12-10-2015

Setlist:
1. Protomatyr - I Forgive You
2. Ursula Bogner - Begleitung Fur Tuba
3. Ronald Shannon Jackson And The Decoding Society - Spanking
4. Foot Hair - King Of Scum
5. Cave Men - It's Trash
6. Troy Schafer - B
7. Blood From The Air - Rites Of Harmony
8. Smegma - Variations VII

Protomartyr - "I Forgive You"

Off the "Agent Intellect" LP released on Hardly Art Records in 2015.

Although it's not the best album of 2015, (Some reviewers and journalists have been putting this pretty high on their end of the year wrap up lists) Protomartyr are a pretty solid Post-Punk group from Detroit; active since the early 2010's. Mixing 80's Post-Hardcore with Post-Punk Revival and the gruffer side of Indie Rock (yeah, right) into one collective sound, Protomartyr take a refreshing yet familiar approach to their sound.
With lyrics mostly about Detroit and other Contemporary subjects, it's clear that they're no Jack Brewer or Arthur Rimbaud, but the lyrics suit the music just fine; and that's really what matters.

Ursula Bogner - "Begleitung Fur Tuba"

Off the "Recordings 1969-1988" album released on Faitiche in 2008.

Previously featured on 11-5-2015.

The strange and amazing story of Bogner has already been discussed here; but in short, Ursula Bogner was a German Pharmacist and in the late 60's during her time in college she became interested in music created by synthesizers, sequencers and the likes. And for the rest of her life, she'd record synth experiments and songs as a hobby. And over 40 years later, her recordings were unearthed by Jan Jelinek and published in compilation pieces on the "Faitiche" label.
While most of Bogner's work is mind-crumbling Space Synth work, this is a more martial sounding song, complete with rudimentary sounding Tuba's and other solid synth work.

Ronald Shannon Jackson And The Decoding Society - "Spanking"

Off the "Mandance" LP released on Antilles records in 1982.
A forgotten classic of 80's Free Jazz and Jazz Fusion, Ronald Shannon Jackson and his group, The Decoding Society, are focused on producing loud yet groovy jazz. With Jackson on drums, Melvin Gibbs on bass, (who would go onto work with Arto Lindsay) Vernon Reid on guitar, Zane Massey and Lee Rozie on Saxophone David Gordon and Henry Scott play the trumpet; Jackson's world class Jazz ensemble is what makes The Decoding Society's fourth LP "Mandance" a real treat. Jackson's style of drumming makes the horn and string section sound even more impactful, blasting away some sweet jazz beats.
Good stuff.

Foot Hair - "King Of Scum"

Off their S/T LP released on Box Records in 2015.

An absolute must for any fan of Noise Rock, Foot Hair, hailing from the UK, are all about repetition, noise and being unforgivingly heavy. Instead of shitty shredding and jerk off solos, Foot Hair hit the listener hard with noisy and scuzzy 3 chord progressions, whirring noise, yelled vocals, while the bass and drums plow through the chaos. A must for any fan of Drunks With Guns, Church Police, Flipper or No Trend.

>> Bandcamp <<

The Cave Men - "It's Trash"

Off the "It's Trash / The Pillow Bit" single released on 'Chelle Records in 1966.
IT'S TRASH! One of the earliest examples of punishingly loud and abrasive Garage Rock, "It's Trash" is short and to the point - clocking in at 2 minutes and 5 seconds, The Cave Men completely rock it out in the most atonal way possible, well, as atonal as you could get in '66. With a stone-cold great rhythm and some Acid-Dazed guy screaming his guts out, it's hard to argue with this.

Troy Schafer - "B"
Previously featured on 11-27-2015.
Off the "Untitled No. 1" Single, released on Signal Dreams in 2014.

More abstract and squealing violins - how fun! Schafer has a reputation for his Improvisational noise made from self-made equipment, and his recent releases of Untitled tapes and singles precedes that. And keep your eyes extra-peeled for his next release coming out on the ultra-DIY Round Bale Recordings label.

Blood From The Air - "Rites Of Harmony"
Off the "Rites Of Harmony" single, released via bandcamp in 2012.
Named after the Coil song, Blood From The Air is a now seemingly defunct project that specialized in "Glitchy Electronica Dubstep Bullshit." Although clearly not dubstep (which is the joke after all) BFTA makes walls of rhythmic industrial noise as Monolithic voices speak in bassy, loud waves. Throbbing Gristle meets Ramleh meets existential drones? Woo!

>> Bandcamp <<

Smegma - "Variations VII"
Off the "Mutant Stomps" LP, released on Helicopter Records in 2014.
Long time running experimental ensemble Smegma have blessed us with 5 albums in the past 2 years, the most prominent of which being the bizarre "Mutant Stomps." Super weird sound collages and clangs of junk instruments fill the audio landscape - resembling 50's musique concrete and other forms of whack music. Some of the album was recorded at random points in the 70's, but this track, Variations VII, was recorded a year before release. Smegma's output is reliant along old 70's recordings and new recordings, usually all fucked. It's quite interesting that I've neglected to feature Smegma on here, but I'm glad that I've changed that.