MOONSHAKE First 1991

by request

 

 

Discogs

Artist Biography by Jason Ankeny

Experimental pop outfit Moonshake was led by Dave Callahan, the one-time frontman of the C-86 group the Wolfhounds; after several years away from the music scene, he resurfaced in early 1991, placing an ad in Melody Maker calling for bandmates. Among those who responded were vocalist Margaret Fiedler, bassist John Frenett, and drummer Michael Rother, and within just four days of their formation, Moonshake -- so named after a track on Can's Future Days LP -- entered the studio to record their debut EP First for Creation Records.

After jumping to the Too Pure label, the group resurfaced later in 1992 with the Secondhand Clothes EP, followed shortly by the Beautiful Pigeon. The full-length Eva Luna, a brilliant collision of breakbeats and guitar noise drawing influence from disparate sources ranging from dub to Krautrock to hip-hop, brought their prolific year to a close.

After the 1993 EP Big Good Angel, Fiedler -- who shared vocal and songwriting duties with Callahan -- and Frenett quit to form Laika. Adding new bassist Matt Brewer and saxophonist Raymond M. Dickaty, Moonshake recorded 1995's The Sound Your Eyes Can Follow, a radical departure from previous efforts which almost completely eliminated guitars in favor of a vast palette of samples. After 1996's Dirty & Divine, Callahan relocated from London to New York, a move which hastened Moonshake's mid-1997 break-up.

LAIKA

Silver Apples of the Moon 

1994

 

Sounds of the Satellites

1997 

by request

Discogs

Artist Biography by Jason Ankeny

Like their namesake -- the dog rocketed into orbit by the Soviets renowned as the first living creature to exit the earth's atmosphere -- Laika traveled the spaceways, forging a distinct and wildly experimental fusion of hip-hop, jazz, electronica, dub, and Krautrock without earthly precedent. Somewhat of a Too Pure label all-star team comprised of former Moonshake vocalist/programmer Margaret Fiedler and bassist John Frenett, onetime PJ Harvey drummer Rob Ellis, and noted producer Guy Fixsen as well as ex-God percussionist Lou Ciccotelli and saxophonist/flutist Louise Elliott, Laika formed in London during the autumn of 1993; their debut EP, Antenna, appeared the following summer. Silver Apples of the Moon, the group's acclaimed full-length debut, followed in early 1995; after a hiatus, Laika resurfaced with Sounds of the Satellites in early 1997, garnering even greater critical praise. Good Looking Blues appeared in 2000, followed by Wherever I Am I Am What Is Missing in 200 

Tracklist
Silver Apples of the Moon
 

Sugar Daddy	5:25
Marimba Song	5:15
Let Me Sleep	4:23
Itchy & Scratchy	0:57
Coming Down Glass	4:57
If You Miss	5:19
44 Robbers	4:15
Red River	3:56
Honey In Heat	4:23
Thomas	3:26
Spider Happy Hour	1:40

Tracklist
Sounds of the Satellites

Prairie Dog	4:55
Breather	7:16
Out Of Sight And Snowblind	5:28
Almost Sleeping	6:55
Starry Night	3:19
Bedbugs	5:53
Martinis On The Moon	1:44
Poor Gal	3:09
Blood+Bones (Moody Mix)	4:37
Shut Off/Curl Up	5:36
Spooky Rhodes	6:17
Dirty Feet+Giggles	6:50