Tonetta Shock - Drugs Drugs Drugs

Les Kapital Industrea #2 (2009)

This (pdf) is the 2nd edition of Les Kapital Industrea, a fantastic little zine put together by a great Halifax artist, and good friend of mine, Matthew Duffy. He's a visual artist and musician, and is becoming somewhat of a cult icon around town due to some unfortunate incidents resulting in some rather absurd internet banter and general hatred among members of the community. He gets into trouble and keeps things interesting with his spastic though heartfelt creations. Some of his projects include царь of (NEO) & Jiba-Zapz, as well as playing cacophone & clarinet (not to mention dancing) for the psych-punk band The Ether, all of which based out of Halifax. This is a great zine, put together with contributions from a ton of fantastic artists and writers, most of which from Halifax and Montreal.

Check it out, it's free art!

Also, check out this interview with Matthew Duffy done by another friend of mine now in Montreal, Zachary Fairbrother of Omon Ra. They discuss the origins and intentions of the zine, as well as various other things. Zach's blog, Avant-Lard, is great too so check out the rest of it while yr there.

The Miramichi - Live On Robie Street (2009)

What a smooth record. The Miramichi (formerly Savaa Boom) are dark spaced out lo-fi drone from Halifax. This, their first release (albeit self-released) will irk your inner peace into believing It's all about to blow up in your face, but It doesnt. It just haunts you, over and over again. Despite all that, it still manages to make me feel fairly at ease, and sleepy. It's like a sick warmth though, a cold sweat. A large majority of this was recorded, as far as I can remember, at a live show in late February/early March (??) of 09, and it was a great fucking show. Deerskull played a great set that night as well, and I'll hopefully have something up from them in the next week or so. Anyhow, what Joseph Mclaughlin and Dan Miller decided to do with those recordings was slow them down, really slow them down, and let it sludge on for days. I really like what happened. As I mentioned, the result is a haunting journey through darkened caves and dystopian valleys, not for the dreamers or impatient lollygaggers. I really recommend it if you're into putting something on and laying in bed, forgetting about everything. Dig it now you fugly cankers!

TRACK LIST: 1. Gasses Sound Light / 2. 2 point 4 / 3. Barbarella / 4. Remedy / 5. Michael David Michael Angelo

Omon Ra - The Spirit Of Jerry Garcia Playing The Rolling Stones (2009)

Easily one of the best bands in Halifax, Omon Ra has been pumping out handsome grooves at a relentless pace for the past few years. Dan Miller and Zachary Fairbrother write soulful spaced out rock n roll folk groove love songs with stirring presence, for the poor and anxious bastards, and if you haven't heard then get up and open yr ears. This is what's happening, all around and in between. To quote a review from Weird Canada, "It’s catchy, droney, vaguely-emotional, and a certified trip. Omon Ra will become a leading creative mind in Canada and I’m assuming there’s a lot more at the source". Complete with a slew of guest appearances from a ton of great people, not to mention the fantastic cover art by Andrew MacGregor (GOWN / Bark Haze), this is a choice little record that you need to hear now. Fav tracks: Its Recreation, Good Friend, Mountain Day After, You Made Me Ill. This is still unreleased but will hopefully make it's way to vinyl sometime in the next few months, so get it now, and bliss out fools.

Also, you should buy Omon Ra's albums HERE & HERE from Fixture Records!

TRACK LIST: 1. Its An Omen / 2. Of Loving / 3. Station Street / 4. Its Recreation / 5. Good Friend / 6. Dragging By / 7. For Strickland / 8. Mountain Day After / 9. We Slept In A Field / 10. You Made Me Ill / 11. Eurydice

Chris d'Eon - Wa Al-'Atr (2009) (Cass.)

Well, I've been M.I.A. for quite some time now, and I do apologize. I'm hoping this new boost of enthusiasm will help me save this blog as I really enjoy doing it, and sharing with everyone. I also love getting yr feedback and comments so please feel free to drop a line whenever.

For my first post back I figured I'd get started on a project I've been wanting to do for quite a while now and have never gotten off the ground. Now technically this post doesnt even count at this point, but we'll pretend. The idea is basically to highlight all the amazing music that's coming out of Halifax right now, and there is a LOT. Meet Chris d'Eon, formerly of Halifax so it counts. I don't know where to begin with this limited tape release on Numbers Station, out of Montreal. This being their first release I think they made a wise choice. It's been a long time since I put on a record, and specifically a record made by a friend of mine, and was absolutely blown away. From the first note to the last this is just full of good feelings. Though far apart musically I'd compare it to the likes of Jim O'Rourke's Eureka, or the song Ice Castles off Ween's White Pepper, in that it has this immense warmth to it that brings you in and makes you feel absolutely comfortable and serene. I particularly enjoy the keys that frequently show up between the more structured songs. Glistening little bursts of fuzzy dreamland clatter. It's absolutely beautiful. I suppose overall it does have a particular sound, that might be intriguing to some and not to others, but I definitely can't pinpoint what it is, so I say just get it and let it take you where it will. I'll be continuing this Halifax thing over the next couple of weeks with some more posts for Omon Ra, Pig, Czar of Neo, The Ether, (hopefully) ECT, and we'll see what else I can come up with. In the meantime, get this tape and blissfully enjoy.

TRACK LIST: Side 1: 1/Untitled/ 2/Prophet Abraham/ 3/Untitled/ 4/Tear Down The Wall/ 5/Untitled/ 6/Untitled/ 7/Street Kids/ 8/Untitled/ 9/Untitled // Side 2: 10/Fana'/ 11/Untitled/ 12/Waiting Room/ 13/Surfin' w/ The Shah/ 14/Spring/ 15/Haydar/ 16/Kangra Valley

I'M NOT DEAD. I'M FROZEN.

Merzbow - Merzzow (2002)

I can understand if one doesn't enjoy listening to Merzbow. One may need to just grow up and expand a bit, learn to love all things beautiful, but perhaps that is slightly beside the point. Merzbow for some is just squealing screeching horrible noise (fucking terds), and if you find yourself in this sinking ship of doom then quite possibly this is the album to change you mind (float yr boat? laaame!). Indeed, there is, hidden deep within that ethereal cacophony known as Merzbow, actual tangible rhythm. It is certainly not at the forefront, but I assure you it is there. Just to remind everyone, I am still not extremely well versed in the world of Merzbow, there is much that I have not yet heard (I am trying my best, but it's hard. There is just so much output). That being said, this is my new favourite Merbow album. It's pounding and unwavering and full of brute force, but there is a lucid beauty deep down that I find haunting and captivating. It's unlike anything I've heard from the great Masami Akita. So get this and listen to it contently and explode all over the walls! (Name-drop count: 5 Merzbows!!!! Jesus.)

DO IT NOW!

TRACK LIST: 1. Elephant Song / 2. Horiwari / 3. Inside Looking Out (Part 1) / 4. Inside Looking Out (Part 2) / 5. Koshinzuka / 6. Music Machine / 7. Horse / 8. Penderecki / 9. Green / 10. Humming Bird / 11. Aenokoto 223

Yamasuki Singers - Le Monde Fabuleux Des Yamasuki (1972)

For starters, my apologies for sucking lately in regard to proper updates. I'm slacking. It's no good, for any of us. I return to you now with a truly fucking beautiful album. Yamasuki Singers' Le Monde Fabuleux Des Yamasuki is a gorgeous collection of Japanese singers belting out ridiculously harmonious pop tunes over some rad psychedelic jams. After its original 1972 pressing on the independant label Biram it was re-released, thankfully, in 2005 by Finders Keepers Records, a brilliant little label specializing in lost and unearthed gems of the past. I particularily loved the slower soft songs like Okawa and Aisere I Love You, but the more pyched out tunes, Yama Yama or Kono Samourai, are fucking rad as hell too, for different reasons! So, get this and love it cuz its waaaay too good to be ignored! Thanks to James for showing me this, and for the cereal and tea!

Get this god damn brilliant slice now you fucking tosser!

"We listened to this once and were confused and intrigued. We listened again and started getting into it. We listened for a third time and now completely love it!" - Movie Grooves

Link Wray - Early Recordings (1963)

This is the best Link Wray album I've ever heard! If you're a fan at all then get it, and if you're not a fan of Link Wray then get the heck on out of yr seat and jump for joy, 'cause this is gonna be fun! If you know nothing about him all you need to know is that he IS rock and roll. The coolest version of the Batman theme ever, and one of the coolest garage songs ever (Hidden Charms), and tons of incredible garage rock surf guitar licks to shred yr face! If you don't dig it then you probably dont dig much, and theres something desperately wrong with you!! Pure rock and roll goodness from one of the kings!

"Batman shall I start the nuclear power for the batmobile?!" / "Right again, Robin!" / "OK Batman!"

Get it ya bunch of crums...

TRACK LIST: 1. Batman Theme / 2. Ace Of Spades / 3. Cross Ties / 4. Jack The Ripper / 5. Hidden Charms / 6. I'm Branded / 7. The Shadow Knows / 8. Fat Back / 9. Run Chicken Run / 10. Black Widow / 11. Scatter / 12. Turnpike U.S.A. / 13. Mr. Guitar / 14. Rumble

Bill Fay - Discography

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If you're not familiar with Bill Fay then I suggest you grab all of this stuff. My personal fav of these is Time Of The Last Persecution, but it's all really gorgeous. Fay is one of those "lost beauty" types, never really getting the full credit deserved. His first two albums sold poorly. As a result, the third (already completed) was put on hold until years later when in the early 00's Fay began to develop a bit of a cult following. In 2004 Wooden Hill released a compilation of demo recordings and unreleased songs entitled From The Bottom Of An Old Grandfather Clock. So here he is in all his glory, the complete Bill Fay. The song that hooked me and everyone I've ever shown it too is Maxines Parlour (From The Bottom Of An Old Grandfather Clock), so if you're not sure about where to start that may be worth a try, but I assure you almost every song in this collection is great! Enjoy suckers...



Bill Fay (1970)
Time Of The Last Persecution (1971)
From The Bottom Of An Old Grandfather Clock (2004)
Tomorrow Tomorrow and Tomorrow (2005)

More info: Official Bill Fay Site