Si Schroeder
I love the first line of description regarding this guy on the Trust Me I’m a Thief website: “Si Schroeder is a six-foot hairy male who makes ‘music’.” To how many people in this world does that sentence apply, I wonder. And is it the hairiness or his height that matters the most (or the combination of the two)? Anyway, with all of the above you get Irish psychedelic electronica in a cool ambient vibe, and if you find yourself wanting it more, Si Schroeder’s debut album Coping Mechanisms will be released in fall 2006.
Imaginational Anthem, Vol. 2
Recently a couple of interesting instrumental projects have crossed our path here at 3hive. Thought we’d share. First, a striking compilation from Tompkins Square Records. Decades before Devendra and company was John Fahey and his Takoma recording company. Imaginational Anthem bridges the generation gap, pulling together avant-folk artists from the 60’s and the younger folk artists of today. For full details on the album, and for tour dates (in L.A. tonight!) go here. Thanks to Tompkins Square Records for being so generous with the MP3s.
The Mag Seven
This group of instrumental tracks is a far cry from those gathered on the folk compilation Imaginational Anthem, Vol.2. I’d be interested to hear from those of you who actually like both. I hope there’s more than a few. Members of Black Flag, Descendents, All, GWAR, Only Crime, and Hagfish come together for a full album of surf/punk/rock instrumentals. They’re quick and raw. For fans of Clint Eastwood and Steve McQueen. Rock it!
The Delgados
Alas, the Delgados, Glasgow’s finest indie rockers/popsters/scenesters, ended their 10-year run when they announced their breakup last August. Thankfully, they’re continuing on with their other projects, including the record label Chemikal Underground, which has released the likes of Arab Strap and Malcolm Middleton. Plus, we can all still enjoy their music, like this beauty off their debut album Domestiques.
Dirty On Purpose Debut Album
WonderGround EP Surfaces
Marumari
Marumari makes electronic music just the way I like it, when I’m in the mood to chill to it, not dance to it (‘cuz let me tell you, it ain’t no easy feat to harness the energy of my dance moves in a little song. Nuh, uh. No way. But I’m not dancing now. And I imagine you aren’t either if you’re reading this—unless you’ve got moves I’m unfamiliar with). It’s smooth, warm, and he keeps things interesting without the glitch, klack, sputter. There’s an Eastern sensibility at work here, as if he’s creating extended mixes of haiku. All this from a young American raised on Pee Wee’s Playhouse with an unexplicable penchant for Gap clothes. Problem is, Marumari, aka Josh Presseisen, has been regrettably silent for the past four years, with the exception of this EP that he’s been giving away on his site since last year. Only for “awhile” he warns. Well, the links are still good, but who knows for how long. Get ’em while you can (btw: some of the smaller files sound like clips). I should mention here that Sam turned me onto Marumari back in the last millenium, and Brian over at Fun Time OK hipped me to the free Pathscrubber EP.
Blowoff
Blowoff is a studio collaboration between rock legend Bob Mould (Husker Du, Sugar) and house DJ/producer Richard Morel, born out of a DJ night the two of them host at Washington D.C.’s 9:30 Club. For casual fans of Bob Mould, that entire opening line may strike you as odd but Mould has been as active as a DJ/producer in the past few years as he has been as a singer/songwriter. To some of us longtime fans, that opening line may instill fear of Mould’s signature vocals getting Cher-ified by overmodulation as they were on his latest solo LP Body of Song. But Blowoff promises to be different, by providing Mould with an ideal musical foil in Morel’s voice and production. The album is said to switch it up genre-wise — from rock to pop to dance. Fine with me, so long as it’s all as good as this teaser track which is almost Sugar-esque in its powerful pop sway and ridiculously catchy chorus. More please…
Brightblack Morning Light
A few helpful things to know about Nathan Shineywater and Rachael Hughes, aka Brightblack Morning Light: 1) They live in tents in the summer, a small cabin in the winter. 2) They’re from Northern California via Alabama. 3) They pal around with Devendra Banhart and Joanna Newsom. 4) They care about the world around them. 5) They roll out amazing, narcotically tempered grooves. 6) If only “punkers” were as punk as these hippies…