We loved that Sleeps In Oysters album last week, more of that please... Here we are... 

These are, once again, the things that have been in our ears this week. Please do explore and if it sounds interesting then just hit the link and make your own minds up, make contact and switch the other, don't let this thing blow over, we've done we've undercover - our reviews and thoughts are mere signposts designed to guide you to the things you might like to feast on yourselves... don’t you just love the instant way this web thing works when things fall right and the doors flip open and the touch of a key....
 

Now you know we like to publish a top fifty albums of the year at the end of every year. Last year the top three albums, in the opinion of the Organ team, were from EFTERKLANG, followed closely by UPSILON ACRUX and TOMAHAWK. You seamed pretty much in agreement with the choice last year. Although some of you said things like “no!” and felt sure the best album of the year came from William D Drake or Of Montreal or Animal Collective or Battles or Future Of The Left or Sleepytime Gorilla Museum or 65Days... actually, now, I might agree about Sleepytime, we only had it as fifth best last year. 

So anyway, pass the cake, and more jam this time please, 2008 has been another great year, loads of great albums, some possible classics. We’ve had a great album of the week every single week, all the way through the year, here at Organ. Flick through some back issues and remind yourselves, it is almost too much... We’re not going to list them all right here and now and we’re certainly not going to pick a random number of albums for you to pick from - no pre-selected hands tied behind your back shortlist and us dictating what you can vote for a shortlist list we give you! The Organ People’s vote is open to every single album that has come out in the year, every single one that has come out already (or indeed still coming out in what is left of) 2008. Go ahead, make a list, check it twice, then fire your top ten albums of the year right on at us and we’ll compile a definite Organ readers end of year poll to go along side the Organ team’s own top fifty. 

Wonder if your list will agree with ours? Bet it won’t. We’ll keep it open until the last minute of December 31st, get your list in and have a look sometime around new year’s day. 

Oh yes, and we’ll put the names of everyone who sends something in to a hat and draw out one of you, one lucky person will win copies of the top five albums from our list... Send your top ten albums in here along with anything else you see fit...X
x

Amanda Palmer, she of Dresden Dolls and the recent very fine album Who Killed Amanda Palmer. Well it seems her label Roadrunner are the ones trying to kill her, and Amanda is not to sort to give in to these kind of things... Seems they don't like her belly, and that has resulted in hundreds of belly photos on her My Space blog and such. Here’s what she has to say via her My Space blog in reaction to the stories about conflict with her label that has been reported in various places this week, the Guardian, feminist blogs, and such. Seems some of them got the label story wrong., Here’s it is from Amanda herself

“So let me clarify, on the record, so shit is straight: I am still on Roadrunner records. Some of you may be curious about how this all works, so I will try to simplify. In 2003, I signed a contract that bound us together to make 3 records with 4 options (meaning the label could opt to drop me after each release, but I couldn't leave of my own free will). The first record was The Dresden Dolls. The second record was Yes, Virginia. They didn't count No, Virginia against our contract (sad long story). Who Killed Amanda Palmer was the third. I had put a solid year of my life and $80,000 of my own savings (that will never be paid back by the label - another long sad story) into this record. Right before the European tour I went to the New York offices of Roadrunner to say hi and check in. my a&r guy (my main contact at the label) sat me down in his office and said he wanted to discuss the "Leeds United" video. He told me that there were certain shots that they wanted to either cut completely or digitally alter to "be more flattering".

My favorite quote from that meeting: "i'm a guy, Amanda. I understand what people like." to which I reply: where have you been for the last five years? Do you have any idea who I am, what band I've been in, what kind of music I write, who my fans are.... Who didn't send you the memo that I'm not Britney Spears? I'm not TRYING to look hungry. I'm trying to look HOT. There's a difference.

The big irony here, like I said before, is that I am totally vain about shit like this. I will be the first one to run screaming from photos where my fat little belly is rolling over my jeans and taking center stage. I've been mistaken for pregnant so many times. it's always funny. AND embarrassing. I was born with a fat little belly and I love wine. There's just no changing things, unless I want to live on salad. And I love salad, but not all the time. I also like pasta. Even when the rest of my body is JACKED, RIPPED and SLAMMIN', my fat little belly happily stays in place. It's just so. I am used to it. And I have learned to Love the Belly. Still, however proud I may be of it in it's natural state, it's still not something I go out of my way to flaunt. but this video.... I mean, look at it. There's just NOTHING there that anybody could really object to, even by MAINSTREAM standards. So i was really perplexed. And I told the label I wasn't changing anything. They backed down.

A few weeks later I had a meeting with the owner of the label. He said he thought it was a shame that someone as smart and talented as me could not make a commercial record that they could sell. And he thinks that someday I'll see the light and write some better songs.

I told him I made exactly the record I wanted to make.

More than exactly. I think I've made an INCREDIBLE FUCKING record. I really do.

He shook his head and felt sorry for me.

I feel sorry for them. They are trying to sell pieces of plastic in a digital world. But they're barking up the wrong tree if they think they can Katy Perry or Avril Lavigne me into the Walmarts of the world. Not into it. Never was. Sorry. I never wanted to sell millions of records as my primary goal, nor did I want to be a pop star. I am very fucking happy with what they sneeringly call my "cottage industry" life.

So I think the relationship is rather doomed, from a creative standpoint.

I asked to be dropped a few weeks ago, so i could move forward in freedom, they refused. They have until June to decide whether to drop me or not. Let us pray.

Amanda’s My Space and blog is over at www.myspace.com/whokilledamandapalmer

John on the phone...

ORGAN ON YOUR RADIO - WEEKLY on SUNDAYS AT 9.00pm via RESONANCE 104.4FM in London and worldwide via www.resonancefm.com THE DETAILS, THE FACTS, THE LINKS.... Back last week after a week off making way for OTOMO YOSHIHIDE and the Resonance Radio Orchestra. There's always something Good happening at Resonance FM - the art of sound, the art of listening.  More details of the weekly alternating Organ hour and Organ Other Rockshow herex BEACONSFIELD Late at Tate... Vauxhall's best kept secret Beaconsfield, a creative art laboratory, curate Late at Tate Britain, Millbank, London. Friday 5th December, 6pm until 10pm, free entry. Bringing together an eclectic mix of live art and music, Beaconsfield transform Tate Britain's transitory gallery locations into a dream-like terminal space with an array of arrival or departure points. Artists include Katherine Araniello, Dave Ball, BAW, Annie Davey, Minna Haukka, Susannah Hewlett, Howard Jacques, Hayley Newman and David Crawforth, Liz Murray, Bob & Roberta Smith with Nicolas Bourriaud on drums, Kim Noble and Jessica Voorsanger. Resonance FM's Bermuda Triangle Test Transmission Broadcasts Engineers will be playing in Room 9, 20.45 - 22.00. More from www.beaconsfield.ltd.uk or www.tate.org.uk/britain x

New THURSTON MOORE release from Destructive Industries... Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore has a new DIY limited edition cassette only release called Blindfold. Here’s what the label say about it: "Legends live and are reborn. Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore's most encompassing and introverted work to date. Fetishistic stylings of ventured wanderings, plodding black clouds and immeasurable scars of circumstance, this is a work which demands listening while breathing new life into an already saturated scene scenario. Eyes blinded at the fold, water clinging to flesh, left open for the taking. Click of the blinking lense reaps voyeuristic tinges gasping for the first touch and everlasting sexual peak that never ends. This is a very proud moment for Destructive Industries. A work that meshes with not only the artist's intuitive infrastructure, but also the blending of fan and artist in a wonderfully cohesive understanding. Limited to 200 copies."           Destructive Industries look to be a rather interesting label, lots of good looking stuff on their website, here’s what they say about themselves  “We are a Noise/Power Electronics / Experimental music label that strives for excellency in the age old craft of the DIY Esthetic. Here, you will only find a home for abrasive fetishism, a 'la extreme electronics music. No cringe shall be spared by the whipping hand of masters. Hand numbered and crafted inserts with a more former school approach will be the theme of most releases while staying within the limited number context (also meaning more Cassette/CD-r/LP format.) New age trancers and closed minds may be left at the door... Links www.myspace.com/sonicyouth / www.destructiveindustries.net x

GALLON DRUNK – Live At Klub 007 (Sartorial) – Gallon Drunk have always been at their best in a raw live situation, and this new live album documents one of London consistently electric bands right there, right in the live zone – this is a spot on live album. Recorded earlier this year, in the Czech Republic, on the first of their two European tours in 2008, this 9th album is Gallon Drunk’s first official live release, well overdue you might say – we’ve been begging for this merciful release. Fluid jagged noise-jazz and Stooges meet Bad Seeds driving blues, throbbing saxophone propelled garage drive and jazzy rock ‘n roll, kind you hear late at night on the Northern Line. Members of Gallon Drunk are constantly in demand to play in other people’s bands and on other people’s album - Nick Cave has rightly proclaimed then to be as “cool as fuck”, he’s been employing head Drunk James Johnston as a Bad Seed for the last four years. Other members have been spotted with Faust, Duke Spirit, Tindersticks, Tom Waits, Lydia Lunch, Jerry Dammers, The Fall and more – these Drunks know what they’re doing, they’ve been the real deal for getting on for twenty years now. Chemistry like this just doesn’t happen over night. Twelve raw live tracks pushing through the beer and haze with the sax/wah/guitar workouts casting fire and pushing that boat out – Terry Edwards on sax, trumpet and keyboards, James Johnston on vocals, guitar and organ, Ian White on drums, Simon Wring on bass and banjo...  four of them right there, firing off each other like very few bands really can with their cool as f jazzed up blues driven blood on your hands and stand up on the table rock ‘n roll. Twelve slices and no time to breath, this is Gallon Drunk at their electric, sparks flying, full on intense best. You can feel the shit-eating grins of those who were there that night coming right out through the speakers along with hot smell of organ and the flying sax attacks... some cast fire indeed, bringing it all down good – how overdue is this live album! – www.gallondrunk.com or get it via the Terry Edwards run label Sartorial – www.terryedwards.co.uk
xxx

ALSO CHECK OUT MATT ELLIOTT – Howling Songs (Ici d’ailleurs) – Released as a limited edition of just 500 and as a two disc 180g transparent vinyl only thing (the pressing only takes up three sides of the vinyl, I know you like these details). Matt Elliott used to work under the moniker of The Third Eye Foundation, a respected figure and part of the English electronic scene with his distinctive electro tinted drum ‘n bass creativity – this is nothing like that! Matt Elliott has forsaken his laptops and machines for traditional instruments and exquisitely crafted songs. Guitar, piano, violin and all kinds of slightly eastern sounding folk compositions – Slavic? Greek? Spanish guitars. Howling songs, drinking songs, melancholic songs, sad songs, traditional feelings – what was he doing messing around with mere laptops when he can do all this? No, Third Eye Foundation were good, who would have guessed he’d come up with something as impressive as this though? Powerful, introspective, accomplished, dark, personal, subtle – rich folk songs, intriguing textures, impressive playing, impressive song writing – the liberal military evolution of the world that the author rejects. European folk music, all kinds of counter balancing delights and so much to explore – ballads and folk, madness and reason, revolt and despair. A very fine album indeed, full of otherworld mystery that’s going to need a lot of enjoyable exploring  - www.thirdeyefoundation.com xxxx

PSYCHIC TV / PTV 3 – Mr. Alien Brain vs. The Skinwalkers (Sweet Nothing) - There’s some kind of magic (magick?) to Psychic TV, always has been, always will be... long after they’ve all gone, there will still be some magic forever there. When they do get in to the right headspace (or when you get in to their headspace) then they really are magical – That Beltane gig at the Astoria when they gave out what was rumoured to be acid to everyone coming in and it all ended in large proportion of the audience invading the stage and stripping naked while Genesis conducted the events from up in the lighting rig like some grand wizard – encouraging the confused and retreating security to come join in. That time at Marquee with Webcore and the fire breathers and the obvious attempt to mess with everyone’s heads and blow the PA, and the time of Acid House that they helped pioneer and caught most on the hop with.... What they do musically really shouldn’t be that special, it is though, and it really isn’t that easy to put a finger on why.  Some of the very best Organ gig moments have been shared Psychic TV moments...               The rather fragile version of Syd Barrett's No Good Trying that opens this latest album is no exception, with all the expected flaws and restarts and “magnificent, a perfect rendition” – the magic is here again, something extra special and deeply personal this time though, something deeper than before. The second album from “Counter Culture provocateur” Genesis Breyer P-Orridge and the reactivated PTV3 version of the ever evolving Psychic TV headtrip. This release is “lovingly dedicated to Lady Jaye Breyer P-Orridge (1969 – 2007)” and most of it was recorded live and direct to tape in a Philadelphia studio – “no overdubs or remixing, what you hear is what the band played”. PTV3 had not played together for some six months previously, not since the sad passing of Lady Jaye (or as they put it, not since Lady Jaye dropped her body on October 9th 2007). The surviving members had nothing more than a one hour rehearsal the night before they stepped up to play live in the studio and the tape rolled to document the event. They just went in and “played their heart and soul out for Lady Jaye” - that now familiar mix of ritual, tribal, acid-drenched garage-edged head-food, their own ride through psychedelia and way back to almost primitive garage rock ‘n roll. Bits of Gong, bits of The Doors, that Brian Jones Stones flirtation again, 13th Floor Elevators – raw, feral and when they peek, right there in the zone and taking you with them. Running on instinct and igniting that chemistry like they always somehow do. Hedonistic trance and Andy Warhol pop art, floating anarchy and are you free, are you free, are you really really really free?           Lady Jaye’s song/poem for Genesis is something almost too beautifully special – I’m Making A Mirror For You really does pull at heartstrings - the whole album has an extra special magical, nowhere near perfect, moment of perfect happening quality - as does the bonus DVD that comes with some very personal footage – nothing mawkish, a simple celebration, a beautiful celebration that looks and feels just right - just a group of people sharing life - are you free? Are you really free.... Genesis is maybe (understandably) sounding a little tired and a little lost on some of it here though, you kind of worry for him – he’s never been one to hold back. Lost without his beautiful muse Lady Jaye and still continuing his quest to be one being with her – still going on with his body modification project and his quest to look like her, as she was doing to look more like him – tired and a little lost but he still sounds something like he always did, liberal with his hitting of the notes and all the better for it. His band really do feel like they’re pulling him through here and it does make for a beautiful positive magical mess - a good mess. An almost naive work that’s running on some kind of other spirit – and the bit at the end of the album with the mechanical loop with the voice of Lady Jaye telling Genesis how much she loves him and him replying “I know” – whooosh... There’s a bonus track that comes along sometime later after a long silence, a 13th Floor Elevators live cover from some gig somewhere, not sure if I needed that to interrupt the silence – or maybe I did?         This is an extremely personal, raw, emotional album and a group of close knit people dealing with the loss of someone and something clearly very special, something lost but still there - a celebration of that person and done with beautiful positive innocence, done in that unique, often flawed, often magical Psychic TV way.         The DVD finishes with a simple “Dedicated to the memory of Lady Jaye Breyer P-Orridge 1969-2007 S/he Is (Still) Her/e”, you kind of want to thank Genesis and PTV for sharing something so raw and personal, but then they never ever did hold back - www.genesisp-orridge.com NOISM - + (Crucial Blast) – A whole storm of glitch and shred, relentless onslaught of buzzsawing guitar and machinegun noise, almost as if the Japanese duo are challenging the listener to stick around until the end of the shitstorm of disc. Complex instrumental, relentless, a million notes a minute, spliced and diced. Dissonant shred, cut up, reformed and processed in to some kind of abstract set of relentless death blasts. Brutal complexity once more, chaotic control and death metal textures and on it went with those agrophobix nosebleeds and that never relenting buzz and the slicing and the slashing and the thousand mile an hour glitching. Relentlessly brutal slashing and grinding and thrashing and glitching and shredding and.... www.myspace.com/noist or www.crucialblast.net BEHEMOTH – At The Arena Ov Aion – Live Apostasy (Regain) – Kitchen sink and everything else thrown in there with some bombastic death metal histrionics and a live album. Relentless drum pounding and guitar screeching, growling vocals and you know the score.... A three piece death metal band from Poland, their primitive style has evolved over the years, and this is a decent enough live album - not sure how live it actually is – plenty of drama, relentless metallic noise, summoning of the ancient ones and such - they have something a little extra in there. Death metal that’s worth maybe just a little more of your time than most of the death metal that comes our way these days – www.regainrecords.com xxxx

SON VER – Luz Del Abyss (Disconnected) – SonVer are a radiant experience, warmly crafted pieces of instrumental post-rock, classically ambient, organic, alive – cinematic soundscapes that gently flow around embracing cello and slow-motion guitars, considered understated bass, drums and effects. A slow motion that’s always on the edge of some dramatic outburst, never that obvious though, things build in a more restrained way, cleverly constructed and really far too artistically accomplished to just be tossed in to the post-rock pot – this is a lot more than just another post-rock album. SonVer are a London based four piece who bridge the twin worlds of classical music and rock music with a refined natural unforced ease, this is something that just feels instinctively right, something they just naturally do. Soothing pieces, inviting relaxing pieces, beautifully played, and produced with just the right amount of organic feel – recordings that are alive. Simple pieces, glowing – clearly they aren’t simple, there’s an intelligent complexity here, the work feels simple though. Almost ambient, less is more, wonderfully relaxing – church-quiet and spiritual, a classic 4AD quality, some of the eerie magic of Dead Can Dance, quietly triumphant, music that glows, highly recomended - www.sonver.co.uk x

PAPIER TIGRE – The Beginning And End Of Now (Effervescence) – A feisty three piece from Nantes, France. Inventive punky alternative rock - good things that hint at Fugazi. Sicbay, The Ex – that kind of edgy, punchy, challenging post-punk area of life. Spiky refinement, inventive, that thing that we might have called angular back when the term actually meant something. Rhythmic challenges,  real art punk creativity – raw, awkwardly danceable, mutant goodness, comfort in the twisted difficultness and the metronomic interplay of it all. Some of those good things made by loved bands of days gone by – Homage Freaks, Scissormen, Muy Feo and such. Lyrics that strip away and catch the ear, English lyrics and they do have a bit of a stylistic edge to them, maybe the lack of bass guitar and the way they compensate for that with the ruthless forward moving strength of the drums – www.myspace.com/papiertigre xxxx

SUSPYRE – When Time Fades (Sensory) – What do we have here? Some kind of classical attack of bombastic prog metal. Right now the US outfit sound like The Enid going all technical metal with a slice of ELP and some melodic neo prog and I guess you might called it technical prog metal? They talk of microtonal clusters and the delight of time changes and there they go again with the widdle diddle classic poodle guitars and the piled-on bombastic Enid keyboards – and right now they’re singing about mechanical evolution. Strange band, now and again they hit with this really fluid bit of something really truly progressive... They are rather like a heavy technical metal Enid actually, maybe a bit of a Queensryche feel and I really don’t know if this is dreadful or really rather good? All kinds of symphonic classic prog metal and bits of hard-edged fusion. Now they’re in to a really traditionally classical bit - lush strings and majestic swoops, and when the metal instrumentation does kick in again it really isn’t done in an obvious way.  Nothing subtle here though, they are very bombastic – hang on, gone all impressively Voivod on us now, that jarring forward movement... certainly an interesting band – all angelic cathedral choirs now, cheesy digital piano sounds kicking in and for once I’m really not sure if this is any good or not - www.suspyre.com

THE LUCKSMITHS – First Frost (Fortuna Pop) – Melbourne based Lucksmiths with another album of very very indie pop songs. A Set of refined, easy on the ear songs - light and breezy and unpretentiously accessible - gentle, light, sincere... Crafted, delicate, fragile (yet strong) indie-pop. They do it all so well, The Smiths in comparison would be Motley Crue, The Wedding Present would be Iron Maiden running to the hills – www.thelucksmiths.com.au or www.fortunapop.com

THEE VICARS – Back On The Streets (Dirty Water) – Very 60’s sounding stripped to the bone scratchy blustery (cocky) wired up teenage r&b rolling stoned old school retro older than your grandad garage rock ‘n roll and all with a bit of a punk undertone and a swagger and here you go, a link – www.dirtywaterrecords.co.uk

CHEENO – The Next Step Will Be The Hardest (Prevision) – Adventurous melodic female fronted alternative metal from Germany. They touch on the neo-prog with their epic colour - seems this is a concept album, and there’s a 150 page book that goes with the finished version (we only have promo here). Melodic clean-cut alternative metal that’s complex enough to keep the kind of people who like bands like Porcupine Tree or Oceansize more than happy - www.myspace.com/cheenorock

PSYCHEDELICA THREE – Various artists (Northern Star) – Double CD set that does as it says on the front, all kinds of good things to unwrap on this here compilation, high standard and a tasty cross section of modern forward looking psychedelic indie pop and such. Let us take a random dip and see... SUNSPLIT have a mellow kind of Brian Jonestown Massacre feel, SUNRAY deal out some creamy female-voiced shoegazer drifting and floating that immediately demands we go find out more, GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT get a little Inaura/Porcupine Tree/Explosions In The Sky on us with their refined instrumental restraint that touches on the epic in a rather understated way, THE HIGH DIALS throw out some nice 90’s indie pop, THE QUARTER AFTER (a band who’ve figured favourably a number of times around here) weight in with some impressive Byrds flavours. YOUNG TEAM are equally impressive with their psychedelic alt.country feel, BELLES WILL RING keep up the standard with their West Coast slant and that BJM feel again, NOVA SAINTS are on here, always worth checking out, excellent live band... Actually there isn’t a bad track on here. All kinds of slants and takes on the idea of modern psychedelic alternative indie guitar rock/pop. Two CDs worth, somewhere around thirty four tracks to explore and digest, and yes it does work as one whole – we could go on picking out band after band, that’s not what’s needed here though. Impressive collection of psychedelic indie pop and rock and I guess the idea is you go explore if then follow a few things up – www.northernstarrecords.co.uk
xxx

Last week's album of the week - SLEEPS IN OYSTERS Previous albums of the week - THE WELCOME WAGON / AU / BLACK ELK / MOHA! / SEMAPHORE / AIDS WOLF / THE PROCESS / DEERHOOF / MARTIN ORFORD / ORIGINAL SILENCE / RELIGIOUS KNIVES / F*CKED UP / NISENNENMONDAI / HILDE MARIE KJERSEM / GRAILS / BEATGLIDER / UNIVERS ZERO x

ALBUM REVIEW ARCHIVES

LIVE REVIEW ARCHIVES

'We do not block the traffic, We are the traffic'. The House of Lords has ruled that Critical Mass cycle rides through London are not unlawful. Friends of the Earth Rights and Justice Centre challenged the Police claims in court on behalf of a Critical Mass cyclist on Monday (Nov 20th).

The police claimed that the cycle rides held monthly in London are unlawful because the organisers do not provide police with the necessary notification and therefore, the cyclists are liable to prosecution. Critical Mass state that the cycle rides are spontaneous, they have no organisers and no planned routes. The appeal was heard by five Law Lords who ruled that Critical Mass is a 'commonly or customarily held' procession without organisers and consequently cyclists do not need to inform the police of each ride.

Critical Mass Cycle Rides are part of a global movement which began in 1992 and involves cyclists taking to the streets to celebrate cycling. 

In October 2005 the police issued leaflets to cyclists outlining their apparent unlawfulness. This claim was then challenged in the High Court. The subsequent ruling was in favour of Critical Mass, however the police appealed against the decision and won. During this time police have been cracking down on the rides, blocking the front of the ride, preventing cycle sound systems playing and ticketing riders.

This latest court victory is an important success for the peaceful right to protest and for the cyclists who take part. (Schnews)

www.criticalmasslondon.org.uk

ALSO CHECK OUT

ANARCHISTWOOD – No36/Door (Ex Gratia) – Proper London gritty new wave positively charge stripped back street-sussed punk rock, a band of creative do’ers rather than just dreaming talkers. They put on gigs, they put our their own records and those of other people too, they make films, they feed minds and you feel their journey has only just begun. Feisty brick wall pushing girl fronted do not mess energy, and who’s the leader of the band who’s made for you and me? Can’t you f**king see? No Mickey Mouse club here. Old school back to basics London day-glo punk rock - Vice Squad, Slits, Crass and maybe a touch of Psychic TV to help spread some mustard on your mind. Sunday morning in your head? Don’t go back to bed now, things to do, throw open your door - candi flipped and sistah kisted and paranoid fantasies and pegs and things stripped just for kicks. D.I.Y alive and well, the underground is waking up again, wash your feet now - www.myspace.com/didtheypayyoutosleepwiththosepolarbears or www.punkvert.tv/anarchistwood

ABE VIGODA – Live-Long (Bella Union) - Some kind of colourful marble cake that tastes of new wave and post punk and nu pop punk and punk wave and new this and post that and drenched in subtle rhythm – tropicana, afro beat or whatever you’d like us to describe it as. Rather different and rather good and taking a whole load of familiar ingredients to create a fresh sound and a new taste. This tastes good, they’re from Los Angeles – melodically tropically in an American New Wave post punk kind of way and no, this review is making no sense what so ever, but that doesn’t matter, you got a link here, go taste their tropical marble cake, need some more of this – www.myspace.com/abevigoda

DAEDELUS – For Withered Friends / Touchstone – (Ninjatune) – All kinds of things going on here with these eight mixes and all the jumping about with and on The Death Set and the Thavuis Beck remix and Jimmy Edgar and such. Crafted puns and even more crafted sideburns and LCD Soundsystem jumping on vintage DIY synths and warm weather minds and messing with The Pixies and ecstatic blasts of rap and slices of electro funk and things wired differently and  - www.ninjatune.net / www.myspace.com/daedelusdarling

HEADLESS HEROES – The North Wind Blew South (Names) – Single from the recent album of rather beautiful covers of lost gems and alternative treasure - all gorgeously voiced American new/alt.folk singer Alena Diane and a band of great musicians pulled together by Eddie Bezalel. Their version of Philamore Lincoln’s classic and all beautifully lush and bittersweet good. The album is wonderful, especially their version of Jesus And Mary Chain’s Taste Of Honey... www.headlessheroes.com

Last week's single of the week - THE BRUTE CHORUS

Previously - TIM AND SAM’S TIM AND SAM BAND... / THE DEIRDRES / THE MINIONS / LOYAL TROOPER / ALISON O’DONNELL / SPEECH DEBELLE / OVER THE WALL / THE RAYOGRAPHS / THE KABEEDIES / VOICEsVOICEs / THE QUARRY / F**K BUTTONS / THE ALL NEW ADVENTURES OF US / FRIGHTENED RABBIT

SINGLE REVIEW ARCHIVES

DEMO OF THE WEEK
THE CURSORS - Do I make you feel lucky? - Can I have another sugar lump with that? Well this is certainly high pitched and frantic and... They’re a wired up four piece operating out of a half way house somewhere in Willensden, North West London, and they maybe lose sleep when you think. These cursors aren’t an easy band to pin down – good, we like bands we can’t pin down, some kind of awkward new wave other rock and she sounds rather manic - chocking on your tears while she listens. Witchy and screaming, cackling at your misfortune and wishing you were dead – or at least messing with your head. They say they like to explore time signatures within traditional song structures. This sinister third song gives them a different slant, disturbingly good. They tell how they came together in the art therapy room of a prison, well it will do as a story won’t it - I do like a creative press release. They’ll make you shiver after dark, they do make you feel like a yo-yo – a bit of Honey Bane, a dash of Erase Errata or Hazel o’Connor, stop... Go, three songs that have us curious, she’s called Bailey, you might not want to be the last one left on the tube train with her – they’re visceral. Splatter filled post-punk goodness and they really don’t sound that much like anyone – this is good, they have us curious, they sound a little messy right now, choke on tears while she listens – they sound cruel, I like them... they live dangerously near to us, same tube line, same post code! I do like the way they switch moods and get a whole different slant of sinister in there with this last of three songs – spin downwards... www.myspace.com/thecursorsmusic

ALSO CHECK OUT

Well actually we got quite a pile here, The Melvins will be on stage soon though, got to go... next week, lots of demo reviews next week, we promise....

Last week's demo of the week - THE WINTER LEAGUE

Previous demo's of the week - JARMEAN? / RIOTGOD / CUTTHROAT CONVENTION / INERTIA BLOOMS / SID SINGS / GIRO JUNKIE / THE ATROCITY EXHIBIT / SEA SICK / COUNTRYSIDE / MY SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN / GRASSCUT / COP ON THE EDGE / WILD DOGS IN WINTER / THE LAZY DARLINGS / DEBUTANT / ARCS OF RED

DEMO REVIEW ARCHIVES

PREVIOUSLY - THE PRODIGY / KAYO DOT / BLACK ELK / MADE IN MEXICO / THE BUG / TEMPORARY RESIDENCE / WOODBOX GANG / ALTERNATIVE TENTACLES / EX-GIRL / DELIA DERBYSHIRE /  F**KED UP / THE REVELLIONS / LIZ PHAIR / OASIS / THE CLOUD ROOM / HERZOGA / THE MELVINS / SHEARWATER / THE REAL McKENZIES / VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR

DAMON & NAOMI – More Sad Hits (20/20/20) – A re-issue of their first album, out again on their own label. Originally released back in 1992 on Kramer’s Shimmy Disc label and re-issued in ’97 on Sub Pop, and it sounds as fresh and beautifully restrained as it ever did. That duel fe/male voice sound and those gorgeously lush textures – “like real water in a world of soda pop” said Robert Wyatt. Originally recorded during the dissolution of and as a reaction to the falling apart of their much loved band Galaxie 500 – sad hits indeed. A swipe at the “sinister allure of fame” that’s as relevant today, maybe even more so, what with these being X factor times and Amanda Palmer’s belly being so wrong. This album, that was originally assumed to be a one off, led to a ten year productive relationship with the then very happening Sub Pop label. No one really expected them to be this good on their own. Kind of wonder why that was now but I do remember people thinking that. Galaxie 500 were extremely respected back then (they still are with those who know today). More Sad Hits does sound extremely fresh, remarkably so - if this was a new album coming out now we’d all be raving about the glowing beauty and the delicate layers, the gorgeous songs. This album is worth the admission price for the beautiful perfection that is This Car Climbed Mt. Washington alone, indeed if this was a new album we’d all be putting it up near the top of those end of year lists we’re all thinking about around about now... Shimmering beauty, gracious warmth, fragile emotion, translucent melancholy and you really don’t hear the hints of cynicism and the swipes at former members unless you really tune in – More Sad Hits sounds as wonderful as it ever did. This re-issue comes with extra sleeve notes and oh look, treat yourself, it is almost Christmas... www.damonandnaomi.com

Previously: MR. BROWN / SUBHUMANS / RUBELLA BALLET / BBC RADIOPHONIC WORKSHOP / MARILLION / KUNG FU SUPER SOUNDS / VOORHEES / EXODUS / DEATHROW / THE GATHERING / BLACK DIAMOND HEAVIES / CLIFF / KILLING JOKE / THE SAVAGE RESURRECTION / BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB / DOOM

PREVIOUSLY - DVD: NASHVILLE PUSSY / BOOK: TATTOO SOUP / TAURID METEOR SHOWER / BLACK'N'READ ALL OVER  / MAXWELL DAVIES ON DUMBING DOWN / ACT ART 6 - DYING FOR IT! / DAMIEN HURST / JOE MEEK / IMPROV EVERYWHERE / AARON KRATEN / HURRA TORPEDO / BOOK: THE STOOGES – A JOURNEY / JUNK SALES:SLAVES OF NEW YORK / BITTER PIE / SF ZINE FAIR / GIANT PAW – ART CARD SERIES

Schhhhhneeeeews? What's that? - go see, where would we be without the balance that SchNews offers, not saying that they're always right, not saying we agree with everything thay say, we agee with a lot though and everything should be questioned, damn glad they're there to throw out a question or two and tell us what's really going on out there  - www.schnews.org.uk

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ORGAN 284 - Do we need to go type out a list? Just go have a look...

ORGAN 283 - THE WELCOME WAGON, TIM AND SAM'S TIM AND SAM BAND WITH TIM AND SAM, JARMEAN? NASHVILLE PUSSY, RUBELLA BALLET, VOLCANO!, THE LAKE SITUATION, SUBHUMANS, GLOBO, KAYO DOT, I LIKE TRAINS, PREGO, THE VERVE, THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART, CRISIS NEVER ENDS, SIX FEET UNDER, USELESS ID, BITCHES SIN, SLICK'S KITCHEN, JE SUIS ANIMAL, SEVERAL UNION, GUILLOTINE, DEAD OR AMERICAN, THE JOHN HENRYS, BURNING PILOT and more... 

ORGAN 282 - Oh loads of stuff, go see....

ORGAN 281 - F**KED UP, ROLO TOMASSI, MoHa!, SEMAPHORE, THE MINIONS, CHICKENHAWK  TROST, MAGNOLIA, LEFT TO VANISH, FREDRICK STANLEY STAR, HEADLESS HEROES, TORTUGA, THE BOAT PEOPLE, BARR, SAMMY HAGAR, BORN FROM, ROB HIMSELF, THE DeRELLAS, THE RACE, CONOR OBERST, DEPARTMENT S, MARILLION, 11:59, GHOSTFIRE, HANDMADE & BOUND...

ORGAN 280 - AIDS WOLF, THE PROCESS, RIOTGOD, SLITVEIN, TO THE BONES, LOYAL TROOPER, ALISON O’DONNELL, THREATMANTICS, DARK CAPTAIN LIGHT CAPTAIN, EARTHLESS, CROWPATH, THE COMPUTERS, MIA VIGAR, BRIMSTONE HOWL, SATYRICON, THE ESTRANGED, MERCURY REV, AS EDEN BURNS, SUPERSUCKERS, CARNAL DECAY, PSAPP, DANKO JONES, JOHNNY COLA & THE A-GRADES, UNFOLD PRESENTS: TRU THOUGHTS HIP HOP, KUNG FU SUPER SOUNDS, MADE IN MEXICO, KOSMISCHE, DESERT MUSIC SCHOOL BENEFIT....

ORGAN 279 - DEERHOOF, MARTIN ORFORD, CUTTHROAT CONVENTION, SPEECH DEBELLE, OVER THE WALL, SOUTH CENTRAL, MAYORS OF MIYAZAKI, DIAGONAL, CONSOLATION PRIZEFIGHTER, DAN BAIRD & HOMEMADE SIN, THE RAMPTON RELEASE DATE, NANAS REVENGE, DISTANCE TO FAULT, MARSHALL LAW, SPEED THEORY, JUD, SOLITARY, FAILSAFE, EASTER, THE ACORN, FROM MONUMENT TO MASSES, STONE GODS, VOO, EDO BRIGHTON PROTESTS... 

ORGAN 278 - ORIGINAL SILENCE, INERTIA BLOOMS, TRANSMISSION, REPORT SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITIES, THE RAYOGRAPHS, ABIGAIL WILLIAMS, THE BEDROOM PROJECT, MISPELT (TWOPOINTZERO), MONKEY FIGHTERS, EXODUS, BONNIE PRINCE BILLY, PAUL J.ABBOTT, DEERHUNTER, KILL THE CLIENT, RAY, HELGRIND, MARTUTA, ROBIN TAYLOR, INCASSUM, FLOWING TEARS, DANIEL LAND & THE MODERN PAINTERS, THIS OR THE APOCALYPSE, I HATE KATE, AIRBOURNE, EXIT CALM, THE PADDINGTONS, SILVERY, MAYBESHEWILL, HER NAME IS CALLA, WE ROCK LIKE GIRLS DON’T, HAYMAN WATKINS TROUT & LEE, MAXWELL DAVIES... 

ORGAN 277 - yeah yeah, a non stop operation....

ORGAN 276 - Oh go have a look, do we have to list it everyweek, we had loads of great stuff last week, classic week for new music... 

ORGAN 275 - GRAILS, BEATGLIDER, THE ATROCITY EXHIBIT, TO THE BONES, SEA SICK, F**K BUTTONS, STE McCABE, THE BARDO, GENTLE GIANT, THE ALL NEW ADVENTURES OF US, HANSON BOTHERS, RUMORS OF GEHENNA, ACID MOTHER TEMPLE & THE COSMIC INFERNO, JMC, P.G.LOST, UGLY STICK, A TEXTBOOK TRAGEDY, NO RETURN, TRIVIUM,  AMANDA PALMER, THE DeBRETTS,  TEMPORARY RESIDENCE...

ORGAN 274 - UNIVERS ZERO, HAUSCHKA, COUNTRYSIDE, MANIQUI LAZER, MAB, MILK ROAR, HYDRA, MAGICIAN, KIMYA DAWSON, STRIBORG, ROSE KEMP, VOLBEAT, THE BOBBY McGEES,  THE MAY FIRE, MOOSE FACTORY, PRO-PAIN, TRIP LAVA, A POETIC YESTERDAY, LORD BELIEL, FRIGHTENED RABBIT, FROM PLAN TO PROGRESS, BOWERBIRDS, BLACK DIAMOND HEAVIES, DAMIEN HURST, CLIFF'S SINGLE, ALTERNATIVE TENTACLES... 

ORGAN 273 - CONSTANTINES, WOODBOX GANG, RA RA RIOT, MY SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN, PERHAPS CONTRAPTION, AMANDA PALMER, BYE BYE CANDY, OF THE I, RUDE MECHANICALS, ANARCHISTWOOD, GIRLSCHOOL, ICED EARTH, ICED EARTH, BLOOD CEREMONY, TONAL OAK, SOULS, FALLEN, PURE INC, BULLET, THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART, DARK CAPTAIN LIGHT CAPTAIN, THE TAMBORINES, EX-GIRL, DESTINATION:OBLIVION, JOE MEEK....

ORGAN 272 - YOUNG WIDOWS, AMANDA PALMER, EHNAHRE, GRASSCUT, PRINTS, THE FRENCH QUARTER, POPE JOAN, THE VERVE, BUFFALO KILLERS, MISERATION, DRAGONFORCE, THE MONO EFFECT, BONKERSFEST ‘08, NOUGHT, GERTUDE, TO THE BONES, ROLLINS, BOBBY BARKER, ONE TRUE DOG, BLUEZZ INTOXICATED, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, F*CKED UP, IMPROV EVERYWHERE, CLIFF... 

ORGAN 271 - LUSTMORD, SLIPKNOT, LOVELY LITTLE GIRLS, AARON KRATEN, FIGHT LIKE APES, TOY GUN COWBOY, IMMERSION COMPOSITION SOCIETY, PICTURES PAINT WORDS, LITTLE JACKIE, RUBY THROAT, TO THE BONES, THE MIRIMAR DISASTER, AGRYPNIE, CITY 13, LORDS OF BASTARD, THE DONKEYS, GOLDBLADE, BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE PRESENTS: BRENDAN CANNING, BLAND BLADEN, EUREKA MACHINES, BRIAN WILSON, PETALS ON A WET BLACK BOUGH, NARRATION, KISSING KALINA, THE REVELLIONS, KILLING JOKE... 

ORGAN 270 - HEY COLOSSUS, ROSE KEMP, MOTORHEAD, COP ON THE EDGE, GNOMES OF ZURICH, LITTLE JACKIE, JOY OF SEX, GNAW THEIR TONGUES, GEOFF SOULE, UNDERGROUND RAILROAD, JAGUAR LOVE, HELLFIRE, CRUISER, THE CHAIR, GORGOROTH, SONNY, REGURGITATOR, LAGWAGON, MILLENNIA, UNBUNNY, TZUN TZU, SUPENIK, ZEBRAHEAD, MOURNING RISE, SINISTER, THE BIKINI BEACH BAND, ZAG AND THE COLOURED BEADS, WHIMWISE, SUSAN GEORGE BOOTH, SERGEANT BUZFUZ, POPE JOAN, FOUR DEAD IN OHIO, THE VIEW FROM BELOW, THE INCONSOLABLES, THE SAVAGE RESURRECTION, LIZ PHAIR, BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB... 

ORGAN 269 - VESSELS, DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS, ELEPHANT 9, ART IN EXILE, WILD DOGS IN WINTER, DISSENTIENT REVOLT, TONAL OAK, THE STRIPPER PROJECT, GUTZ, 31KNOTS, INDIAN JEWELRY, KASAI ALLSTARS, NEW MECANICA, LONELY GHOSTS, AGNOSTIC MOUNTAIN GOSPEL CHOIR, RYE, RYE, LAST HARBOUR, THOSE WHO BRING THE TORTURE, RE-RENAISSANCE OF THE CELTIC HARP, BEN MARWOOD, VALKYR, EGEBAMYASI, THE CLOUD ROOM, HURRA TORPEDO, FIGHT LIKE APES...

ORGAN 268 - DOSH, VILE IMBECILES, QUEEN ADREENA, Z's, MOGWAI, DDD, ISOR, PURE REASON REVOLUTION, BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE, HEAVY HEAVY LOW LOW, SOUTH, SILVERY, THE LAZY DARLINGS, THRACIA, LATE OF THE PIER, FANTASY BAR, BLACK FLAME, THE VERVE, HERZOGA, THE STOOGES, FIGHT LIKE APES...

ORGAN 267 - KAYO DOT, SHEARWATER, OXBOW, HARVEY MILK, ONE DAY AS A LION, KONG, DEBUTANT, IDIOT SAVANT, THE JET BOYS, NADJA, THOMAS FUNCTION, SEBASTIAN BACH, ORGHIA, SANCTORUM, GROUND MOWER, DISARM, RON FRANKLIN, BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME, SABATRON, KAROSHI BROS, THE VIVIANS, THE HAIR, UNDERGROUND RAILROAD, THE EMERGENCY, DOOM. BIFFY CLYRO...