pimmon - Kinetica, CD, 1999, Australia

This is the second CD release from Pimmon [aka Paul Gough] which has many quieter sounds than you would expect. Recommended for headphone listening. For lovers of drones and tones and unusual sounds. OOP.

"Gough is an Australian audio addict who has been creating sounds for many years, but only recently stopped hiding his creations. Kinetica is the fluttering yes/no state of his sounds rendered via PC. Pimmon manipulates a variety of sound sources on PC, but enjoys assembling the final creation on analogue tape, creating a warmth that he desires. That’s just one of the examples of how Gough attains originality and a personal feel in his music. "Kinetica" is a reflection of the state of mind Pimmon finds himself when he creates sounds, the flickering state of possibilities which sees a pendulum swing between chaos and order, collapse and coherence. Pimmon released his debut CD last year on the Japanese label, Meme, as well as an LP on Dutch label, ERS and a 7" on UK label Static Caravan. The 3 labels are quite different in their approach to releasing music, and it's this diverse and kinetic state of Pimmon that allows him to transcend musical genres. The sound of Pimmon? Pimmon manages to combine sounds and emotions without sounding unfocused. Buzzes and blips, distorted rumbles, ghosts of melody, radar pulses, glitched ambience all are melted into an unpredictable slab of sound that fluctuates on and off. Minimal and maximised sounds weave without sounding unfocused. Microscopic worlds that are zoom-lensed into grainy focus, alien and yet vaguely familiar, an emotive call from the distance all combine to form 'Kinetica'." (K-RAA-K)³ website.

Herco Pilots - Untitled, Double 7", 1981?, New Zealand

I hope you can see the $3.99 sticker on the front of this gem....well halve that price and thats what I paid! There was a huge vinyl sale at Missing Link Records in Melbourne in the mid-80s and they had these trestle tables chock full of vinyl. I rue what I may have missed, but rejoice in the fact I've always been a sucker for the unknown....there was nothing on this beauty that gave any indication as to what it was or who made it! Although, apparently they had a love of the Seven Crystal Balls (Tintin) on their double 7" quoting lines from it in titles etc. Anyway I just had to get it.

After playing it on radio shows [and always getting positive feedback about it] throughout the 80s/90s, it wasn't til I got online an posted a query on Usenet I found out it was the Herco Pilots, little known exponents of killer NZ post-punk. The track Shooting At Gerald McBoing Boing was always my fav, simple dirty gtr riff over drum machine with double up vocals...like the bastard son of the Fall and Gang of Four. You need this!

Good Horsey - Kazue, CD, 1994, Canada

Here's another 'chaser' from my collection. I was perusing the infamous Chugchanga-L end of year best of lists and came across Good Horsey. After a lot of sleuthing I was convinced I needed this release. At that stage is was easy to find second hand. As a 3 piece they generate a fairly infectious dose of laidback pop on tracks such as Settle Down and But She Knew. I'll let David Serra [AMG] do the talking as to the release, but for me, the jangly guitars he mentions are not of the Flying Nun or C86 variety, [which is usually the context I use the description of jangly] in fact it's the bass which stands out as the dominant instrument and Max on drums keeps the whole show flowing with a rubber band slack/taut display. The other standout is Mark's vocals. If anyone has their cassettes [S/T and Evil Twin Episode] I'd love to hear them. I have a couple of their 7"s that I may add later.

"Good Horsey's Kazue, the band's debut and only release, is a mid-'90s treasure shared by a few who never forgot it. A stigma that followed many bands in the mid-'90s was the inevitable comparison to Pavement and the use of "jangly guitars." The term "jangly guitars" is fairly applied here, but Good Horsey pushes a step further. The trio is comprised of Justice Schoenfarber, Mark Szabo (previously of Infernal Devices and currently of Capozzi Park), and Max Lee, each on a wide variety of instruments (including electric guitars, bass, drums, organ, ukulele, violin, xylophone, tapes, pie pan, party favors, and scrap metal) in addition to vocals. Good Horsey offers its pop sensibilities with surprises waiting at every corner. Guitar parts ebb and flow hauntingly, then take a noisy turn. Basslines build melodies that follow and add to the vocal parts. The drums stay the course on the main parts and help navigate the chaos. The presentation and the lyrics and titles are mysterious, causing the listener to hang on each word. A tune like "But She Knew" makes the listener wonder if this is a spy story or a tale about the successes and failures of the head of a family. The frustration of the characters peaks with the screeching noises offered by the instruments complementing the lyrics. "All My Accessories Are a Reflection of My Perky Inner Spirit," one of three instrumentals on the record, is non-distorted rock with one surprise that delves into remedial math. The end of the song takes the listener back to the straight-ahead pop that comprises most of the record. "Burn Up the Sun" is the perfect book end to "Like the Cute One"'s beginning. The lyric line is a mantra that has you humming and singing after the epic ending concludes. A couple of tunes on the records may stray into background music, a feature that debuts tend to exhibit due to length. Weeding through these tunes is definitely worth it to get to the gems of Good Horsey's Kazue." ~ David Serra, All Music Guide

Richter Band -Richter Band, CD, 1991, Czech Republic

It's all too hard to ever sit and figure my all time top [whatever] but I know this one will be up there. High. A total fluke discovery [as has been many in my collection] from trawling through the Gibraltar Progessive Rock encyclopedia using the word 'drone' as the key search element.

[Don't let the prog thing put you off if you're a prog-snob, cause this transcends any stereotypes.]

I found a copy somewhere in Midwest USA and still say a thank you-hoo everytime I listen to it. Gorgeous late night listening.

"Richter Band [Czechoslovakia] Richter Band (91)
Listening to the first track of this Czech ensemble's debut album, I had the feeling that it was leading up to something - a sudden leap in intensity, an eruption into a wild and busy jam section, or some form of energetic musical statement (Gong's "A Sprinkling of Clouds" comes to mind). Well, the second track picks up a little, but throughout the entire 70 minutes of this disc, the music remains subdued and mysterious. Thats not necessarily bad, just a bit surprising. The overall mood and atmosphere is not unlike some of the mellow '70s German space/psych bands such as Popol Vuh or Yatha Sidhra; a sound rarely, if ever, evoked by today's progressive outfits. Richter Band is a three-piece, and their instrumentation includes electric and acoustic guitars, bass, and a variety of percussion (no standard drum set). The percussion is especially interesting; aside from some African drums, it consists almost entirely of "homemade" instruments - pots, pans, bowls, and other such items, used to surprisingly good effect. Much of the music on this album is created by the superimposition of several slowly shifting rhythmic patterns and melodic ostinatos. In fact, the rhythmic ideas they use are quite similar in style to an Indonesian gamelon orchestra, with the pitched percussion parts being played by guitars and bass. An example closer to home might be the minimalist work of composers like Steve Reich, who has been influenced by the strong rhythmic nature of both Indonesian gamelan music and African drumming. Two of the ten tracks are percussion only, and in addition to the mesmerizing sound of all three members weaving a sinuous rhythmic trance, feature interesting, or at least creative, sound effects such as spinning pot-lids on a cement floor, all recorded with a healthy dose of reverb. Another track is created using only guitars, with spacey E-bow drones drifting through various pick and slide effects. Especially for a contemorary progressive ensemble, Richter Band performs a highly original and creative style of music. Relaxing, peaceful, and meditative, it may not appeal to listeners who want searing guitar leads and driving drum and bass riffs constantly bombarding their ears. But the mellow nature of this music does not preclude it from containing a certain degree of rhythmic sophistication, a fact which should find this album an audience with many a prog fan." Gibraltar Progressive Rock Encyclopedia.

Why?

Well....it's been a long time coming. I've been a music obsessive since I was 10. That was '74. I can recall hearing Kraftwerk's Autobahn on AM radio and thinking what is this!>! Life changed then. Music is my life, career and in the last year I've had a rekindling of my first love....thanks to the most wonderful blogs. In more recent times it's the mighty Mutant Sounds and The Cookshop [the latter being without doubt one of the most consistent amongst blogdom for fantastic posts].

Now it's time to give back. I won't be likely to share new matter, more hard to find releases -especially vinyl and cassette. As for genre....like the stars in the sky...the variety will hopefully keep you interested. The hardest thing has been to decide what should be first.....

Pray that hymntone shall not become burnt out nor discouraged by the filehosters curse.