Balcanes : Plataforma

Balcanes are a four piece from Leon, Spain cauterizing eardrums since 2010.  'Plataforma' is their debut single which came out at the beginning of the year.  These two tracks are a cataclysm of wreckless noise and rock playing out heavy riffs and locked grooves.  Once ‘Platforma’ shows its teeth a wall of fuzz and feral vocals confronts motoric beats releasing some sort of damaged mantra.  ‘Autopista’ just swells with distortion and feedback sounding even more unstable than the A Side (if that’s possible).  I’m uncertain what’s next for Balcanes but this is a pretty fantastic start and hopefully we’ll get a fresh fix soon.

Listen at their label's Bandcamp HERE

Burnt Skull : Sewer Birth

Burnt Skull are guitar/drum duo Dustin Pilkington and Anthony Davis from Austin.  Pilkington and Davis began playing together in 2011 whilst working on other projects.  Pilkington plays in Cruddy, Total Abuse and The Sneezes, Davis is involved with Gremlins UK as well as both recording under the name Best Fwends.  'Sewer Birth' is their debut album (12XU) featuring 10 alternative rock songs influenced by the experimentalism of vicious and discordant noise.  The album deals with, "sacrificing your mutant child to the underworld ("Sewer Birth"), painting the wall with the back of your head ("No Cross"), and becoming one with a sickening, ever-growing mass of human pulp ("Infinite Flesh")

."  Sure, this gnarly subject matter should give you a good idea of what's in store, however don't be surprised to find some curve balls that make this anything but another noise record. The feral "God Hole" is a grimy punk number featuring spluttered vocals, metronomic beats and barbarous guitars.  Another stand out track is "Abduction", which has an industrial feel to it as a conjuration of meshed effects and tribal rhythms swarm in a wall of fuzz.  'Sewer Birth' changes the game for what you might expect to come out of Austin these days, it's dark, twisted and fierce, listen to this on a day when the whole world seems wrong and it will make everything feel SO right.

EX CON : EX CON 7"

EX CON are James Dalgliesh/guitar, Alex Dunlop/durms, Catherine Maddin/bass and Joanna Nilson/vocals.  This 7" is their debut for Brisbane label Bon Voyage with Luke Walsh of Blank Realm recording a live session the band executed after hours at a bar.  The three tracks that make up this single dish out fistful of delay heavy noise by way of punk.  Ex Con's confrontational and abrasive approach is immediately arresting, whilst psychedelic and pop elements emerge through the tidal fuzz.  This is best shown on B-Side "Right Brain", utilising clouting drums, Nilson's deadpan vocals, bulky bass and a stormy guitar that unravels into a roving solo.  It's been a while since this single first came out and no word yet on whether there's anything on the way, but I'd keep an eye out because as far as debut singles go this is a doozy.

Check out the whole thing here on EX CON's Bandcamp

Magik Markers : Surrender To The Fantasy

'Surrender To The Fantasy' is the new LP from noise-wave crew Magik Markers.  These nine new recordings feature a fresh line up comprised of: Elisa Ambrogio, Pete Nolan and John Shaw.  Joining the band in basements, J Mascis' attic, Pete's "old music room" and a practice space in Brooklyn were Aaron Mullan and Justin Pizzoflerrato, who captured Magik Markers most compelling work to date.  'Surrender To The Fantasy' focuses on familiar tools: guitars, keys, drums and bass, to refine the savage live approach used on earlier albums.  The record melts American rock swagger, psychedelia, folk and visceral noise together in a way that challenges what the band have done before.  This is fittingly shown on "Acts Of Desperation", with Ambrogio taking over drums whilst Nolan bliss-es out on guitar alongside a bluesy harmonica breezing through the track.  "Bonfire" kicks things up a gear invoking mayhem and destruction in a way that completely turns 'punk' on its head.  Songs tie in to places significant to the band like "Crabs" (Hartford, Connecticut) and "American Sphinx Face" (Holy Oke, Massachusetts) for example.  "American Sphinx Face" utilizes distorted/fuzzed/Wah-ed out guitar to needle notes throughout, apace with improvised beats anchored by Shaw's mesmerizing bass line.  'Surrender To The Fantasy' reveals curious twists and turns the more you spend time with it so don't be surprised to find it calling you back for repeated listens.  Magik Markers continue to tread through the underside of American ritual and rock 'n' roll with their usual zeal on 'Surrender To The Fantasy' whilst hitting a new stride as they go. 

Dead C : Armed Courage

New Zealand legendary noise makers return with new album 'Armed Courage' for Badabing Records.

After nearly 40 years playing together Michael Morley, Bruce Russell and Robbie Yeats for the first time appeared on the front cover of a music publication not so long ago, and what more fitting than The Wire to host them.  It goes without saying The Dead C were long overdue the accolade as they've always made music on the precipice.  The trio eschew trends and fads allowing them to exist in their own world creating something uniquely theirs, resulting in a vast catalogue of releases that remain unparalleled.

This new album is comprised of two ruminative incantations; Side A "Armed", Side B "Courage".  "Armed" is a weathered track entangling whirling fuzz, gnawed guitars and turbulent rhythms forging something rattled and ominous.  Hunkered down on the following side is "Courage", hollowed out with sedated vocals, static hum, needled guitars and splattered rhythms - which all gradually pull into focus to playout a rapt improvised jam before plaintively withdrawing.  This album is a must have for the converted and new comers alike.

Blank Realm 'Go Easy'

Australian quartet Blank Realm have returned with a new full length called 'Go Easy' (Bedroom Suck/Siltbreeze).  This new album follows up 2010's well loved 'Heartless Ark' (Not Not Fun) which was a bleak, improvisational piece recorded in a barn on the fringes of Brisbane suburbia.  In contrast 'Go Easy' delivers rich, bright sounds with a more high-fidelity approach drawing from a spectrum of genres explored through Blank Realm's tilt for noise.  At the crux of the songs are guitar, synths, drums, bass accompanied by girl and boy vocals against sheets of distortion.  Opener "Acting Strange" surges with guitar fuzz in full force alongside delay heavy vocals -- with things cooling off right after with curiously serene number "Cleaning Up My Mess", featuring otherworldly keys that continue to breeze through the album.  Standout track "Pendulum Swing" features oscillating beats at the core steadily gathering momentum through swells of distortion from swirling guitars before brilliantly collapsing.  This album pursues rock, pop and punk coloured by the experimentalism of psychedelia.  Blank Realm's ability to transforming sounds we know and love into something fresh and exhilarating attests that, they are one of the most compelling bands around today.

Blank Realm Facebook

Sonic Youth 'Smart Bar Chicago 1985'

Goofin' records has unearthed one, if not the, earliest known live recording of Sonic Youth.  Predominantly, the tracks are from 'Bad Moon Rising' and these live versions wonderfully capture the improvisational quality of the band adding a new dimension to studio recordings we've come to know so well.  Raucous guitars, savage vocals, forthright drums alongside audience banter drifting in and out of focus create a great sense of chaos throughout the album. Two 4-track recordings were made at Chicago's Smart Bar in 1985.  The first by Rich Menning from Atomic Records, who only realized he'd accidentally left the tape deck on pause half way through the first song, the second recording was by Aadam Jacobs - this live album is an amalgamation of both tapes.  Personal favourites on here are 'Death Valley '69', 'Brother James' and 'The Burning Spear'.  Like so many other people out there I'm my sure Sonic Youth are one of my favourite bands, and for me 'Smart Bar Chicago 1985' isn't just a great document of the band for fans, it's also a great live album.

Talk Normal 'Sunshine'

Talk Normal have returned with new full length 'Sunshine' on Joyful Noise.  The jarring and brash approach that made 'Sugarland' a stand out album in 2009 remains at the core, but also introduces a few lush and bright sounds into the mix.  From start to finish the album brims with tension from militant beats, siren guitars, chanting vocals and intermittent hissing effects, best shown on title track "Sunshine".  It's this fierce approach that fittingly expresses their despondent point of view.  Another highlight is "Shot This Time" featuring unhinged vocals apace with rattled rhythms and contorted, grinding guitars driving distortion to its limits.  Talk Normal are a band staying true to their New York No Wave roots whilst forging their own distinct presence in this league.  This is a great follow up album and noise-fiends - if you haven't had a chance to check their stuff out yet well worth your time.  There's limited pink vinyl, cassette, double LP and CD versions available that you can get from them on Talk Normals website.

Talk Normal Facebook Twitter Website

Thurston Moore/Talk Normal Split 7"

Talk Normal just played a show in London after finishing a tour with Wire where I nabbed one of these singles. Side A are three short pieces by Thurston Moore featuring off kilter guitars brimming with abrasiveness and feedback. Side B is one minimal track by Talk Normal playing out bleak, thrumming guitars alongside soft spoken word vocals creating a cavernous, isolating tone fluxed with menace.

The first 500 had a colour cover and are sold out
100 copies were repressed with a black and white cover

Tense Men Cassette

UK duo Tense Men have released their first single on Cazenove Tapes. Bands like Woven Bones come to mind as they mix shoegaze, punk, pop and noise. Tense Men have a looped bass part with primitive delay-heavy guitars worked on top alongside commanding rhythms that create four urgent and menacing numbers. Great debut release!

Tense Men Tumblr

Kitchen's Floor 'Look Forward to Nothing'

'Look Forward to Nothing' (Siltbreeze) is the highly anticipated follow up to universally loved debut 'Loneliness is a Dirty Mattress' (2010 RIP Society) from Australia's Kitchen's Floor. The trio pick up where they left off with their bleak and noisy garage-art rock but flip it on it's head by creating something more lush. "116" best shows off the introduction of bright pop melodies tangled into the amalgam of cacophonous instruments. A personal highlight is raucous track "Regrets", the accelerated guitars played alongside rattling rhythms is where the album really feels like it gains full momentum. From the outset there are curious jolts in rhythm creating an unhinged feeling complimenting the consistent unaffected, mono-toned vocals. Instrumental track 'Every Day' sustains a repetitive, buzzing state for three and a half minutes brilliantly capturing the humdrum of daily life. There are parts of the album that bring Pink Reason to mind especially on 'Kidney Infection' which mirrors a similar solemn/lone wolf attitude. Brimming with angst this primitive second album hits all the noise-punk pleasure centres, 'Look Forward to Nothing' could very well see Kitchen's Floor make it into Top Ten lists for a second year in a row.

Kitchen's Floor - Regrets by Gilded Gutter

Find the record at Siltbreeze
Kitchen's Floor Facebook

Talk Normal: Interview!

New York noise makers Talk Normal are returning to the UK in November for a slew of shows with Wire and Jad Fair now that they're close to completing a new, second album. I caught up with the Andrya and Sarah to find out about their recent work...

So you've been recording lately - what have you been working on?  Where were you recording?

Our next album! We're mixing now (as I type this, in mid-October). We recorded new material mostly in two places - at a studio in Brooklyn called Vacation Island, and in Hoboken NJ at Echo Canyon West. Nearly one full song and parts of a few others come from tracks created in our rehearsal space. Some editing took place @ Thump Audio and Christina Files' home studio. Mixing will be completed at The Farm. This album is covering a fair amount of NYC-area geography.

Do you ever have any preconceived goals or ideas when recording, or do you prefer to work in an improvised way?

Sarah:: Hardly anything is improvised, tho we are always glad for happy accidents, of which there are a few on this record. When we enter the studio, we have our songs @ a place where we've workshopped them and have been performing them for a while. Our “budget” or lack thereof doesn't allow for much improvisation in the studio (time-wise). But we are quite specific about our sounds, so for the most part these songs would be at this 'realized' stage regardless. Tho thankfully, there has been time for a few quick and fun sonic explorations.

Do you prefer playing shows or recording?

Sarah:: I find recording extremely fun. It's nerve-wracking in a way because you want it to be fully realized.... but in my own combination of haphazard and also extremely specific work habits, I can get a lot of joy out of the studio process. Which is just different from playing live shows – performing live can be so totally invigorating, but I know I am capable of reacting to the audience more than perhaps I'd like (positively or negatively). It's hard for me to tell in advance how a crowd will affect me. All that said... I love shows...

To my ears at least, your songs seem like each track is it's own tale, where do you draw themes from in your music?

Sarah:: Anywhere. Often there is one idea that sparks the beginning of the story, if it is a story. Or a phrase, or kind of sentiment. Some are from older experiences, written down or saved in the mind. Others are momentary inspirations, sometimes teased out further. i.e. Mosquito came entirely from a walk Sarah took on the way to practice. Hot Song was put into words by Andrya inspired by a profound cultural clash that reached all the way through young children near us. Admittedly there is some kind of story behind each one.

I've always wanted to know more about 'River's Edge', it's so frenzied - can you tell us a little about that song?

Sarah:: I had done a done a lot of private writing when I was younger, which I rarely shared with others. At some point I shared some of that with Andrya for creative use/inspiration, and some years later I started to have a kind of nervous writer's block about that kind of writing, maybe because the landscape for it's output had changed so much. Andrya encouraged me to throw together quick thoughts about that pressure/block, and keep focused on the underlying knowledge that it was surpassable even tho it seemed like a heavy black cloud. We took some of those short phrases and put them to song, to my own chagrin sort of in a way that almost says “doesn't take much... expresses a lot”. Definitely a “less is more” track lyrically. We molded it and some other artist references were thrown in by Andrya, and thus the lyrics were born. The music came out of an old jam that we sometimes played for warm up and focus. Exploration within the basic guitar structure, for me. And Andrya's desire to command a drumroll into a new orchestration it'd never seen before. The mechanics of her structured performance through the song take a tremendous amount of skill and commitment – a very visceral live experience.

New York is a hotbed for art of all kinds - where do you pull inspiration from where there's so much on your doorstep?

Sarah:: Same old same old – a moment, a feeling, an event, an experience, a newsflash, a striking visual, something you think you want to forget, a song...

On the same note, NY is packed with artists and bands - what do you think it takes to play and survive as a musician in such a creatively busy environment?

Sarah:: Something excitingly done or new or re-imagined or thrillingly replicated or all of the above. Commitment (both time and money are seriously abused in these endeavor). Luck?

I've read you guys are Laurie Anderson fans and that the band name is a reference to her. There was a retrospective recently of Anderson's stuff at the Barbican not too long ago.  A highlight was her pillow piece where the audience had to put their head on a pillow which rested on a plinth to hear music playing inside it, the audience's participation and experience gave the piece it's meaning.  With this in mind, your shows are really intense do you ever aspire to have a connection or affect your audience in this kind of way?

Sarah:: Connection yes. I've finally started looking people right in the eye, whether they like that or not I have no idea. But the show isn't defined by their experience...

Last time I saw you play it was in a basement on the Lower East side and distinctly remember the room being gripped by your performance, do you like playing smaller spaces?

Sarah:: We've had great 'bigger' shows too, but small ones can end up feeling... intense.

I'm super excited you're coming to London to play with Wire - are there any dates you're particularly looking forward to on your upcoming tour?

Sarah:: It's like the UK local tour! Very exciting to be seeing so many places in England, and looking forward to returning to Scotland. Later w/oWire, Paris should be lovely, opening for Jad Fair.

What shows have you played that have been highlights?

Sarah:: I had a really nice time recently when we played in San Francisco @ a place called Secret Alley. Wicked DIY venue.

Are there any other projects or goings on we should be looking out for from you ladies?

Sarah:: Right before we leave on tour I'm pleased to be taking part in the performance of a Ben Frost composition for 6 guitarists.

'I'm full of dust and guitars' - Syd Barrett, if you were cracked open what would be inside?

Sarah:: Blood and organs.

Tour:
11/15 @ HMV Institute w/ Wire Birmingham, UK
11/16 @ Manchester 3 w/ Wire Manchester, UK
11/17 @ Liquid Room w/ Wire Edinburgh, UK
11/18 @ The Arches w/ Wire Glasgow, UK
11/19 @ Academy 2 w/ Wire Newcastle, UK
11/20 @ Brudenell Social Club w/ Wire Leeds, UK
11/22 @ Concorde 2 w/ Wire Brighton, UK
11/24 @ XOYO w/ Wire London, UK
11/25 @ Academy 2 w/ Wire Liverpool, UK
11/26 @ Whelans w/ Wire Dublin, IR
11/29 @ Thekla w/ Wire Bristol, UK
11/30 @ Phoenix w/ Wire Exeter, UK
12/01 @ The Globe w/ Wire Cardiff, UK
12/02 @ Academy 2 w/ Wire Oxford, UK
12/03 @ The Plug w/ Wire Sheffield, UK
12/05 @ Shacklewell Arms w/ Noveller + more London, UK
12/06 @ Magasin 4 Brussels, BEL
12/07 @ Petit Bain w/ Jad Fair Paris, FRA

Talk Normal website
Check out a live sessions on Free Music Archive
Talk Normal Facebook

Drosofile 'Mal b/w Your Roberts'

Guitars set to a pace of drudgery and ritualistic rhythms escalate alongside indecipherable spluttered vocals are at the core of Drosofile's single 'Mal'. This noise piece is; French man Nicolas Murer (Mulan Serrico) and America's Will Foster (Guinea Worms). A duo who, could have possibly found common ground sharing a few Brainbombs records in their collections. In a vacuum of paranoia this single summons an out of body experience with its banausic currents of siren guitars played beside metronomic beats which curiously ascend to nowhere. Initially released on a limited edition tape by Stochastic Releases 'Mal' will now be Drosofile's debut single due next month for French label SDZ Records (The Rebel, Liminanas, The Mantles). A really exciting new project with an equally brilliant video to match - a piece aptly in time for Halloween.

Drosofile - Mal from MULAN SERRICO on Vimeo.

Find copies here

Grope Town/Roseanne Barrr Split Tape

Belly Kids is a new publishers specializing in zines, tapes, records and comics. They released a split tape with noise hit-makers Roseanne Barrr (London) and Gropetown (Glasgow) over the summer, here's a little bit about the release in their own words...

"Roseanne Barrr are a hypnotic Bass and Drum power duo full of distorted guitar sounds, meticulous drum patterns and teen-cult chants. Gropetown are a DIY punk troupe heralding from Glasgow. Reminiscent of Arab on Radar, Holy Molar and XBXRX the music is ultra chaotic, unquestionably tight and seriously rowdy.

The Tape is limited to 100 and features a hand printed sleeve of lyrics and writing. We are so super stoked both bands are busy on tour and you can catch them up and down the country!!"

Find the tape at Belly Kids
Listen to tracks on Belly Kids Bandcamp

Liquorball 'Fucks the Sky'

California's Liquorball debut album 'Fucks the Sky' released on Blackjack Records in 1992 is a teeth grinding, guttural psych sludge-fest. Longstanding band member Grady Runyon's feral vocals sound as though he was chained up to a crash helmet in a corner of a room frothing at the mouth during these two twenty minute songs. This is the stuff of nightmares.

Since reforming after a ten year break more records have been made available:
Midheaven Mail Order
SS Records Mail Order

http://www.mediafire.com/?fh0zua88a2btl7s

Mr Peppermint 'Loose Lips'

Riding high from a show on Saturday night courtesy of National Minimum Rage this blog post is a gushfest over MR PEPPERMINT, who did things with a guitar that brought a stunned crowd in Dalston to their knees. I'd never heard of them and nothing could have prepared me for what was in store when this duo turned up and plugged in. Guitarist Jack Mellin wears a mask with a mic duct tape into it that's intrinsic to his style of playing, freeing him from a static mic stand Mellin can naturally roam while performing. The sheer velocity of the songs coupled with tribal drumming from Jonny Rankin left the audience stunned, as soon as I got home I found a download to one of their albums 'Loose Lips' and it's been on repeat ever since.

'In The Club' sets the tone for the record on an unhinged note swirling with screeches, moans and erratic acoustic plucking layered over distorted guitars before launching into 'Carp Act', where the album fully stretches out its legs. This song embodies what they do live, strained vocals and doomed guitars played in a rhythmic catatonic state. Mr Peppermint remains firmly in control of the chaos created through the sludgey noise, menacing guitars and echo laden disenchanted vocals. The album pokes at listeners particularly in 'Kevin', which features sound effects of crowds clapping and laughing building on the sense of anxiety Mellin's guitar playing had already laid foundations for. Throughout the twelve songs lofty melodies waft through and bring a folk quality to the record especially on 'Hyndland Road'. Closer 'Pull Off Your Lips' plaintively threatens "I'll break your legs/I'll cut off you toes/I'm gonna break your arm/I'll take your little finger/I'm going to break your heart/I'll put it back together and tear it apart", unaffected vocals with soft guitars, gentle tapping rhythms and piano arrangements balance out the onslaught of noise on 'Loose Lips'. I never thought I'd enjoy the sensation of feeling like my eardrums were going to explode, until seeing Mr Peppermint. Formed from the ashes of Hyena this duo from Scotland took me, and everyone else by surprise. Last Saturday this twosome created a transcendent experience and there was nowhere else on the planet I would have rather been than watching Mr Peppermint.

* For fans of Magik Markers

Free download of 'Loose Lips'
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Their online shop - ridiculously cheap gear!

Kitchen's Floor 'Loneliness Is a Dirty Mattress'

Because you'd hate to miss out on a great underground Australian record, Kitchen's Floor is the latest installment of the Gilded Gutter blog.

'Loneliness is a Dirty Mattress' is the first full length after a debut EP, from the three piece based in Brisbane on R.I.P Society. Right off the back of the success of his previous band Look!Pond Matthew Kennedy fronts Kitchen's Floor, with Julia Norris (Gutters) on drums and Glen Schenau (Carl Marx) on base. Choleric boy/girl vocals and repetitive musical arrangements recorded with a tin-y quality - in a The Fall meets Black Time meets Naked on the Vague way.

This was one of those records where you know, it was bought having never heard it or of the band. Now, it has been played nonstop in my house since it arrived at my door courtesy of Volcanic Tongue. It's a noisy record and your neighbors probably won't like you blasting it in your room - but you know you've got a good'en when some bangs on your wall to turn it off right?!!

U.S Girls 'Go Grey'

Megan Remy (aka U.S Girls) is back with 2nd album 'Go Grey' on Siltbreeze.

Remy translates her muses; R&B and British 60s pop, into oblique New Wave with a pop flair. Sure, sometimes it seems like a natural progression to clean up the recording on a follow up record when time and resources maybe on the artists' side. However, Remy embraces the stark noise so don't be surprised to find songs even more abrasive than before. Vocals remain a prominent role in 'Go Grey' and nihilism fiends won't be disappointed as this new record is equally as morose as her first. Stand out tracks lined up back to back on the album; 'Red Ford Radio', 'Sleeping on Glass' and 'I don't have a mind of my own'.

U.S Girls first album 'Introducing U.S Girls' was recorded in Portland 2008, where another album was also being released; Grouper's career defining third record 'Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill'. These two records arguably helped propel contemporary solo female artists in today's music underworld. Thinking about the success of Sacred Bone's Zola Jesus, it's fair to say a niche had started with U.S Girls and Grouper to allow artists like Nika Roza to grow. All three have definitively unmatched voices but tied together with their unique interpretations of isolation. I will be spending the rest of my summer scouring the internet for new blood in female soloists, there's more right? Tell me there's more...

AFCGT

A Frames most recent LP Black Forest on Sub Pop made the band new favorites for noise rock, and also helped secure a release of their new project on the same label. Climax Golden Twins have released a wealth of records over the past 17 years which has well established the duo in the experimental music realm. Three parts of AF and two parts CGT join together and do not disappoint with this unexpected, but not all that surprising supergroup AFCGT.

Pushing aside hype surrounding their previous work whether it was due to a short amount of studio time, or just seeing where the music will take them (I prefer to think it's the latter), avoids running things through a fine tooth comb, and just delivers the jams.

Ten minute triumph "Two Legged Dog" makes me think, if "Apocalypse Now" could be put in to one song it would be this. Endlessness, despair, paranoia are all wrapped up in this epic song. The guitars resonate; psychedelic riffs and sludgy noise off each other as the drums just keep marching unrelentingly on.

"Nacht" has this Moroccan swagger to it. This is the only song with vocals which mumble incoherently recalling the sort of abstraction found on a Swans or Sun City Girls record.

Check out songs here!
http://www.myspace.com/afcgt

Magik Markers/Sic Alps 12"

Somebody pinch me. I couldn't believe my luck when I found this, Magik Markers and Sic Alps on one 12".

The A side is written by gritty noise poppers Sic Alps, with help from Ty Segall and Lars Finberg (Intelligence). The stand out thing for me is abrasive noise in the first track. "Guxxe Bathe Ballade" is filtered out gradually through their three songs here. "The Greatest" which closes side A, by comparison to "Guxxe Bathe Ballade" is softer and clearer while the abrasiveness disappears, melodies surface coming through stronger. You might hear this too, I don't know.

B side features shredding drone makers Magik Markers, whose most recent full length on Drag City Balf Quarry is hands down my number one album of 2009. Elisa Ambrogio's reverb-ed vocals howl through psychedelic guitars and hypnotic bass parts on opening song "The Diamond Guitar of Tico Feo." "White Map Laid with White Ink" is a total jam and Pete Nolan's phenomenal drumming seems completely effortless here. Side B closes with Kraut Rock-esque "Tighten One and Loosen the Other."

I believe the first pressing of the EP (pink) was limited to 600 copies and is now sold out. You can still find the second pressing (blue) around though.