Barry 7's Connectors: 21 Rare Library Tracks

This was a great find I recently came across at the local used music shop. This disc features a compilation of library music from the libraries of of Chappel, Southern & PIL. The compiler of these tracks is none other than Barry 7, formerly of the analog synth force of nature Add N to (X) and currently of the supergroup Lung, Rotter & Seven which features Barry alongside Lung and Chris Rotter of Tokyo Windbag. [Lung, Rotter & Seven exclusively make tracks utilizing the Korg DS-10 application on three seperate Nintendo Ds systems...interesting stuff to be heard following that link]

The sounds on this disc are as eclectic as a library music compilation should be. Some tracks have a lounge vibe, some are fascinating soundscapes of electronic experimentation, and some are simply enjoyable and melodic compositions by too often overlooked artists. This compilation is a lot of fun and I hope you fellow Digital Meltd0wners will enjoy it.

Also, while I'm sure most of you are already aware of it, if you dig library music I cannot suggest a better blog than The Library Hunt.

Enough of my blabber and linking. Enjoy this compilation!

Tracklist
01 Jiri Bezant & Jiri Malasek - Erotica 2
02 Nino Nardini - Catch That Man
03 Stringtronics - Dawn Mists
04 Georges Teperino - Weird Sounds No. 1
05 Paul Guiot & Paul Piot - Amour, Vacances Et Baroque
06 Paul Bonneau - Preambule No. 36
07 Sven Libaek - Solar Flares
08 Anthony King - Forgotten World
09 Sven Libaek - Quasars
10 Doris Hays - Scared Trip
11 Eric Peters - Electronic Rhythm
12 Paul Bonneau - Univers Sideral
13Roger Roger - Coconut Coast
14 Cecil Leuter - Electro Sounds No. 8
15 Roger Roger - Roger Rhythm No. 1
16 The Johanna Group - Hors Phase
17 Anthony King - Maladjusted Moogie
18 John Matthews - Electro - Exotic 1
19 Paul Bonneau - Preambule No. 37
20 Torrie Zito - Mobile
21 Gary Bellington - Merry Go Sound

Download: Barry 7's Connectors: 21 Rare Library Tracks
Download Size: 110mb

Digital Meltd0wn Turns 3

With all of my attention focused on the big move that I am about to make, I almost forgot that this month marks the 3rd anniversary of the blog. Although three years isn't a long time in the real world, I consider this a major accomplishment for a music blog, as they tend to come and go like the wind. I have witnessed numerous blogs either abandoned by their owners, or shut down after being reported. Even blogs that exclusively share out of print content have fallen victim to this and decided to call it quits as a result. It's rare for a music blog to last more than a couple of years, and I'm thankful that DM has been one of the few.

Running this blog has been a great experience for me. I have learned more about music than I ever thought I would, thanks to all of the visitors who have left comments, as well as the people who have participated as guest bloggers. I have also been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to meet people from all around the world, which has to be one of my favorite things about running this blog.

I would like to thank everyone who has helped make it possible to keep DM going these last three years. First and foremost I want to thank all who have visited this blog during that time. I'm sure if I would have kept my hit counter up it would have passed the one million visitor milestone a long time ago. I do this for all of you, for without your presence there would be no point in sharing music. I also want to thank everyone who has contributed here throughout the years. You know who you are. You all have helped keep this blog going during the most difficult times in my life, and the blog wouldn't have been able to last this long without your help.

Happy Birthday Digital Meltd0wn. Here's to three more years of sharing kick ass underground music. Cheers...

Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews & Orleans Avenue - Live at the All Good Music Festival 2009

On occasion I volunteer for a company called Clean Vibes, which works to clean up after several music festivals across the country. I had the pleasure of working for Clean Vibes at the All Good Music Festival this July. The highlight of the festival was finally getting the chance to see Buckethead perform, and despite the fact that I was severely dehydrated, had a migraine headache, was barely able to stand and had just finished puking my brains out for 30 minutes straight, it was one of the best shows that I have seen in my life.

During the day our time was spent cleaning up the festival, but we were fortunate enough to make a few trips backstage in order to tidy things up there. On one such occasion Troy 'Trombone Shorty' Andrews & Orleans Avenue were in the middle of their performance. I was unfamiliar with their music up until this point, but I was immediately captivated, and made it a point to work at a slower pace so that I could catch more of their set. Since I don't have enough time to give intricate details, I will simply say that their music is a lively fusion of funk, jazz, rock and even hip-hop. Unfortunately I only managed to catch a couple of songs before we had to move on to a different location, but I made a mental note to look these guys up when I returned home.

Shortly after arriving home I did a search for these fellows, and I was surprised to discover a torrent for an amazing bootleg recording of the show. You won't find this posted on any other blog. The quality of the recording is excellent, with only minor noise heard from the crowd, while the vocals and instrumentation can be heard very clearly. I wasn't able to obtain a setlist, which is why the tracks are simply tagged "track 1, track 2" etc; however, I can give you a few tidbits of information. The first track is the intro. Track 3 is an excellent cover of "American Woman" by The Guess Who, which blows away the original in my opinion. The 5th track is an absolute scorcher and my favorite of the bunch. The guitar solo on this track absolutely slays. Track 8 is a wonderful cover of Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On".


Year of Release: 2009|Bootleg Recording
Genres: Funk, Jazz, Rock, Hip-Hop
Bitrate: 320kbps
Website: http://tromboneshorty.com

Download: Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue - Live at the All Good Music Festival 2009
Download Size: 125MB

Regarding My Absence...

It has been far too long since I have been able to post regularly here on DM, and lately I have come to feel like an outsider to my own blog. I thought it was time that I check in and inform everyone of my current situation and what I have in store for the future. First of all though I would like to thank the regular contributors and guest bloggers who have helped keep DM going during my absence. Psyche Zenobia, AllyWonderland, and especially NØ. You all have been a godsend, and I can't possibly thank you enough for the help you have provided here.

My ability to regularly contribute here has been hampered ever since I took a job which required me to work close to 60 hours a week a little less than a year ago. Aside from working full time, I have literally been unable to post due to the large amount of important responsibilities that I have had to take care of Beginning in October, I will be attending one of the finest Aeronatics schools in the country, where I will be getting a degree in Quality Control and Non-Destructive Testing in the field of avionics. I'll be moving over a thousand miles to Tulsa, OK on September 21st, so I have had a heap of preparations to make for the move. I also needed to devote a few weeks to studying for my entrance exam, which I'm happy to be able to report that I passed with flying colors. I've been undergoing a series of major dental operations, which have really taken a toll on me recently. I had to go under the drill for 8 hours straight about a week ago, which had to be one of the longest days of my life. I've been in an extraordinary amount of pain ever since. I'll be going back in a couple of days to finish up the operation.

Needless to say I haven't had much time to devote to the blog during that time. I may have a brief window during which I can post a few albums before I make the big move though. I'm also going to attempt to recruit a few more individuals to contribute here till I am able to make a full return. I would like to thank Nathan Nothin', AllyWonderland and Psyche Zenobia once again. I know that you all have very busy lives also, and it means a lot to me that you have been willing to take the time to help out here. You made it possible to keep DM going rather than having to stick it on the backburner for an indefinite period of time.

Once I've moved to Tulsa and started school I hope to be able to contribute once again, although it will be on a somewhat limited basis. I won't be working full time while I am in school, and from what they tell me I won't have assignments to complete outside of school, so that may provide me with enough time to make a few posts a week. Hopefully I will be also able to recruit a few people who will be able to regularly contribute in order to keep the activity here up. I'll make an effort to keep everyone better informed of my situation in the future. In the meantime I hope that you all will enjoy the gems that I have in store for you before I move.

Shadow Project - Dreams For The Dying

It goes from hard rock riffs to poetry backed by soundscapes of synth in the blink of an eyeI originally posted this back in May of last year after Psyche Zenobia had also shared it on his own blog, Nitegaunt Media. Since that time the download link has expired, and a few people have requested for me to reupload it. I don't have time to upload albums and write new blog entries at the moment, and I will explain why in further detail as to why that is within the next couple of days; however, I will be going through the archives and updating old posts which do not have active download links. I hope you all will enjoy this foray into the archives until I am able to post new content once again. Here is the original review written by Psyche Zenobia:

This is the second album by Shadow Project following their self-titled debut. I'll try to post it here soon. These albums are hard to come by nowadays. Shadow Project released only three studio albums and one live album but they were sort of a super group of death rock. The band featured Rozz Williams (Christian Death) on vocals and Eva O. (Super Heroines) on vocals and guitar. Jill Emery from Super Heroines played bass and the band also featured some weird synth work from a guy named Paris who eventually went on to record his own stuff as EXP. In my opinion Shadow Project represented some of the best and most fully realized of Rozz and Eva's work. It's hard to describe their sound but it goes from hard rock riffs to poetry backed by soundscapes of synth in the blink of an eye. I was fortunate to see them on the tour for this album in Atlanta and the show remains one of the best I've ever seen. I even still have my poster signed by the late Rozz Williams. Anyway, here you go. If you like it come back and grab the first album. I actually think it's even better.
- PSYCHE ZENOBIA
(Year of Release: 1998)

Track List:
1. Static Jesus
2. Days Of Glory
3. Funeral Rites (With Equestrian Sympathies)
4. Zaned People
5. Thy Kingdom Come
6. Knight Stalker
7. Holding You Close
8. Lord Of The Flies
9. The Circle And The Cross
10. 23-13

Download: Shadow Project - Dreams For The Dying (79MB)

Sixties Archives - Volumes 1-8

I posted this back in 2007 but a few of the download links have died since then. I also noticed that I neglected to write any type of description, so I can only assume that I posted this during a very busy time in my life. Apparently times haven't changed much since then, as I still have precious little time on my hands, but I'll offer up this short review for those of you who haven't had a chance to listen to this collection:

The Sixties Archives collection compiles a broad selection of proto-punk, garage rock, and psychedelic tracks from the 60's, with the majority of the bands featured being obscure. The collection is spread out over eight discs, each of which focuses on a particular regional scene in the United States. Those of you who are aficionados of underground 60's rock might recognize a few of the bands scattered throughout; however, there are several bands which are unique to this collection, as well as previously unreleased tracks from some of the more well known artists. This is comparable to the legendary Nuggets series which I'm sure most of you are familiar with, and although the overall quality doesn't equal that of Nuggets, it outshines the overwhelming majority of the 60's rock compilations that I've listened to thus far.


Volume 1 - The Sounds of the Sixties:

Track List:
1. Count Five - You Must Believe Me
2. Question Mark & the Mysterians - Smokes
3. Syndicate of Sound - Little Girl
4. Five Americans - I See the Light
5. Kim Fowley - The Trip
6. Rivieras - California Sun
7. We the People - You Burn Me Up and Down
8. Creation - That's How Strong My Love Is
9. Shake Spears - The Shake Spear (2:46)
10. Belfast Gypsies/Them - The Gorilla (1:50)
11. Sir Henry & His Butlers - Giddy Up a Ding Dong (2:46)
12. Animals - Talkin' About You (3:01)
13. Nashville Teens - Find My Way Back Home (2:26)
14. Maze - I'm So Glad (3:39)
15. Sorrows - You've Got What I Want (2:00)
16. Hairy Ones - Get Off of My Cloud (2:33)
17. T-Bones - I'm a Lover Not a Fighter (2:34)
18. Primitives - Oh Mary (2:08)
19. Yardbirds - Baby What's Wrong (2:45)
20. Ingoes - In the Midnight Hour (2:38)
21. Episode Six - I Can See Through You (3:27)
22. Mojo Men - Dance with Me (2:32)
23. Music Explosion - 96 Tears (2:37)
24. Trashmen - Kuk (2:06)
25. Electric Prunes - Ain't It Hard (2:15)
26. Mitch Ryder - Turn On Your Lovelight (3:38)
27. Vejtables - I Still Love You (2:26)
28. Other Half - Mr. Pharmacist (2:32)

Download: Sixties Archives - Volume 1 (93.3MB)


Volume 2 - Texas Punk:

Track List:
1. Undertakers - Unchain My Heart
2. Undertakers - It's My Time
3. Society - High and Mighty
4. Society - Summer Sunset
5. Cynics - You're a Better Man Than I
6. Cynics - Train Kept a-Rollin'
7. Blue Things - Twist and Shout
8. Blue Things - Ain't That Lovin' You, Baby
9. Chessmen - I Need You There
10. Chessmen - Sad
11. Them - Dirty Old Man (at the Age of Sixteen)
12. Them - But It's Alright
13. Outcasts - 1523 Blair
14. Outcasts - Smokestack Lightning
15. Mouse & the Traps - I Satisfy
16. Mouse & the Traps - Good Times
17. Coastliners - I'll Be Gone
18. Coastliners - Alright
19. Y'Alls - Please Come Back
20. Status Quo - They All Want Her Love
21. Reddlemen - I'm Gonna Get in That Girl's Mind
22. Passions - Lively One
23. Pirates - Cuttin' Out
24. Circus - Bad Seed
25. Kempy & the Guardians - Love for a Price
26. Continentals - I'm Gone
27. Pack - Baby I Ask You Why
28. Danny & the Counts - You Need Love

Download: Sixties Archives - Volume 2 (77.8MB)


Volume 3 - Louisiana Punk:

Track List:
1. Better Half Dozen - I'm Gonna Leave You
2. Better Half Dozen - I Could Have Loved Her
3. Threshold of Sound - She's Mine
4. Little Bits - Girl Give Me Love
5. Echoes of Carnaby Street - No Place or TIme
6. Jimmy & the Offbeats - Miracle Worler
7. Dr. Spec's Optical Illusion - Tryin' to Mess My Mind
8. Dr. Spec's Optical Illusion - She's the One
9. Tiaras - Sticks and Stones
10. Roamin' Togas - Bar the Door
11. Young Men - Go Away Girl
12. Souls of the Slain - 7 and 7 Is
13. Souls of the Slain - Can't Go On
14. Bad Roads - Too Bad
15. Bad Roads - Blue Girl
16. Persian Market - Flash in the Pan
17. Playgue - I Gotta Be Goin'
18. Bad Boys - Love
19. Ron Gray & the Countdowns - No More
20. Gaunga Dyns - Stick with Her
21. Gaunga Dyns - No One Cares
22. One Way Street - Tears in My Eyes
23. One Way Street - See the Light
24. Surrealistic Pillar - I Like Girls
25. Bad Roads - Till the End of the Day
26. Moon Dawgs - Keep On Pushing
27. Joe DeGrinda - Smokestack Lightning
28. Satans - Makin' Deals
29. Satans - Lines and Squares

Download: Sixties Archives - Volume 3 (76.5MB)



Volume 4 - Florida & New Mexico Punk

Track List:
1. Tasmanians - Baby
2. Tasmanians - Love, Love, Love
3. Plastic Blues Band - Gone
4. Plastic Blues Band - Dead Seed
5. Mark Markham & the Jesters - Goin' Back to Marlboro Country
6. Mark Markham & the Jesters - I Don't Need You
7. Talula Babies - Hurtin' Kind
8. Talula Babies - Mine Forever
9. Mons - Empty Heart
10. Mons - Sweets for My Sweets
11. Esquires - Heartaches Stay the Night
12. Esquires - Heat
13. Palace Guards - No Comin' Back
14. Palace Guards - Gas Station Boogaloo Downtown
15. Shy Guys - Black Lightning Light
16. Kreeg - How Can I
17. The Kreeg - Impressin'
18. Ear of Sound - Girl in the Miniskirt
19. Burgundy Runn - Stop
20. Plague - Go Away
21. Movin' Morfomen - Run Girl Run
22. Lincoln St. Exit - Sunny Sunday Dream
23. Lincoln St. Exit - The Bummer
24. Fi-Fi-Four Plus Two - I Wanna Come Back (from the World of LSD)
25. Fi-Fi-Four Plus Two - Double Crossin' Girl
26. Grass - I'm Getting Tired
27. Outer Limits - Don't Need You No More
28. Nobody's Children - St. James Infirmary
29. Axis Brotherhood - Signed D.C.
30. Chow - We're Pretty Quick
31. Chow - Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore

Download: Sixties Archives - Volume 4 (69.4MB)


Volume 5 - U.S. Punk From the 60's:

Track List:
1. Morning Reign - Satisfaction Guaranteed
2. Morning Reign - Our Fate
3. Bare Facts - Bad Part of Town
4. Bare Facts - Georgiana
5. Precious Few - The Train Kept a-Rollin'
6. Precious Few - I Don't Mind
7. T.C. Atlantic - Faces
8. T.C. Atlantic - Mona
9. Apollos - That's the Breaks
10. Apollos - Target Love
11. Sands - Open Your Eyes
12. Sands - Can't Find a Way
13. Black & Blues - Come to Me
14. Black & Blues - Bye Bye Baby
15. Track 15 was removed at the request of the artist
16. Mystic Tide - Mystery Ship
17. Eastern Alliance - Love Fades Away
18. Dave & the Squires - The Girl from My Dreams
19. Joint Effort - Country
20. Wanted - Here to Stay
21. Driving Wheels - One Year Ago from Today
22. United Travel Service - Drummer of Your Mind
23. Sean & the Brandywines - Codine
24. Crystal Chandelier - Setting of Despair
25. Brigands - (Would I Still Be) Her Big Man
26. Just Luv - Valley of Bate

Download: Sixties Archives - Volume 5 (91.5MB)


Volume 6 - Texas & Michigan Psychedelia:

Track List:
1. Love - It's the Marlin Baby
2. Iguanas - Leaving You Baby
3. Iguanas - I Can Only Give You Everything
4. Iguanas - Black Suit
5. Mechanical Switch - Spongeman
6. Mechanical Switch - Everything Is Red
7. Sons of Barbee Doll - Psychedelic Seat
8. Yesterday's Obsession - The Phycle
9. Those Guys - Lookin' at You Behind the Glasses
10. Satori - 1000 Micrograms of Love
11. Conqueroo - I've Got Time
12. Conqueroo - 1 to 3
13. Bourbons - A Dark Corner
14. Boubons - Of Old Approximately
15. Midnight Shift - Never Gonna Stop Lovin' You
16. The Free - Decision for Lost Soul Blue
17. The Smoke - Half Past the End
18. Strange Fate - Hold Me Baby
19. Preston - This World Is Closing In on Me
20. Black Rose - Man Is Blind
21. Dick Rabbit - You Come On Like a Train
22. Chosen Lot - Time Was
23. Glass Sun - Silence of the Morning
24. Phlegethon - You're No Good

Download: Sixties Archives - Volume 6 (78.7MB)


Volume 7 - Michigan Punk:

Track List:
1. The Old Exciting Scot Richard Case - Get The Picture
2. The Soulbenders - Seven And Seven Is
3. The Trademarks - If I Was Gone
4. The Aardvarks - I'm Higher Than I'm Down
5. Count & The Colony - Can't You See?
6. The Pack - The Colour Of Our Love
7. The Emblems - We're Gonna Love
8. James T & The Workers - That Is All
9. Beethoven Four - Oh Pretty Baby
10. The Pastels - 'Cause I Love You
11. The Jayhawkers - Dawn Of Instruction
12. The Rainy Days - I Can Only Give You Everything
13. The Warlocks - Hey Jo
14. The Shy Guys - We Gotta Go
15. The Shy Guys - Lay It On The Line
16. The Psychotics - If You Don't Believe Me, Don't
17. The Spike Drivers - High Time
18. The Aces - Who Do You Love
19. The Only Ones - You're The Reason
20. The Young Men - Go Away Girl
21. The Mushrooms - Such A Lovely Child
22. The Thyme - Somehow
23. The Thyme - Very Last Day
24. The Thyme - Time Of The Season

Download: Sixties Archives - Volume 7 (65.4MB)


Volume 8 - Acid Trip & Heavy Sound For Psychic Minds

Track List:
1. Faine Jade - It Ain't True
2. Velvet Illusions - Velvet Illusions
3. Beautiful Daze - City Jungle Part 1
4. Beautiful Daze - City Jungle Part 2
5. Caretakers of Deception - Cuttin' Grass
6. Wild Woods - Plastic People
7. Painted Faces - I Lost You in My Mind
8. Joys of Life - Descent
9. Davids - I'm Not Alone
10. Davids - Sweet December
11. Nobody's Children - Good Times
12. Nobody's Children - Somebody to Help Me
13. Paysleys - Now!
14. Hunger - Workshop
15. Music Emporium - Nam Myo Renge Kyo
16. Max Frost & the Troopers - Lonely Man
17. Cycle - If You Can
18. St. Steven - Aye Eh Pooh Dye
19. Novells - Love
20. Head Shop - Head Shop
21. Corporation - Yes I Know
22. Whalefeathers - Know Thyself
23. Heavy Balloon - Barnyard Blues
24. Shoppe - Soap and Crime
25. Dragonfly - Blue Monday

Download: Sixties Archives - Volume 8 (83.7MB)

Various Artists - What It Is! Funky Soul & Rare Grooves [Box Set]

Liner Notes:
Funk emerged in the 1960s, a scorching sound that amped up the spirit of R&B and became the precursor to hip-hop. While major artists topped the charts with funk hits throughout the '60s and '70s, What It Is! celebrates the smaller ones—the heady, groove-monstrous strain of gutbucket funk that remains a major force in American music.

A four-CD, 91-track compendium that would take incalculable hours to assemble from dusty bins at disappearing record shops, What It Is! is culled mainly from the treasure-filled vaults of Atlantic, Atco, and Warner Bros. Records. It's an unprecedented shadow history of funk, pulling together rare sides from well-known artists and definitive grooves from less-known but supremely gifted masters of the art form.

Artists include Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band, Eugene McDaniels, Baby Huey & The Baby Sitters, Allen Toussaint, Little Richard, Labelle, Eddie Hazel, Earth, Wind & Fire, Lulu, Wilson Pickett, Malo, The Meters, Cyril Neville, and many more. Deluxe packaging houses a massive booklet with rare photos, liner notes, and track-by-track commentary.


A righteous undertaking of great magnitude, What It Is! Funky Soul and Rare Grooves trawls through a decade-long stretch of the Warner-distributed archive -- taking in the catalogs of Warner Bros., Atlantic, Reprise, Atco, and smaller nodes like Cotillion, Curtom, Alston, and Jonie -- and pulls up 80 soul/funk truffles, almost all of which were left for dead shortly after release. While many of these cuts have been repurposed as vital ingredients of hip-hop tracks, which has in turn fostered a voracious collector's market (it would cost a fortune to collect these songs in their original formats of release), the box is a leagues-deep trawl through an otherwise forgotten past. There are few well-known names on these four discs, but even they tend to be represented by selections that are not obvious. Curtis Mayfield's "(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below We're All Going to Go" is likely the best-known inclusion, and after a substantial number of cuts that can't be considered truly rare, there's a sudden drop into (sweet, sweet) oblivion -- unless you're of the small minority whose spines tingle at the sight of names like Grassella Oliphant and Rasputin's Stash. The chicken-scratch guitars, wild Hammond B-3 runs, group chants, and blaring horn punches are served by the dozens, but the box also illustrates an evolution that took place through the '70s. Since the sequencing is, for the most part, chronological, those changes are all the more perceptible. Funk Factory's "Rien Ne Va Plus" and Faze-O's "Riding High" churn and float slowly, steeped in synthesizers, electric pianos, and studio effects, while legions of artists have attempted to replicate the sound and spirit of Stanga's "Little Sister" and 6ix's "I'm Just Like You" -- two songs graced by the hands of Sly Stone in tripped-out, otherworldly There's a Riot Goin' On mode. It's not one big party, either. Check Baby Huey & the Baby Sitters' harrowing "Hard Times" (written and produced by Mayfield), where the poor and paranoid protagonist subsists on Spam and Oreos and keeps his curtains drawn so he won't see those who peer in on him. The themed playlists and imaginary compilations hiding within this compact box are innumerable, bound to take the average overthinking funk freak to new levels of nerd-dom. There are region-specific sets to be made, as well as sets with possible titles like Latin Funk and Flute Funk and The Early Arrangement and Production Work of the Late Arif Mardin, in addition to a remarkable batch of covers, a tight collection of instrumentals, and a not-very-exclusive list of tracks that have been sampled throughout the years. The accompanying booklet could be sold separately, as it contains scads of seldom-seen photos and scholarly track-by-track notes. Rhino also deserves applause for resisting the urge to house these discs in a massive synthetic afro or an oversized wah-wah pedal. You can snugly tuck this thing between your arm and chest and sense its power run through your whole body. Bring on a second set that extends past the disco era and involves the likes of Slave, Mass Production, Brides of Funkenstein, and Dinosaur.

Year of Release: 2006
Label: Rhino/Wea
Genre: Funk/Soul
Bitrate: 128kbps
File Format: .m4a

Download: What It Is! Funky Soul & Rare Grooves (Disc 1) [69MB]
Download: What It Is! Funky Soul & Rare Grooves (Disc 2) [68MB]
Download: What It Is! Funky Soul & Rare Grooves (Disc 3) [71MB]
Download: What It IS! Funky Soul & Rare Grooves (Disc 4) [72MB]

V/A - Guitarrorists

I have been shopping the blogs for some old compilations that I used to have but, for one reason or other, have gotten away from me over the years. Among the ones that I found is this little gem from around 1991. "Guitarrorists" is a compilation of instrumental pieces by some of punk/underground music's most cutting edge guitar players. Each does what they do best while showcasing the sounds that them so recognizable. There's not much to say about this album, otherwise. The line-up here speaks for itself. Among the players featured are Sonic Boom, J. Mascis, Helios Creed, Thurston Moore, Paul Leary, Nikki Sudden, and Kramer from Bongwater. My personal fave is Steve Albini's "Nutty About Lemurs" track. Here Albini gives us a taste of pretty much every trick in his bag! Back in about 1998 or so I ended up seeing his band Shellac at a strange little place in the small town of Cookeville, Tennessee. It was a pretty intimate setting and between songs Albini announced he was taking requests. I was sitting up front so I decided to yell one out. I thought I would pick something obscure that no one else would probably be asking for and "Lemurs" was the first one to pop in my mind. I yelled it out and after giving me sly grin he went into it and played the entire piece. Anyway, I thought Michael (Zer0_II) would enjoy this one and I'm sure a lot of you will also dig it.

Track List:
1. Sonic Boom - Overture [Spaceman] (1:54)
2. Kurt Ralske - Tar, Iodine, Blood + Rust [Ultra Vivid Scene] (2:40)
3. Kathy Korniloff - I Really Can't Say [Two Nice Girls] (2:59)
4. Jeffrey Evans - Longwood Mansion [Gibson Brothers] (1:46)
5. Wayne Coyne - I Want to Kill My Brother: The Cymbal Head [Flaming Lips] (3:36)
6. J Mascis - A Little Ethnic Song [Dinosaur Jr.] (2:58)
7. Dean Wareham - West Broadway [Galaxie 500] (2:38)
8. Mark E. Robinson - Guitarrorists Theme [Unrest] (1:44)
9. Marc Gentry - Mariposa [Rein Sanction] (2:43)
10. Dave Rick - Where's Gitchi Oombigat At? [King Missle] (4:01)
11. Kat Bjellend - Bruise Violet [Babes in Toyland] (3:12)
12. Thurston Moore - Blues for Spacegirl [Sonic Youth] (4:51)
13. Helios Creed - Green Volcano [Chrome] (1:37)
14. Tom Hazelmeyer - Guitar Wank-Off #13 [Halo of Flies] (3:16)
15. Paul Leary - Fillipé Mepelpeepe [Butthole Surfers] (3:19)
16. Nick Salomon - Dark Field [Bevis Frond] (3:00)
17. Don Fleming - Sound as Steel [Gumball] (1:08)
18. Kim Gordon - Kitten [Sonic Youth] (1:43)
19. Nikki Sudden - Cats Cradle (3:26)
20. Kramer - Ovulation Always Brings Me Down [Bongwater] (2:23)
21. Neil Haggerty - Fallen off the Rocks [Royal Trux] (4:03)
22. Wayne Rogers - Hoichi the Earless [Crystalized Movements] (3:28)
23. Rick McCollum - Spider Plum [Afgan Whigs] (4:18)
24. Marcy Mays - Always Late [Scrawl] (1:06)
25. Lee Renaldo - Here [Sonic Youth] (5:27)
26. Steve Albini - Nutty About Lemurs [Big Black] (1:43)

Download: Guitarrorists
Download Size: 128mb

We're Late For Class - Another Collection

What should be the punishment for someone who hijacks a tribute blog for their own selfish reasons? A harsh verbal warning? Banishment? To be hanged, drawn and quartered? No! How about their own tribute blog post? And who said crime doesn't pay? Thanks to the recommendation of fellow blogger, NØ, We're Late For Class drew my admiration instead of my fury. I strongly urge any fans of experimental psych-rock, fans of legal downloads, and fans of faded, black XXXL t-shirts to check them out. But don't take my word for it; read it straight from the horse's mouth.


"We're Late For Class is an improvisational psychedelic college collective who've been posting free albums on line for over 2 years. Another Collection is their 40th. 2-CDs, 142 minutes, of uncharted improvisation and drug fueled excess, including a seance with Jim Morrison, a musical romp with O.J. Simpson, a homage to producer Jimmy Miller, the theme song for a low budget cable comedy sketch show, one too many accidental nods to Hawkwind and stoned tributes to Ali, Guess Who guitarist Kurt Winter, Pink Floyd and whatever was on the box that given weekend. It's all culled from their previous 19 releases (#21-#39). Last year's #20 A Collection features highlights from #1-#19. WLFC is also prone to 20, 30 & 40 minute space jams, but didn't have the space to include any this time. The best part? It's all free for the taking. You can find We're Late For Class at any local hash bar or at their blog, We're Late For Class"

Tracklist

Disc 1

Herd Mentality (3:05)
Low Budget Cable Sketch Comedy Show Instrumental Theme Song (2:48)
Transmission From Jimmy Miller's Car Phone (6:46)
Ali Ali (4:57)
Under 30 Second Tribute To Kurt Winter (0:29)
Lab Animal (3:16)
Checkers (5:42)
Wind Of The Hawk (4:20)
67 (4:23)
The Lumbering Rex (Remix) (5:05)
Universal Cardigan (Live At Pompeii) (9:08)
Dirge Experience (In Easter Hay) (5:31)
Buttery Hog Mosh (8:49)

Disc 2

Sequel To The Return Of The Son of Monster Magnet (11:00)
The Premiere & Final Performance of Jazz From Outer Space (10:31)
Liquidity (The Spastic Conductor) (11:25)
The Jim Morrison Seance Tapes (13:57)
Trippin' In A Plymouth Belvedere (10:25)
Particle Alert (12:55)

Download: Another Collection Disc 1
Download Size: 142 MB (@320 kbps)

Download: Another Collection Disc 2
Download Size: 150 MB (@320 kbps)

Sci-Fi Novelty, Break-In Records, and Copyright

Greetings Digital Meltd0wn readers! I’m really honored and excited to contribute to this blog and I’d like to start my guest blogging here simply by thanking Zer0 for all the work he does for the music-blog community at large.

Today’s offering is a bit different from a lot of the posts on Digital Meltd0wn. The actual compilation being offered is entitled “Out of This World Flying Saucers “ and it promises to be “A compilation of 31 of the all-time best flying saucer novelty recordings.” As host of a sci-fi radio show I couldn’t pass this up. Upon its arrival I realized something about this compilation; yes, it is a compilation of flying saucer novelty songs, however, the majority of cuts featured on this compilation are from the “break-in” records that were so popular in the late fifties/early sixties. I offer the compilation in full, but I want to say a bit about the “break-in” recording and its place in musical history. Break-in recordings are, perhaps, the starting point for the “sampling debate” we find still continuing in the realm of contemporary music. As such, they are a rather fascinating bit of music history.

The first thing we should probably do is to offer an idea of just what a “break-in” recording is. Essentially, “break-in” recordings are a specific type of novelty song. The gag is this: usually there is a brief clip of a song playing that is interrupted for some important breaking news (the break in). From there, it cuts to a reporter who is interviewing eye witnesses of an event, various experts about the event, or sometimes even fictional characters about whatever the breaking news has been reported to be. The responses to the reporter come in the form of snippets from popular songs of the time; in other words, there isn’t an actor playing the eyewitness, instead, you hear samples from various songs played back that respond to the reporter. That, in a nutshell, is what a break-in recording is.

Bill Buchanan and Dickie Goodman are often credited as the originators of this type of recording. Their first “break-in” recording (and, really, THE first) was the 1956 hit “The Flying Saucer” (this usually appears on compilations, including this one, as The Flying Saucer (Part One) and The Flying Saucer (Part Two). This recording became wildly popular and spawned a league of others who were keen to get in on the “break-in” phenomenon.

Now here is the interesting bit. Think about what Buchanan and Goodman are doing. This is long before sample-based hip-hop or electronic music enters the scene. As familiar as we are nowadays with sampling in music and audio entertainment, Buchanan and Goodman were innovators at this time. Some claim The Flying Saucer to be one of the earliest if not the earliest example of sampling within a pop recording ever. If nothing else, it seems to be the first recording that relies upon sampling that reached such a level of popularity.

So did this go without controversy? Of course not. Copryright lawsuits were just around the corner for the originators of the break-in record. However, the results of the legal proceedings may surprise you. A judge ruled that the Goodman’s work could be properly classified as burlesque/parodies and should be considered as new works in-and-of-themselves. The various lawsuits facing Goodman were, apparently, settled out of court after this decision. However, it seems that this case is one of the first, at least to my (limited) knowledge, legal cases where the art of sampling was defended within a court of law.

The point of all this? Well, the point is more historic than anything else. I just found it interesting that we can easily trace the sampling debate all the way back to the fifties.
That said, here is the track listing for this compilation. Note: not all of these are break-in recordings. The Jesse Lee Turner track “The Little Space Girl” is simply a novelty recording and there may be one or two others that are not break-ins on this compilation.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Buchanan_(songwriter)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dickie_Goodman
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Flying_Saucer_(song)

Track Listing:
Out of this World Flying Saucers (Pt. 1) - Dave Barry & Sara Berner
Out of this World Flying Sauvers (Pt. 2) - Dave Barry & Sara Berner
The Flying Saucers in Brooklyn (Pt. 1) - The Merry Martian w/ The Marching Band
The Flying Saucers in Brooklyn (Pt. 2) - THe Merry Martian w/The Marching Band
The Flying Saucer (Pt. 1) - Buchanan & Goodman
The Flying Saucer (Pt. 2) - Buchanan & Goodman
The Answer to the Flying Saucers - Sid Lawrence & Friends
The Little Space Girl - Jesse Lee Turner
The Flying Saucer the 2nd - Buchanan & Goodman
The Space Man - Geddins & Sons
The Flying Saucer the 3rd - Buchanan & Goodman
Man in Orbit - The Space Men
The lying Saucers Go West - Buchanan & Goodman
A Moonflight - Vik Venus
The SPace Ship - The Missiles
Santa & The Satellite (Pt. 1) - Buchanan & Goodman
Santa & The Satellite (Pt. 2) - Buchanan & Goodman
Luney Landing - Captain Zap & The Motortown Cut-ups
Henry Goes to the Moon (Pt. 1) - Ruff & Reddy
Henry Goes to the Moon (Pt. 2) - Ruff & Reddy
The Space Man - Alan Freed, Steve Allen & Al ‘Jazzbo’ Collins
Santa & The Purple People Eater - Sheb Wooley
Cape Canaveral (Pt. 1) - Manny Sootz & The Thieves
Cape Canaveral (Pt. 2) - Manny Sootz & The Thieves
I Saw Elvis in a U.F.O. - Ray Stevens
Luna Trip - Dickie Goodman
The Return of the Flying Saucer - Jon Goodman* [This is Dickie’s son and was a sort of tribute to the original if memory serves me]
Our Space Man Came Back - Jeff Hughes
Hey E.T. - Dickie Goodman
You-Eff-Oh (Pt. 1) - Those Five Guys
You-Eff-Oh (Pt. 2) - Those Five Guys

Download: http://rapidshare.com/files/254689627/Out_of_This_World_Flying_Saucers.zip
Download Size: 173.9 mb [320 kbps]

Michael Jackson Tribute (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009)

This blog traditionally strays away from mainstream material, but I would be remiss if I did not mention the passing of who I consider the greatest entertainer of all-time. Although I have been quite promiscuous with music; experimenting and dipping my fingers in any honey pot I could find, you never forget your first love. Michael Jackson was my first love. In a sad attempt to reconnect with that little girl singing "Heal the World" into a hairbrush, I purchased tickets to what was supposed to be Jackson's final tour in London. The purchase highlighted my European vacation planned for mid-July, but obviously upon the news of his death; plans have been altered.

Dubbed "The King of Pop" and deservedly so with such accolades as 13 Grammys and 750 million records sold. His Thriller album remains the best selling album of all-time, and the 1987, Bad album is the only album ever to produce five #1 singles. ("The Way You Make Me Feel," "Bad," "I Just Can't Stop Loving You," " Man in the Mirror," and "Dirty Diana")



I decided not to go with the more popular of Michael Jackson releases, since the majority of his catalog is so readily available. The first album I have decided to post is The Jackson 5's ABC album. ABC was the second studio album release by The Jackson 5. Although The Jackson 5's Third Album was more successful, I find ABC to be the band's best work. Album highlights include their covers of Funkadelic's "I'll Bet You" and the Delfonics' "La-La (Means I Love You,)" and the title track, "ABC." Although the standout track for my money is by far, "The Love You Save." An absolute gem of a pop song where the group's harmonies seem to be at their peak.


Year of Release: 1970
Label: Motown
Genre:Pop/Soul


Track List:
1. The Love You Save
2. One More Chance
3. ABC
4. 2-4-6-8
5. (Come 'Round Here) I'm the One You Need
6. Don't Know Why I Love You
7. Never Had a Dream Come True
8. True Love Can Be Beautiful
9. La-La (Means I Love You)
10.I'll Bet You
11.I Found That Girl
12.The Young Folks

Download: Jackson 5 - ABC
Download Size: 57.47 MB

The second of the two releases is the E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Story Book Album Released in 1982, Michael Jackson narrated it while the infamous John Williams provided the music. Jackson received a Grammy in 1984 for Best Recording For Children.

I hope you enjoy these albums. Regardless of what you thought of Michael Jackson as a human being, his accomplishments as a musicians must be respected. I love Michael Jackson and I have no problem saying that about anyone that enriched my life with so much joy. Apparently, I am not alone in this feeling, as evident by the heavy Jackson related traffic on sites such as Twitter and Google. Sales of Jackson's albums have spiked tremendously on digital sites such as iTunes and Amazon as well. My favorite thing during this whole ordeal has been discussing with others their favorite Jackson songs and what the songs meant to them. Feel free to chime in with your comments here or on the Michael Jackson official site.

Year of Release: 1982
Label: MCA Records
Genre: Soundtrack/Audiobook


Track List:
1. Someone In The Dark
2. Landing / Discovery
3. Home / Intrusion / Chase / Good Bye
4. Reprise (Someone In The Dark)

Download: Michael Jackson - E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Download Size: 66.78 MB

Otto Kinzel IV - e.p.

Since it would seem that JUnit1 isn't quite ready to start his guest spot here at DM I thought I would post this interesting little homebrew release. Every once in a while someone contacts me asking if I would listen to and review their music. I always try to oblige with the condition that anything I review must be available for download on the internet. For an "unsigned" artist I think it's essential to put one's work on the the net for free. It encourages people, who have access to any album they want in a matter of seconds, to listen to something new from an unknown musician and most times it's at least refreshing to know music does not need corporate sponsorship to be good.

This little e.p. from New Hampshire musician Otto Kinzel is in advance of a full-length album entitled "The Pain and the Progress". Kinzel's industrial/electronica influences are apparent on these four tracks. KMFDM and Foetus spring to mind upon a first listen as well Faith No More during their "Angel Dust" period. Kinzel plays all the instruments while "guest" vocalists belt out mostly rap/rock style lyrics. Of course this is not the brand of rap/rock that's been shoved down our throats for the last ten years by bands who do it all for the nookie. The first track, "Life's Blood", really does remind me of Mike Patton's vocal styling with a hard edged industrial dance groove. "Missed Call" features a pretty rad combination of an old school jungle beat with some interesting guitar and an original arrangement that somehow stays danceable while flirting with experimental noise. The other two tracks here are pretty decent, as well. One is an instrumental showcasing Kinzel's metal guitar skills while the other is a mellow sort of meditation with a carnival theme.

Although this sort of music isn't really my usual cup of tea Otto Kinzel does it well. He's able to put together some really lush and complex arrangements that demonstrate his unique musical and production skills. Although this is a home recording, it's slick enough to be mistaken for an expensive major label release. I look forward to hearing the full album when it comes out. Good summertime driving jams.

Download: Otto Kinzel IV
Download Size: 33.7mb

Guest Blogger JUnit1

I am pleased to report that fellow music blogger, Josh aka J-Unit1, has agreed to guest blog here for a short stint. Josh is the founder of The Deuce Project, a science fiction themed radio show broadcast on 89.1FM in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He also runs a blog http://89deuce.blogspot.com/ by the same name where he shares podcasts of the previously aired radio broadcasts. The show covers a wide range of music, from cult classics to rare tracks, all with a sci-fi flavor. I'm sure that we will all be delighted by the material he has in store for us for us in the near future.

As some of you may already know, I have been on hiatus for a while due to being overworked. As soon as I have enough free time on my hands I will resume regular updates to the blog. I would like to thank Josh for agreeing to guest blog, along with Psyche Zenobia, AllyWonderland, and Nathan Nothin. Without your help this blog would be stagnant, and that would be a real bummer for me and all of the visitors. Thank you for your contributions. You're doing an amazing job.

The Deuce Project: Science Fiction Radio - http://89deuce.blogspot.com/

Southland Tales OST

Southland Tales is the follow-up to Richard Kelly's debut film, Donnie Darko. Don't be fooled by a film floating around out there called S. Darko which is marketed as a "sequel" but is really a completely unrelated cheap attempt to cash in on the success of the original. In reality, there is no sequel to Donnie Darko but Southland Tales is as close it comes. Kelly uses an incredible ensemble cast to explore familiar themes of time travel, identity, and destiny weaving a tale worthy of eventual cult classic status.

Although half of my reason for posting this is to encourage people to watch the movie, the soundtrack is no slouch either. Original music composed by Moby and a good mix of other tunes make this a decent compilation on its own. The Pixies, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, and Jane's Addiction are among the more familiar names but there are also some pretty obscure tracks and some that were composed for the film such as a very interesting re-working of the Star-Spangled Banner. Enjoy!

Tracks:

1. Wave of Mutilation - The Pixies (UK Surf Version)
2. Oh My Angel - Bertha Tillman
3. Howl - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (Extended Version)
4. Look Back In - Moby
5. Me & Bobby McGee - Waylon Jennings
6. Chord Sounds - Moby
7. Lucky Me - Roger Webb
8. 3 Steps - Moby
9. Broken Hearted Savior - Big Head Todd & The Monsters
10. Teen Horniness Is Not a Crime - Abbey McBride/ClarKent/Sarah Michelle Gellar
11. Tiny Elephants - Moby
12. Forget Myself - Elbow
13. Star Spangled Banner, The - Rebekah Del Rio & The Section Quartet
14. Three Days - Jane's Addiction (Live Version)
15. Memory Gospel - Moby

Download: Southland Tales
Download Size: 105mb

SleepResearch_Facility-Nostromo

Final exams are over. School is out. It's time to enjoy some fun in the sun! Right? Not so fast my friends. Friday afternoon I encountered an injury that will shelf me for a time. I fractured my ankle in a water skiing accident in New Jersey. Hopefully I will not be away from my internship any longer than a week. Fear not my downloading friends; for not all is lost! My pain is your gain.

Most artists, regardless of genre, construct their music in such a way that forces the listener down a direct path. As listeners we are usually at the mercy of the composer. One would argue that SleepResearch_Facility does the exact opposite; leaving SleepResearch_Facility to be as vivid or bland as the listener's imagination. Their unique brand of dark ambiance is perhaps best explained from their own official website:

"Sleep Research Facility explores notions of awareness and perception in the sub/unconcious listener. Focusing primarily on sound bereft of rhythm based energies, SRF(acility)'s goal is to provide listening environments wherein the music simply adds texture to the silence. SRF entertains the idea that music can forgoe notions of compositional architecture, resulting in noise which draws attention away from itself, leaving room for the listener to focus on other things (or, focus on nothing at all). SRF puts emphasis on these aesthetics in the search for a kind of "play me quiet" sound suitable for listening to actively or passively depending on circumstances, creating an aural experience which guides the mind through gentle misdirection rather than forcing its attention, allowing listeners to drift in their own diversified thoughts."

Nostromo is the debut album of SleepResearch_Facility that heavily draws its inspiration from the 1979 film, "Alien." Fans of the film will recognize the name of the album bears the same name of the ship; and much like the ship in the film, the album is separated into decks aside from the 2007 bonus track, "Narcissus." Enjoy the tranquility of deep space my friends; but just remember: "In space no one can hear you scream." :)

Year of Release: 2001/2007 (bonus track)
Label: Cold Spring
Genre: Dark Ambient


Track List:
1. a-deck
2. b-deck
3. c-deck
4. d-deck
5. e-deck
6. Narcissus* (bonus)

Download: SleepResearch_Facility-Nostromo
Download Size: 36.57 MB

Ultra - Ultra

I have reuploaded this very rare gem of classic rock as requested. I originally posted this back in 2006, and the download link has been broken for quite some time, along with all the other gigasize links that I posted. I wish I could remember where I found this so I could give the original uploader due credit. In all likelihood this came from the now defunct ChrisGoesRock blog, but since it no longer exists I can't be certain.

Before Ultra, there was Homer. By 1974, the line-up of the Texas band “Homer” was: Don Evans (vocals & drums), Chet Himes (bass), Van Wilks (guitar), and Galen Niles (guitar). This version of the band lasted for only a short while, as Van Wilks left to pursue a solo career (“Bombay Tears” - Mercury Records) and Chet Himes left to pursue a career as a recording engineer (“Christipher Cross”, “Ted Nugent Live”, etc.). After a brief time-out, remaining “Homer” members Galen Niles and Don Evans teamed up with Larry McGuffin (guitar), Scott Stephens (bass), and Tom Schleuning (drums) to form the group “Ultra”. They agreed that the music of Ultra would be a departure from the 3-part vocal harmonies and “mellotron” background characteristic of Homer’s music; Gibson Guitars plugged directly into Marshall 100 watt stacks blasting out twin lead guitars playing harmony and trading solos would form the basis of Ultra’s music.

After several months of rehersal, they set about securing management. Not wanting to be labeled a “club band”, the group found management services in the form of a Texas rock-concert promotion company: “Stone City Productions”. Consequently, Ultra’s public performances were almost exclusively as the opening act for several touring bands popular at the time. Performing at this level gave Ultra a fair amount of audience exposure, but it also meant that their road expenses were very high; in fact, their “roadies” usually took home most what little money that there was.

Three years of starvation and the creeping popularity of “disco” and “punk” music convinced the band mambers that the prospect of getting a hard-edged rock band off the ground at that point in time was not very good, and the group disbanded in 1978. These songs were recorded from 1976 - 1978 at United Audio Recording Studios in San Antonio, and were engineered by Bob Bruce. All songs were written by Niles, McGuffin & Evans

Ultra is old school metal/70's southern rock grooves with outstanding vocals. These songs all have a southern groove thing happening and I could easily see Ultra on a bill with Dixie Witch or Weedeater alike. The songs are super tight rock and roll veteran style. The rhythm section is unstoppable and just trucks along like a well oiled machine the whole time. The guitar work is outstanding and fitting for the music, but seems to push the envelope one step further and adding styling/leads that would be equally fitting on a Iron Maiden or Judas Priest record...I guess this is where the main metal aspect comes from. There are tons of 2 part harmony guitar leads and super precise chops. Top notch musicianship in all fields.

Track List:
1. Mutants
2. Android
3. Battery
4. Ten Years Since
5. Lamp Black White Fight
6. Windjammer
7. Diggin' Deep
8. Circe
9. Sasons Pass
10. City On Ice
11. The Desert
12. Souled There With Care
13. Man On The Street
14. Get Away
15. Compass
16. Hot'N' Cold

Download: Ultra - Ultra
Download Size: 66MB

Digital Meltd0wn last.fm Group - April & May 2009 Recommendations

As some of you may already know, Digital Meltd0wn has it's own group on last.fm, which can be found here - http://last.fm/group/digital+meltd0wn I couldn't be more pleased with the eclectic yet amazing taste of the members there. Recently all of the members have been participating in a monthly music recommendation discussion on the group forum. It has turned out to be a great way for us all to discover new artists, genres, and albums. I have decided to start sharing these monthly recommendations on all of the sites within the Digital Meltd0wn network. I have also set up a temporary page on geocities http://geocities.com/zer0ii/recommendations.html which I will transfer to a better location eventually. Here is the list of artists that were recommended during the months of April and May:

May 2009 Recommendations

Antic Clay • Alt. Country

Doo Rag • Blues Punk

Don Tiki • Exotica

François Rabbath

Lycaon Pictus

Nighthawks

Peter Alamoo

Polk Miller

Ritualistic School of Errors

Scale the Summit

School of Seven Bells

Scott H. Biram Alt. Country

Slim Cessna's Auto Club • Alt. Country

Turner of Wheels

Woven Hand • Alt. Country

April 2009 Recommendations

Alan Sondheim

Andrew Liles

Annette Krebs

Anton Bruhin

Aphorism

belladonnakillz

Collection d'Arnell~Andréa

Beati Mortui

Beatriz Ferreyra

Brainticket • PsychedelicKrautrock

Calyx After This

Camille Sauvage • Library Music

Catherine Ribeiro + Alpes

CH District

DuOuD • World Fusion

Duuster

Dym

Egisto Macchi

Frank the Baptist

Fritz Weiland

Germaine Tailleferre

Gewaltakustik

Horacio Vaggione

Ike Yard

J.A. Caesar

Jeff Wayne

John Fahey

Lodge Doom

Mad Marge and the StoneCutters • Psychobilly

Matamachete

Miasma & The Carousel of Headless Horses

moniek darge

Nebulo

Pine Tree State Mind Control

Present

PURPLE FOG SIDE

Rabbit Junk • Digital Hardcore

Raymond Scott • Library Music

Remko Scha

Rune Lindblad

Semool

Speculativism

Steaming Coils

Syllyk

The Autumns

Univers Zero

U.S. Maple

Virgins O.R. Pigeons

Voice Crack

Von Südenfed

Winter Soul

Xyn

Yma Sumac

Yusef Lateef

I hope that some of you will take the time to explore these recommendations, and are able to find some enjoyment in the process. If you have an account on last.fm please join the Digital Meltd0wn group. We have a great group of people with superb taste, and the best part is that they don't mind sharing their latest musical discoveries for all to enjoy. I hope to see you there.

Doo Rag - Trudge/Breakin' Straw 7"

As several people commented requesting that I post more material from Doo Rag, I present to you yet another 7" from the blues trash duo. There isn't much that I can say about Doo Rag that I haven't already covered in my previous posts. The Trudge/Breakin Straw 7" was released one year after the previously posted Hussy Bowler 7". Unfortunately Doo Rag would split up two years after releasing this due to a falling out between Bob Log and Thermos Malling. Bob Log would go on to put out several solo albums, while Thermos faded into obscurity. This vinyl release is extremely rare. You won't even find it on ebay. Fortunately for you fine folks Digital Meltd0wn is here to fullfill your Doo Rag needs. Once I finish taking care of a few reup requests I will be posting the equally rare Swampwater Mop Down/Engine Bread 7" from Doo Rag, followed by the full length What We Do LP.

Track List:
1. Trudge
2. Breakin' Straw

Download: Doo Rag - Trudge/Breakin Straw 7"
Download Size: 4MB

Doo Rag - Hussy Bowler/Grease & All 7"

From the moment I discovered Doo Rag I knew that I would be exploring the entirety of their discography, and what a pleasure it has been. Doo Rag was essentially formed at a house party in Tucson, Arizona in 1990. One-Man-Band Bob Log happened to be covering Fred McDowell songs on his custom made guitar/snare drum combo at this part. Eventually Thermos Malling joined in banging on a cheese grater with a spoon. The music gods smiled knowingly from above as Doo Rag was born on this fateful night.

Doo Rag - Bob Log & Thermos Malling

I would consider Doo Rag to be essential listening for any fan of lo-fi, blues, punk, or experimental music, as it is an amalgom of these styles, and yet this still just isn't quite enough to explain their truly unique style. Up until this point Bob Log has become accustomed to performing as a one-man-band, and with Thermos Malling taking up percussion duties, it allowed him to unleash his primitive blues punk style on the guitar. Thermos Malling's unique style perfectly complimented that of Bog Log's. He shunned traditional percussion instruments, instead opting to use cardboard boxes, cheese graters, and various other common household items.

Bob Log III

It would be three years before Doo Rag released their debut in the form of the Hussy Bowler/Grease & All 7" on WestWorld(?) records. Their subsequent releases would be increasingly hard to find, beginning with Barber Shop, an impossible to find album released only on cassette, followed by a series of rare 7" singles released on vinyl. I don't think that it would be accurate to describe any of Doo Rag's albums as polished, but their early material was much more crude than the more accessible What We Do LP the duo released several years later. Let me know if you enjoy this, as I have more Doo Rag material that I would be willing to share if anyone is interested.

Download: Doo Rag - Hussy Bowler/Grease & All 7"
Download Size: 6MB

Join me on Blip.fm

I just recently discovered a promising and relatively new site by the name of Blip.fm. Blip allows it's members to DJ music using a Twitter-like interface, with a massive selection of songs available from Imeem to choose from, in addition to the content uploaded by members on third party sites.

I first decided to use the service to share music that I wouldn't normally post here, such as recently released material or music that is commercially available. However, since I have started using the service I have come to realize that it also happens to be a great resource for discovering music that I am unfamiliar with, and has also allowed me to rediscover a few old favorites.

As with Twitter, members have 140 characters to play with when writing their messages. Despite the simple interface, there are a number of options available to blippers that allow them to share music and interact with one another. If you are familiar with Twitter commands, such as replying to another person using the @User command, then you will have no problems using the service. Despite the similarities to Twitter, there are a number of music related features that set it apart from it also. DJs are able to create playlists, "reblip" their own blips and those of others, find other members who have blipped the same artist, search blip.fm receive artist's tour info based on your their area code and more. Members are also able to upload their own songs to third party hosting sites, import the url, and blip the song. This is the best method for sharing music that isn't available on Imeem. I recommend using http://boxstr.com if you don't already know of a host that allows hotlinking to mp3 files. Blip.fm has also added integration with other services. At the moment you can scrobble songs you have listened to on blip.fm to your last.fm account, and post updates to Twitter, Ping.fm, FriendFeed, Tumblr, and LiveJournal.

Blip has also set up a system for showing your respect to other DJs for the songs they select. Each DJ receives 15 prop credits to award other DJs when they first sign up. At the moment the props have no practical purpose, other than to show appreciation; however, the developers have hinted around on the blip.fm blog that this will change in the near future.

If you're looking for a truly eclectic listening experience I would recommend going to the public page where you can view every blip being posted in real time. Every style you can imagine eventually makes its way on here. The majority of it is mainstream music, although there are several DJs who make it a point to offer up lesser known yet interesting music. After only a few days of using Blip.fm I have already discovered a few people worth following, and have gained a few followers myself. I would like to invite you all to join me on blip.fm. Please use the invite link that I have posted here, as blip rewards you 10 prop credits to dish out to other members for each person you invite. I hope to see some of you on Blip.fm soon. Please don't be comment shy if you join up. I love interacting with others, especially when dealing with music. I've been sharing music with visitors to this blog for nearly three years now. Now some of you can finally introduce me to the music that you love in return.

Blip.fm: http://blip.fm/invite/Zer0_II
My Blip.fm Page: http://blip.fm/Zer0_II

I would also like to thank OneLuvGurl for inadvertently introducing me to Blip.fm. Check out her blog @ http://dorkmuffin.com

Featured Video: Bob Log III - String on a Stick

I am in the process of uploading and preparing to post a couple of Doo Rag 7" releases. I thought it would be fitting to share this odd Bob Log III video for "String on a Stick" from the BlankTV website. My job has me so bogged down that I am only able to update the blog with less time consuming posts for now. In the meantime, I hope you all enjoy this video.

Bob Log III @ last.fm: http://www.last.fm/music/Bob+Log+III

BlankTV: http://blanktv.com

These Arms Are Snakes/Russian Circles Split 12" EP

This is the first of a series of promo albums released for Record Store Day that I will be posting over the next few days. These Arms are Snakes is a post-hardcore band hailing from Seattle, while the members of post-rock group Russian Circles are natives of Chicago. Both bands are signed to Suicide Squeeze records, and are touring together at the present moment. This split EP was originally released to celebrate their European tour in November 2008, with only 1,000 copies being pressed on 12" black vinyl. 500 copies were sold on tour and 500 were available on Sargent House's webstore. It was reissued once again for Record Store Day, again limited to 1,000 pressings, only this time on 12" clear vinyl.

Year of Release: 2008/Reissued in 2009
Label: Sargent House
Genres: Post-Hardcore, Post-Rock, Math Rock
Bitrate: 260VBR

Download: These Arms Are Snakes/Russian Circles 12" Split
Download Size: 20MB

Free Comic Book Day - May 2nd

I recently missed out on the chance to write about Record Store Day, which ocurred on April 18th, so I'm making up for it by informing you of another great event. Free Comic Book Day will be celebrated by thousands of comic book stores around the world on Saturday, May 2nd. One of the goals of Free Comic Book Day is to reach out to those individuals unfamiliar with the comic book specialty market, not to mention a comic book shop. So, every year those behind Free Comic Book Day launch a massive promotional campaign that heralds the event and spreads the good word of comics to potential readers everywhere. Participating stores will allow you to choose one free comic, of which there are 30 available titles to select from. I don't have any exact details as to which titles the 30 will consist of, but I would imagine there will be several Free Comic Book Day exclusives. As with any event of this nature, participating stores will be offering great deals in addition to the freebies.

While I have Record Store Day on my mind, I should mention that I was able to score a number of albums and split EPs that were released exclusively for Record Store Day. I will be sharing some of the better releases here on Digital Meltd0wn within the next few days. You can find a full list of the promos that were released for Record Store Day here - http://www.recordstoreday.com/NewsItem/1408. Please let me know if there is an album on the list that you would like to see posted here on DM.

Free Comic Book Day Official Website:
http://freecomicbookday.com

Hugh Jackman, star of X-Men Origins: Wolverine talks about Free Comic Book Day, and the importance of comics in fighting illiteracy. This is followed by a theatrical trailer for X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

The Wesley Willis Fiasco - Spookydisharmoniousconflicthellride

To many the late Wesley Willis will never be considered anything other than a novelty act, his music often reserved for when they need a quick laugh, rarely taking the time to reflect upon the meaning behind his bizarre lyrics. However, his music is important to me for much more personal reasons. My mother, like Willis, is a diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic. It can be very difficult to understand those who have schizophrenia and the depth of the conflict that they must deal with. Wesley Willis is one of the few examples that we have of a person diagnosed with Schizophrenia, who was able to make a career as a successful musician, and share the inner turmoil that he constantly faced with the world. Willis' created music as way of dealing with his encounters with demons, which occurred mainly on the CTA bus lines in Chicago. Willis coined the term "Warhellride" to describe these frequent encounters. His approach to music was simple and crude, often dealing with obscene subject matter, and frequently sporadic in nature.

The majority of Willis' musical output featured only Willis accompanied by his Technics KN keyboard. Willis didn't actually play any of the notes heard on his solo work, instead he simply used the one-note autochord feature on his keyboard. A variety of different programs were utilized, although the bulk of his solo material consist of the same program being used extensively, with only slight variations in the key or tempo of the song. As a result, much of the music on his albums sounds very repetitive. Fortunately the repetiveness is made more tolerable by his outrageous lyrics and vocal delivery.

His lyrics also usually follow a general pattern, although to classify Willis's lyrics according to any conventional rhyme scheme or meter proves difficult. Lyrics generally began with a verse: a four-line spoken stanza, usually consisting of statements about the subject of the song. This was followed by the chorus, which was simply the subject of the song sung anywhere from three to six times in a non-professional, "drunk anthem" type style. Then another verse and another chorus, followed by an instrumental bridge section, where Willis, who had taken to heart the advice he had heard that the ideal song length for radio play is two minutes and 50 seconds would push the "fill" button repeatedly on his keyboard, usually triggering accompanying sound effects. The song ended with another verse, a chorus, and the words "Rock over London! Rock on Chicago," a catchphrase from an hour-long WXRT radio show. It was often followed by a company or product's name and slogan. Each song would end with a different slogan. If performed live, "Chicago" would be replaced with whatever city Willis was performing in.

On a few occasions Willis collaborated with other musicians, with The Wesley Willis Fiasco being the most well known collaborative effort. The style of music was much different from Willis' previous solo material, as the Fiasco concentrated on more of a punk style. The band consisted of Willis on vocals, Pat Barnard on (Lead Guitar), Dale Meiners (Rhythm Guitar), Dave Nooks (Bass) and Brendan Murphy (Drums). They released only one studio album, Spookydisharmoniousconflicthellride (a reference to Willis's description of his schizophrenic episodes). The Fiasco toured with many bands, most notably Rocket from the Crypt, Lordz of Brooklyn, and Sublime. They also released a much sought after and hard to find 7" vinyl split with Sublime, as well as a split with Chicago's The Frogs

Due to conflicts between the Fiasco band's shows and Willis's solo keyboard shows, the band broke up while on tour in Ohio in 1997. Willis stated that the demons in his head worsened during the tour, causing him to constantly yell at the band. After the break up Willis went on to release a number of solo albums. On August 21, 2003, Willis died at the age of 40 in Prospect Heights, Illinois due to complications from chronic myelogenous.

The details of the life Willis lived are perhaps more interesting than the music he was able to produce, as I would assume would be the case for many who live with a powerful psychological disorder such as Schizophrenia. In life Willis was not only known for his music, but for his larger than life personality as well. He would often headbutt fans and random people that he met, which resulted in a large callus on his forehead, which can be seen in almost every photo of him in existence. He was also known for attending hundreds of concerts, where he sold the majority of his CDs face to face. At the time of his death, he had recorded over 1,000 songs but his total life savings were less than $200. Having sold out hundreds of venues across the country, the question still remains where all of his money went. Although Wesley is gone now, and his money remains missing, his legacy and music still remain for all to enjoy. Rock on Chicago... Wheaties, Breakfast of Champions!

Year of Release: 1992
Label: Urban Legends
Genre: Punk, Outsider Music


Track List:
1. Get On The Bus
2. I'm Doing It Well On The Side Of The Rea
3. Pop That Pussy
4. Casper The Homosexual Friendly Ghost
5. I Can't Drive
6. He's Doing Time In Jail
7. Bar Is Closed, The
8. Jesus Is The Answer
9. Blood, Guts & Fire Trucks
10. She Loves Me Truly
11. Drink That Whiskey
12. Steve Albini
13. Steve Albini (reprise)
14. I'm Sorry That I Got Fat

Download: The Wesley Willis Fiasco - Spookydisharmoniousconflicthellride
Download Size: 96MB

Update In Progress & Other News

Layout Update

I am in the process of updating the layout of the blog. Unfortunately, I may not be able to finish making the necessary modifications before the end of the night. In case I'm not able to finish tonight, I will resume updating the blog tomorrow. I apologize if this inconveniences anyone, but rest assured that Digital Meltd0wn will fully functional within the next couple of days.

As some of you may know, I recently completed the new layout for the Digital Meltd0wn Music Blogroll I'm happy with the finished product, and so far the majority of the visitors have had nothing but positive things to say. I hope that the changes I make here will be met with similar enthusiasm.

Recent Lack of Activity

I know several of you have been wondering about the recent lack of activity here. I have been working close to 60 hours a week at work each and every week, which hasn't left me much spare time to post here on DM. I wanted to update the layout for both the blogroll and this blog before I started posting content once again. Fortunately Nathan Nothin' agreed to step up and help out as a guest contributor here. I'm excited to begin posting once again, and I have a number of treets in store for the fine visitors here, which I hope you all will enjoy.

Guest Blogger - Nathan Nothin'

I would like to thank Nathan Nothin' for agreeing to guest blog here. I regret not being able to formally introduce him before he started posting, but timeliness has never been one of my better qualities. As you can see he has access to a wealth of underground music, and I'm sure that you all will enjoy what he has to offer here. He also runs his own blog Nothin' Sez Somethin' where you can find a veritable treasure-trove of audible delights. I can't thank you enough for the help you have provided here Nathan.

Deleted Comments

A few months ago I switched over to a new commenting system, JS-Kit. I was under the impression that If I returned to the default blogger commenting system that all the comments made using the JS-Kit system would be restored. Apparently I was wrong, as these comments have all been deleted. I have searched their website for an option to restore these comments, but didn't have much luck. I will contact the admins at JS-Kit to see if these can be restored, and I apologize to those of you who left comments that were deleted.

New Layout Almost Ready

As some of you know I've been working hard on a new layout for Digital Meltd0wn. I'm happy to report that I have almost finished. If you would like to look at a preview of the new design it can be found here: http://digitalmeltd0wntest2.blogspot.com

The only thing that remains to be finished is the menu. If any of you are skilled in web design I could use a little help. I'm trying to make it to where a multi-column dropdown menu is displayed whenever you mouseover the "Categories" section of the menu. As it stands now, the menu is too long, and visitors would have to use the mouse scroll wheel to make it to the bottom of the menu. I want that particular section of the menu to function similar to the one on this page http://www.idahostatesman.com/ yet I want to keep the style/color theme that I currently have.

If any of you could help me with this, please leave a comment or e-mail me (link is in my profile). I will not be updating the layout until I have solved this problem.
Thank you all for your patience and support during this time. I know it has been too long since I have updated either blog, and hopefully this will change soon.