April 8, 2020 Playlist

"Eating Us" by Black Moth Super Rainbow (2009)
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
Black Moth Super Rainbow "Eating Us"  2009 (USA)
At the end of the "twenty-aughties" decade, there was a bit of a resurgence of "underground folk-psych" groups recording and releasing music on old fashioned cassette tapes. BMSR was not quite one of those bands, but their producer/songwriter/vocodorist/tape mainpulator (who calls himself "Tobacco") has an aesthetic that is very "tapey" and analog. The group's sound certainly touches on psychedelia but their songs often sound more like retro electronic pop or (kinda dorky) hip hop. Their breakthrough was the third album Dandelion Gum, which had a great sound though not that many memorable songs. Eating Us was the fourth and best album, produced by David Fridmann of Flaming Lips and Mercury Rev fame (rather than Tobacco) and it is their best batch of tunes and pretty much only "produced sounding" album. I'm not saying Tobacco is a bad producer, in fact he's one of the most distinctive of the last 10 years, just that his aesthetic is lo-fi - you really don't hear tape hiss on albums in the modern era, unless it's a Tobacco production (I assume he really does record on cassette). Aside from the six BMSR albums released to date (the most recent in 2018), Tobacco has released four solo albums and last year formed an explicitly hip hop duo called Malibu Ken with rapper Aesop Rock.
As the world has been pretty much shut down, musical acts that were gearing up to tour suddenly find their plans on hold. So here's your J-pop update of the week: Mirin & The Nerd Herd headlined a webstream idol festival from their underground quarentine bunker, a rare chance to see them do their routines up close with awkward camerawork (it looks like someone kidnapped them and made them put on a show in the basement - they really could have found a larger space to do this in, though I found it fun anyway.)
(N) = New Release
   
Artist Song Album Year Country
Tina TurnerWhole Lotta Love (Led Zeppelin)Acid Queen1975USA
Caribou HomeSuddenly (N)2020 (City Slang)Canada
Smoke Fairies Chocolate RabbitDarkness Brings The Wonders Home (N)2020 (Year Seven)UK
Guided By Voices PhysicianSurrender Your Poppy Field (N)2020 (GBV Inc.)USA
DISQ Konichiwa InternetCollector (N)2020 (Saddle Creek)USA
Haru Nemuri Pink UnicornLovetheism EP (N)2020 (TO3S)Japan
Maximum The HormoneHeisei Strawberry VibeKusoban ("Shit Disc")2004Japan
 
 
Cornershop SlingshotEngland Is A Garden (N)2020 (Ample Play)UK
Mr. Elevator AnywhereGoodbye, Blue Sky (N)2020 (Castle Face)USA
Stephen Malkmus ShadowbannedTraditional Techniques (N)2020 (Matador)USA
King Buzzo with Trevor Dunn Mock She ("Shock Me" by KISS)Six Pack EP (N)2020 (Amphetamine Reptile)USA
Califone Howard St & The Beach Nov 1988 After 11Echo Mine (N)2020 (Jealous Butcher)USA
L.A. Takedown Top Down, Heat OnOur Feeling Of Natural High (N)2020 (Castle Face)USA
   
 
Black Moth Super RainbowBorn On A Day The Sun Didn't ShineEating Us
 CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		2009USA
Black Moth Super RainbowGold SplatterEating Us
 CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		2009USA
Black Moth Super RainbowIron LemonadeEating Us
 CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		2009USA
Black Moth Super RainbowSun LipsDandelion Gum2007USA
TobaccoGross Magik
   / Little Pink Riding Hood		Fucked Up Friends2008USA
   
 
KraftwerkDer Telefon-Anruf / House Phone
("The Telephone Call")		Electric Cafe1986Germany
Moebius & PlankMiss CacadouRastakraut Pasta1980Germany
Michael RotherTiefenschärfe
("Depth Of Field")		Süßherz Und Tiefenschärfe
("Sweethearts And Depth Of Field")		1985Germany
DeuterDer Turm / Fluchtpunkt
("The Tower / Vanishing Point")		D1971Germany
EmbryoYou Don't Know What's Happening
   / Revolution		Opal1970Germany
   
 
Edgard VaresePoeme ElectroniqueMusic Of Edgard Vareserec. 1958France/USA
Terry RileyPerformance 2 - Conclusion (live)Persian Surgery Dervishes1972USA
   
 
Stardrive featuring Robert MasonIntergalactic TrotIntergalactic Trot1973USA
Stardrive featuring Robert MasonI Wanna Take You Higher (Sly & The Family Stone)Intergalactic Trot1973USA
             
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