WEYES BLOOD AND THE DARK JUICES - THE OUTSIDE ROOM

Not Not Fun Records 2011

01. Storms that Breed
02. Dream Song
03. Candyboy
04. Romneydale
05. In the Isle of Agnito
06. His Song


Natalie Mering is a many monikered solo artist and sometime member of Jackie O Motherfucker. She has many solo releases, most of which are pretty unavailable. This wonderfully abstract, spook folk L.P. was first released as CDr with homemade sleeve, before getting it's 480 limited run on Not Not Fun.

BILL PLUMMER AND THE COSMIC BROTHERHOOD

Impulse! 1968

01. Journey to the East
02. Pars Fortuna (Parts of Fortune)
03. The Look of Love
04. Song Plum
05. Arc 294
06. Lady Friend
07. Antares

Bill Plummer was a successful double bass player in jazz when he took off to India. Finding himself, immersing in Eastern mysticism and music; not an uncommon journey. On his return, he recorded this fusion L.P. It's not all great, but there are some interesting ideas and moments that dazzle.

Highlights include the opening track, essentially the story of Bill's journey. A hip, almost spoken word vocal describes the adventure, while the sitar heavy sixties backing swings away. The instrumental break points at something more interesting; traditional Indian music with free jazz. Heady.

There's the vibraphone and sitar led take on the underplayed Byrds classic 'Lady Friend', but the real treasure is Arc 294. Essentially the aforementioned Indian/free jazz hybrid, but stretched to a ten minute freak out.

Worth checking out.

ROBBIE BASHO - ZARTHUS

Vanguard 1974

01. Zarthus
02. Khoda É Gul É Abe (The Lord Of The Blue Rose)
03. Kahlil Gibran
04. Bride Devine
05. Rhapsody In Druz :
      Main Theme
      Wine Section
      Flower of the Heart
      The Flight
      Nightingale
      Darshan
      Ocean Section
      Allah Meher
      Ships
      Baba's Mountain
      Look into your Heart
      March
      Rolling Home

The second of two albums Basho released on Vanguard.



   

THE NEW AGE - ALL AROUND

RD Records 2007 (Recorded 1967)

01. When I Walk In the Trees (La La La)
02. Sun Song Ridge
03. Dance Around the Sun
04. Bhairavi
05. Higher than a Kite
06. Alone in the Wonderland
07. All Around (Adagio)

Bonus Tracks :

08. Bamboo Mood
09. Light of Aquarius
10. Ode To Satie
11. Ocean Song
12. When I Walk In the Trees (La La La)
13. The River


This album was to be released by Warner Brothers in 1967. It's easy to see why they may have thought it wouldn't sell, but it's a shame, it was way ahead of it's time. Patrick Kilroy, Susan Graubard and Jefferey Stewart weave a mystical, raga inspired L.P. somewhere between 'Astral Weeks' and mid period Bert Jansch.

Open tunings, bells, sitar, tons of flute, heavy lyrics, improvisation...it's all here.

The bonus tracks are from a KPFA-FM radio broadcast in Berkeley, recorded before the album sessions.

PYE CORNER AUDIO - BLACK MILL TAPES VOL.1 : AVANT SHARDS

Pye Corner Audio Transcription Services 2010

01. Transmission One : Lonesome Vale
02. We Have Visitors
03. Folk Festival
04. Electronic Rhythm Number Three
05. A Dark Door
06. Theme Number Four
07. Electronic Rhythm Number Eight
08. Building Twelve, Room One
09. Theme Number Nine
10. Theme Number Three : Briar Lane
11. Gathering

Originally released online in 2010, then on a nice looking cassette by Further records in 2012 and finally as a double L.P. with Vol. 2 on Type Records again in 2012.

Lovely, ominous, wobbly vintage electronica. Cassette tape damage and hauntology.

ROBBIE BASHO - LIVE IN GERMANY

Unreleased (Recorded 1980)

01. Redwood Ramble
02. Fandango
03. Easter
04. Rocky Mountain Raga
05. Cathedral et Fleur de Lis
06. Chocolate Cake (Ackermann Special)
07. Silky Jane
08. The Grail & The Lotus
09. Pavan India
10. Variations On Clare de Lune
11. California Raga

We haven't had any Basho for a while, so here's an amazing live set recorded live at the Kulturforum, Bonn, Germany. It's the same source as the 'Bonn Ist Supreme' album released on Bo'Weavil Recordings in 2008.

Contains tracks that never appeared on any of Basho's studio L.P.'s, and the version here of 'Pavan India' is stunning.

RUSALNAIA

Camera Obscura 2007

01. The Sailor and the Siren
02. Shifting Sands
03. Kindling
04. Rusalnaia
05. The Ravager
06. Winter
07. Dandelion Wine
08. Wild Summer

Rusalnaia is Sharron Kraus and Gillian Chadwick. Marvellous neo-folk with a touch of spook and a hint of acid. For fans of Espers.