341 Top 11-25 LPs

Yes, I did top 30 EPs and only top 25 LPs, but that's because EPs are shorter... or something like that.   Here are the rest of my best LPs ever and its a bit of a wild ride.  Opening with the remix compilation from Third Eye Foundation, when I bought this I didn't recognize any of the artists names.  The music is so wonderfully strange, and not at all danceable electronica, well except for the last track I suppose.  Matt Elliott's style is in full effect here, showing how diverse and broad his range is.  Coming from appearances with bands like Flying Saucer Attack, Amp, and Hood, his solo project TEF was just mind-blowing and unexpected.  Then his solo work under his own name is sublime, dark acoustic songs.  Next up is Kid606 and the album that captured my attention the most when I first heard it, "Down With The Scene."  His other work at this time (Don't Sweat the Technics, and GQ on the EQ++) are a bit inconsistent, but have their great moments, its Down with the Scene that has the best album feel to it, and plenty of variety in his styles in anarcho-punk take on electronic music.  I always loved his puns as track titles.  The bonus track on this album (is it really a bonus if its on every edition?) is a welcomed glitchy Ragga/Drum N Bass workout from Hrvatski.  

Then we come to Skinny Puppy, and I had a lot of internal conflict choosing between "Ain't It Dead Yet" and "Last Rights."   The live album won out because it was one of my first cassettes I'd bought from them, and their live presence and reworking of tracks is incredible.  Seeing them perform live twice has been on my top concerts ever list as they never disappoint.  I'm sad I missed their farewell tour this year.  I kept the industrial vibe going strong by selecting In Slaughter Natives for the next track.  I came across them via the "Absolute Supper" compilation, which will be featured in the upcoming Top Compilations mix.  This is some powerful industrial neo-classical stuff here and the whole album has this sinister and evil vibe to it.  Their performance on the Mort Aux Vaches series is worth checking out.  Still in the industrial vein, Scorn makes their second appearance on my top lists, this time its the album "Evanescence."  I first bought the "Silver Rain Fell" single because of the Meat Beat Manifesto remix on the B-Side, and realized how incredible this project of ex-Napalm Death members was.  This album and it's sister remix album "Ellipsis" represent a perfect moment in time where magic happened.  The samples they used are diverse, everything from The Residents, Zoviet France, The Human League, Spacement 3, Barry Adamson, Onyx, Monte Cazazza, Urban Dance Squad, to the Incredible Bongo Band.  Nothing else quite like this album, in its blend of illbient, dark ambient and industrial music.  What industrial section of a "best of" mix would be complete without Cabaret Voltaire?  Sure, this might not be on anyone else's top list, but for me this was one of my introduction points and the one I listened to the most.  I know, its a compilation and not an official album.  The tracks are great representations of their early years, and covers both the raw noisy stuff, the electro funk, and hints at the more subdued electronica that was to come later.

Not too much of a shift with moving to the second album from the Talking Heads.  Of course I knew all their hits from growing up with MTV, but this album was quite a surprise when I bought it from one of those dollar-a-CD clubs back in the 90s.  Quirky, funky pop music that was undeniably catchy.  "Psycho Killer" might be my favorite track, but this is my favorite album start to finish.  Sonic Youth and Daydream Nation, what can I say... was my favorite of theirs as a teen (Evol and Sister are tied for second place).  I used to listen to this cassette on road trips, and one time my Mom asked what I had on my walkman.  So I handed her the tape and the whole family listened to this album as we drove across Missouri.  That was one of the last times I was asked to share what was in my walkman.  Then we get to Aesop Rock, and his album "The Impossible Kid" is near perfect start to finish.  I rarely skip any track when I put it on.  He has certainly earned his place in hip hop royalty for having the largest vocabulary of any currently recorded MC.  

Tortoise is another band I came to via Brainwashed.com.  Their unique blend of post-rock and jazz was a welcomed freshness to my collection when I found them.  This CD has the the epic Djed, which I left off because of its length, and the rest of the album ebbs and flows with such dynamic range and energy.  The list of members are a who's who of the Chicago area post-rock community and near every side project and solo effort is worth looking into.  Kid Koala came to me from some punk friends, and they were right to show appreciation, he is a great turntablist and has some excellent choices of samples and source material.  "Scratchcratchratchatch" is a joy, start to finish and I've even got my kids to appreciate it, through the "Dinner with Yoda" and "Tricks N Treats" tracks.  As for Spiritualized, I knew it was one of the guy's from Spacemen 3, and I had seen them open for Siouxsie and the Banshees on their Pure Phase tour.  Not what I expected opening for a Queen, so it took a year or two before I picked up this album.  Glad I did, the opening track is one of my all time favorites, with the layers upon layers of vocals.  The rest of the album is an epic rock display, and when I saw them again in 2004 I was an avid fan and thoroughly enjoyed every second of that show.  

It took me a while to give Zola Jesus a try.  I'd seen her albums on several websites with glowing reviews, and I guess I assumed it was more pop and not likely my style.  I don't know why, but one day I just bought Taiga and Versions on vinyl and immersed myself in her glorious voice for a few days.  Needless to say I was wrong on my initial assumptions and glad I gave her a chance.  Such a powerful voice and songwriting, now I'm happy to share her music with anyone I can.  Next I took it back to the mid 90's and some straight forward electronic music with the compilation "Delusions of Grandeur."  Yes a compilation, but most of the album are Hardkiss aliases, so that's why I lumped in here instead of my top compilation mix.  It was the Rabbit in the Moon tracks and remixes that jumped out the most here.  That Tori Amos sample is fantastic and really adds to the climax.  I loved seeing RITM at a rave where they put on a fantastic performance with professional dancers and yes, the guy in the bunny suit.  

Lastly, the undeniable creativity and humor of Vicki Bennett aka People Like Us.  I saw an advertisement saying she worked the merch counter at the Coil Presents Time Machines concert.  Since I loved anything and everything related to Coil, I bought her most recent album, the 2CD version of "Hate People Like Us" which has an elite roster of bonkers remix artists.  The ridiculous samples and splicing make for quite a humorous listen.  There was a time all her work was available for free at Ubuweb; even so, I've bought several of the CDs and a couple on vinyl because they are fun additions to my library.  I chose this one because Negativland did such a good job and turned some short samples into quite a nice full song, retaining much of the humor of the source material.  Then I added one more Kid606 track to close this out, hey its less than 15 seconds and is an awesome closer.

00:00  Tarwater - To Describe You (3rd Eye Foundation Remix) (I PooPoo on your Juju)

04:41  Kid606 - Buffalo606 - The Morning After (Down With The Scene)

07:57  Skinny Puppy - Addiction (Ain't It Dead Yet)

14:01  In Slaughter Natives - To Mega Therion (Enter Now The World)

18:28  Scorn - Silver Rain Fell (Evanescence)

25:50  Cabaret Voltaire - Sluggin Fer Jesus (Part One) (Eight Crepuscule Tracks)

30:49  Talking Heads - With Our Love (More Songs About Buildings and Food)

34:12  Sonic Youth - Teen Age Riot (Daydream Nation)

40:56  Aesop Rock - Rings (The Impossible Kid)

44:41  Tortoise - Glass Museum (Millions Now Living Will Never Die)

49:57  Kid Koala - Emperors Crash Course In Cantonese (Scratchcratchratchatch)

54:00  Spiritualized - Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space (Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space)

57:37  Zola Jesus - Dangerous Days (Taiga)

62:00  Rabbit in the Moon - Out of Body Experience (Burning Spear) (Delusions of Grandeur)

70:49  People Like Us - What's Music? (Negativland) (Hate People Like Us)

76:13  Kid606 - Punkshit (Down With The Scene)

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340 Top 21-30 EPs

Here is the last chunk of my favorite EPs of all time.   Kicking it off with Dinosaur Jr's single for "The Wagon."  This was later included in the "Whatever's Cool With Me" compilation which appends some excellent tracks that really make this feel like more of a mini-album than a couple singles.  I really love the quasi-cover of Bowie's Quicksand included on this one.  Its the "Green Mind" era of Dinosaur Jr that I felt was their peak.  Damn near every track on that albums is a winner, and the reissue has that fantastic cover of the Flying Burrito Bro's.   In a similar vein, the next track from Primus was so much fun when I came across the "Miscellaneous Debris" EP.  This featured covers of Peter Gabriel, XTC, The Residents, The Meters and Pink Floyd all done in that inimitable Primus style.  I think Primus covering the Residents is a match made in heaven, and I've got their cover of Constantinople and Hello Skinny on a bootleg. 

Then I took things to a sludge metal area with Fudge Tunnel.  It was their video for "Sunshine of You Love" on Headbangers Ball that caught my attention, and if I remember the "Hate Songs in E Minor" had that dreaded "Parental Advisory Explicit Lyrics" label and the "Teeth EP" did not, despite having a track named "Shit for Brains."  So, I had to go with what my mom would let me buy and glad I started with this one.  Its fantastic, and has the song that I already knew.  Alex Newport has such a style that dominates everything he touches, I quickly started recognizing his heavy handed production from other albums, a highlight is his two demos he produced for Sepultura from the Roots era.  Next up is Bauhaus and their 12" with covers of David Bowie and Brian Eno.  A good friend gave me this record because he bought it, and hated it because in his words, "Bauhaus is supposed to be Goth, and this is not."  His loss, my gain.  I love both of these tracks, and honestly it was a decade or more before I tracked down the original version of the Brian Eno song, which made me appreciate it so much more.

Lush is a group I thought stood out from their shoegazer and indie rock/pop peers.  Their early work had a more punkish vibe and more angst, yet was this thing of shimmering beauty.  I was fortunate enough to see them live twice, one at Lollapalooza, and then again at the 4AD Shaving the Pavement tour with Scheer and Mojave 3.  They never disappoint.  It took me a long time, but I came around on their later all pop oriented work and do appreciate that, just not as much as their first three albums.  In stark contrast, the next track from Of The Wand And The Moon is about as neofolk as you can get.  I sought them out because the name was so interesting, and the music was dark, brooding, and atmospheric in addition to the sing along stylings of the neofolk.  This winter themed EP is a highlight, as some of their full albums are a bit much to take in all in one sitting.  I used to have the lyrics of this track as my screen saver at work, which certainly raised a few eyebrows at the time.

Novy Svet's later period got interesting, and that says a lot when talking about them.  They ended their run with a couple CD EPs saying they were three parts of a trilogy from the Desde Infiernos De Flores sessions.  Only two parts were ever released.  It was 15 years later that the album Desde Infiernos De Flores was released, tying it all together.  Here they are more electronic, and sample based than their earlier noisy, neofolk, and dark cabaret stylings, and it works quite well for them.  By this time they had established Nekofutschata Musick Cabaret label and had several other bands to work with that helped contribute to their evolving sound.  Then we come to Bowery Electric and their trip-hop infected brand of shoegaze.  It was this 2CD remix EP that brought in such obscure but top notch talent that keeps me coming back.  Every track is an exploration of some different facet of their sound.  Chasm, Osymyso, Witchman, Immersion, Dunderhead, Twisted Science, Third Eye Foundation and Main... can't beat that cast of characters.  Granted, with several of these remixes well over the 9 minute mark this is hardly an EP, but I included it here because it is just a wonderful journey start to finish.

Coming toward the end of this mix, my wife is responsible for my appreciation of Cocteau Twins.  I'd heard them on compilations, and the only full album I heard was "Heaven or Las Vegas" which I had borrowed from our library.  When I started dating my wife, I picked up the BBC sessions album and realized I liked their earlier post-punk work much more than the ethereal beauty of their later work.  I even bought my wife the 10CD box of all their singles and thoroughly enjoyed discovering all their deep cuts through that.  Years later, I came across "Otherness" and smacked myself in the head for not finding it sooner.  I mean, Mark Clifford from Seefeel was given free reign to remix Cocteau Twins?  How can that not be amazing.  I believe he was tasked with choosing two tracks from their current album, and then two others of his choosing.  The result is something that is just as much a Seefeel sound as it is a Cocteau Twins sound.  Lastly I chose this EP from Clouddead, though I could have picked just about any of the tracks from their 10" series.  A roommate turned me on to them, and so glad she did as I was clearly the target audience for this style of abstract hip hop.  Everything they did was such a bizarre cut up of snippits and smooth flows that all came together in digestible 6-8 minute tracks.  I was fortunate enough to see them live once, before they split and all went on to greater independent success.  

00:00  Dinosaur Jr - The Wagon (The Wagon)

04:31  Primus - Making Plans for Nigel (XTC) (Miscellaneous Debris)

07:49  Fudge Tunnel - Teeth (Teeth)

11:27  Bauhaus - Third Uncle (Eno) (Ziggy Stardust)

15:34  Lush - Second Sight (Scar)

17:57  :Of the Wand and the Moon: - Winter Veil (Midnight Will)

21:02  Novy Svet - La-Bas (Demon Down) (La-Bas(s) Communion)

23:20  Bowery Electric - Without Stopping (Witchman Mix) (Vertigo)

37:13  Cocteau Twins - Violaine (Otherness)

41:54  Clouddead - And All You Can Do Is Laugh (side A) (And All You Can Do Is Laugh)

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photo credit:  wild turkey

399 Top 11-20 EPs

Next chunk of my all time favorite EPs, presented in no logical order.   Meat Beat made the cut again, because while their albums are amazing, I think they really shine in the EP format.  Mr Jack Dangers has such a creative knack for making something completly new when he self-remixes.  The Now remixes here are simply wonderful, and the inclusion of Love Mad a non LP track is one of the highlights from this era.  The closer is a live excerpt called Children of the Beloved and is a wall of noise with the familiar dialogue (from Storm the Studio) on top.  Next up is DJ Wally who I featured recently in a two part overview.  This is the track that drew my to him from the great Headz 2A compilation on Mo Wax.  To my ears, there isn't any difference between that "Nitty Mix" and the one from this 12".  The title track Mustard Plaster was such a fun tune back in the 90's, and holds a lot of great memories for me.  

Moving along now to the Yellow Magic Orchestra and The Orb's remixes.  I came across these on the YMO tribute/remix album "Hi Tech - No Crime" which is a bit dated now, yet has several timeless tracks like the two from the Orb.  I loved those so much, I spent quite a while tracking down this three track EP featuring different mixes.  I believe there is a promo 12" that has two other mixes, but I've never come across that.  I love the groove the Orb makes on all of these, and this EP has such a flow to it, I think it works well as one long 30 minute adventure as opposed to individual remixes.  Then there is Aphex Twin in an early remix EP for their single On.  All four tracks on here are in stark contrast to each other, which is what I love about diverse artists on a remix EP.  This u-Ziq remix has that fun tape squelch at the beginning that I love how the artist said he thought it added character and left it in.  And things like that are non-existent in the now digital recording age.  

I've asserted my fondness for the track "Semi-Detatched" from Orbital before, having found it on the Trance Europe Express compilation.  Here is the superb peel sessions version where it is paired up with a stunning version of Attached.  I agree with one of the commenters on Discogs, this is likely the best thing Orbital ever recorded.  Following that epic track with one of the best surprise 7" I ever bought.  His Name Is Alive in their 3rd appearance in my Top lists.  This one is a fun little 7" on Friendly Science records, and they reinvented their sound again for this doing a fantastic dubby pop style that works so very well.  I've included the full side here as there is a good minute or so extra that didn't appear on their CD-R "Rare Tracks in the Snow."  For the longest time, I thought the two sides were titled Brazil/Loins des Sambas as that was about the only information listed on the labels.  Now according to Discogs, the track is called "Sound System Wants it Sweet" and "Cinnamon Sound System is the extra bit at the end... however on "Rare Tracks" this is clearly called Cinnamon Sound System.  Whatever, they can do what they want.

Now the apex of this mix, "Moya" from Godspeed You Black Emperor!  Goodness, this is a monster of a jam and a reworking of the third symphony of Gorecki.  I've turned many friends on to this band and in return a good friend took me to see them live a few years back.  And yes their live shows do live up to all the hype and reviews.  This two tack EP is still the highlight of their catalogue for me, probably because it was the first I'd heard, and my dog ate my copy of Lift Your Skinny Fists... before I had a chance to listen to the whole thing.  No clue why I never replaced that copy.  This is followed by some mellow stylings from Piano Magic.  This track was one of the first I'd heard from them on the Seasonally Affective compilation, and the style and lyrics really resonated with me.  The B-side, "The Canadian Brought Us Snow" is equally great earning this a spot in my best EPs ever.

Scorn's early years are my favorite, though I do hold a great appreciation for their work in the post-NJ Bullen age.  This EP in particular really highlights some dark dark dark illbient and ambient works.  Their use and choice of samples in superb, and this minimal mix of the title track has this chill groove and creepy ambience to it.  Years after I bought the 10", I got the CD version which appends the "Lick Forever Dog" EP and one out of place remix.  I do like the Ninj remix, it just doesn't fit at all with the rest of these songs.  Lastly is The Residents with their opus, "Santa Dog."  Either you know it and love it, or you avoid it like the plague (my wife is in the latter category).  Say what you will, The Residents hold a special place in the history of art, music, and culture.

00:00  Meat Beat Manifesto - Love Mad (Now)

03:26  DJ Wally - My Bloody Valentine (Mustard Plaster)

08:38  Yellow Magic Orchestra - Tong Poo (Green Herbage Mix) (YMO vs The Orb Tong Poo Remixes)

17:11  Aphex Twin - On (u-Ziq mix) (On)

25:45  Orbital - Semi Detatched (Peel Sessions)

33:49  His Name Is Alive - Cinnamon Sound System (Friendly Science)

38:29  Godspeed You Black Emperor! - Moya (Slow Riot For New Zero Kanada)

49:17  Piano Magic - There's No Need For Us To Be Alone (7")

53:15  Scorn - White Irises Blind (Minimal Mix) (White Irises Blind)

59:00  The Residents - Fire (Santa Dog)

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photo credit: Lonesome Lake

325 Top Ten EPs

I seem to gravitate toward and appreciate the EP format more than full lengths.  As a general statement, I like material from groups on EPs the most, I think it hides their best deep cuts and gives more experimental freedom than working to keep a concept or theme for a full length album.  Here's my list of top ten (in no particular order) EPs that I've collected.  Starting it off with Future Sound of London who I knew from Papua New Guinea, and picked this EP up based on its creating title.  The music was nothing like what I expected and I much preferred this to the more straightforward techno I assumed they were lumped together with.  The whole EP is a fantastic 20 minute journey through several different styles and I love every minute of it.  It is because of this EP that I continue my exploration of everything FSOL releases, there are just so many hidden gems in their catalog.  Next is Daughter, who I came across by my wife around 2013 or so.  She said she loved their music while we were watching Marie Antoinette one evening (though they have nothing to do with that film).  I bought this 10" and thought it was so well done, and gave some umph to the indie folk sound.  Even though I hear this track everywhere from soundtracks to commercials to intermission music on NPR, I still love it.  The album version of this track seems to have lost some of the impact, it felt almost tamed down.  Then His Name Is Alive again, yes because they are just that great.  This is the best 12" from them, hands down.  Its the simple folk singalong style of this track that endears them most to me.  

Next is a two for one, as I felt like I won the lottery when I came across both of these groups.  First Derniere Volonte, and their French Miltant Pop sound came across like a lightning bolt.  Powerful and catchy, and adding the doomy neo-folk and experimentalism of Novy Svet created some real synergy here.  Novy Svet is my real win here, and I've spent a lot tracking down most of their catalog.  So diverse, so bizarre, and so wonderful.  They are something special.  

Volcano the Bear was so unique, like freak folk and lo-fi and free jazz, and hidden underneath a series of catchy melodies and shimmering beauty.  Honestly, I dialed in the playlist entry here, which though its a great song, I recall rushing through this and not pulling out "Yak Folks Y'Are" which was my entry point to their wonderfully wacky world.  Up next is Stereolab and Nurse With Wound collaborating on the krautrock homage across two EPs.  This was my first real exposure to Stereolab, aside from hearing them on MTV occasionally.  Nurse With Would certainly plied their alchemy with the source material, and the results are just mind melting.  I could've picked any of the collaborations from Crumb Duck or Trippin with the Birds, as they are all equally amazing.

The first time I heard the Twilight Sad I was blown away.  This track in particular comes through like a jet engine over headphones.  The singer's thick accent, the nostalgic lyrics, the crushing wall of noise from the band.  This was certainly too good to last, and they've mellowed in recent years (in my opinion).  Then there is the collaboration of Dalek and Techno Animal, where adding lyrics to this track on their remix made it so much more than it was on its own.  I'd already been a devotee to the JK Broadrick club and was diving in deep on every side project he had, when I came across the deep and esoteric lryics of Dalek that really captured my attention.  I of course grabbed up all the Dalek albums I could fine ("Absence" could have easily made the top LPs list). 

The last two tracks are in stark contrast of each other.  First is Isis (the band) which sadly had to clarify their name posthumously because of the changing political landscape.   Still, they earned their genre defining place in post-metal lore.  From their sludgy blackened beginnings to the sheer bliss of their post-metal endings and every step in-between, they've been in constant play on my turntable.  I do regret that I missed seeing Jesu open for them on a tour in the early 2000's.  Wish I'd gone to that one.  The Red Sea EP was the first I came across back in the day, and I think it was the recognizable David Lynch samples that kept my attention and then the music came and crushed me like a tsunami.  Ending it all with Autechre, because this EP was constantly by my side for high school and college, and many years afterwards.  Its diverse, dark, unparalleled in its day and showed that Autechre was a standout from their peers.  

00:00  Future Sound of London - Smokin Japanese Babe (Far-Out Son of Lung and Ramblings of a Madman)

05:26  Daughter - Youth (The Wild Youth)

09:32  His Name Is Alive - We Hold The Land in Great Esteem (The Dirt Eaters)

13:25  Derniere Volonte + Novy Svet - Mon Mercenaire (split 7")

17:55  Volcano The Bear - My Favourite Lungs (My Favourite Lungs)

24:33  Stereolab + Nurse With Wound - Exploding Head Movie (Crumb Duck)

29:18  The Twilight Sad - But When She Left, Gone was the Glow (s/t EP)

33:11  Dalek + Techno Animal - Classical Homicide (Remix) (Classical Homicide / Megaton)

37:24  Isis (the band) - Red Sea (Red Sea)

44:29  Autechre - Bcdtmx (Basscadet)

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photo credit: I love novelty named beers

324 Top 10 LPs

One year anniversary of this blog, so in no particular order, here are my top ten albums.  Every track is incredible so it was a challenging task to pick just one to represent the whole in this mix.  I knew of Frightened Rabbit for a couple years, and Pedestrian Verse was the first I bought from them.  The lyrics and the edgy, fresh take on alternative sound hit me like a ton of bricks.  Back in my earl 20s I was lucky enough to grab the double album vinyl of Nino Rojo/Rejoicing in the Hands from Devendra Banhart.  I knew him from his earlier outsider folk on Young Gods records, and saw him as part of the Angels of Light in the Brainwashed Eye documentary.  These two albums are so closely related I pretty much consider my double vinyl as one extra long album instead of two distinct pieces.  I even played one of these songs at my wedding for a dance with my mother.  

His Name Is Alive came to my ears via Teletunes on public access TV, where I saw the mesmerizing video directed/animated by the Quay Brothers.  Two for one on this find, my life was forever changed.  As for HNIA, I bought anything and everything I could ever find from them, including waiting during the wee hours of the morning to get that elusive pre-order email for the Cloud box set.  In all their variations of line ups and sound, I never lost my enthusiasm for their music.  The Legendary Pink Dots, like HNIA, I've done multiple overviews of their music here.  IN this case, the Pink Box was the first exposure I had, and is still nearest to my heart.  Yeah, I know its not an album but a compilation, still in the late 90's where it was hard to find their music in local stores, this was my introduction and served as point of reference for all the subsequent albums I purchased in the early days of the internet.  

Coil, another life changing discovery in high school.  There really isn't anything else quite like Coil, and Love's Secret Domain was my introduction point, having bought the CD from Life By Design in Colorado Springs.  My Life with the Thill Kill Kult was playing in Independent Records when I went shopping with my Mom in the mid 90s.  She noticed how much I liked it, and knowing how shy I was, she went to the store clerk and secretly bought the store copy for me as a gift.  It was so sweet of her, and really highlights what I miss most about my Mom, she always knew I had bizarre taste in music and felt she should indulge me and encourage musical exploration as much as possible.  Next up is Meat Beat Manifesto, and this cassette was a permanent fixture in my walkman during study hall for much of my freshmen year.  Industrial rap with heavy slathering of noise and fun samples.  Every album they released felt like it was 5-10 years ahead of the rest of the electronic music community.  I remember driving through the Garden of the Gods with my friend Paul, when NPR played this track by Pelican Daughters.  It was so sublime and fit that afternoon so perfectly.  This was another special order from Life By Design, and has been one of my most played CDs in the last 30 years.  I ended up striking up an email correspondence with Andy Ranzten from this group, and we exchanged some music, I remixed some of the Pelican Daughter's music, and he sent me a few CD-Rs of unreleased material from them and his projects around the same time.  

Muslimgauze was a find in the Soleilmoon catalog.  I saw how prolific this artist was, and picked Azure Deux based on its description as my entry point.  I was not disappointed for my blind effort here.  The description matched the music and mood.  I know, this is also a compilation, not an album, but for an introduction it covers a lot of ground.  Obviously I love this music, I've made more than a dozen overview mixes for them, and will likely make another dozen more as there are so many songs I enjoy that strongly.   Lastly is the greatest post-metal band in my opinion, Cult of Luna.  I liked their name, and saw references to Neurosis and Isis (the band) so I started with Somewhere Along the Highway.  I put the CD on while I was cleaning the house, and somewhere around track 2 or 3 I couldn't stop grinning.  This was my kind of metal, and so well executed.  The next time I saw my friend Mike, I made sure he knew to check them out, and he too became an avid fan.   We saw them play in Denver a couple years later, and that was one of the ten best live shows I've ever seen, especially the lighting.  

00:00  Frightened Rabbit - Holy (Pedestrian Verse)

03:31  Devendra Banhart - Little Yellow Spider (Nino Rojo)

07:04  His Name Is Alive - Can't Go Wrong Without You (Mouth By Mouth)

10:12  The Legendary Pink Dots - Close Your Eyes You Can Be A Space Captain (The Legendary Pink Box)

15:35  Coil - Love's Secret Domain (Love's Secret Domain)

19:26  My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult - Confessions of a Knice, Theme (part 1) (Confessions of a Knife)

22:04  Meat Beat Manifesto - Repulsion (Armed Audio Warfare)

25:26  Pelican Daughters - Prettybodywinder (Bliss)

31:00  Muslimgauze - Imal Akel (Azure Deux)

38:41  Cult of Luna - Finland (Somewhere Along the Highway)

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photo credit: always sunny meme

319 TV Songs

There is certainly no shortage of angsty songs about television.  This was a fun concept to chase down in my collection which stemmed from hearing Ned's Atomic Dustbin on the radio.  Took me a while to track down the Depeche Mode rarity.  

00:00  Iggy & The Stooges - T.V. Eye

04:15  Le Shok - TV In My Eye

06:03  The Misfits - TV Casualty

08:16  The Cramps - TV Set

11:26  The Victims - Television Addict

14:19  Ned's Atomic Dustbin - Kill Your Television

17:08  Talking Heads - Found A Job

21:59  Violent Femmes - I Hate The TV

23:59  Black Flag - TV Party

27:44  Depeche Mode - Television Set

30:58  Butthole Surfers - TV Star

33:57  Bruce Springsteen - 57 Channels (And Nothin' On)

36:12  The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy - Television, the Drug of the Nation

42:40  David Bowie - TVC15

48:00  Frank Zappa - I'm The Slime

51:20  Dead Kennedys - MTV Get Off The Air

54:56  Nadja - The Sun Always Shines on TV (A-Ha)

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photo credit: obey

318 Those Songs

Inevitable, and with no shortage of reggae songs on the subject I felt it was time to pull together my favorites.  In true form, a few end up here twice with the vocal and dub versions.   

00:00  Peter Tosh - Legalize It

04:27  Linval Thompson - I Love Marijuana

07:42  Cornell Campbell - 100lbs of Collie

10:27  Horace Andy - Better Calley (AKA Better Collie)

12:47  Barrington Levy - Collie Weed

15:56  Bunny & Ricky - Bush Weed Corntrash

19:12  The Revolutionaries - Marijuana

21:50  Horace Andy - Collie Dub

26:43  The Toyes - Smoke Two Joints

30:22  Mighty Diamonds - Pass The Kouchie

36:16  Legendary Skatalites meet King Tubby - Herb Dub / Collie Dub

40:09  Bob Marley & The Wailers - Kaya

42:41  Ben Bow & Soundemension - Mama Lulu Version

46:30  Glen Brown & King Tubby - Leggo The Herb Man Dub

50:09  Barrington Levy - Under Mi Sensi

51:59  Pato Banton - Don't Sniff Coke

56:01  Max Romeo - My Jamacian Collie

58:32  Wayne Smith - Under Mi Sleng Teng

62:35  Sylford Walker & Welton Irie - Lambs Bread International

66:58  Horace Andy - Collie Herb

70:58  Johnny Clarke - Collie Dread

73:42  Linval Thompson & The Revolutionaries - Jamacian Colley Version

77:21  Peter Tosh - Legalize It (Dub Version)

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photo credit: had to throw a nod to Rifftrax, my favorite MST3K guys.

317 Alternative Rock

Yep, I grew up in the 90s listening to plenty of alternative rock.  These kinds of catchy songs with a little bit of edge will always have a special place in my heart.   Was fun revisiting all these videos on YouTube.

00:00  Evil Stig - Bob (Cousin O)

02:51  Guardian Singles - Tea Lights Exploding

05:31  The Wedding Present - Once More

08:33  Madder Rose - Ultra Anxiety (Teenage Style)

11:36  Rival Schools - Sofia Loren

13:59  Cracker - Low

18:25  Morphine - Mile High

21:17  Sublime - Santeria

24:17  Sugar - Helpless

27:07  Blonde Redhead - 23

32:16  Waxwing - Spanish Quartet

35:11  Camper Van Beethoven - Take The Skinheads Bowling

37:34  The Lemonheads - It's A Shame About Ray

40:36  The Jesus & Mary Chain - Psycho Candy

43:24  The Sundays - You're Not The Only One I Know (demo)

47:09  Alice In Chains - Got Me Wrong

51:18  Madder Rose - Altar Boy

54:26  Soul Coughing - Murder of Lawyers

59:35  Red Hot Chili Peppers - Taste The Pain

63:40  Polar Bear - Lick

68:56  The Darling Buds - It Makes No Difference

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photo credit: Canyon of the Penitente

316 Butthole Surfers

Back to more strange music.  I love how Butthole Surfers always toed the line between pop accessibility and all out drug fueled freakout jams.  They first came to my attention through the video for "Hurdy Gurdy Man" on MTV's 120 Minutes program.  It didn't take long for me to purchase "Pioughd," and then stumble across the incredible "Locust Abortion Technician."  I then saw them live in 1991 at the first Lollapalooza, which was amazingly unique and something I will both never forget and have only vague recollection of the details of.  I do recall Gibby shooting frisbees over the crowd with a shotgun at one point.  Not much later, I first hear Orbital's first album, and jumped for joy hearing the Butthole Surfers sampled for the intro to "Satan."  What a wonderful combination there.  Fast forward 30 years, and my younger daughter was finally ready to get her ears pierced.  We took her to a local tattoo parlor because why risk it at one of those stores in the mall where an unskilled teenager has a piercing gun in a chair by the window.  This tattoo parlor was covered in Butthole Surfer tour posters, and I mean covered.  I counted at least a dozen of them around the room.  I know this was the place, and the ear piercing went perfectly well.

Now, on to the mix, which if you're going to punish yourself with some Butthole Surfers, might as well do it for two hours straight.  Enjoy!

00:00  Sweat Loaf

04:47  Who Was In My Room Last Night? (Thompson/Barbiero Remix Edit)

07:58  Something

09:47  Ah Ha

13:05  Summer In The City

16:15  Tiny Rubberband (with Moby)

20:17  Human Cannonball

24:04  Pepper (Butcha' Bros Remix)

28:32  The Hurdy Gurdy Man

32:26  The Wooden Song

36:07  Junkie Jenny in Gaytown

39:33  Whatever (I Had A Dream)

43:24  You Don't Know Me

45:51  They Came In

49:51  Jet Fighter

52:30  Jesus Built My Hotrod (Short, Pusillanimous, So They Can Fit More Commercials On The Radio edit)

56:08  Chewin George Lucas' Chocolate

56:47  Goofy's Concern

59:36  Strawberry

63:33  1401 

66:09  TV Star

69:08  Creep In The Cellar

71:03  Revolution Part 1

73:21  Lonesome Bulldog

77:58  Lonesome Bulldog II

78:33  Ghandi

80:55  I Saw An X-Raw Of A Girl Passing Gas

85:33  P.S.Y.

97:19  Dancing Fool

100:08  Ricky

102:37  Rocky

106:11  Gary Floyd

107:58  Dracula From Houston

111:31  Pottery

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photo credit: discogs

315 Krishnacore

What is likely the strangest pairing in music history, Hari Krishna spirituality with hardcore punk rock.  Odd, but there are times where this magically makes something incredible.  I first came to this style when I went to see Shelter play at a skatepark back in the mid-90's.  I knew it was Ray Cappo from Youth of Today, but I never expected to see the band in full dhotis dancing in circles chanting for a good 20 minutes before they took the stage.  After the show my friends and I stayed and shared some vegan brownies and carrots with the band listening to their practices and lifestyle discussions.   It seems like a good time to share this mix, as Ray just opened pre-orders for his book, "From Punk to Monk."

This music has been with me for decades, and resurfaced during my own journey with Ayurveda and daily meditations.

Interested in more?  Most links are still active on this site: http://sonidosdeliberacion.blogspot.com/

All things Ayurveda: https://www.ayurveda.com/ayurveda-a-brief-introduction-and-guide/

https://www.ayurveda.com/the-daily-routine/

https://svasthaayurveda.com/the-power-of-prayer-before-a-meal-along-with-a-healing-ayurvedic-meal-prayer/#:~:text=Ayurveda%20is%20a%20big%20advocate,to%20begin%20with%20a%20prayer.

00:00  unknown - Hare Krishna Mantra

03:25  108 - Holyname

05:22  Inside Out - No Spiritual Surrender

08:12  Shelter - Saranagati

12:29  Cause for Alarm - Clear

14:49  Cro-Mags - We Gotta Know

18:06  Youth of Today - Disengage

20:16  Husker Du - Hare Krsna

23:28  Prema - Destiny

27:10  Better Than A Thousand - Born To Give

28:45  Cro-Mags - It's The Limit

30:15  108 - Son of Nanda

32:33  Shelter - Death and Dying

35:40  Divided We Fall - Holy Name

40:01  Cause for Alarm - Prabupada

42:57  Prema - Deceived

46:08  Traces of  You - Realization and Bliss

49:34  108 - 10.8

50:28  108 - Path Of Truth

53:51  Shelter - Freewill

57:12  Beyond - Effort/Ancient Head

60:24  Refuse to Fall - When The Well Runs Dry

63:22  108 - I Am Not

64:39  Seekers of the Truth - Introspection

67:54  Cro-Mags - Show You No Mercy

69:47  Omkara - Nadal Nie Wiemy

73:46  Govinda Hardcore Project - Ho Camminato Ciego

75:10  108 - Being or Body?

78:46  Refuse To Fall - Soul Fire

81:20  Traces of You - Still Intact

85:16  108 - Panic

88:02  Govinda Hardcore Project - Tributo

91:49  Omkara - Maha Mantra

94:56  Shelter - Mantra

97:56  George Harrison - My Sweet Lord

102:26  Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayan Goswami Maharaj - Outro

 

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photo credit: https://beherenownetwork.com/chris-grosso-ep-57-raghunath-cappo/, https://beherenownetwork.com/chris-grosso-ep-57-raghunath-cappo/

314e Andrew Liles Noisy mix

...and this is where it gets weird.  Er...weirder I suppose.  Taking things further into the extreme, sometimes noisy areas.  Great stuff here, and I didn't even dive deep into his "Monster" series, which is some of his best work IMHO.   I'm sure the casual reader has had more than enough of Mr. Liles, so the next post will be quite the palate cleanser.

00:00  First Monster Last Monster Always Monster (First Monster Last Monster Always Monster)

04:05  Video Killed The Radio Star (Cover Girls)

08:10  Last Orders (My Long Accumulating Discontent)

11:16  The Formation of Birds (Black Panther)

14:43  Texas (New York Doll)

19:18  1st Degree (The Science of Self Pollution) (Auto Manipulator)

21:16  Untitled (Prelude to an Un World)

28:00  Viva! Raudive! (Miscellany 1)

39:07  Gormless (Black Out)

41:54  Boston (New York Doll)

47:50  Untitled (robo-remix) (Robot)

51:29  Symphonium Star Wheel (Ouarda (The Subtle Art of Phyllorhodomancy))

55:28  Ape Greasing Resonant Curvature Around Antiseptic Orifice by Irr. App. (Ext.) (In My Father's House Are Many Mansions)

61:55  Untitled (Prelude to an Un World)

69:51  Stale (バン!!!)

72:41  Tourism and Re-Development (Black Pool)

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photo credit: andrewliles.com/andrew-liles/art/

314d Andrew Liles Main mix

Here's the bulk of my adoration of Andrew Lile's work.  Its all over the map stylistically speaking.  These are the tracks that captured and held my attention.  I recall how enthusiastically I threw money at Beta Lactam Ring Records to get the subscription series "Black" from Andrew Liles, for that mysterious 13th disc.  These  are some of his strongest and most consistent works, with another amazing list of guest musicians.  I bulked up my collection when Andrew offered his 13 CD-R miscellany box set all with that early iconic artwork from him.   I love how while listening to the local NPR and classical music stations, I hear little piano snippits that Andrew Liles samples for his works; always brings a sly smile to my face.  He frequently gives free downloads and deep discounts on his discography at bandcamp.

00:00  Fang (Black Panther)

01:23  Morning Has Broken (バン!!!)

03:11  Choker - Suspenders - Fishnets - Belly Chain (Black Market)

06:37  The Sour Accompaniment (My Long Accumulating Discontent)

07:48  RC (Version IV)(edit) (RC)

10:24  An unkempt garden of the cod cape (My Long Accumulating Discontent)

13:51  Together Alone (All Closed Doors)

16:25  Simple (edit) (Miscellany 1)

19:44  The New York Dolls (New York Doll)

22:15  In the Land of My Father's Father (Ouarda (The Subtle Art of Phyllorhodomancy))

25:00  What Never Will Be (All Closed Doors)

29:03  Auto Manipulator - Trumpet mix by Aaron Moore (In My Father's House Are Many Mansions)

32:25  Another Shift in the Universe (Ouarda (The Subtle Art of Phyllorhodomancy))

34:50  Solitary Bee (Beequeen) (Interpolations)

39:33  Tinder Box (Black Beauty)

40:07  Wooden Pegs and Other Dental Improvisations (Ouarda (The Subtle Art of Phyllorhodomancy))

42:51  Best Friend (Ouarda (The Subtle Art of Phyllorhodomancy))

45:30  Otter Holt (Black Mamba)

46:52  Introduction (Black Panther)

47:30  An Un World (An Un World)

51:59  Anhedonia (Part 3) (Black Market)

55:23  Soft Focus (Auto Manipulator)

56:50  Salvation (Black Panther)

58:38  Anhedonia (Part 6) (Black Panther)

60:59  Untitled (Ouarda (The Subtle Art of Phyllorhodomancy))

63:58  Every Evening (with Fovea Hex) (Gone Every Evening)

67:16  Spurious Middleclass Eccentricity (Ouarda (The Subtle Art of Phyllorhodomancy))

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photo credit: https://www.andrewliles.com/andrew-liles/art/

314c Andrew Liles Drone

Third mix in far reaching drone territory now.  As expected, long tracks make up most of this mix.  I find this stuff mesmerizing and near trance inducing.  Far from background music, this takes my attention away from whatever I'm working on.  Don't forget to check the Andrew Liles Mixcloud page, for his amusing stretched out takes on familiar songs.

00:00  Religion A Valiant Attempt at Rationale (Black Out)

10:35  Untitled (Miscellany 1)

19:40  Is There Anybody There (?)

27:08  Soliloquy for Lile(S)Th by Nurse with Wound (In My Father's House are Many Mansions)

31:50  Dormiveglia (My Long Accumulating Discontent)

35:32  Aviophilia by Jonathan Coleclough (In My Father's House are Many Mansions)

41:30  Version 4 (Viva! Raudive!)

51:53  Hennaed Hand of Glory I (Miscellany 2)

60:26  Something To Do With Hans Bellmer In A Pub At Last Orders Using 15th Century Rural Magic by Bass Communion (In My Father's House are Many Mansions)

66:02  Solitaire Again (Black Panther)

68:00  Beneath Green Wave, Or In The Brown Mould (An Un World)

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photo credit: Discogs

314b Andrew Liles Avant Garde Drone

In this second mix, I started bridging the strangeness to the more drone and ambient territory covered by Mr. Liles.  Some longer pieces of music included here, and the casual listener will start to pick up themes from the album titles.  I probably included half of "In My Father's House..." because it is just such a darn good remix album with a roster of the who's who of industrial drone and dark ambient elite.

00:00  Mother and Son - Untitled 1 (Gazogene Machines)

02:42  Aural Anagram (Anal Aura Gram remix) (Interpolations)

19:04  8th Degree (Plug In Set) (Auto Manipulator)

20:15  Journey remix by Paul Bradley (In My Father's House Are Many Mansions)

25:18  Another Journey (Tubercular Bells (Somnambulance To Dream General))

26:47  Artificially Induced Consciousness (The Power Elite)

33:51  Ohm (Black End)

38:20  Affluenza (The Power Elite)

46:48  untitled (Prelude To An Un World)

51:52  Control and Manipulate and Exploit (The Power Elite)

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photo credit: https://www.andrewliles.com/andrew-liles/art/