Orange Is In - Another Lame Semi-Tragedy (USA 2006)

George Kovacik, the singer from ORANGE IS IN (no connection to the German psychedelic grunge band ORANGE b.t.w.!), sent me a mail and asked me to post this recording if I liked it. Well, I do – though the music of ORANGE IS IT is neither psychedelic nor lofi. It's straight-forward powerful American contemporary rock, featuring the strong voice of Kovacik that is reminding somehow of Bruce Springsteen and also Elvis Costello. (But so what? I mean, one can't listen to UMMAGUMMA all the time...)

The band formed in 2002 and is from Houston, TX, where they seem to have won quite a lot of fans as a very good live band. "Another Lame Semi-Tragedy" is their first full-lenght CD. They also have a newer recording out, "Come and Take It", from July 2007. Sadly the very competent violinist Amy Price has left the band recently.

If you like the band, PLEASE SUPPORT THE ARTISTS! Check out their offical site and Myspace.

ORANGE IS IN - Another Lame Semi-Tragedy (2006) 

(mp3 zip, 14 tracks, 73,9 MB, 60 min)

Get it here. (New link 04/2024)

Buy new cd: here.

Szbutä Soröh - om shiva/The thing we found amongst the woodsticks (Brazil 2007)

SZBUTÄ SORÖH is a Brazilian one-man experimental/noise music project. So guys please notice: THIS ISN'T ROCK MUSIC!
The man behind these 2 amazing recordings from 2007 is SAMUEL MACEDO from Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Samuel uses a variety of different instruments and many different sources for his music, ranging from bamboo flutes, acoustic and electric guitars to field recordings, that afterwards are manipulated through computer processings.

The music generated that way is quite a rewarding adventure, taking the suprised listener through all kinds of different moods and atmospheres. Listening on headphones is recommended!
If you like the music, please support the artist! Visit Samuel's site.

SZBUTÄ SORÖH - The thing we found amongst

the woodsticks (BZ 2008)

(vbr mp3 zip, 95,2 MB, 11 tracks, 66 min, art incl.)

Get it here!

 

 

 

SZBUTÄ SORÖH: Om Shiva (BZ 2007)

(mp3 zip, 56,8 MB, 5 tracks, 57 min, art incl.)

Get it here!

 

 

Maurice Rickard - Guitar Clouds/Live: Circuits of Steel Tour (USA 2003)

Two more recordings of MAURICE RICKARD (see earlier post), this time live from the year 2003.

"Guitar Clouds" was recorded in Pittsburgh, PA and "Live – Circuits Of Steel Tour 2003" in Chicago, St. Louis and Muncie. Maurice Rickard is playing some strange guitar sounds above an electronically processed backing, including some samplings, evoking dreamlike soundscapes, sometimes quite relaxing, other times more unnerving.

Some passages are even reminding slightly of ROBERT FRIPP's and BRIAN ENO's electronic works/frippertronics. Though not extremely disturbing I'd say this work probably could be termed as dark ambient.  (Is this "A VISIT TO THE DARK SIDE - Pt. II"?)
Please check out Maurice Rickard's site and support the artist.

 

MAURICE RICKARD - Guitar Clouds

(mp3 zip, 4 tracks, 39 min, art incl.)

Get it HERE!

MAURICE RICKARD - Live, Circuits Of Steel Tour 2003

(mp3 zip, 3 tracks, 61 min, art incl.)

Get it HERE (new links 04/2024)

Cloud Nine & The Vitamin C - Evolution of a psychedelic Band (3)(GER.)

Here we go: The 3rd part of my feature "EVOLUTION OF A PSYCHEDELIC BAND" about the german late 80s psych band CLOUD NINE & THE VITAMIN C. This again is a live recording, this time from a small youth club in Heppenheim, Germany, from Jan. 21st, 1989. Only the "highligts" are presented here. The complete concert lastet about twice as long...

 
Though the sound is far from perfect (the band was having severe problems with the sound system, especially concerning the vocals, that came out heavily distorted for most of the time), CNVC nevertheless on that occasion created an overall psychedelic atmosphere, that was rather special. The light show presented that evening (consisting of slides, movies and liquids) contributed very much to that effect and was probably the best the band ever had and something most people in the young audience had never seen before...

 
The playing on that evening was – again – sloppy in places, rather rough, quite heavy – and very experimental. The band played some seldom performed songs ("Sing a Song") and some completely new material (the rather lame "Helicopter"and "Reggae" – only played on that occasion –, as well as an early version of "Angel of Mine") as well as some "classics" like "Jack'o'Lantern", "I'm Lost" or "Black Queen". But the real highlights and by far the most psychedelic tracks of this concert were the first part of "Brainstorm" and especially the encore improvisation called "Blind" – very much in the style of PINK FLOYD in their THE MAN/THE JOURNEY phase in 1969/70 and some KRAUTROCK jamming in the style of – say: early AMON DÜÜL II.

 
This was the last gig featuring the classic CNVC # 3 line-up with the Schupp brothers on guitar and drums.
There were some good reviews on the local press, calling the performance "rather special" with a "fanciful and suggestive overall atmosphere".

CLOUD NINE & THE VITAMIN C - Official Bootleg Archives Vol. 4

(live 1989) (mp3 zip, 12 songs, 67 min, artwork incl.)

1. Helicopter - 6.31

2. Reggae - 2.57

3. (Guitar solo from) Black Queen - 1.35

4. Brainstorm - 6.35

5. Car Car - 3.32

6. Angel of Mine (early version) - 6.38

7. Jack'o'Lantern (parts 1-5: Theme/On the Road/Digging Noise/Drums/Pete's Song) - 8.20

8. Jack'o'Lantern (end theme) - 1.18

9. Annemarie - 4.04

10. Last Night - 3.49

11. Sing A Song - 7.18

12. Blind (Improvisation) - 14.03
(no longer available)

 

PLEASE SUPPORT THE ARTISTS AND BUY THEIR REGULAR RELEASES!:

Bandcamp:
https://cloudninethevitaminc.bandcamp.com/

https://cloud-nine-and-the-vitamin-c.blogspot.com/ 

MYSTERY RESOLVED!!!

• That former UNRECOGNIZED PSYCH PROG BAND is NO LONGER UNRECOGNIZED!
  
• Those 4 tracks were from the UK band WARM DUST, taken from the album "And It came to Pass" (1970). The album is strongly recommended to every Prog Head, who likes some jazzy influences!
  
• A thousand THANKS go to AndiKaro, who recognized this jewel!
  
• 
  
• HAPPY EASTER TO YOU and TO ALL BLOG READERS!

Hunting for easter legs...

Jeweled Scabbard - Jeweled Scabbard (USA 2008)

This is the first part of my little series called: "A VISIT TO THE DARK SIDE". This first post is featuring JEWELED SCABBARD, the highly experimental electronic one man project of Matthew Haggerty from Salem, Massachusettes, USA.

The music is a dark psychedelic electronic sound, synthesizer based, often distorted, and many listeners will find this quite awe-inspiring and unnerving. I think it's great – giving each one of us the chance to catch a glimpse at the dark side of our souls... These soundscapses are really hard to compare with other band's work. To my mind comes some musical output of ADD N TO X, HELIOS CREED or maybe CHROME, but then, again, this here is nevertheless radically different.

This is JEWELED SCABBARD's first release. There soon will be a 100 cassette run of some of the newer stuff. If you like this work, please support the artist. Please go and check out his site at Myspace.

More dark stuff will follow soon.

 

JEWELED SCABBARD (2008)

(mp3 zip, 21 tracks, 70 min, 64,4 MB)

Get it here (RE-UP 04/2024)!

The People's Tongue - present Sonny Bono's Favorites (USA 2007)

Now please prepare yourself for sheer madness! This will probably be the weirdest mixture of sounds and noises, that you've ever heard...

My personal favorite track is "Tesla Cow Nerve Ion": some hawaiian slide guitar pasted above screaming, cow noises, some strange voices and a heavily distorted slo-mo drum track – and that description doesn't even come close to the sound chaos unfolding inside your brain while listening to this song.

OK, the concept to feature a collection of one-minute-songs on one record is not that new. THE RESIDENTS did this already on their Commercial Album a long time ago. But, so what? This stuff here is even weirder than THE RESIDENTS, though similarities do exist. And another reference point is of course Frank Zappa and the bizarre humour of the Beastie Boys maybe. Anyway: This here is great, great fun! There is so much to discover; and it surely was a lot of work to assemble all those different sounds and voices. For more info and more bizarre listening adventures look here.

Enjoy!

The People's Tongue - present Sonny Bono's Favorites (2007)

(mp3 zip, 56 min, 51,1 MB)

New link (04/2024): Get it HERE.

Maurice Rickard - Music for Dance (USA 2005)

This is something special indeed. Some piece of improvisational work by MAURICE RICKARD to accompany BELLY DANCERS! It's electronica, percussion based instrumental music with guitar and electric ukulele. Be prepared to drift into a gentle trance while listening to this great music!

Please visit Maurice's site and support the artist!

Enjoy!

Maurice Rickard - Music for Dance (2005)

(mp3 zip, 77,1 MB, 10 tracks, 55 min, artwork incl.)

New link (re-up 04/2024): Get it HERE!

Lorus - Deluge (USA 2007)

LORUS sent me a link to post their album "Deluge". I'm not quite sure how to label their music, but it brings to mind bands like THE MELVINS, TOOL, DARK STAR or MOGWAI or even the late KING CRIMSON. It's instrumental, and there's lots of heavy guitars and powerful bass and drums. But what I like most is the keyboard work (especially the piano sound on "PGD"), which comes as some kind of interesting contrast and adds that little special.
I think the band is from Chicago, IL, and this is their first recorded output. 
If you like their music you should support the band and order their CD at cdbaby for only 8,99 USD.
Check their site and their profile. Enjoy!

Lorus - Deluge (2007)

(mp3 zip, 67,3 MB, 32 min)

1 Evocation

2 Hut hut hut

3 PGD

4 Is that you Gary?

5 Moon zero two

6 Priapis

7 Priapism

8 Parasitic twin

New link (04/2024) HERE.

Damaged Tape - Stone God (JP 2008)

DAMAGED TAPE is the electronic music project of the musical mind of GLAZE OF CATHEXIS (aka Dr. Schluss). "Stone God" is not an extremely experimental recording; it is rather relaxing and makes one feel quite comfortable. Ideal for cooling down after some hard day of labour (or whatever...).

Soundwise it is rooted a little bit too much in the 80's synthesizer and drum sound for my taste (reminding me somehow of the late TANGERINE DREAM, whose later work I like much less than their earlier stuff), but nevertheless "Stone God" is a good work, that grows with every new listen. And the guitar playing is great, indeed reminding of one Mr. D. Gilmour's style.

(By the way, Dr. Schluss, I miss your Trip-o-Meter valuations for your work. I'd say 3,5 out of 5).

 Damaged Tape - Stone God (2008)
(mp3 zip, 12 songs, 60 min, 107,7 MB)
1. Damaged Tape
2. Blue Lotus
3. Parabolic Mirror
4. Dewdrop
5. Quantum Connector
6. Olmec Head
7. Sirius
8. Cathedral of Light
9. Desert Crossing
10. White Squall
11. Shirane
12. Theta Wave
Get it HERE! (Re-up 04/2014)

We're Late For Class - # 20 A Collection (USA)

This is a great collection of stoned improvised music and the best way to get introduced to this anarchic very creative unit of space invaders. Quote: "If you don't like this well-sequenced set of drug-induced space hymns, then you'll know to ignore the rest of our shit...".

Several other blogs already posted this collection, but since the WLFC post of "Set the Controls..." had so many download hits, I think it is quite justified to post this one here as well. Especially since it is so good.

Enjoy and check out their site!

We're Late For Class - A Collection (#20)

(mp3 zip, 10 songs, 103,7 MB, 76 min)

 

1. It's a Rainy Day, Sunshine Girl - 4.56

2. Burden Bearers (of Aristocracy) - 4.54

3. (Hand me That) Revolutionary Coat - 5.50

4. (Another) Summer of Heigel - 8.33

5. Theme to John Carpenter's King Heroin - 9.07

6. Blunt Force Trauma (unit) - 9.42

7. Fukhausen (excerpt) - 2.22

8. Tommy Reese's DTs (Relapse) - 11.42

9. A Buoy, 40 Yards Out - 8.20

10. Final Moments of Barry Cowsill (Redux 4) - 10.08

 

GET IT HERE! (Re-up 04/24)

Cloud Nine & The Vitamin C - Evolution of a psychedelic Band (2)(GER.)

This is the 2nd post of my little feature "EVOLUTION OF A PSYCHEDELIC BAND" about the german late 80s psych band CLOUD NINE & THE VITAMIN C.
The first nine songs are a good example of how the band sounded live in 1988. The band, playing for the first time in front of a larger festival crowd, is nervous, seems unsure of itself and so the playing is quite sloppy in places (there are even a few bad mistakes – e.g. listen to the bridge part at "Brainstrorm"...– ) BUT there are also some moments of greatness and magic (I especially like the guitar sound in the middle of "Brainstorm" (at around 3.05) and "Jack'o'Lantern" after the short drum solo and of course the jam part of "Survivor").  This live version of "Survivor" is much better than the demo version two years later.
The last five songs are rehearsal/demo recordings, the last four featuring a guy called Michael Szentc on percussion, who didn't stay long enough to play the next live gig. 

CLOUD NINE & THE VITAMIN C - Official Bootleg Archives Vol. 3 

(Live 1988/Rehearsals and demos 1988)

(mp3 zip, sbrd,100,7 MB, 14 songs, 72 min) 

 No longer available for download.

"Rock im Depot" Lorsch, Straßenbaudepot 1988-09-02:

1. Black Queen part 1 (6.47)

2. Black Queen part 2 (1.41)

3. Brainstorm (5.50)

4. (Announcement) (0.16)

5. I'm Lost (5.23)

6. Jack'o'Lantern (10.06)

7. Survivor (10.54)

8. (Introducing the band) (0.36)

9. Car Car (3.50)

 

 

 Rehearsals/demos 1988:

10. Annemarie (3.37)

11. I'm Lost (5.07)

12. Last Night (Afterthought) (5.31)

13. Black Queen (8.45)

14. Car Car (3.22)
(no longer available for download)

SUPPORT THE ARTISTS: Check out their Bandcamp site for their official releases.

Orange - Demo 1993 (GER.)

 

Some time ago I posted "Sleep My Love" from the first demo of the german psychedelic rock band ORANGE. Here now is the complete first demo, recorded in 1993.

ORANGE started late 1992 in Frankfurt as a 60s/70s inspired neo-psychedelic rock band and recorded some demos in the early 90s. All the band members had played previously in other experimental or psychedelic rock bands in the Rhein Main area and/or Berlin. Guitar player Maxim Engl (aka Michael S.) came from the JANITORS OF LUNACY, a heavily experimental industrial wave band in the 80s, Daniel P. Caesar ("Denner") from the psych jam band CAPTAIN FARTFISH AND HIS CAREFUL MUFFINS and the fun project THOTES SCHWEIN (the wrong H is on purpose) among others, girl singer Suse from HORSE BARDORTIES LIEBESCHOR and bassist Mike S. from CLOUD NINE & THE VITAMIN C.

Their influences ranged from THE DOORS, PATTI SMITH, THE CURE, BUFFALO TOM to THROBBING GRISTLE/PSYCHIC TV and a hundred more. For example you can hear a DAVID BOWIE quote from "Hunky Dory" at the beginning of "Drowning", while in the middle break of that same song you can hear a parody of the TV series "Star Treck" (in German!) in the jug sound style of the 13TH FLOOR ELEVATORS! The whole demo is a firework of different sounds, quotes and ideas. (By the way: Only around 60 tapes were originally sold at concerts or given away to friends.)
Enjoy!

ORANGE - 1st demo (GER 1993) 

1. (While the) Rosies Die - 4.15 

2. The Idiot in Bed - 6.20 

3. Drowning - 6.54 

4. Before the Night - 4.12 

5. Sleep My Love - 9.07 

(mp3 zip, 44,7 MB, covers included, 31 min)
Get it here!

Catasto Elettrico - Gas (IT)

• CATASTO ELETTRICO is an improvisational italian band, that retired from playing live to concentrate on recording improvised sessions very much in a jazzy progressive style (with some indi influences). This session here, "GAS", reminds me a little bit of TORTOISE in some aspects and very much of the early SOFT MACHINE (just listen to that fuzz bass!), which is meant as a BIG compliment of course.
  
• If you like their sound, you can go and visit their blog, where they offer some of their great music to download for free. Enjoy!
• By the way: Don't let the cover fool you – this isn't beer drinkers' music!

CATASTO ELETTRICO - GAS (IT 2007?)

(mp3 zip, 35,7 MB)

Get it here!

Atom Heart Mother played live 2003

If you like PINK FLOYD's "ATOM HEART MOTHER" you should take a look here. This is a complete performance of the title track from the 1970 PF record, played by conservatoire de paris (CNSMDP) on March, 3rd 2003. And they really did a fantastic job!

Cloud Nine & The Vitamin C - Evolution of a psychedelic Band (1)(GER.)

• This is the first post of my little feature "EVOLUTION OF A PSYCHEDELIC BAND".
• Listening to the 3 demos here you have the chance to witness, how the german psychedelic rock band CLOUD NINE & THE VITAMIN C of the late 80s/early 90s evolved. 
• 
  
• THE 1st DEMO: After one and a half years of rehearsing and playing some gigs in small youth clubs the band recorded its first demo, ironically called "ON THE WAY UP", in 1985 in a basement with real crude equipment. Old instruments incl. an ancient hissy echo unit, NO noise reduction, cheap microphones – well, you get the picture. But they tried their best. OK, the timing is more than horrible and the singing voice of their new singer at that time was, well ... somewhat unusual. But what the fuck...
• The songs:  "Intro (L. B. Theme)" Right from the beginning we get some 70s sound, a riff "borrowed" from JETHRO TULL that soon changes when the old synthesizer runs amuck. The echo unit finishes everything up in a cloudy haze. – "Annemarie": a nice ballad with a somewhat mystical atmosphere, showing that they also could write proper SONGS. – "Brainstorm": the most overtly psychedelic track reminding of early PINK FLOYD or some KRAUTROCK experiments; a mixture of mini moog noises, echoed guitar and some theme reminding of  Mozart or Bach. Strange indeed! Has sadly the worst quality of all those songs. – "Stoned": reminiscent of some TEN YEARS AFTER boogie, played not very well and – "Clown": some mid-70s hard rock with a singer feeling obviously not very comfortable. (The B-Side of this demo tape has also 3 live tracks from the same year, that I will post later.)
• 
  
• The UNRELEASED 1989 DEMOS: The band now clearly has found its style – 60s psychedelic rock influenced by bands like the DOORS or PINK FLOYD with some hard rock riffs mixed in; the sound quality now is much better, and so is the overall playing. Gone is the former lead singer Markus B.
• The songs: "Angel of Mine", a lyrically depressing fantasy story about a Lover/Angel that has to leave; musically this is a mix between Black Sabbath riffs and some Prog Rock elements, especially at the end – "Car Car" a heavily phased song (vocal part), keyboard and guitar reminding strongly of early DOORS (as do the next two songs). – "Annemarie" a much better version, though the vocals could be stronger. – "I'm Lost": The opening lines are "borrowed" from the song with the same name by unkonwn 60s garage band STYX, the rest is pure DOORS sound.
• 
• THE 2nd DEMO (1990): At least partly a better recording soundwise, though one has to get used to the different guitar sound by the new guitar player. Less focused than the unreleased demo; more a mixture of different sounds and influences.
• The songs: "Black Queen": the magnus opum; one long psychedelic track with the organ very much to the front. Has a strongly phased bass solo (played like a guitar solo) in the middle. - ""Suvivor": Coming home from fighting in the war; could be about some Viet Vet or  in fact any vet. Quite monotone ("Sitting in a train"), like train rides are. The vocals are something of an acquired taste, but I love the last 3 minutes, reminding me of the "take-off" parts CNVC did in their live sets. Those free form jammings could go on for quite a long time... – "Angel of Mine": not bad, though I'm not sure if I like this version better than the other. – "Last Night" a sad love song about missed opportunities; more in a hard rock style. – "Tracks of My Tears": has some kind of a pseudo funk bass riff (remember: the band has the song title"Cloud Nine" in its name, = famous psychedelic soul song by the TEMPTATIONS), sticks in the mind somehow, and is interrupted by some boogie guitar in the middle. Nice pseudo funk wah wah! 
• 
  
• Having access to the huge band archive, I cleaned up the original tapes a little bit, did some eq-ing and "remastering", but don't expect any wonders. THIS WERE AND STILL ARE HOMEMADE LOFI RECORDINGS. But CNVC were an exceptional band in more than one way – especially at that horrible time – the 80s (when everybody else was listening to Boy George and bands like Aha...)
• But the best recordings of CNVC were still to come – the 1992 Demos with yet another new guitar player.
•  
• https://cloud-nine-and-the-vitamin-c.blogspot.com/ 
  

CLOUD NINE & THE VITAMIN C - Demos 1985-1990

(mp3 zip, 15 songs, 101,2 MB, 72 min)

 
No longer available.

Some tracks from the 2nd demo were official released 

on the 10" EP RAINFRONTIER (CNVC 10) in December 2023.

You may listen to the now officially released songs on bandcamp.

 

Annemarie from the unreleased 1989 Demo   

 

Rainfrontier - EP, released in December 2023