I Don’t Remember, I Don't Want To
(Superior Viaduct) Used LP $10.00 (Out-of-stock)
First-time stand-alone reissue of late ’70s home recordings by legendary Cincinnati DIY art-damaged mastermind whose minimal lo-fi electronics layer fractured melodies over distorted synthesizers, hollowed-out rhythms and claustrophobic vocals with a distinct punk-meets-experimentalist sensibility.
The Ascension
(Superior Viaduct) Used LP $12.00 (Out-of-stock)
Four guitarists (Branca, fellow composers Ned Sublette and David Rosenbloom, and future Sonic Youth member Lee Ranaldo), with Jeffrey Glenn on bass and Stephan Wischerth on drums, tear down the genre-ghettos between 20th century avant-garde and ecstatic rock’n’roll on this 2014 reissue of the 1981 LP. On “The Spectacular Commodity,” chiming, shimmering tones unfold into sinister drone-territory à la Tony Conrad, while abrasive guitars and repetitive beats retain the raw primitivism of No Wave. The title track attains a densely packed, larger-than-life sound and (as author Marc Masters says) “never stops climbing skyward.” Sealed
Music For Sick Queers
(Superior Viaduct) Used LP + 7-inch $12.00 (Out-of-stock)
2012 reissue of 1985 LP, a masterpiece of minimal synth, experimental and punkish elements, electronic noise, and beautifully disturbing songs by Stephen Scheatzle and Sandy Stark. Seven-inch contains previously unreleased material. Includes archival inserts and download card. Sealed
Mingus Plays Piano
(Superior Viaduct) Used LP $10.00 (Out-of-stock)
2015 reissue of the bassist / composer’s 1963 LP of spontaneous compositions and improvisations, the only record to feature Mingus performing on his instrument of choice for composing. The opening track shrugs off virtuosic pretension and stakes out more introspective territory. These trance-like, poetic musings reveal a tenderness rarely associated with Mingus, reminiscent of Erik Satie’s piano works and Art Tatum’s free rhythmic style. Small seam split along bottom edge.
Monitor
(Superior Viaduct) Used LP $10.00 (Out-of-stock)
2013 reissue of 1981 LP by four young artists grappling with their terror and amazement in the convergence of the late 1970s punk scene and Southern California’s consumerist decadence. As with the collective’s visual artwork and events, Monitor blends archaic influences with modern technology into one of the era’s most curious albums. Eerie synthesizer, menacing guitar leads and morose vocal chants make “In Terrae Interium” an evocative ballad of paranoia. “I Saw Dead Jim’s Shade” showcases Monitor’s idiosyncratic vocal interplay in a sinister tale of a stolen hand. When “Hair” required a tempo beyond their instrumental chops, the band appropriated The Meat Puppets to record the track for them. Devo associate Ed Barger meticulously recorded the album, burying shrieking cats, closing doors and tape loops deep in the mix. Includes download card. Sealed
Hard Attack
(Superior Viaduct) Used LP $12.00
2013 reissue of 1977 debut album that remains a key document of the mid-’70s proto-punk zeitgeist, evokes what free jazz would sound like if born in Bloomington, Indiana. Liner notes by Byron Coley. Includes download card. Sealed
Painless Nights
(Superior Viaduct) Used LP $12.00
From the opening tracks “When Can I Fly?” and “Walk Away” (featuring Alex Gibson and Tom Recchion of BPeople), this 2012 reissue of the 1981 LP captures The Sleepers’ fluid and volatile sound. Guitarist Michael Belfer’s (Tuxedomoon) lo-fi textures and incisive riffs serve as the perfect counterpoint to Ricky Williams’s improvisational lyrics. With a new insert with liner notes by Joe Carducci. Includes download card. Sealed