Bleak Bliss: August 2017

Butthole Surfers - Butthole Surfers + Live PCPPEP

In 1983 and 1984 the Surfers released these two 12" EPs. I still get shivers down my spine remembering the first times that I took them home and put them on the deck. The initial slack-jawed, drool dangling from my chin "WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?" reaction that was quickly followed by me spinning violently around my room bouncing off the walls and furniture, laughing my face off and singing every word at the top of my lungs. These treasured icons held REVELATION in every groove.

Between 1983 and 1988, the Buttholes were simply the greatest outfit to crawl the earth. Each release was a treasured and majestic acid-fried masterpiece. Then in 1989, the Widowermaker! EP came out. It had some pretty interesting moments but something was missing. After that came the dreaded move to the "big label" and, for me, everything changed. It felt like they had become a completely different band overnight. I carried on buying the vinyl out of loyalty and hope but I can honestly say that I've never listened to them more than twice. I find it too painful ...

I was going to post the vinyl and then remembered that this version sits on a shelf above me. It has four bonus tracks: Live versions of Gary Floyd and Matchstick, the previously unreleased Sinister Crayon and a demo recording of Something.

CD released on Latino Bugger Veil in 2002.

The last shit I took was pretty fucking odd!

Butthole Surfers - Psychic... Powerless... Another Man's Sac

There must be one of you out there that has never heard this? Boy Oh Boy! Thirty two years hasn't dulled a single note of this delirious gem. Proof, if it were needed, that the Buttholes knew the truth and it was the rest of the world that was insane. As if that is not enough, this is the European CD release that includes the brilliant Cream Corn From The Socket Of Davis 12".

CD released on Fundamental in 1985.

Pass me some of that dumbass over there, yeah boy!

Butthole Surfers - Rembrandt Pussyhorse

In comparison to the first few releases, this is almost restrained and structured songwriting. That is, of course, relative to the glorious chaos that preceded this one. After all of these years, it remains twisted and sinister throughout. It took 27 years for this to be briefly reissued by King Coffey on Latino Bugger Veil ...

LP and CD released in Europe on Red Rhino in 1986.

Rembrandt Pussyhorse

Killdozer - Burl

More wonderful tales of death and dissatisfaction delivered with a swing akin to a sledgehammer driving home fence posts. It's also memorable for a cover of Jessi Colter's country classic "I'm Not Lisa" that is delivered so deadpan that it is hilarious and painful in equal measure.

12" released on Touch And Go in 1986.

"I'm not Lisa, my name is Julie ... Lisa left you years ago"

Killdozer - Little Baby Buntin'

More tales of domestic psychopathy and a version of Neil Diamond's "I Am, I Said" that has to be heard to be disbelieved.

LP released on Touch And Go in 1987.

I was born feet first, it shows in the way I think.

Killdozer - Yow!

Killdozer were always very fond of a cover version ... in the same way that a serial killer is fond of his victims. On Side B, you get a cover of Nasty by Janet Jackson. The fact that it's done straight makes it even more disturbing. You can almost see Michael Gerald sharpening his knives whilst surveying the men chained up in his cellar. If Killdozer were in Reservoir Dogs, it wouldn't have been Stuck In The Middle With You that was playing in the background ...

7" released on Touch And Go in 1989.

Oh, You Nasty Boys!

Killdozer - Twelve Point Buck

There used to be a wonderful music paper called Sounds, that became my bible. They were doing a series of 7"s that were taped to the front and on the third, came New Pants And Shirt. It stood out like a broken thumb and blew me away. I jumped on the bus and went and bought this album on the strength of it. A short time later they were playing the Boardwalk and I managed to convince a bunch of friends that it would be a pleasant night out. Live, Killdozer were awesome and pummeled the audience into the floor. One of my friends left halfway through the first song, one vomited halfway through the second song (due to the visceral bass and drum counter punch), one looked like he'd been nailed to the back wall and I don't think he's spoken to me since, one sat in a corner rocking backwards and forwards and one fell asleep (!?!). I loved it!

Welcome to the world of Wisconsin's favourite cow killers: Dan Hobson on drums, Bill Hobson on guitar and Michael Gerald on bass and strangled vocals.

LP released on Touch And Go in 1989.

Twelve Point Buck

Happy Flowers - Making The Bunny Pay

Compilation that brings together the first two 7"s that contained such touching torch songs as "Mom, I Gave The Cat Some Acid", "All My Toys Hate Me" and "The Vacuum Ate Timmy". Priceless.

12" released on Catch Trout Records in 1987.

Making The Bunny Pay

Happy Flowers - Flowers On 45: The Homestead Singles

To be honest we've been getting very sophisticated and la-de-da in these parts recently. You knew it was never gonna last.

Welcome to the profoundly wonderful world of Mr. Horribly Charred Infant and Mr. Anus and such existential classics as "They Cleaned My Cut Out With A Wire Brush", "Mom And Dad Like The Baby More Than Me", "I Ate Something Out Of The Medicine Cabinet" and "Just Wait Till I'm Bigger Than You".

CD released on Homestead Records in 1992.

Flowers On 45

Deep Listening Band - Octagonal Polyphony

This hails from the Deep Listening Band residency and concert at Town Hall Seattle in January 2011. The tile refers to the effect of the eight loudspeakers and four subwoofers surrounding the trio and the audience. There is also the Great Howl At Town Haul CD that contains material from the same time but it's still for sale so I won't be posting it.

This release commemorates the death of David Gamper in 2011 and was released on Pauline's 80th birthday on the 30th of May 2012.

LP released on Important Records in 2012.

Octagonal Polyphony

It was only during the preparation of this series of posts that I learned of the death of Pauline in November of last year. She is very deeply missed.

In case you missed them at the time, I've re-upped the collaboration between Pauline and Reynols and the Happy Birthday post.

Always remember, Big Mother is still watching you ...

Deep Listening Band - Dunrobin Sonic Gems

Again, Pauline speaks about this below. 25 years after the Dan Harpole Cistern recordings, Jonas Braasch created a technological solution that allowed the reverberations to be heard above ground. As an 80th birthday present, that is quite spectacular. Thank you Jonas!

This is recorded using the Cistern Simulation Technology in front of 600 people on October the 5th 2013 at the Dunrobin Sonic Gym in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

CD released on Deep Listening Institute in 2014.

Dunrobin Sonic Gems

Pauline Oliveros / Stuart Dempster / Panaiotis - Deep Listening

This is the release that Pauline refers to below where the 45 second reverberation time of the Dan Harpole Cistern shapes the music and becomes the fourth member of the band. A truly seminal recording.

CD released on New Albion in 1989.

Deep Listening

Deep Listening Band - Needle Drop Jungle

Pauline Oliveros with Stuart Dempster and David Gamper.

Double LP released on Taiga Records in 2012.

Needle Drop Jungle

Pauline Oliveros - Primordial / Lift

Four drone poems interspersed with sinister film scores across four sides on vinyl ... released to mark Pauline's 80th birthday.

Double LP on Taiga Records in 2012.

Primordial / Lift

Pauline Oliveros - Primordial / Lift

Now we have the return of the original mix by Andrew Deutsch and it completely transforms the work. The two original tracks are replaced by a much longer single (master)piece.

CD jointly released on Deep Listening and Institute For Electronic Arts in 2006.

Primordial / Lift

Pauline Oliveros - Primordial Lift

Originally, this was mixed by Andrew Deutsch but, for some reason, he was removed entirely and replaced by a live mix from Chris Borkowski. Whilst a great piece of work, something was definitely lost on the two tracks but it would take another seven years to find out exactly how much. This is also highly notable for having Tony Conrad on violin.

CD released on Table Of The Elements in 1999.

Primordial Lift

Pauline Oliveros - The Well And The Gentle

Pauline with her equivalent of a full orchestra performing pieces recorded in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Cologne during 1984.

Double LP released on hat ART in 1985.

The Well And The Gentle

Pauline Oliveros - Tara's Room

Exquisite processed accordion and multi-tracked instruments and vocals. All courtesy of Pauline ...

Originally a self-released tape, this is the CD released on Deep Listening in 2004.

Tara's Room

Pauline Oliveros / Eliane Radigue / Yoshi Wada / Sun Circle - Attention Patterns

Introducing something that needs no introduction is a bit pointless. It's not like you'd actually read it. Bit of a waste of time really.

Double LP and accompanying booklet jointly released by Important Records and Black Pollen Press in 2010.

Attention Patterns

48-page Booklet

Eliane Radigue - Trilogie De La Mort

A series of exquisite droneworks conceived and created between 1985 and 1993.

Triple CD released on Experimental Intermedia Foundation in 1998.

Kyema

Kailasha

Koumé

Eliane Radigue - Chry-ptus

"Originally two tapes which are to be played simultaneously, with or without synchronisation, which does not affect the structure of the work, but creates changes in the game of sub-harmonics and overtones. Three variations on this piece were performed at the New York Cultural Center in 1971, with variations of amplitude and location modulation as well as synchronisation and de-synchronisation up to one minute both way. Realised on the Buchla Synthesizer at the New York University."

The original works from 1971 accompanied by respective versions from 2001 and 2006.

Double CD released on Schoolmap in 2007.

Chry-ptus

Eliane Radigue - Feedback Works

More processed tape recorder feedback drone that includes two mixes of Vice Versa.

... et cetera ...

Double LP released on Alga Marghen in 2012.

Feedback Works

Eliane Radigue - Vice Versa, etc....

Originally self-released as a reel to reel stereo tape in 1970 in an edition of only 10 copies. Ostensibly, it's one long sublime drone that can be played in either channel or both, forwards or backwards, at any speed you like and for as long as you like. It's well worth nipping across to the release page for a broader explanation.

Double CD released on Important Records in 2009.

Vice Versa, etc....

Eliane Radigue - Biogenesis

Considered by many to be the greatest entry in Metamkine's Cinema Pour L'Orielle series, "Biogenesis" was composed by the magnificent Eliane Radigue in 1973 and first performed in New York in 1974. The piece was finally released in 1996 and is wonderful in every way. I'll bet the first thing you do after listening to this 21-minute masterpiece is play it again from the beginning. I did not want this to end. I hope you feel the same way.

Eliane Radigue - Biogenesis

Roger De La Frayssenet - Kitnabudja Town

We're coming to the end of the Cinéma Pour L'Oreille series. We haven't posted the three Lionel Marchetti discs or Frame by Eric M. On Discogs, there is also a missing catalogue number (MKCD030) that I haven't been able to identify ... maybe it doesn't exist.

As a consolation, here's a concrète collage dedicated to Roger's Corsican grand father and to Jérôme Noetinger.

Roger De La Frayssenet is, of course, Lionel Marchetti.

CD released on Metamkine in 1997.

Kitnabudja Town

Luc Ferrari - Unheimlich Schön

Another historical entry in the sound-movie series, this is a 1971 piece by the one and only Luc Ferrari.

Luc Ferrari - Unheimlich Schön

Bernhard Günter - Impossible Grey

I nearly didn't post this one. I was convinced that my rip had degraded (which it had) and tried different degrees of amplification to bring it back to life. Then I got into an internal dilemma about posting something that actually had nothing to do with what Bernard intended.

Thankfully, CPI strode purposefully to the rescue with her flac rip of the CD ...

Bernhard Günter reworking source material provided by Marc Behrens on a 3" CD released on Metamkine in 1997.

Impossible Grey

... and then she blew my mind clean away with her edit of the track. Following a simple (if you're a genius) rule of isolating every 20 seconds of each channel and normalising the volume ... the track explodes into life. The depths revealed are an absolute revelation!

Once you've heard the CD, you really need to listen to this!

... and now that your attention is well and truly grabbed, take a stroll through the CPI site and definitely watch this!

Maurizio Martusciello - Unsettled Line

Released in 2000, this is a rare solo work by Italian composer Maurizio Martusciello, who you may know from his work with Metaxu, Z.E.L.L.E., Ossatura, or his duo with his brother Elio.

Maurizio Martusciello - Unsettled Line

Bernard Fort - Fractals

High speed car chase performed by toy cars with dysfunctional batteries and dial up tone reminders. Another insightful and erudite interpretation courtesy of moi. What? You want me to analyse it's position in the canon of great music? Hmm, you're new here. Tip the waiter on the way out ...

Excellent 3" CD released on Metamkine in 1996.

Fractals

Jérôme Noetinger - Gloire A...

For the third entry in his Cinema Pour L'Orielle series in 1992, Metamkine's own Jerome Noetinger released a rare studio composition of his own.

Jérôme Noetinger - Gloire A...

Zbigniew Karkowski - Consciously Unconscious Unconsciously Conscious

This will do whatever you want it to do. One of my favourite pieces by Mr K.

Perfectly titled 3" CD released on Metamkine in 2002.

Consciousness

Jim O'Rourke - Rules of Reduction

If you have but a passing interest in musique concrete, then American shapeshifter Jim O'Rourke's entry in the Cinema Pour L'Orielle series might be simply an entertaining little EP. If, however, you've heard and absorbed the work of Luc Ferrari, Pierre Schaffer and the other heavyweights, then "Rules of Reduction" is a laugh-out-loud, respectful homage to the cliches and techniques of French tape music. See how many you can spot. The more you listen, the more you'll hear. It's more than a mere succession of audio jokes, of course; think of it as if Edgar Wright treated electroacoustic music the way he did zombie movies in "Shaun of the Dead". It works on its own, while layers exist for those who can pick them out.

Jim O'Rourke - Rules Of Reduction

Jean-François Laporte - Mantra

Inspired electronics that points firmly towards creators not of this earth.

3" CD released on Metamkine in 2000.

Mantra

Michel Chion - Credo Mambo

Composed and released in 1992 as a 3"CD by Metamkine's Cinema Pour L'Orielle imprint.

Michel Chion - Credo Mambo

Philippe Mion - Confidence

If Richard David James made musique concrète it would go a little something like this ...

3" CD released on Metamkine in 1995.

Confidence

Michel Chion - Dix-Sept Minutes

Recorded at INA-GRM in 2000, released by Metamkine in 2002.

Michel Chion - Dix-Sept Minutes

Michèle Bokanowski - L'Étoile Absinthe

A genuinely haunting and pleasantly disturbing piece of work that would compliment any of Guillermo del Toro's earlier films ... the horror pornographers could learn a lot about tension just by listening to this.

3" CD released on Metamkine in 2002.

L'Étoile Absinthe

Michèle Bokanowski - Tabou

Released in 1992, this first 3"CD to be released on Metamkine's Cinema Pour L'Orielle series was a 1984 piece by classical electro-acoustic composer Michèle Bokanowski.

Michèle Bokanowski - Tabou

Dominique Petitgand - 10 Petites Compositions Familiales

When this finishes, I always wish there was more ... feel free to paint your own pictures.

3" CD released on Metamkine in 1996.

10 Petites Compositions Familiales

Michel Chion - Gloria

Metamkine's curator and publisher Jerome Noetinger must be a big fan of Michel Chion. He released three different titles by Chion on his Cinema Pour L'Orielle imprint, more than any other composer in the series, and would compose two massive (double CD!) collaborative pieces with both him and Lionel Marchetti in 2004 and 2016. "Gloria" was composed in 1994 at the legendary INA-GRM studios and released as a 3"CD in 1995.

Michel Chion - Gloria

Jean-Marc Duchenne - Feuillets D'Album

I reckon that Rudolf Eb.er would doff his proverbial schimpfluchian concrète chapeau in this direction. Yeah, on here, that counts as a recommendation.

3" CD released on Metamkine in 1995.

Feuillets D'Album

Patrick Ascione - Métamorphose D'Un Jaune Citron

Another historical piece of tape music, this one ("Metamorphosis of a Yellow Lemon"?) from 1979 is by French acousmatic composer Patrick Ascione. Released by Metamkine in 1995.

Patrick Ascione - Métamorphose D'Un Jaune Citron

Les Kristoff K. Roll et Le Compañeros Band - Des Travailleurs De La Nuit, À L'Amie Des Objets

Dialogue driven black and white concrète protestation.

3" CD released on Metamkine in 1997.

Des Travailleurs De La Nuit...

Ralf Wehowsky - Nameless Victims

Composed in 1994 and 1995 and released by Metamkine in 1996 as part of their ten-year, 30-title Cinema Pour L'Orielle series, "Nameless Victims" is a very modern descendant of Walter Ruttmann's "Weekend". Severe, austere, and uncompromising sound by Ralf Wehowsky, who you may know as RLW or from his work with the seminal group P16.D4 and the Selektion label.

Ralf Wehowsky - Nameless Victims

Betrand Dubedout - Aux Lampions

Reversed mouth organ and accordion accompanying a one legged tap dancer practicing his art before he falls down a flight of stairs ... and that's only the start.

3" CD released on Metamkine in 1994.

Aux Lampions

Walter Ruttmann - Weekend

While most of the titles in Metamkine's Cinema Pour L'Orielle series feature contemporary tape music, this little 3"CD is of historical significance. It was commissioned by Berlin Radio in 1928 (yes, you read that year correctly) and completed in 1930 by the experimental and documentary film director Walter Ruttman, who conceived it as, literally, a movie without images. Ruttman's documentary work would lead to his production of German newsreels (aka Nazi propaganda films) during World War II, even working on "Triumph of the Will" with Leni Reifenstahl. But don't let that unsavory association prevent you from enjoying "Weekend" on its own merits as a landmark in electro-acoustic music and audio art.

Walter Ruttmann - Weekend

Hervé Castellani - Deux Silences

Field recordings and electronic tones looped around periods of silence that is a lot more captivating than I've made it sound.

3" CD released on Metamkine in 1997.

Deux Silences

Christine Groult - L'Heure Alors S'Incline

More necessary listening from the Cinema Pour L'Orielle series of electroacoustic pictureless movies on 3"CD, released by Metamkine in 1993. Groult calls this piece an homage to Luigi Nono.

Christine Groult - L'Heure Alors S'Incline

Alain De Filippis - Ton Dieu Ne S'appelle-t-il Pas Ego?

Cinematic electronics that ranges from birdsong to crunchy noise.

3" CD released on Metamkine in 1994.

Ton Dieu Ne S'appelle-t-il Pas Ego?

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