2008 in Review

A review of 2008 will serve well to wipe away at the dust that's been collecting around here. So here it goes...my backlogged reflection of the last year, of which nearly half was spent in Budapest, Hungary and surrounding areas.



First of all, here are a few important things I missed in 2007 but thankfully found in 2008:

Dinosaur L - 24/24 Music (Sleeping Bag - reissue)
John Maus - Love Is Real (Upset The Rhythm)
Pantha Du Prince - This Bliss (Dial)
V/A - Latinamericarpet (Sublime Frequencies)
White Hills - Heads On Fire (Rocket)
Wildildlife - Six (Crucial Blast)

Onto 2008...

Below is a download link to tracks from my top ten. Song titles are listed below each record.

Full-lengths:



1. Grouper - Dragging A Dead Deer Up A Hill (Type)
Liz Harris cut the delay in half and started singing-- couldn't ask for more from this gorgeous blissed-out gem.
>Heavy Water / I'd Rather Be Sleeping




2. Arthur Russell - Love Is Overtaking Me (Audika)
It's Arthur Russell. As featured in the superb documentary on his life, Wild Combination, this collection of previously unreleased folk-songs gives a different sort of glimpse than the Arthur Russell we're used to, opening a new facet in his repertoire but still keeping it bittersweet.
>Love Is Overtaking Me




3. Have A Nice Life - Deathconsciousness (Self-Released)
All the claims about this being one of the most depressing records are actually pretty true. Industrial/shoegazey/ambient/drone from these black metal veterans will bum you out, but not disappoint.
>Hunter




4. Grails - Take Refuge In Clean Living (Important) / Doomsdayer's Holiday (Temporary Residence)
Hits from the bong. Word.
>Take Refuge




5. Belong - Colorloss Record (St. Ives)
Live drone versions of psych covers. So great to hear such a washed out version of July's My Clown the same year it was reissued.
>My Clown




6. Four Tet - Ringer (Domino)
Never expected much from Four Tet before, or been much of a fan. This time around, the IDM factor has been toned down for something a bit more straightforward but still way interesting. What a surprise!
>Ringer




7. Smorzando - Smrad (Midwinter)
Absolutely killer lo-fi depressive black metal from Switzerland.
>Lied 1




8. Sleepy Sun - Embrace (Sol Diamond)
Solid songwriting from these talented SF dudes that deserve all the kudos that come their way. Look for them at SXSW and ATP this year!
>New Age





9. Crystal Stilts - Alight Of Night (Woodsist)
Dark and lovely infectious lo-fi garage that channels Joy Division's best moments.
>Shattered Shine




10. Gang Gang Dance - Saint Dymphna (Social Registry/Warp)
Couldn't resist the MBV synth rips and catchy weirdness.
>Afoot

>>>>DOWNLOAD TOP 2008<<<<
100.8mb

Other favorites:

Aidan Baker + Tim Hecker - Fantasma Parastasie (Alien8)
Deerhunter - Microcastle (Kranky) [not including Weird Era Cont.]
Growing - All The Way (Social Registry)
James Blackshaw - Litany Of Echoes (Tompkins Square)
Kieren Hebden & Steve Reid - NYC (Domino)
Koen Holtkamp - Field Rituals (Type)
Lifelover - Konkurs (Avantgarde)
Paavoharju - Laulu Laakson Kukista (Fonal)
Pyramids - S/T (Hydrahead)
Sunn O))) - Dømkirke: Live at Bergen Cathedral (Southern Lord)


Reissues:


1. Teenage Filmstars - Star (Creation/Art Pop!, 1992)
An amazing reissue of an overlooked Creation Records classic. Ed Ball injects a heavy dose of psychedelia into all the right moments of shoegaze heavyness.

Droids - Star Peace (Barclay/Repressed, 1978)
Gas - Nah Und Fern (Mille Plateau/Kompakt, 1995-2000)
July - S/T (Sweet Dandelion/Rev-ola, 1968)
Robert Fripp & Brian Eno - No Pussyfooting (Polydor/Discipline Global Mobile, 1973)
Rodriguez - Cold Fact (Sussex/Light In The Attic, 1970)



Shows:

1. My Bloody Valentine @ Concourse Center (SF)


2. Rodriguez / Sleepy Sun @ The Echo (LA)


3. Black Dice @ Studenski Centar (Zagreb, Croatia)


4. SCSI-9 /Rex the Dog @ A38 Hajó (Budapest, Hungary). Probably the best venue ever: an old Ukrainian cargo ship turned venue + upstairs club deck in summer sitting on the Danube!


5. Health @ West Germany (Berlin, Germany)


6. Boris / Growing @ Vörös Yuk (Budapest, Hungary)
7. No Age @ Rickshaw Stop (SF)
8. Grouper @ some gallery in Oakland, can't remember.
9. Sir Richard Bishop @ Aquarius Records (SF)
10. Any part of the awesomely tight-knit and surprisingly unpretentious techno scene in Budapest. Highlights include:
-Efdemin @ Cha Cha Cha
-Corvin-Tető: department store rooftop turned club.
-And the tried and true favorite Monoklub.


Frisco Freakout (2pm-2am psych fest) proved to be better in theory than anything else. Even with such a solid lineup, it seemed overwhelmingly long. By the time Earthless (pictured above) closed the show, I couldn't tell a crybaby wah from a Big Muff. That could have been due to eating weed for close to ten hours, true. But I blame it on standing in claustrophobia all day at Thee Parkside.


Hey MBV, hurry up with that promised follow-up to Loveless....

2007 in Review

As I write this list, I mark the end of my first year on-air at KUSF, and also a temporary hiatus from the station. January 10 will be my last show as I will be living out of the country for the next five months. Eastern Central Europe calls, ya know?

I know we're already a few days into '08, but it's not too late for another top 2007 list. I included mp3 downloads of my favorite tracks from each of the top ten records. Please support these artists and don't settle for my downloads. They're on my top ten because of the collective awesomeness of their entire albums!


Top 25 Albums:


1. Panda Bear - Person Pitch (Paw Tracks)
Unsurprisingly dominating top 2007 lists.
Download Take Pills



2. The Field - From Here We Go Sublime (Kompakt)
This gorgeous techno masterpiece pulled through the whole year.
Download A Paw In My Face



3. Boris with Michio Kurihara - Rainbow (Pedal)
Having witnessed the pair together in October served as further proof as to how great of a collaboration they are.
Download Rafflesia



4. Robert Wyatt - Comicopera (Domino)
Still around, still awesome. Beautiful and most certainly weird.
Download Just As You Are



5. KTL - 2 (Editions Mego)
So "Theme" is 27 minutes long...but the intensely climactic e-drone wouldn't be the same if it wasn't.
Download Theme



6. Gowns - Red State (Cardboard)
So far, my favorite classifiably 'freak-folk' record yet.
Download White Like Heaven



7. Titan - A Raining Sun Of Light For You And You And You (Tee Pee)
Stunning and psyched out. Maybe ripped off Neu! too literally (see "Hallogallo" vs "Aufruf Der Pilze"), but I honestly don't mind.
Download Aufruf Der Pilze



8. Wzt Hearts - Threads Rope Spell Making Your Bones (Carpark)
Multi-faceted psych-drone makes it a standout. Soft, loud, pretty, and scary.
Download Spell



9. Nadja - Touched (Alien8)
Couldn't keep up with the duo's nine or so releases of this year (the same goes for Aidan Baker's solo work). But this reworked version of the 2003 CD-R of the same name is about ten times heavier and even better than the original.
Download Stays Demons



10. No Age - Werdo Rippers (Fat Cat)
A confusing mess of shoegaze, drones, garage, and punk that works so well together.
Download Every Artist Needs A Tragedy


the rest in no particular order...
Deerhunter - Cryptograms (Kranky)
Burning Star Core - Operator Dead...Post Abandoned (No Quarter)
Caetano Veloso - Cê (Nonesuch)
Gui Boratto - Chromophobia (Kompakt)
Growing - Vision Swim (Troubleman Unlimited)
Tim Hecker - Atlas (Audraglint)
Common Eider, King Eider - How To Build A Log Cabin (Yik Yak)
Islaja - Ulual Yyy (Fonal)
Mammatus - The Coast Explodes (Holy Mountain)
Soft Circle - Full Bloom (Eastern Developments)
White Lichens - S/T (Holy Mountain)
Throbbing Gristle - Part Two: The Endless Not (Mute)
Fennesz Sakamoto - Cendre (Touch)
Sunn O))) - Oracle (Southern Lord)
Ulrich Schnauss - Goodbye (Domino)


Reissues:


1. Eroc - Eroc 1 (Brain)
I can't even believe how much I have (and am still) listening to this AMAZING psyched-out blissed-out kraut gem! Probably my favorite record of the year, but it's a reissue, so it'll have to stand on its own here.

Michael Yonkers - Grimwood (Destijl)
Psychic Paramount - Gamelan Into The Mink Supernatural (No Quarter) [LP]
Flower Travellin' Band - Satori (Phoenix)
Vladislav Delay - Multila (Huume)


Top 10 Shows:


1. Tim Hecker @ Project Artaud Theatre

2. Jesus And Mary Chain @ The Fillmore
3. Boris @ Amoeba Records
4. Gowns @ The Hemlock
5. Psychic Paramount @ The Hemlock


6. Booka Shade @ Mezzanine

7. Magik Markers / Axolotl / Rah Dunes @ Amnesia
8. Wildildlife @ Elbo Room


9. Seekers Who Are Lovers / Sergio Iglesias & The Latin Love Machine @ The Hemlock


10. Ettrick vs 16 Bitch Pile Up on The Bus (also tied for worst show of 2007)

KUSF Playlist Thursday 01/03/08 Midnite-3AM

First show of 2008...

Ateleia - Threaded -- Nightly (Table Of The Elements, 2007)

Glenn Branca - The Ascension -- The Ascension (99, 1981)
Burzum - Hen Som Reiste -- Det Som En Gang Var (Cymophane, 1993)
Hours Of Worship - Beneath A Cloud -- Unreleased, 2007


Yikes - Irresponsible -- Whoa Comas/Blood Bombs (Kill Shaman, 2007)
Loop - Spinning -- The World In Your Eyes (Head, 1987)
Comets On Fire - Holy Teeth -- Avatar (Sub Pop, 2006)
Amon Guru - Dat Loop -- Die Krautrock Explosion (Cleopatra, 2007)

Slowdive - Golden Hair [Syd Barrett] -- Holding Our Breath (Creation, 1991)
Brian Eno - Variations On The Canon In D Major by Johann Pachelbel: Fullness Of Wind (Editions EG, 1975)

Darkthrone - Skald An Satans Sol -- Transylvanian Hunger (Peaceville, 1994)
Vampire Belt - The Straight Horn Of The Vampire Belt -- Dead Is OK (Open Mouth, 2003)

Area C - That Spark -- A Trick With A Knife (Trensmat, 2007)
Ricardo Villalobos - Dexter -- Alcachofa (Playhouse, 2003)

Tollmann Av Ildtoppberg - The Ancients -- The Forest Of Doom (Monolith, 2007)
Mammatus - The Righteous Path Through The Forest -- S/T (Holy Mountain, 2006)
Olekranon - Jim Red -- The Wire Risk (Inam, 2007)

Faust - No Harm -- So Far (Polydor, 1972)

Burmese - Shut Your Mouth -- Men (Load, 2004)
Demons - Firewalk -- Evocation (No Fun, 2007)

Goldmund - To -- Two Part Discrimination (Western Vinyl, 2007)
Kraftwerk - Neon Lights -- The Man Machine (Capitol, 1978)
Black Dice - Toka Toka -- Load Blown (Paw Tracks, 2007)
Alex Smoke - Coda & Clang -- Incommunicado (Soma Quality, 2005)

Eric Cordier - Lieux De Repos -- Breizhiselad -- (Erewhon, 2007)
GHQ - Asphalt Rainbows -- Crystal Healing (Three Lobed, 2007)
Stars Of The Lid - Lactate's Moment -- Gravitational Pull vs The Desire For An Aquatic Life (Kranky, 1997)

KUSF Playlist Thursday 11/15/07 Midnite-3AM

Angels Of Light - Not Here/Not Now -- Love Is Simple (Young God, 2007)
GHQ - Pyramid Merchandise -- Crystal Healing (Three Lobed, 2007)
Murcof - Cuerpo Celeste -- Cosmos (Leaf, 2007)

Black Dice - Heavy Manners -- Broken Ear Record (DFA, 2005)

Richard Youngs - Low Bay Of Sky -- Autumn Response (Jagjaguwar, 2007)
Axolotl - Kingdom Of Ends -- Memory Theatre (Important, 2007)
Boards Of Canada - Sixtyten -- Music Has The Right To Children (Warp, 1998)
Caetano Veloso - Alfômega -- Tropicalia - A Revolution In Brazillian Sound (Soul Jazz, 2005)

Can - Mushroom -- Tago Mago (United Artists, 1971)
Mammatus - Dragon Of The Deep Part Three (Excellent Swordfight) -- The Coast Explodes (Holy Mountain, 2007)
Vampire Can't - Self-Titled Debutante -- Key Cutter (Load, 2006)
Six Organs Of Admittance - Shelter From The Ash -- Shelter From The Ash (Drag City, 2007)

Amiina - Lóri -- Kurr (Ever, 2007)
Ulrich Schnauss - Shine -- Goodbye (Domino, 2007)
Arp - Premonition Of The Sculptor Steiner -- In Light (Smalltown Supersound, 2007)

Burning Star Core - A Curse On The Coast -- Blood Lightning (No Fun, 2007)
Brian Eno & Cluster - Old Land -- S/T (Sky, 1985)
Xela - Humid At Dusk -- The Dead Sea (Type, 2006)
Growing - Friendly Confines -- Color Wheel (Troubleman Unlimited, 2006)

Lou Reed - Wind Coda -- Hudson River Wind Meditations (Sounds True, 2007)
Ateleia - In Inner Air -- Nightly (Table Of The Elements, 2007)

Vertonen - Failure (Greywater Terminal) -- Orchid Collider (Crippled Intellect, 2005)
Wzt Hearts - Spells -- Threads Rope Spell Making Your Bones (Carpark, 2007)
Tarantism - Occam's Razor -- Stuck To The Bottom (Resipiscent, 2006)

Windy & Carl - Lighthouse (alt. version) -- Introspection (Blue Flea, 2002)
Hala Strana - Grain -- Heave The Gambrel Rood (Music Fellowship, 2007)

KUSF Playlist Thursday 11/09/07 Midnite-3AM

White Magic - Shine On Heaven --Dark Stars (Drag City, 2007)

Religious Knives - Electricity And Air --Remains (No Fun, 2007)
Grauzone - Der Weg Zu Zweit -- Die Sunrise Tapes (Play It Again Sam, 1998/1981)
Murcof - Cometa -- Cosmos (Leaf, 2007)
Cluster - Rosa -- Zuckerzeit (Brain, 1974/2005)
Mammal - Cyclops -- Lonesome Drifter (Animal Disguise, 2007)

James Blackshaw - Spiraling Skeleton Memorial -- O True Believers (Important, 2006)
Low - Laser Beam -- Things We Lost In The Fire (Kranky, 2001)
Michael Yonkers - Lonely Fog -- Grimwood (Destijl, 1969/2007)

Stars Of The Lid - Humectez La Moture -- And Their Refinement Of The Decline (Kranky, 2007)
Sir Richard Bishop - Esoterica Of Abyssinia -- Plays Sun City Girls 7" (No-Fi, 2006)
Christine 23 Onna - Top Of Spot -- Acid Eater (Midi Creative, 2002)

Aavikko - New York-London-Siilinjarvi-Tokyo -- Multi Muysic (Hawaii Sounds, 2000)
Superpitcher - Happiness -- Here Comes Love (Kompakt, 2004)
Growing - Cutting, Opening, Swimming -- The Sky's Run Into The Sea (Kranky, 2003)

Kristin Miltner - Stunned Night -- Grains (Praemedia, 2007)

Nadja - Stays Demons -- Touched (Alien8, 2007)
Boredoms - Super Going -- Super AE (Birdman, 1998)

Harmonia - Hausmusik -- Musik Von Harmonia (Brain, 1974/2000)
Barn Owl - Diamond Cloud -- Bridge To The Clouds (Not Not Fun, 2007)

Tim Hecker - Azure Azure -- Radio Amor (Mille Plateaux, 2003)
Neurosis - Given To The Rising -- Given To The Rising (Neurot, 2007)

KUSF Playlist Thursday 11/02/07 Midnite-3AM

Sir Richard Bishop - Mahavidya -- While My Guitar Violently Bleeds (Locust Music, 2007)
Mammal - Repulsion -- Lonesome Drifter (Animal Disguise, 2007)

Harmonia - Sehr Kosmisch -- Musik Von Harmonia (Brain, 1974/2007)
Eroc - Die Musik Vom Olberg -- Eroc 1 (Brain, 1975/2007)
Boris with Merzbow - excerpt -- Sun Baked Snow Cave (Hydra Head, 2005)

Thrones - Oso Malo -- Sperm Whale (Kill Rock Stars, 2000)
Glenn Branca - 4th Movement -- Symphony No. 5 [Describing Planes Of An Expanding Hypersphere] (Atavistic, 1995)
Ateleia - Threaded -- Nightly (Table Of The Elements, 2007)
Jesus And Mary Chain - Never Understand -- Psychocandy (Blanco Y Negro, 1985)

Khanate - Dead -- No Joy [Remix] (Load, 2003)

Robert Wyatt - Stay Tuned -- Comicopera (Domino, 2007)
Faust - It's A Rainy Day, Sunshine Girl -- So Far (Polydor, 1972)

Mouthus - China Drier -- S/T (Psych-O-Path, 2003)
Michael Yonkers - 162 -- Grimwood (Destijl, 1969/2007)
Christine 23 Onna - The Last Hunter -- Acid Eater (Midi Creative, 2002)

Citay - Eye On The Dollar -- Little Kingdom (Dead Oceans, 2007)
The Bark Haze - Punchline 2 -- Total Joke Era (Important, 2007)

Steve Reich - excerpt -- Music For 18 Musicians (ECM, 1978)
Hala Strana - Wedding Of The Blind / Ratlines -- Heave The Gambrel Roof (Music Fellowship, 2007)
Common Eider, King Eider - Red Bears -- How To Build A Log Cabin (Yik Yak, 2007)

KUSF Playlist Thursday 10/26/07 Midnite-3AM

Plants - Seedling -- Photosynthesis

Burning Star Core - Deaf Mute Spinning Resonator -- Blood Lightning 2007 (No Fun, 2007)
World - Slow Prog -- CD-R (Yarnlazer / Collective Jyrk, 2004)
Wzt Hearts - Hassler -- Threads Rope Spell Making Your Bones (Carpark, 2007)
Sun City Girls - The Shining Path -- Torch Of The Mystics (Tupelo, 1993)
Wooden Shjips - Losin' Time -- S/T (Holy Mountain, 2007)

Boris with Michio Kurihara - Rafflesia -- Rainbow (Pedal, 2006)
Jesus And Mary Chain - Some Candy Talking -- Some Candy Talking (Blanco Y Negro, 1986)
Gui Boratto - Scene 1 -- Chromophobia (Kompakt, 2007)
Ellen Allien - Come -- Thrills (B-Pitch Control, 2005) *request

Islaja - Pysahteneet Planeetat -- Ulual Yyy (Fonal, 2007)
Common Eider, King Eider - Steal Your Hair -- How To Build A Log Cabin (Yik Yak, 2007)
Michael Yonkers - And Give It To You -- Grimwood (Destijl, 1969/2007)

Yellow Swans - Velocity Of The Yolk -- Psychic Secession (Load, 2005)
Acid Eater - Free -- Virulent Fuzz Punk A.C.I.D. (Timebomb, 2007)
Solar Anus - Asid In My Brain -- Skull Alcoholic: The Complete Solar Anus (Tumult, 2006/2000)

GHQ - Blue Silence -- Crystal Healing (Three Lobed, 2007)
Nonloc - The Golden Apple Pie -- Between Hemispheres (Strange Attractors, 2007)
Suicide - Cheree -- S/T (Ariola, 1977)
No Age - Every Artist Needs A Tragedy -- Weirdo Rippers (Fat Cat, 2007)

Eroc - Abendfrieden -- Eroc 1 (Universal Strategic Marketing, 2007 / Brain, 1975)
Soft Circle - Sundazed -- Full Bloom (Eastern Developments, 2007)
B. Fleischmann & Ms. John Soda - Here She Comes (Slowdive cover) -- Blue Skied An' Clear (Morr, 2002)
Cepia - Clay Face -- Natura Morta (Ghostly International, 2007)

Brian Eno - 2/1 -- Ambient 1: Music For Airports (Polydor, 1978)
Windy & Carl - Through The Portal -- Live At Terrastock (Mult-Theramin Soundscapes, 2000)
Fursaxa - Sheds Her Skin -- Alone In The Dark Wood (Eclipse, 2007)

Monosov Swirnoff - Snake Lust -- Five Recorded Works: Volume 3 (Eclipse, 2007)
The Bark Haze - Punchline 1 -- Total Joke Era (Important, 2007)
Six Organs Of Admittance - The Desert Is A Circle -- The Sun Awakens (Drag City, 2006)

Jan Jelinek - A Concert For TV -- Tierbeobachtungen (~scape, 2006)