Mahogany Brain - With (Junk-Saucepan) When (Spoon-Trigger) (1971)

Mahogany Brain
With (Junk-Saucepan) When (Spoon-Trigger) (1971, Futura Records)

"Mahogany Brain were a supremely enjoyable experimental mind-fuck led by troubadour Michel Bulteau in an attempt to merge poetry and music. Totally fractured, though entirely capable, psychedelic scrawl inspired by The Velvet Underground and Captain Beefheart. Dig in momma's and poppa's!" - DD

GET IT / Read it

Merzbow - Yoshinotsune (2004)

Merzbow
Yoshinotsune (2004, Clu Clux Clam)

"This is quite different from most Merzbow records (that I've heard). Falling somewhere between ambient & cacophonous, Yoshinotsune is a tremendously entrancing series of atonal drones. The first track contains a tribal drum pulse which is attacked by fierce fuzz shots and sounds somewhat like an anthem of the Machine Army. The rest is what might ensue after the Machine Army takes over. I fucking love this record!" - DD

GET IT / Read it

Thurston Moore - Flipped Out Bride (2006)

Thurston Moore
Flipped Out Bride (2006, Blossoming Noise)

"A stunned pulse, quivering in urgent though subtle malevolence. The drone, though seemingly omnipotent, is wavering: at times retreating to a gentle hum or mere flicker. I love Thurston Moore in Sonic Youth but this is a much different and far more meditative affair." - DD

GET IT / Read it

Robbie Basho - Visions Of The Country (1978) (LP)

Robbie Basho
Visions Of The Country (LP) (1978, Windham Hill Records)

"Combining his sinfully elegant guitar work with a bellow reminiscent of a more virile John Jacob Niles (not to mention some beautiful piano), Basho manages to compose a delicate yet highly intricate sound that totally envelopes and swoons. I am forever indebted to Darcy at DIVORCE for turning me on to this raw power!" - DD

GET IT / Read it / Hear it

Tonetta - 777 (2010)

Tonetta
777 (2010, Black Tent Press)

"Finally! An official Tonetta release! I've been waiting a long time for this and ordered as soon as it became available. Ripped from the free CD you get with the LP and including the same songs, this is an eclectic batch of lo-fi basement recordings; licentious and lurid, madman disco-pop, punk rock, head freak fuck tunes from Toronto, spanning over 25 years. If you don't yet own it buy it now! I can't wait for the sequel!" - DD

GET IT / Read it / Hear it / See it / Buy it

Vincent Gallo - When (2001)

Vincent Gallo
When (2001, Warp Records)

"When is a gorgeous lot of love sick lullaby's courtesy of one of the more polarizing creative minds of our time. Owning over 30,000 LP's and one of the largest collections of musical and recording equipment in the world, Gallo's obvious love for music is apparent within these songs. His voice is like a tormented Chet Baker, while the instrumentation floats just as delicately in back. A truly haunted and alluring record." - DD

GET IT / Read it / Hear it / See it

The Blue Humans - Clear To Higher Time (1992)

The Blue Humans
Clear To Higher Time (1992, New Alliance Records)

"Rudolph Grey (MARS/Red Transistor) brings us some enticing improvisational noise rock with the help of a few incredibly fine musicians, not to mention engineered by Jim Waters and produced by NY no wave heart throb Thurston Moore. Dig this before it digs you!" - DD

GET IT / Read it

Charles Manson - All The Way Alive (2003)

Charles Manson
All The Way Alive (2003, People's Temple Records)

"Aside from The Son Of Man, this would be my favourite Manson album. All The Way Alive features songs from his demo recording session on September 11, 1967. Some of these have been on other releases, but this is everything in one package including some very beautiful folk stuff, some absurdist-utopian free-form rants, and my personal favourite Bet You Think I Care. Dig it freewheelers and demons!" - DD

GET IT / Read it / Hear it

Vincent Gallo - Recordings Of Music For Film (2002)

Vincent Gallo
Recordings Of Music For Film (2002, Warp Records)

"Love him or hate him, Vincent Gallo writes beautiful, seductive music which lulls the entire body. This collection covers all of his scored material from The Way It Is and Buffalo '66, as well as several songs he did for Downtown '81 and his short film If You Feel Froggy, Jump. Very much recommended for all yearning desire and personal reflection, as filmed by John Cassavetes." - DD

GET IT / Read it / Hear it

tRANSELEMENt - Ouaqui Paetes (2001)

tRANSELEMENt
Ouaqui Paetes (2001, Self Released)

"In late 2001 I stumbled upon a tiny band in the UK making music unlike any I'd heard before. I found them on the now defunct MP3.com, at the time one of the few places to share music online. I managed to get some CDs in the mail along with a letter and was absolutely taken by their eclectic sound. Initially, I had planned on sharing their 8 Songs About Travel when I saw this. Ouaqui Paetes was my favourite of theirs & until now I hadn't a copy of my own. I haven't heard some of these songs in years and while listening today it brought the warmest smile to my face. I can only hope some of you enjoy this as much as I do. Truly one of the great lost gems of the decade!" - DD

GET IT / Read it / See it

Y. Bhekhirst - Hot In The Airport (1986)

Y. Bhekhirst
Hot In The Airport (1986, HDG Records)

"Very much in a world of its own but loosely reminiscent of Mayo Thompson and Captain Beefheart. Jagged, unorthodox songwriting brilliance that I personally find hypnotizing. If you are anything like me you will strangely be pulled back to this album over and over again. There is something so unique about it that makes my panties wet. My pussy cries." - Modo

GET IT / Read it / Hear it

Lewis - L'Amour (1983) (LP)

Lewis
L'Amour (LP) (1983, Private Press)

"Similar in mood to Arthur Russell and Nick Drake. Truthfully, I don't even want to talk about this album I just want to fade away in its world of sincerity. Like a glass of whiskey all by your lonesome. I'll meet you in the winter when the flakes are bigger than eyeballs and your footprints are reminders of your aimless drifting." - Modo

GET IT / Read it

Nocturnal Emissions - Drowning In A Sea Of Bliss (1992)

Nocturnal Emissions
Drowning In A Sea Of Bliss (1992, Touch) (Originally released on LP by Sterile Records, 1983)

"A killer collage of sound from the unparalleled and always inventive Nocturnal Emissions. Blistering drones created with found sound, distorted audio loops and a swirling blanket of fuzz make this a truly unique experience, even for NE. Chew it with vigor ya bloody fools!" - DD

GET IT / Read it

J.D. Emmanuel - Rain Forest Music (1981)

J.D. Emmanuel
Rain Forest Music (1981, North Star Productions)

"This is another of J.D. Emmanuel's releases that hasn't spread too far on the internet. Despite maintaining it's hypnotic power and mystic rhythm, the sounds on Rain Forest Music feel quite a bit more jovial in their display. Dig it sweetly little angels!" - DD

GET IT / Read it

J.D. Emmanuel - Trance-Formations I: Ancient Minimal Meditations (1986) (Cass.)

J.D. Emmanuel
Trance-Formations I: Ancient Minimal Meditations (Cass.) (1986, North Star Productions)

"Some inimitably transcendent minimalism from the always alluring J.D. Emmanuel. One of the the master's lesser known albums, I was surprised to learn this euphoric beast wasn't all over the internet. Dig it smooth and supple kind beings of the ethereal realms!" - DD

GET IT / Read it

Circle X - Untitled (1979) (EP)

Circle X
Untitled (EP) (1979, Self Released)

"Aggressive, snotty and totally discordant, Circle X's debut EP is a brutal excretion of penetrating punk rock beauty. Guitars screeching, vocals grinding; it's loud and obnoxious in all the right ways. Chew on it my beloved twats!" - DD

GET IT / Read it / Hear it

RE-POST: Simply Saucer - Cyborgs Revisited (1989)

Simply Saucer
Cyborgs Revisited (1989, Fist Puppet)

"Simply put, this is fucking super rad! It's garage-rock-psychedelic-Floydian-Velvets with a twist of Modern Lovers. The song Bullet Proof Nothing will make you wish you were this fucking cool! Get it, love it, obsess over it. Probably one of the best Canadian bands ever, definitely one of the best Canadian albums!" - DD

GET IT / Read it / Hear it

Rip Rig + Panic - God (1981) (LP)

Rip Rig + Panic
God (LP) (1981, Virgin)

"Featuring members of The Pop Group, Rip Rig + Panic were an original breed mixing elements of dub and avande-garde jazz with a post-punk exuberance. At times dashing and raucous, at times infectiously groovy, at times even elegant, think Penguin Cafe Orchestra (Change Your Life), they always remained exciting and fresh. Chew on it fat mommas!" - DD

GET IT / Read it / Hear it / See it

INU - Meshi Kuuna! (1981)

INU
Meshi Kuuna! (1981, Tokuma Japan Communications)

"Drawing heavy influence from British pop-punk and post-punk, as well as New York no wave (including elements of The Sex Pistols, The Outcasts, Siouxsie & The Banshees, DNA and many more), Machida Machizō's INU are anthemic, incredibly potent and fun to listen to (not to mention the rad ass cover art). If you're a fan of punk then you'll love this record! Dig it in leather and dance sweet babies!" - DD

GET IT / Read it / Hear it

The Ether - Feel Groovy (2010)

The Ether
Feel Groovy (2010, Self Released)

"This may seem self indulgent as I'm currently the drummer for The Ether, however, at the time of these recordings I wasn't. Feel Groovy is a compilation of two previous releases; Paint The Walls In Blood (2009, Snapped In Half) & No Fun Sexy (2009, Self Released), plus two bonus tracks (a remix and a 24-minute live set). It was put together as an OBEY IV collectible, of sorts, and is chock full of aggressive noisy psych punk. Dig it fresh & free mutha fuckus!" - DD

GET IT / Read it / See it / Buy it

PIG - Elbow Witch (2009) (Cass.)

PIG
Elbow Witch (Cass.) (2009, Radiator Collective)

"Elbow Witch is a rapid-fire juggernaut of precariously noisy, wall-of-sound, grunge infused punk rock à la Sonic Youth/Eric's Trip that still manages to come out on top as its own entity. You didn't even think about doing shit this cool when you were seventeen! PIG are one of the best bands to come out of Halifax (Truro) in a long time (with one of best drummers too!) and it's a shame they're calling it quits. I'll be waiting ardently for all future projects (see Shinobi), meanwhile, dig this fucking long and fucking hard brothers & sisters!" - DD

GET IT / Read it / See it

Sun Ra - The Antique Blacks (1978)

Sun Ra
The Antique Blacks (1978, SteepleChase Records) (Re-released on Kindred Spirits, 2010)

"A superbly psychedelic space freak-out of jazz euphoria, The Antique Blacks is thoroughly recommended goodness for weirdos and mavericks! Dig in and swoon out sweet love birds!" - DD

GET IT / Read it

Note: The album says 1974, but it was actually released in 1978. Sorry.

Talking Heads - CBS Demos (1975)

Talking Heads
CBS Demos (1975, Unreleased)

"Well here you have it. Though some of their more choice songs (I'm Not In Love, Thank You For Sending Me An Angel) don't necessarily hit as hard here, overall these are some of my favourite Heads recordings out there! Very much recommended!" - DD

GET IT / Read it

Brian Glaze & The Night Shift - Green Living (2009)

Brian Glaze & The Night Shift
Green Living (2009, World Famous In San Francisco)

"Brian (Jonestown Massacre/Gris Gris) Glaze brings us an eclectic barrage of beautiful and haunting songs. Sometimes fun, sometimes dire and sometimes even prophetic (Bad News), these songs transcend the current bloom of bedroom recording artists and reminisce of a time more complex, with glam gods and rock 'n roll superstars! Highly recommended for those in need of a good shakedown." - DD

GET IT / Read it / Hear it / Buy it

Catbag - Creamweaving (2010) (Cass.)

Catbag
Creamweaving (Cass.) (2010, Claire Dragon Records)

"Sounding like Fred Schneider fronting a reckless and brooding post-punk street fight, infused with some of the dirtiest, meanest sax you've ever heard (thank you Dave Ewenson), Catbag are at the pinnacle of the Halifax music scene. Dig this and fester you ugly mutts!" - DD

GET IT / Hear it

Dirty Beaches - Dirty Beaches (2009) (C22) + True Blue (2010) (7")

Dirty Beaches
Dirty Beaches (C22) (2009, Night People) + True Blue (7") (2010, Zoo Music)

"I'll be the first to admit the similarities between the current Dirty Beaches sound and Suicide are slightly glaring. However, when you pull it off this well, not to mention the early rockabilly undertones shining just as brightly, it becomes totally null and void. These are brilliant songs and Alex Zhang Hungtai is a brilliant performer! I caught him at OBEY this year and it was totally captivating for everyone in the room! Get these now, then go buy any of his releases as soon as you can! I hereby declare True Blue is the best 7" of the year!" - DD

GET IT / Read it / See it

Jorge Ben - A Tabua de Esmeralda (1974) (LP)

Jorge Ben
A Tabua de Esmeralda (LP) (1974, Philips)

"Jorge Ben is a legendary Brazilian musician who started his long career back in the early sixties. He fuses samba and rock with latin jazz creating a totally blissful style all his own. This is my favourite of his albums, and upon further research it seems I'm not the only one who thinks it. A Tabua de Esmeralda ranks #6 on Rolling Stones' top 100 Brazilian albums of all time." - DD

LINK REMOVED - Read it / Hear it

Joe Meek & The Blue Men - I Hear A New World (1960)

Joe Meek & The Blue Men
I Hear A New World (1960, Triumph Records)

"It is totally ineffable how far ahead of his time Joe Meek was as a producer. I Hear A New World showcases this fact in all its splendor. Alternating between serene beauty, melancholic space romps and wild eccentric freak outs, these songs are totally electrifying, strange and surreal. It is Meek orchestrating his magnum opus, so dig it fine and fancy free little kittens!" - DD

GET IT / Read it / Hear it

Amanaz - Africa (1975)

Amanaz
Africa (1975, Shadoks Music)

"This is simply a gorgeous album. Combining elements of psych-rock with afrobeat percussion drones, bluesy, soulful vocals and traditional Zambian vocal chants, Amanaz come out sounding like no one else. It's a very earnest listen, despite its ability to flat out rip'n'wail on fuzzed out guitar licks. Dig it large!" - DD

GET IT / Read it / Hear it

Various Artists - Perspectives and Distortion (1981) (LP)

Various Artists
Perspectives and Distortion (LP) (1981, Cherry Red)

"A fabulous collection of Experimental music from '79-'81. Features Lemon Kittens, Lol Coxhill, David Jackman, Matt Johnson and a waka jawaka more. I highly recommend this, it is really good." - Modo

GET IT / Read it