What You Can Find When You're Not Looking...

As good as I can be burrowing in and finding obscure music in the worlds of Rock, electro, Metal and Avant Garde, the two areas of music I dig that I have trouble finding a foot in the door with is the more obscure, rootsy Soul and Gospel music of mid-twentieth century America. I always get a twinge of jealousy when I hear something in a movie or find it mentioned in a book, find it and then realize that other than that particular piece or artist, I'm stumped. A lot of this is just a facet of inkling and time, as I'm sure if I really burrowed into a group like the Del Fonics - who I was formerly introduced to in Quentin Tarantino's film Jackie Brown - falling into the associated chains of wikipedia pages associated with them and their producers, etcetera, I'd probably come up with some more artists to sate my thirst for dusty old Soul. That hasn't happened though; I'm overly self conscious in these areas and I tend to require gatekeepers. Irvine Welsh's novel Skag Boys turned me onto the tradition of Northern Soul - which previously had simply been the name of my favorite album by The Verve - and newer artists like Jamie Lidell, Charles Bradley and Alabama Shakes make access to the genre's evolution easier than digging, but it's just not the same thing, finding a new artist or finding an obscure, older artist. And really, I'm not even addressing Gospel here, as so much of that isn't easily accessible. In the 60s and 70s almost anyone can and did press records - you see evidence of this in thrift stores all the time - but today? Well, today we have youtube, which I am seriously beginning to believe is the collective consciousness of the human race made accessible. 'Cuz everything is on it. Case in point, Pastor T. L. Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir. Listen to this, it's awesome! But how did I find the music of a neighborhood Chicago Pastor and his Choir? How did I pull that from the din?

I found this via a gatekeeper: the cool, hazy sample that ends the Algiers record? It's from this. I love the way that sample ends the record; it has a cosmic, time-machine flavored influence that reminds me a lot of the looped sample that ends Zen Guerilla's cosmic masterpiece Positronic Raygun.

And then once I started researching off the Algiers sample I found that, of course, this is another case of the absolutely amazing Light in the Attic Records has put out some of this man's music.

Yes, that's Isaac freakin' Hayes w/ Barrett. ISAAC HAYES!!!

I need to remember that: Light in the Attic. Always check back in with them. Get on their mailing list (why didn't I do that right after the first Black Angels E.P.? Or after the Louvin Bros. Or the Donnie and Joe Emerson record?

(Pause while I actually go do that...)

Then it gets even weirder. Go to the short bio for Pastor Barrett on LITA's site, right here. Being from the South Side of Chicago I remember when these pyramid schemes were big news. Crazy how something like my favorite album of the year so far - that immaculate Algiers eponymous - can bring something from so long ago back around again.

The Children's Vampire Hunting Brigade...

... is the topic of discussion in this week's edition of Thee Comic Column, over on Joup!

Ghost - From the Pinnacle to the Pit

This dropped sometime within the last week and since then I've habitually forgotten to post it here. Exceptional as usual. The "new" Papa certainly takes his gig more seriously than the previous one did. No hedonistic Vegas outings for this guy - all dark work. And we're all the better for it.

Antemasque - Providence

New band with Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler Zavala, perhaps best known for The Mars Volta and At the Drive-In. I've been into this record hardcore of late - easily one of the top releases of the year for me so far. Very different vibe from the guys' other bands (they're in more than the two mentioned above even). My first listen I knew nothing about Antemasque as it was a burn from Mr. Brown and I drove home from work mesmerized by something that I now can't understand how I didn't put two and two together. That said, I wouldn't trade that first listen for anything; it was freeing to hear the work of two artists I have grown to love without realizing it was them.

Entire record is fantastic and Flea plays bass on it. Weird, right? Again, you'd never know.

Boards of Canada - Nothing is Real

Ain't that the truth. I'm not entirely sure where I go when this song comes on, but its both far, far away and more intimately close than most other songs inspire. The womb-like recreation of tactile sound has long been Boards of Canada's specialty, however 2014's Tomorrow's Harvest and this track in particular bring their strange musical nirvana ever closer to fruition. I listen to this a lot on airplanes.

Drinking w/ Comics Issue #24

About time, eh? Yes, Drinking with Comics has been on hiatus but we are back! Issue #24 is up and we are filming/streaming issue #25 tomorrow night 7:00 PM Pacific Time!

Topics of discussion in #24 include but definitely are not limited to: James Robinson and Greg Hinkle's brilliant Airboy, Marvel's 70s pulp fantasy throwback Weirdworld (in which some of the characters from Crystar the Crystal Warrior make an appearance), Harley Quinn and Power Girl fending off Vartox's advances, the sinking feeling the Juggaloker gives Shawn, how awesome Oscar Isaac is when NOT in Fox's terribly laughable Apocalypse make-up and a whole host of other stuff. All while we wet our whistle with Magic Hat Brewing's tasty Night of the Living Dead variety pack!

James Robinson and Greg Hinkle's AIRBOY

... is the topic of discussion on in this week's edition of Thee Comic Column, over on Joup.

Morphinist: The Pessimist Sessions

Just discovered this band. Really cool, atmospheric stuff with no regard for genre constraints or image. It's all about tone and they have it in spades, especially here. Check out at about a minute and a half when the 80s horror synth kicks in. Beautiful.

If you dig them like I do, support them. Morphinist have a bandcamp where you can name your price for the full Pessimist Sessions album download.

Sexwitch

A couple of months ago I re-loaded Bat for Lashes debut album "Fur and Gold" on my iPod and have been listening to it quite steadily since. It is a fantastic album, full of dark nuance, emotion and really artistic, eclectic arrangements. This afternoon while writing I took a break from my normal soundtrack (Sinoa Caves's Beyond the Black Rainbow ST) and threw Fur and Gold on. This got me thinking and when I reached a stopping point I fired up the Google and decided to see what Natasha Khan has been up to. I'm well aware there are two Bat for Lashes record after F&G, I just haven't gotten around to them yet. Now I find Ms. Khan is the vocalist in a new collaboration with producer Dan Carey and group Toy. The new band is Sexwitch, Helelyos is the first track off the E.P. that comes out on 9/25 and is available for preorder through their site here.

I dig this and am pretty interested in hearing the rest of the record.

Cocksure - Razor Invader

AH! The new Cocksure came out a week ago today and I haven't been able to get it yet. I would have just pre-ordered it but I was traveling and thought I'd be able to finagle a grab on the go, however it just didn't work like that. The Ghost record was easy to come by last week - I walked into a bestbuy and walked out five minutes later with Meliora in hand. Cocksure's Corporate_Sting isn't the kind of record a bb would carry because, well frankly, I was kinda shocked they carry any music at all anymore. And there are NO record stores on the Southside of Chi town anymore (sheds a tear for Threshold Music).

Well, I'm back in LA and have a writing session in Hollywood tonight so you can bet your sweet behind I will be stopping at Amoeba. I simply can NOT wait any longer for the new one by Chris Connelly and Jason Novak!

Stream the new Ghost Record Meloria

If you haven't heard it yet this should help convince you of its majesty. If you dig it, buy it and help them 'take over the world'.

Rote Hexe

I haven't been able to shop for much music lately, let alone wander the isles of Amoeba and let something new and unexpected find me. I did that this evening and this fantastic experimental metal two-piece is what I came away with. Very, very good. Give a listen and please, if you dig, support them and Cricket Cemetery Records.

Goodnight Mommy

Sold. Completely F&*king sold.

Remember that Supergroup w/ Mike Patton, Tunde Adebimpe and Doseone?

The one we've been waiting for since about the time Peeping Tom came out?

It's here. Or at least the first single is. Ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together for The Nevermen (sounds like a villain from Grant Morrison's run on Doom Patrol, doesn't it?)

Thanks to my Drinking with Comics co-host Mike Wellman for being the bearer or great news:

The band's soundcloud is here. There's no tracks available there yet though, so apparently it's exclusive right here on Consequence of Sound. Really great track with a very unique structure. Can't wait for the record!

Chelsea Wolfe - Carrion Flowers

I had totally missed the fact that Chelsea Wolfe has a new record on the horizon (shipping on or around August 1st!). There's a gaggle of tracks floating around from Abyss (great title) but this creepy ass video is the only sneak peak I want of Ms. Wolfe's new material until I can experience it as a whole when I sit down with some intoxicants and hit play by candle light when the actual Long Player lands.

Can't wait! Next stop, the Abyss!

Before Bane There was... The Bonecrusher!

What? All will be revealed in this week's edition of Thee Comic Column, over on Joup.

Protomartry Streaming Live on Youtube RIGHT NOW

Just started!

Bizarre Ghost Late Night TV Ad From Back in May

Holy cow! Following the link to the Loud Wire that I referenced in my previous "From the Pinnacle to the Pit" post but had not read completely until just now, I realize how much I've missed on the developments in this completely awesome and bizarre band. This aired on VH1 in late May, during a late-night broadcast of Caddy Shack.

What?

This is the kind of marketing that I absolutely love and will endear me to Ghost even more. If that's possible.

Read the Loud Wire article linked above for more deets.

Brand New Ghost Track: From The Pinnacle To The Pit

AWESOME! And, more so than on Circe, the other track to surface so far from forthcoming record Meliora (pre-order here), on From The Pinnacle to the Pit you can very much tell that we once again have a new Papa Emeritus (number III for those counting along).

The fact that Ghost have switched singers for each of their three records is just stunning to me. I'll admit it's going to be hard to beat Papa II, however if this track shows a bit of bite to the vocals and Circe shows his 'sweet', melodic side, I'm really going to love this record as much as the other two. After seeing the video for Circe it has really grown to be one of my favorite Ghost tracks.

Ghost - Circe Video

This video is awesome - it's amazing to me that Ghost can continue to display the sense of humor that they do and still maintain the insidious 70s satanic horror vibe they pull off so well. And if the song itself, which available for free download on their site, is any indication, the new record Meliora will be an even more epic step in this brilliant band's evolution.

New Protomartyr Track Why Does It Shake?

Pitchfork reports that The Agent Intellect, Protomartyr's follow-up to last year's brilliant Under Color Of Official Right will be released on October 9th via Hardly Art. Easily my most-anticipated album of the year before hearing this new track, which is so good I really just want to keep playing it over and over again but, you know, must preserve the purity of the album experience.

Maybe.

Star Wars - The Force Awakens

Wow. This has stunned me with the effect it has had on me. It's inspired a rather lengthy article which I'll link to on Joup in a day or two.

UPDATE: Here's the link to the article.

Windhand - Two Urns

Bad ass!

Mastodon Video - Asleep in the Deep

Via Bloody Disgusting. Mastodon's Once More 'Round the Sun made my top 10 records last year and continues to be an almost daily listen for me (often multiple iterations in a sitting). I was obviously very happy to see this pop up earlier today. Hit the bloody disgusting link above for some information about what you see.

Lower Dens - Escape From Evil

I've spent most of the day listening to this band for the first time. Their newest record, Escape From Evil, is a fantastic dark-pop trip into a neon urban underworld that at times really reminds me of the early Cocteau Twins stuff.  Check it out.

Brian Buccellato's Sons of the Devil...

..., cults and The Great Satanic Panic are the topic of discussion in this week's edition of Thee Comic Column, over yonder on Joup!

Drinking w/ Comics #23

In which Mike Wellman and I talk about Chip Zdarky's new book Kaptara, the fact that Archie Comics has pretty much said, "Fuck it" and done another insane crossover book called... wait for it... Archie vs. Predator (AvP for the ironic class), Becky Cloonan, Andy Belanger and Leigh Loughridge's BRILLIANTLY creepy Southern Cross, Optic Nerve #14 and the Dark Horse, 1989 Predator mini series that definitley should have been used as the template for the 1990 Predator 2 which, let's face it, was terrible except for the Alien skull Danny "I can't act" Glover finds in the Predator's ship at the end.

All that and we drink Uinta Brewery's gorgeous Sum'r Ale, Ol' Burro's Favorable Stout and a few Fat Tires for good measure!

New High on Fire Streaming on NPR

Via Brooklyn Vegan. Good. I have some anger to release and this is just the band to help me do it.

Nekrogoblikon

How has this existed for three years and I have never heard of it? Well, thanks to Bloody Disgusting, who have the new Nekrogoblikon video up here I found this wonderful video. I didn't love it at first... and then I did.

Ash vs. Evil Dead teaser #2

I can NOT wait for this. After, what? Thirty freakin' years we're getting another chapter in Ash's life. That said, I'm a fan of BOTH Evil Dead timelines and I still really want another Fede Alvarez-directed movie with Mia.

Chicago by Night

From my friend Chuck. Man, this makes me homesick times twenty.

Screaming Females

Wow Bob Wow.

How I Fell in Love w/ Screaming Females

I am not a fan of the original artist who does this song, however I have a feeling with Screaming Females performing it, they could make me like just about anything.

I always forget about AV undercover until something like this pops back onto my radar, this time via Brooklyn Vegan.