LINK FIXED 12/8/09
The guys over at
De Stijl get a big fat gold star for releasing and reissuing some awesome shit lately, including these two long lost classics. Back in the 70's Mark Tucker unknowingly recorded the music that would later pave the way for the likes of Daniel Johnston and The Elephant Six Collective. His most famous release,
Batstew, is a mishmash of lo-fi bedroom recordings and ambient sounds that has been sought after by record collecting nerds for decades (seriously, the original pressing goes for as much a shitty used car on ebay). If the measure of a great album is how emotionally affecting it is, consider this one a home run.
Batstew won't grab you in any sort of typical fashion though. I've honestly never had an album make me feel more uncomfortable in my entire life. The left-field dialogue quips and the overall feel of the record really drive home the fact that ol' Mark was probably a pretty mentally unstable dude back in the day. During the course of the record, Mark eventually takes us for a ride in his car. So now as a listener, it seems like you're trapped in the trunk of this crackpot's hearse while he drives around and serenades you with man-on-man love songs and moaning analog synth lines.
I might be in the minority, but I have to say
In The Sack is actually the better of Mark's most famous releases. While 90 pound aging white hipsters with Pitchfork contributing writer aspirations might turn their noses up at this remark (both to scoff at me and to keep their black plastic frame glasses from sliding off of their faces) I have to stick to my guns on this one. Start to finish,
In The Sack trades an ounce of "What the fuck?" for a pound of damn good songwriting. Track to track the record flows better, and Mark has the opportunity to showcase his musical chops while retaining a healthy amount of average joe listener alienating weirdness. I can see how both of these albums could be incredibly polarizing, but if you have any interest in one of the pioneers of bizarre American underground music, you owe it to yourself to download these LPs.
- Steve
Download BatstewDownload In the Sack
Another solid 7" from Florida. Both tracks are more similar to the b-side of their last 7". Dark and atmospheric tunes with bass vocals that I can't seem to get out of my head. The band shows a little more instrumental and vocal range on these two tracks as well. "Haunted House" showcases a backing brass instrument and some well-utilized whistles, and "Love Inside of You" plays more like a dream sequence with some competent guitar at the forefront and mind-numbing chimes behind it all. Comes out Christmas day on Shdwply. Pre-orders start in two days. Get it here.
The Peppermint Lounge is an electronic/acoustic duo from England/Switzerland both currently living in the UK (after having both spent most of their lives in Asia) that takes "acoustic, modern electronica, 50s-60s Jazz, African and American blues, classical impressionism, social commentary and folk forms to combine sampling with composition." Each track of this 3 song demo heads in a slightly different direction and I'm looking forward to hearing what else they're capable of creating in the future. Keep an eye out for their debut EP sometime next year.
We received this submission from Life's Blood, a new and extremely promising label out of California that vows to only put good into the world.
(Request)
