Sonic Youth - Sensational Fix [2009]

The iconic postpunk band Sonic Youth is best known for blurring musical genres and transcending the boundaries of rock guitar. Its members--Kim Gordon, Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo and Steve Shelley--have also, over the course of 27 years since they first started playing together, more quietly engaged in multidisciplinary solo efforts and collaborations with visual artists, filmmakers, designers and other musicians. What we're doing is always inventing itself. I have no terminology for it," according to Moore. This comprehensive 784-page volume--which includes two 7-inch records with unpublished songs by each member, album covers, band portraits and documentary photos, many of which have never been published before--is a must for fans and anyone seeking to connect the dots between New York's various cultural scenes. It features writings by band members and contributions by a host of other luminaries, including Richard Hell, Mike Kelley, Jutta Koether, Alan Licht, Lydia Lunch and John Miller."

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Fucked Up - Year of the Rat 12" [2009]

Tracklist:

A. Year of the Rat

B. First Born

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Elvis Perkins In Dearland - Elvis Perkins In Dearland [2009]

XL Recordings is pleased to announce the forthcoming release from Elvis Perkins in Dearland. The album, self-titled, will be released on March 10, 2009. This album is the debut album for the band and at the same time is the follow up to Perkins' first release, the critically acclaimed Ash Wednesday.Elvis Perkins in Dearland's new eponymous album feels very much like the second line to his exquisitely melancholic and much-hailed solo debut Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday gained Elvis a dedicated and reverent following for its nuanced meditations on death and grief — many moments on that first record felt as if the listener had tip-toed into the intimate confines of a private elegy, enveloped in that wondrous, old-soul quality of Elvis' voice.There are still plenty of private moments on Elvis Perkins in Dearland, but Elvis is now joined by a talented trio of friends that toured with him in support of Ash Wednesday. Along with Elvis on guitar and lead vocals, Elvis Perkins in Dearland is Brigham Brough (upright bass, saxophone, vocals), Wyndham Boylan-Garnett (pump organ, guitar, harmonium, trombone, vocals), and Nick Kinsey (drums, percussion, banjo, clarinet, vocals). Many of the new songs on Elvis Perkins in Dearland were honed on the road by the four bandmates, whose natural ease with one another allowed them to constantly experiment with arrangements on the fly.Produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Chris Shaw (Public Enemy, Bob Dylan, Ween) and Elvis Perkins In Dearland, the album was recorded in Upstate New York in the latter part of 2008. Shaw recorded and mixed the album as well."On this new record we wanted to capture the spirit of our performances," drummer Nick Kinsey said. "The challenge was to get down that spontaneity." Perkins says, "This album is faster and younger than Ash Wednesday. Being in a studio with three other creatives instead of just one was a new thing for me. It takes four times as long to decide everything... but in the end, this kind of interplay made for much good."

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Tosca - No Hassle [2009]

No Hassle is the fifth full-length released by the duo, who are comprised of Richard Dorfmeister (of legendary trip-hoppers Kruder & Dorfmeister) and Austrian musician Rupert Huber. Whereas much of their previous material had Dorfmeister's dubby basslines up front, this album was developed as a more ambient project, combining submerged samples and live instrumentation to create a lush and immersive hour of music."It's our personal reaction to everything," explains Richard. "To all things that are pressuring you from outside, or internally, from every angle. It's sort of the ideal position to achieve, and it's the same idea behind the music: to achieve an hour where you feel hassle free."

Tracklist

01. My First

02. Elitsa

03. Springer

04. Birthday

05. Oysters In May

06. Joe Si Ha

07. Elektra Bregenz

08. Fondue

09. Rosa

10. Raymundo

11. Mrs. Bongo

12. No Hassle

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Ducktails - Acres Of Shade [2009]

""Acres Of Shade" is a departure from past Ducktails zones. Mondanile turns away from his lofi bedroom pop vibes, moving towards synthesizer cycles. He does not sacrifice his youthful style and tropical nostalgia; just rethinks the way it is expressed. Drifting drones lift in the air. Features all new material: "White House With Green Shutters / Surfs Up". In an edition of 100 tapes with full color covers and printed labels."

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Beirut - March of the Zapotec/Realpeople Holland, 2009

After the widely acclaimed 2007 album The Flying Club Cup, which hit many album of the year lists including the NME, Uncut, Q, The Sun and The Telegraph, the extremely talented young songwriter and musician Zach Condon returns with his third record under the guise of Beirut. The full-length album entitled March Of The Zapotec is comprised of two EPs. The first, and album namesake, is a foray into Mexican folk music with the help of an obscure small-town Mexican funeral band. The second is Holland, a bedroom electro-synth pop wonder, originally an idea for Zach s previous incarnation before Beirut, when he went by the name of Realpeople. - amazon.co.uk

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Stuart & Caan - The Mayfly Dance [2009]

Stuart and Caan's The Mayfly Dance came to Knw-Yr-Own from England thanks to friends Little Wings and Devendra Banhart. After opening for the two bands on the Hair Fairies Tour, Banhart invited the gents to come over and play the United States. Needless to say, Stuart and Caan fell smartly into the middle of the new weird America musical movement, taking it all in (until they were deported). With pastoral guitars, heartbreaking melodies, and a rare sense of wide-eyed wonder, The Mayfly Dance spins a timeless Anglo-folk sound.

1. Lalita

2. I Waited So Long

3. Big White Boat

4. Rosemary

5. Isn't It Wonderful

6. Lord Of The Cosmos

7. Look To The Sky

8. God Song

9. Holy Moment

10. Do You Want To

11. Set Sail

12. Land Of Stone

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Faust - C'Est Com... Com... Complique [2009]

Bureau B proudly presents: a brand new album of the krautrock institution, revered worldwide as pioneers of avant-garde rock music. Hypnotic, dadaistic, powerful, gentle, melodic, earthy, etheral. This is the sound of Faust.

1. kundalini tremolos
2. accroché à tes lèvres
3. ce chemin est le bon
4. stimmen
5. petits sons appétissants
6. bonjour gioacchino
7. en veux-tu des effets, en voilà
8. lass mich, version originale
9. c'est com...com...compliqué

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Grouper/City Center Split 7'', 2008

So super stoked to announce officially that there's some new jams on the way. In particular, a split 7" with new, exclusive songs from me and Grouper. I've talked about Grouper, my friend Liz's amazing music on maybe like 60% of my blog postings, so it's shouldn't be a big surprise that this I'm beyond overjoyed we've gotten to play some shows and now work on this record together. Liz's song is exclusive to this release, and recorded around the same time as her last amazing full-length "Dragging A Dead Deer Uphill". It's fucking mindblowing. My song is "This Is How We See In The Dark", which I wrote just for this release after checking out Liz's song and trying to write a counterpoint piece. I've been playing it live in every show since the end of the summer, so if you've seen me play at all, it might sound familiar. This demo recording was the first version of the song, and it's gotten a lot more refined/better since then, but it should give you an idea. Lots of tape manipulation on the vocals, muddy mishap vibe.

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Crime In Choir - Gift Givers [2009]

Comprised of founding members of the original At The Drive-In (pianist Kenny Hopper and guitarist Jarrett Wrenn), as well as members of The Fucking Champs (drummer Tim Soete), Jonas Reinhardt (synth player Jesse Reiner + Kenny Hopper), and The Mass (saxophonist Matt Waters), Crime In Choir have an impressive pedigree and an even more impressive sound. Intent on reinvigorating and updating the genre for today’s discriminating, post-everything indie-rock listener, Crime In Choir’s 4th album, “Gift Givers”, expands on the complex interweaving of melody, composition and sound-scape heard on 2006’s “Trumpery Metier”. “Gift Givers” brings a complex suite of six songs that harkens back to the golden age of prog while leaping infinitely forward in textures, composition and grace.

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