Ok, December is here and it's alright to put out the wreath and spin our peanuts Christmas album. Seeing as there's still time to shop for those you love, or those your obligated to through some work party and us being the helpful folk we are, here's a little peek at some of the goodies we've sprinkled out like visions of sugarplums.
Even though Adam and Matt may differ over whether The Smiths are to be treasured or trashed, neither can deny these UK singles are in great shape and won't last long.
Tom Waits live double LP taken from the recent Glitter and Doom tour. Includes a digital download that includes the "Tom Talks" disc of all conversation. Amazing renditions of classic Waits songs that strike the buying itch in both regular and the rabid bootleg collecting Tom fans.
The perfect thing for the rabid fanboy you might be dating. A beautiful set of original Watchmen comics with extras. This hard to find set comes to us at a fraction of the price you'd see online and in very good shape.
When Fat Possum released Andrew Bird's Noble Beast, they also put out a hush hush live cd in small pressing. Taken from a 2007 live show in Montreal, Bird performs earlier songs that are often considered better than his new stuff.
Thinking about how to please that music dork on your list? How about some first pressing Sonic Youth albums? Wax that's clean enough for Howie Mandell to eat off of and hard to find, that's just how we like 'em.
OTHER STUFF... Strap on your gypsy boots and drink while watching the 2 1/2 HOUR dvd that comes free with the new Live from Axis Mundi LP by Gogol Bordello. Digital download included means cds are going to end up like slap bracelets, so do us all a favor and buy vinyl.
Ghana Special!! Even though your friends are all buying the 5 lpset and making you look bad, show off your two cd set and tell em to take a hike while listening to Dr. K Gyasi and his Noble Kings.
AND SO... That's all for now, we're setting up our list of the year's top picks (heavily debating whether re-issues are allowed, or their own category), feel free to chime in with yours as well. Feel free to stop by and get warm on the couch with Maynard, we'll be under the mistletoe. Keep digging in the crates. --Matt and Adam.
Black Friday is upon us and here in sleepy Arcata, where commerce is seemingly immune to the frantic four a.m. shoppers. We have taken to making our own Black Friday by only playing bands with the word Black in their name or album title...no we do not have too much time on our hands. After a weekend of banjo laden hijinx, we've caught a full dose of old time fever and the store has too. This post is full of re-releases hitting the shelves, recent loot to swing onto the racks and some of the newer acts out there still making that classic sound.
Crow Quill Night Owls Ah Port Townsend, the Washintonian equivalent of Arcata and home to Kit "Stymee" Stovepipe and Calliope Kane, former members of the Inkwell Rhythm Makers and Below the Salt. With a sound that reminds one of the Cheap Suit Serenaders, Stovepipe gravels out the kind of ragtime and rhythm that you'd normally hear at 78rpm. Click above for a download of their first release "Mechanical Unicorn."
Carolina Chocolate Drops The Carolina Chocolate Drops are an African-American String band in the old-time tradition. Based in the Triangle area of North Carolina their music is rooted in the foothills and mountains of north and south Carolina. Learning their trade from master old-time fiddler Joe Thompson, they have been tearing up stages all over the world since 2005. Unlike other kinds of string band music the Chocolate Drops play in the Piedmont style, with roaring banjos out in front while the fiddle hangs and hums in the back.....beautiful stuff!
Pokey LaFarge After tearing the roof off of 3 Foods Cafe yet again, The South City Three and their skinny frontman have smashed their way to the top of our daily playlist with their newest release, entitled "Riverboat Soul." Backed by some of the best hardworkin' musicians out there, including Old Crow Medicine Show fiddler Ketch Secor, this band brings the "A" game to every performance, often playing for four hours before breaking a sweat. Though Riverboat Soul isn't fully released yet, the band's website has some preview tracks, including our new favorite song, "Bag of Bones."
OM Live Conference recently made its appearance onto wax and we here at the shop are willing to part with a few copies. Deluxe limited edition vinyl-only release packaged in heavy-duty tip-on style die cut jackets. Conference of the Birds played in its entirety and recorded on 24-track multi-track remote audio at their 2008 performance in New York.
Ghana Special A five lp box set for the afro-funk loving nerd in all of us. 900 grams of vinyl, two unreleased tracks, a twelve page booklet...are you drooling yet? With the overwhelming success of the previous Ghana sounds collections, these are sure to be the kind of thing your friends trade you naked pictures of their sister for.
Halloween is almost here and gone & for the first year ever, we're not already bumping Halloween records and wearing our stormtrooper masks. Seems like this year their isn't much time for the Monster Mash as the record player is already overbooked with new lp's to blast down 8th street.
NEW RELEASES
The Mountain Goats
John Darnielle is back and apparently he plays the piano now. This new collection of 12 songs outlines "hard lessons" he learned from specific verses of the bible. Thankfully, as a lapsed Catholic and professed nonbeliever who chants the Hare Krishna, this is not Darnielle's version of the infamous "hey look I found religion" albums, instead this album is soft and contemplative. The one complaint Matt has about The Life of the World to Come is that it lacks the raw hollerin' type of songs found on earlier recordings but hey, isn't it always the cynical nerd who says, "it'll never be as good as that first demo 8 track I traded that guy with the lazy eye an ounce for."
Frank Fairfield
He plays in old bars, Churches, and at the L.A. Farmers Market with a coffee can at his feet. He has a radio show where he plays old 78s. He's a giant of a man whose banjo looks like a kid's toy in his hands. He is Frank Fairfield and we'd compare his music to other bands, except the kind of music he plays pre-dates the music you listen to! Recorded with just one man and three instruments, his self titled debut is a jaw dropping return to old timey music.
The King Khan and BBQ Show
The new upcoming album, Invisible Girl, from King Khan and BBQ is more of just what you'd expect from these two: toe tapping garage motown that almost sounds too energetic for just two men, even if one of them is in a sequin evening gown. After being disappointed with their collaboration with the Black Lips, these two nugget acolytes have totally redeemed themselves with this new and a bit more polished release.
NEW NEWS
Mississippi Records is stoking our fire as of late, their cache of affordable bluesy records have crawled up and nestled right in our left ventricles. Adam screamed like a woman after finding Abner Jay's album. The son and grandson of slaves in Washington County, Georgia, Jay started playing in medicine shows when he was 5 and is the one man blues equivalent of a punch to the gut.
Matt peed himself a little when he opened a box and pulled out Last Kind Word Blues. Along with a slew of murder-your-neighbor-for-a-copy blues tunes from 1926-53, it contains Geeshie Wiley's heartbreaking title track (that's a $120 78 if you can find it), wonderful music your granparents made your parents to.
Analogue Africa...sigh. We feel about Analogue Africa the way 15 yr old girls felt about Shaun Cassidy during the 70's, whenever one of these hits our record player you can be sure it stays on at least 2 or 3 times. These 2 lp sets are the stuff that makes any group of people begin shakin their booties to the hypnotic beat. Recently we tested this and we received a positive result on 13 out of 17 city buses (3 buses threw us off and 1 had a guy in a Tasmanian devil hat that had obviously already captured everyone's attention).
COMING SHOWS
November 14th Pokey LaFarge & The South City Three at 3 Foods Cafe The Rvierboat Soul that is Pokey and the Souh City 3 return to Humboldt for another night of fun and debauchery with the No Good Redwood Ramblers, after some blue cheese nachos of course.
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November 7th The Legendary Kawabata Makoto of Acid Mothers Temple will play the Jambalaya in Arcata! Backed by Humboldt's newest local band Radio Moscow, clear your schedule for this one because it promises to be one hell of a night!
Ok, Ok, so it's been a LOOONG time since we've blogged but we've been UBER BUSY getting ahold of new companies (including the AMAZING Numero Group) and discovering treasure troves of used up and down the coast. I guess it's paying off, as we've seen alot of new faces and had a nice writeup in thejournal calling us Humboldt's best spot for vinyl dessert!
New music is coming down the pike from all over right now. Being behind the Redwood Curtain means we're often next to the last to hear new bands but at therisk of sounding redundant to those who scour the music blogs, here's some great new bands...
Woods
Our friend Carlos is a music junkie whose tastes don't always match ours so when he said "you HAVE to come see Woods," we didn't know what to expect. What we got was perhaps our new favorite indie band. Mix 1 part pysch guitar 1 indie beard guy with high vocals and 1 part noise distortion and you have Woods. I could go on and make some comparisons but I'll go the local route and say, if Mark Shikuma and Ian from the Alibi both like an album...you should buy two copies.
Le Loup
So I heard the first album these guys put out and it didn't do it for me, however! this new stuff seems to have a panda bear kind of feel that makes everything from driving to doing the dishes and much more pleasant task. A little echo and fuzz over a heavy beat and indie sceaming refrains and I'm sold. Some of the tracks can make you look for the next track button but you gotta allow for a few of those nowadays.
A lo-fi mix of garage and pop, perfect for when the sun is shining. Like the Ruby Suns, Family Portrait combines the folk and indie aspects with a fuzzy lo-fi coating and reverberating refrains that, at times, can remind you of TV on the Radio.
Spindrift
A re-issue that has Adam's nose wide open, Spindrift's soundtrack to movie The Legend of God's Gun" is what happens when a spaghetti western and stone rock have an illegitimate child. Available on golden vinyl and under 20 bucks, what a steal.
Well, that's all for now, we're heading to Hardly Strictly Bluegrass next week and may just return with some new goodies if you've all been good. Don't forget that Hawk and a Hacksaw are coming to town October 10th at Nocturnum, no tix so get there early. That's all Folks!
Ok, we know, we've been lazy. Having not done an entry in awhile, we feel like there's alot to catch you up on. Our soul order hit the shelves with El Michels tribute to both Isaac Hayes and the Wu-Tang Clan! While drooling over the copies, we wiped our mouths with what turned out to be our new favorite soul records! Lefties Soul Connection is raw funk delivered from the heart of Amsterdam, while Soul Messages from Dimona is Numero's answer to that age old question, what happens when soul goes kosher?
But don't think we've forgotten the world of rock, Earth has, what we consider to be one of the best live recorded albums and we've only got a handful of copies of the 3000 that were made. Check out "Radio Earth."
We haven't heard from A Hawk and A Hacksaw since they released their limited dvd/cd with the Hun Hangar Orchestra, this new album has more guest players, old gypsy tunes and, unfortunately, no download with the lp.
Now back to the soul, ever heard of the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble? One of Sun Ra's former bandmates breeds a herd of 9 children and ties them down to music instead of baseball, the result is sock-knocking good brass soul you cannot ignore.
Radio Moscow is coming to Arcata! On tour for their latest release "Brain Cycles," catch them at Auntie Moe's Friday June 26th or Monday June 29th at Jambalaya with DJ Paul Maul.
New loot has come in to the store this week! Adam has gone fully deaf listening to Moss, Nachmystium and Bloodhag, I have been a hip-shakin' slave to the sounds of Pisces, Orgone and the El Michels Affair and Maynard only emerges from the back for Charlie Feathers as of late.
Regardless of your poison though, there's something for us all this week. Sonic Youth releases their newest album "The Eternal", The Budos Band throws us a collection of unreleased tracks in preparation for their 3rd album, Nachmystium puts out their homage to Pink Floyd on "Assassins: Black Meddle Part 1." Also, a whole slew of new comics are on the rack, most importantly the wonderful classics illustrated series, where top artists ave their take on the great works of literature.
This Friday, join us for Arts Alive and the music of Papa Houli & The Fleas. Bob Doran has his photos up on the walls and is offering a prize for whomever can guess the most defunct Humboldt bands from his 16 photo "mantle" collection. Believe it or not, we twitter now, when the occasion demands, the link is listed on the links column to the right or by clicking here.
We're very excited to host Arts Arcata this month, lining our walls with photos by local man-about-town Bob Doran, as well as sweeping our front porch for music by the always impressive Papa Houli & The Fleas. Bob has promised a nice variety of shots depicting his individual perspective on life in Humboldt, especially after dark. The fleas are shining their glossiest shoes and Adam and I might even buy some vino if you promise not to tell Jeremiah.
Boy have we been busy! Last week our shipment full of Fat Possum Records showed up, giving our blues section a much-wanted kick in the ass. The George Mitchell 45's alone are enough to make you want to buy a rocker and a harp, then learn to blow. This week, we've returned from a short trip to comb Revolver, our arms filled with the last copies of everything we could find, new comics and used goodies for our now infamous 5 for 5 table. Sesame Street vinyl, Metal Lp's, and the last of Beck's Stereopathic Soulmanure busted from the trunk of our rented Yaris as we pulled in home for a long night's sleep...or so we thought.
Suddenly we woke up with the Christmas-day like jitters, realizing that Light in the Attic was riding through on their whirlwind tour! Bright and early, they unpacked the van and we had a good old fashioned sidewalk sale, flipping through boxes of incredible Latin soul, funk and old reefer songs form the 20's. The guys were wonderful and they certainly made sure we're stocked with even more goodies before they pulled out of town.
No pictures or info this week, with this much new stuff in stock, you've got to hear as much as you can and so, ON WITH THE PREVIEWS!!!
For our first post this week, move your mouse onto the pictures of our review staff (yeah that's right, we have reviewers), and click to read the wise words of David Stacey, Professor of Jazz, or Mark Shikuma, who has a black belt in obscure music.
This week at Missing Link Records we're gearing up for an exciting Arts Aracata. Besides the big Jeff Demark show at Muddys, there's our Arts shindig with guest photographers Kyle Morgan and Liz Hamala! As usual, we'll be slangin' cookies and juice along with a selection of the finest home brewed soul this continent has to offer...and maybe a little old timey too, just for good measure.
We've got our first Missing Link Label Review courtesy of Mark Shikuma. For our first-ever review, Mark has chosen to touch on the much loved Numero Group. Click Here to Read More At Missing Links Facebook.
This week, with spring dun sprung, our previews are taking a more classic bridal approach. So, lets begin with...
Something Old...
If one more person comes in asking us if we've ever heard of the Fugs, or ever seen their LPs, then leaves without buying one, then we're going to start shaving poser in the back of their hair as they leave the store. Once remembered mainly by music heads and Holy Modal Rounders fans, until a recent Coen Brothers movie, The Fugs formed in New York City in 1965, sounding like a stoned stew of anti-establishment freakout, they performed at numerous anti-war rallies. Their participation in a protest against the Vietnam War, during which they reportedly tried to levitate the Pentagon, is chronicled in Norman Mailer's novel, Armies of the Night.
We can all agree that Metalheads have gotten a bad rap around town where record store s are concerned. Since opening, we've dipped our toes in the black kiddie pool, admitting our own novice experience with the genre, and found alot of local desire for, amongst others, Xasthur.
SOMETHING NEW...
The name "Xasthur" is a combination of "Xastur" and "Xenaoth". The first name is from a Necronomicon paperback and refers to "a demoness who kills people in their sleep." The other refers to a celestial deity in a book on the Afro-Caribbean religion SanterÃa. A one-man ambient black metal band formed by Scott Conner, who has toured with Sunn O))), the 500 copies of his latest release on cassette are already selling for tons online and this month it's released on limited, hand screened regular, or deluxe vinyl with a blood splattered slipmat. Imagine Dick Van Dyke from Mary Poppins, except in heavy makeup and his bass drum is a goat's head.
Australia, when I first thought about it, I couldn't think of anything that had come from there, musically, since Silverchair told us all about their suicidal dream in the nineties. That's why we were so blown away by the awesome radness of this new favorite from faraway.
Something Borrowed...
C.W. Stoneking and the Primitive Horn Orchestra, the name alone makes you have to know more. Adam stumbled on this recent discovery while youtubing and made me watch these men tear 7 Nation Army to pieces wth a blues and old timey ferocity that made it hard to believe they only first heard the tune three weeks before. Raised by Americans in an Aboriginal town in Australia, Stoneking is steeped in that old time tradition of blues, ragtime and calypso. Dubbing much of his music as "Voodoo murder ballads," these guys arrive on the west coast for the first time to play this year's Pick-A-Thon. Keep your fingers crossed that they might stop here afterwards.
Now let's close it off with our own bastardizing of the tradition, we say fuck something blue, howz about,
Something Blues... Considered to be "the first all black rock band," Black Merda started in Detroit in the late 60's. Started by two blues guitarists, the band expanded their sound with soul influences gained by meeting Stevie Wonder and rock taken from a fascination with Jimi Hendrix. After reuniting in 2006, the band released their first album in too many years on Vampi Soul in 2009 and it is as much a mix of blues, rock and funk as their original tunes.
That's it for this week. Remember to buy vinyl, come eat a cookie for Arts Arcata, read Shikuma's awesome review and don't forget, if you're going to ask a record clerk for some obscure title in the hopes of impressing them, be prepared to buy the record when they pull one out.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Another Day In Paradise, that's what the plaza Wookie told me when I passed by today and damn if he wasn't right. We had a great success with our first collaboration show between us and 3 Foods. Striped Pig brought the pot to a furious boil before Pokey and South City Three proceeded to take the stage and blow the doors clean off. If you haven't checked out his music already, come in for a listen to either of Pokey's incredible albums and catch the fever. Below is video from the show, sorry you can't really see anything but the lights were low.
Now for new stuff, this week brings us some eccentric releases, first off Candi Staton, whose syrupy smooth voice drifts over heartful arrangements featuring Andrew Bird on the strings. What with Numero Group getting so much love lately, we're hoping you all read your copy of "This Lp Crashes Hard Drives" carefully and saved a little for Honest Jons Records as well.
Next on the list is the release of Sixto Diaz Rodriguez's second album, "Coming From Reality." Just like the last, this album is a comfy blend of music that sounds like it was made by a Mexican Nick Drake whose trip is starting to kick in.
Ok, we got Soul (check), Pysch (check), now how about some Garage Explosion? Adam is mighty disappointed with you for not strapping on your running shoes to come in for this amazing second album from a band that hails from his hometown of Green Bay.
Time to round things off with the cleanup hitter, Calypsoul 70. From Strut Records, the makers of the definitive story of funky Lagos, comes this mixture of Calypso and Caribbean Soul 69'-79'.
Well, that's it for now, make sure to stop by for tickets to Jeff DeMark's newest show this coming arts alive at Muddy Waters and May 1st we'll see the release of The Monks two LPs from Light in the Attic! --Matt & Adam.
Week 2 comes to a close, and we here at MSR are finding ourselves happy and pooped. Big hugs again to the vinyl buying community for keeping us busy and raiding our stacks. After our day o' rest, expect to see a bunch of Jackie Mittoo, Motown Ska and Garage Rock as we gear up for exciting new stuff from Light in the Attic, Numero Group, Strut Records and some more of our favorite friends. In other news, you can find us on the ole' facebook now at Missing Link Facebook.
Well, we wave goodbye to Record Store Day for another year. Thanks to everyone who came out and bought some music to support music stores in general, and our apologies to those of you who didn't get here soon enough to get your hands on some of the loot. Next year we promise to be stocked a bit more, but with opening our doors in April, we had to bare fangs to get the North Coast what we got.
AND NOW ON TO THE PREVIEWS
Rupa & The April Fishes
Founded in San Francisco by Rupa Marya, a doctor-by-day and singer-by-night born to Indian parents and raised in the U.S., India, and the South of France. whose songs are a mixture of international musical styles, sung in Hindi, French, Spanish and English. Think of it as a female Manu Chao.
In 1965, the Texas tenor sax giant Hal Singer, arrived in Paris and found this new Jef Gilson band a perfect musical blend for his afro centric musical tendencies, the result is one of the catalysts for Afro-Parisian scene that fascinated so many musicians and music fans in the 70s and 80s.
Wishbone’s 12 songs reach far beyond the island rhythms of reggae and into the realms of stone cold soul, funk, gospel and R&B -- an indication of the eclectic sounds that ruled the action-packed live music scene of Toronto in the day.
The return of one of Matt's favorite funky albums! This is the definitive story of Lagos's funky scene during the 1970's. Scope the boots and feel the rumble of power deep down inside you. The 2 disks in this set range everywhere from the heavy ska laced funk to this acousticy gem below.
Rodriguez Even though we must mourn the absorbidant price tag on finding the LP of this, only seven months after its pressing, we have cd's to keep you full of this amazing man's work and with his second album re-hitting stores this next month, be prepared.
First off, thanks to everyone for coming out on Arts Arcata and turning our store into a non-stop soul dance party! As far as we're concerned, let's do it every month. Mike and Sarah put out amazing art, we cranked killer tunes but it was the vegan chocolate chip cookies that stole the spotlight.
Now to turn our attention to Saturday's crop of exclusive releases and a chance for you record nerds to see what is or what isn't hitting the Northcoast for this, our very own version of secretary day.
Light in the Attic creates Legion of Super Heroes-esque Comp. joining forces with nine other independents to produce an equally lavish Record Store Day compilation, in a gatefold-sleeve package.
Wilco DVD! In an effort to boost excitement for Record Store Day (April 18), Wilco is making its new Nonesuch concert DVD, "Ashes of American Flags," available early, and exclusively, to indie retail for the occasion.
Jane's Addiciton 7"
Tom Waits Glitter and Doom 7" In honor of “Record Store Day” on April 18, Waits is releasing an exclusive limited edition 7” single on Anti-Records, because he believes in the importance of the independents. Waits says, “The record store is the livery stable where I can tie up, feed and groom my ears.”
The doors are open and we couldn't be more thankful for the support coming in from the community. Thanks to the long list of people helping us make this a reality (the list of heroes is too long to name here but you know who you are). The Arcata Eye and The Northcoast Journal have stories about us this week, check it out if we haven't already robbed your nearby dispensary (now to clip out the article from each one and send them to our former teachers, relatives, and ex-bosses that called us lazy).
Also, Missing Link T-Shirts are in!! Available in S, M, L, or XL. Coming soon, pictures! We thought about modeling them ourselves but then everyone would think the only sizes they come in are Laurel or Hardy.
As a final gift to our wonderful new customers and fellow Arcatans, here is video of the Monks on German television! Late April sees the re-release of this incredible band's few recordings!!
If anyone out there has a portable hard drive (200gig minimum) or perhaps a fine sofa, the cats at Missing Link are on the hunt for these items (especially Maynard since we put his throne in the front room). --Matt
After much hammering and pricing, we're opening the doors on Monday April 6th at 11:30 (our new customary time...until we start sleeping later). Come on down and pick out some of our booty heh hehe heeh. As a token of our opening esteem, here are a few tracks from the goodies you can find on sale Monday but warning, they'll be gone next week.
