DISKAHOLICS ANONYMOUS AT BOOMCAT
February 22, 2006Comments Off
You can buy the album now at Boomcat, go [url=http://www.boomkat.com/item.cfm?id=20560/]here.[/url] With a set of puns that would have even
The Sun blushing, Diskaholics Anonymous’ new album ‘Weapons Of Ass Destruction’ (quiet at the back!) sees the leftfield super-group of Thurston Moore, Jim O’Rouke and Mats Gustafsson reforming for some
avant/jazz/improv/punk/noise/kitchen-sink buisness. Ear-plugs, as ever, are optional… Comprised of two XXXtended tracks, the handily titled ‘Weapons Of Ass Destruction Part 1 & 2′ revel in their free-wheeling jazz roots; with Sweden’s Gustafsson belligerently leading the charge like Albert Ayler on a Punk Rock sugar-rush. As Thurston’s guitars slam you against the wall (think Sonic Youth circa ‘Confusion Is Sex/Bad Moon Rising’) and O’Rouke’s laptop slices through the bellicose aural fog, it all gets rather emotional – engendering images of epic skylines and scarred skies. Certainly not for the faint-hearted, ‘Weapons Of Ass Destruction’ (it somehow gets unfunnier the more you hear it…) is the kind of fiercly experimental music that is always admirable, but not always an easy listen. But if you wanted that, you’d be buying James Blunt. Insert your own pun here…
TOY: GREAT PITCHFORK REVIEW
February 18, 2006Comments Off
Good reviews keeps on coming for Toy`s debut album. Now also Pitchfork has given the album a very good review and describes the album as a “curiously humorous and bold debut album”. You can read the whole reviewhttp://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/t/toy/toy.shtml/ here
THE THING: ROUGH TRADE COMPILATION SLEEVENOTES
February 13, 2006Comments Off
The Thing`s "Artstar" is now on Rough Trade`s best of 2005 compilation "Counter Culture 05" and here is the sleevenotes: "I love to join the dots – there is a wailing sax in the previous track, this one and the next one. That is the only justification in having these tracks in this order and at this point in the running order. I’m also very happy to have been able to place a fucked up version of the Garage classic from the Sonics next to some of today’s most messed-up pups. Smalltown Superjazz is a sister label to Smalltown Supersound, operating out of Oslo, Norway. Nurse with Wound recorded track 1 on this disc in Norway. Lindstrom is from Norway. Joakim Haugland and Kim Hiorthoy from the Smalltown Supersound label are nice boys. Jamie likes The Thing. This track was also released on a 7", of which I got one – cooool! (Don’t be like that! We get paid less than a trainee hairdresser in the 70s). Like the Yat-Kha project, this track is lifted from an album of cover versions, on which Mats and the band rip shiny new assholes for The White Stripes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and others."
TOY: BBC REVIEW
February 13, 2006Comments Off
“The duo of Alisdair Stirling and Jurgen Traeen met (allegedly) in the music department at Hamley’s toyshop. A bond was formed among the Casio keyboards and xylophones, and thus Toy were born. Cooked up via the magic of the internet (Traeen lives in Norway, Stirling in the UK), this is the soundtrack to a dayglo, battery powered plastic world of robots, spaceships and drumming rabbits. Lopsided rhythms trundle away underneath shiny, synthetic melodies. If the Radiophonic Workshop had ever teamed up with the Yellow Magic Orchestra to produce themes for kids TV programmes, they’d sound like this. At their best Toy make a joyful noise; childlike (but not childish) and playfully evocative. They even sample “Sparky’s Magic Piano” (possibly the scariest record ever made) and make it into something reassuring and innocently beautiful. Yummy.” (BBC)
TOY: PLAN B REVIEW
February 8, 2006Comments Off
“Charting a cartoonish frolic through dolphin pop and Seventies sci-fi, Norway/UK duo Toy are a rabid, bleep-addled joy. They`re also the finest literally designated alliance since Chubby Checker And The Fat Boys. Asserting they met in the Casio dept of London plaything emporium Hamley`s, Toy are House Of Hiss/Sensible Twins stalwart Alisdair Stirling and producer/sound engineer Jorgen Traeen (Sondre Lerche, Jaga Jazzist). Together, they manoeuvre an iridescent voyage through aquarium lounge-bop, dulcimer wack-hop and madcap Japanese electronica. An oddly hypnotic and sunny diversion, Toy`s playful, trance-inducing ways range over loping Honey Monster dub (The All Seeing Eye); surrealistic cheeky beats (Rabbit Pushing Mower); and Atari fanfare cabaret (Googie Fream Home): a peculiarly brazen, Scandinavian gem” (Nicola Meighan, Plan B)
TOY: GREAT REVIEW IN FLUX MAGAZINE
February 6, 2006Comments Off
“British/Scandinavian duo Alisdair Stirling and Jorgen Traeen mix the space-age zaniness of The Residents with Cornelius`s TV show pop, Mouse On Mars` squelchiness and the bubblegum melodies of Super Mario bonus levels. The result should be an utterly disposable example of popular culture recycling itself into oblivion. It is, however, an avant garde pop classic, a secret album of 2006, and yet another triumph for this excellent small label” (Flux Magazine)
EXCLUSIVE LARS HORNTVETH NEW YORK SHOW
February 6, 2006Comments Off
Lars Horntveth is finally doing a show in US. It will only be one show and it will take place in NYC the 9th of February at Tonic. This is Lars` first US show and he will perform music from the critically acclaimed Pooka album. His friend Morten Quenlid and his band In The Country (Rune Grammofon) will also play the same night.
TUSSLE: TELESCOPE MIND
February 6, 2006Comments Off
Telescope Mind is the title of the new Tussle album that is just finshed recorded. This is probably one of the best albums that has ever been released on Smalltown Supersound. We just love it, and it is in many ways the ultimate Supersound. You`ll understand when you hear it. The album will be released the 22nd of May, prior to that we`ll release one or two 12″ vinyls with remixes. The guys from Liquid Liquid are guest starring on one of the tracks. Kim will make the artwork. More info soon.
TOY: NICE UNCUT REVIEW
February 6, 2006Comments Off
“British-Norwegian pair`s quirky pop. Toy`s Alisdair Stirling and Jorgen Traeen claim to have met in the Casio department on the fifth floor of Hamley`s, and take inspiration from Pingu and noise music. We know for certain that their cascading reverie “Rabbit Pushing Mower” opened Annie`s recent DJ Kicks selection, and that Toy`s genial mix of library nuggest, found sounds, muzak and electronica recalls Luke Vibert`s more accomplished doodles. At times, on “Don`t Be” and “Valley Cars”, these elements combine to produce Røyksopp-like moments of giddy wonder, but several similar squiggles, Toy`s faux-na
