But this is the shit. Incredibly heavy and surprisingly catchy with relentless Norwegian style blast beats mixed

RealAudio clip: The Last Revelation

Fans of the recent Low / Dirty Three In the Fishtank collaborations should clamber and swoon to this new SF outfit. Sparse drumming and strumming, and lulling bass and strings share the space with the quietly emotive female vocals. Mellow and melancholic.

The metalcore onslaught just won't let up. Drowningman traffic in the same sort of howling and chugging as Coalesce, Converge, etc. However instead of hyper-virtuosity (that's not to say they aren't dynamic and complex, because they are) they temper their metal with some melodic pop punk. And the harsh screeched vocals are balanced by some emo style broken-harted-boy vocals. But

RealAudio clip: The More I Get To Know You, The Less I Like You

This is going to be short and sweet. At the risk of some of you losing faith in my (Andee's) reviews, Emerson Lake and Palmer are the greatest rock band ever. Period. Everything you like about every one of your favorite bands, ELP do better. Heavy, bombastic instrumental virtuosity, gorgeous mellow pop chops, everything. A greatest hits record can't really do justice to a band who almost never wrote a bad song (at least until 1977), and if you were actually interested, you'd be better served buying one of their actual albums. Or all of them. But for the timid or the not so daring, this is not a bad place to start. Thirteen tracks by of the most successful, most reviled, act in prog-rock history!

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More amazing New York metalcore. Every Time I die play ultra heavy metal (very little 'core to be found here) with weird time signatures and off kilter rhythms. While their sound is similar to their contemporaries (Deadguy, Kiss It Goodbye, Coalesce) they

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RealAudio clip: Jimmy Tango's Method

Latest from these Danish headbangers and it's more of the same. Which is not a bad thing 'cause they do it so well. Blazing fast death metal with growled/howled vocals and little black metal bits here and there. Insane double-kick drumming with buzzing riffs and roared vocals. Intense and heavy and recommended.

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So o.k., there's nothing new about post rock. There's a million bands that sound like Mogwai. There's a million bands that sound like Godspeed You Black Emperor. Every other band we see has q-u-i-e-t parts...and...then...LOUD CRASHING parts. You know the

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RealAudio clip: Yasmin The Light

Holy Duran Duran! I Am VSS-bender! What if Ladytron were all guys and into Talk Talk instead of drawing 'inspiration' from Kraftwerk? Yes folks, it's kinda like that. Song-oriented new wave that sounds like the '80s actually happened! Vocoded vocals,

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RealAudio clip: Your Retro Career Melted

If Adult. scored "Hedwig And The Angry Inch" or... if I Am Spoonbender went Broadway. If the cast from Fame played electro. Glammy and slick with many cool parts and sounds but unfortunately weak arrangements undermine Fischerspooner's drive for #1. And well, I really could do without the diva singer too. The second track on the album is a cover of Wire's "The 15th", and quite a great

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RealAudio clip: Fucker
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This Punk band from the East Bay has been around for two years. Its members had been previously playing in other punk bands like the 3Tards Sledwreck, and The Dairy Queens, and have put out songs on a variety of compilations and split singles with such bands

RealAudio clip: Yes, I'm Starting Shit

There's been lots of talk about heartbreak around these parts, and the best break up records, and that sort of thing. Windy thinks the new Built To Spill record is the perfect break up record, all bittersweet and caustic, but light and hopeful at the same time.

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RealAudio clip: The Royal Crown vs Blue Duchess
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Chicagoan Robbie Fulks, here with his fourth full length album, makes the leap from the country troubadour's lonely road to much broader horizons, as many of the songs on this album remind me of non-country folks as diverse as Nick Lowe (Fulks' voice is

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RealAudio clip: Banks Of The Marianne
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Howe Gelb has such a distinctive body of work, from Giant Sand, whose sound ranged from rollicking desert rock, to twangy country dirges, to his solo records, that also ran the gamut, sometimes quirky country, noisy rock, or dark ballads. In fact Gelb's last proper solo record, Hisser, was one of my (Andee) favorite records. That one was all dark and languid and delicately beautiful. Melancholy, very pretty and sentimental. Lots of space and reverb, due in part to the fact that each song was recorded on a different, borrowed piano, in different locations. In fact, that's part of why it's so cool. Some of the pianos he uses are out of tune, or have completely dead keys, that add weird little dynamics to each piece. My only complaints are some spoken word bits, and that some of the tracks veer dangerously close to sounding like the theme from some soap opera, but overall, quite lovely.

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General Music are from Sweden, but sound straight from Chicago, IL. A Euro-post rock improv assemblage with a rocketship full of squiggly synth sounds and reverbed-out guitars... emerging with music you might imagine if Lali Puna hooked up with The Sea And

RealAudio clip: Kidding Around
RealAudio clip: There For Thousands Of Years

If you've seen the movie, this soundtrack will provide you with an accurate musical instant replay. Almost like a scene by scene summary even. If you haven't, well then, it's a great eccentric and eclectic mishmash of tunes. Sort of running like a mixtape

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RealAudio clip: Devil Got My Woman
RealAudio clip: Theme From Ghost World

Working the kind of style panache that would make Rudi Gernreich beam with pride, it's Glass Candy And The Shattered Theatre from Portland, OR. With two well-received 7"s under their belt, Ida No, Johnny Jewel and Avalon Kalin offer up a very raw live one-sided 12" of six songs. Includes a highly unstable rendition of Josie Cotton's "Johnny Are You Queer?" as heard in the movie "Valley Girl". Recorded live at Kimo's right here in SF. Please note: the sound quality is pretty blown out, but it does captures the edgy propulsive freak-out that is Glass Candy. As can be expected from a live performance, this is much more flailing and rocked out of control than the dark seething tension of the "Brittle Women" and "Metal God" singles.

Godflesh were one of those bands that came about in the late eighties/early nineties which teetered on that fine line of post industrial ridiculousness and pure crushing brutality. The combination of heavy Sabbath riffs and Big Black informed drum

It seems San Francisco's Good for You aren't aiming to break any new ground with this debut album, but y'know often it's nice to tread a very familiar, well-trodden path. This hails from the catchy emo-land that'll never go out of style. All salute the early strains of Superchunk, Doug Martsch's pre-Built To Spill band the much more tense and angstful Treepeople, and the boy/girl

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Along with the sudden miraculous appearance of their nigh-impossible to find 1998 album "Amplifier Worship" in our racks (see elsewhere on this list) we've also managed to acquire a few copies of some other hard-to-find Boris titles, including this RealAudio clip: "The Decision of a Dream Which Will Never Be Completely Red" [/audio/hainoborisdecision.rm]

RealAudio clip: The Decision of a Dream Which Will Never Be Completely Red

Limited edition reissue of a rare Swedish psych rarity from the very late sixties (or very early seventies). Perhaps you read about or bought the Terry Riley-influenced Parson Sound double cd we raved about not long ago? Well, Harvester (after releasing

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RealAudio clip: Kristallen Den Fina

You would never in a million years guess that this band wasn't Swedish. And you would never guess they weren't a real metal band. I mean, they -are- a real metal band, but listening to this record, you imagine long haired Swedes banging their heads with one

RealAudio clip: God Complex
RealAudio clip: Subsiding the Floods of Indifference

I was in Japan, in a record store and they were playing the most amazing record. I went to the counter to find out what amazing Japanese band I had discovered, and after some struggling with my poor (read: non-existent) Japanese, the clerk handed me a cd, and it ends up we were listening to a German metalcore band called Heaven Shall Burn. It's a bit silly to call this metalcore

RealAudio clip: To Inherit The Guilt
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Following the sad demise of Tallulah Gosh and prior to forming Marine Research, perpetual girlie girl Amelia Fletcher and company were known as Heavenly, and y'know, they certainly were just that. This is a re-issue of the long out of print debut mini-album

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RealAudio clip: Our Love Is Heavenly

Electro-acoustic composer Orjan Henriksson has found a good home for his debut album on the eccentric sound art label Firework Edition which has also released albums from Leif Elggren, Kent Tankred, Zbigniew Karkowski, and Mikael Stavostrand. His album

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[ aquarius records new arrivals — issue 120 ]