Friday, October 30, 2009

Eggy Records table
Thanks to everyone who stopped by the Eggy Records table the other night! The Labelmates event was really fun and pleasant. Nice to see people and chat. I was next to Eric and the Audiodregs table -- it's been a while since I've paid close attention to what they've been doing (Audiodregs was definitely a favorite label of mine growing up in Portland) and it was great to be reminded that they are still such a solid, positive force in the Portland scene. Also, cool to meet some of the Gnar Tapes dudes -- picked up their tapes by Lucky Dragons and Starving Weirdos. Picked up the new Lucky Dragons 12" on Teenage Teardrops from the Marriage booth, too, which is really, really great. It's made up of a handful of longer, hypnotic tracks, much less frayed and playful than the last LP. More like the Widows stuff.
A bunch of tapes arrived from Gel yesterday, they look awesome, I hope to have them down at the Half and Half in the next couple days. Digitalis stuff should be arriving soon. And the next batch of Eggy stuff is coming together really quickly. The next three will be:
Mattress
The Honeys
Lame Drivers

(cassette tape cookies I made for the Holocene event)
happy tape cookies
distressed tape cookies

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Event tomorrow!
The good people at Holocene have organized an event to spotlight the small labels of Portland and nearby Portland. It's a free event with DJs, a screening of new music videos, a couple bands and a bunch of label booths. States Rights, Marriage, Audiodregs, K, and a handful of other labels will be in attendance. Stop by the Eggy table for tapes and cookies. Early-type event, starts around 7 I think.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Last minute notice, the Woolen Men return to the World Famous Kenton Club tonight (on Kilpatrick, right off Denver). Fan club to meet after at either Heavenly Doughnuts or Javier's.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Visitation Rites is a good place to go for an intelligent take on contemporary fringe and psychedelic musics. They recently kicked off a series of music videos made by "video-artist-in-residence" Samantha Cornwell (who I've actually known for years!) with a track from the upcoming Lame Drivers II tape for Eggy, called "Demondzblood." I've embedded the video below but the original post is here and includes an explanation of the project and the thinking behind the video. I recommend you check it out, as well as the rest of Visitation Rites, a site I read on a semi-regular basis.

Lame Drivers- "Demondzblood" from Samantha Cornwell on Vimeo.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Every once in a while I come across a label that somehow wasn't on my radar and that just blows me away. Goaty Tapes is a prime example. Goaty are making some amazingly beautiful tapes, even for a subculture where labor-intensive, obsessively designed objects are the norm. Color, texture, shape and size are all utilized to incredible effect. And the music represented on the label is nice cross section of the fringe scene right now, ranging from song-leaning to fairly abstract, artists both domestic and international.

CAETHUA/ANCESTRAL DIET SPLIT - GOATY TAPES
I've been a Caethua fan for a while now (here's an interview I did for Foxy Digitalis) and was excited to hear what she was up to. Her past stuff played the murky folk game -- stacked-up vocals, dirt reverb, vignetted grime-scapes -- this tape is a new leaf. Sun or ice, the tone is bright and pure, an electric pattern backed by flowing organ and bird calls. Then a wisp of golden folk song before sudden dusk and menacing collage sounds. One long track, makes me think of Linda Perhacs. Ancestral Diet on the flip play it much simpler -- a hovering drone opens onto voice and piano mantra, tape speeds become vague and then back to drone. Nice. The Caethua side is one of the best things I've heard all year, and the packaging is pretty stunning. $7
Caethua/Ancestral Diet Split - Goaty Tapes
Caethua/Ancestral Diet Split - Goaty Tapes
Caethua/Ancestral Diet Split - Goaty Tapes
Caethua/Ancestral Diet Split - Goaty Tapes

MUDBOY - GOATY TAPES
Three tracks, first a synthesizer meditation. Subtle shifts in texture and dynamics work to great effect. Simple and confident, free of junk. Two starts with Eno sounds, then pulls them into dissonance. Dips, warbles, becomes the third track, a throbbing, sea-sick, heavily manipulated organ-grinder's song. $7
Mudboy - Eno Trouble/Midiwards/Happy Birthday Song - Goaty Tapes
Mudboy - Eno Trouble/Midiwards/Happy Birthday Song - Goaty Tapes
Mudboy - Eno Trouble/Midiwards/Happy Birthday Song - Goaty Tapes