Number Three Combo - “Resurfacing” (2017) review

Number Three Combo - Resurfacing (SlowBurn Records, 2017)

Multi-instrumentalist Eric Johnson has spearheaded Tucson, Arizona-based SlowBurn Records for three decades, and the label celebrates its 30th anniversary with the third and final release from Number Three Combo. Sadly, it also represents SlowBurn’s final release of original material, although Johnson promises to release archival material from label favourites like Black Sun Ensemble, Sun Zoom Spark, and many others. So fans of the label will have many new and interesting releases to anticipate, but we’ll take a few moments to rejoice and sing the praises of another fine musical biscuit from this heady quartet.

Doctors Of Madness - “Perfect Past: The Complete Doctors Of Madness” (2017) review

Doctors Of Madness “Perfect Past: The Complete Doctors Of Madness” (RPM, 2017)

During their original lifespan, 1974 to 1978, the Doctors Of Madness defied definition as a band as well as the norms of the music industry. Only in retrospect were Richard Strange and his bandmates credited as being “new wave before people were punk” and by logical extension were, therefore, punk before there was punk! RPM Records has collected the band’s complete musical legacy, three LPs and a lone single, supplemented by thirteen previously unreleased tracks in Perfect Past a soon to be released three CD career retrospective box set..

Olli Aarni

“A byproduct of being outdoors, being still and listening”

With Vesiä, 29 year old Finnish artist and musician Olli Aarni made a triple tape box set with recordings of water. 

What does Vesiä mean? 

Vesiä means Waters in Finnish. I wanted to keep it really simple and self-explanatory. I almost always use the Finnish language on the titles of my work, because I’m bored of English most often being the lingua franca for art. 

Wuzi - “DD” premiere

The slacker rockers burst into life in the early months of 2016, born from the member’s shared enthusiasm of relentlessly fuzzed-out guitar riffs juxtaposed with melancholic ambiences. 

WUZI spent 2016 playing shows all around the country and ended the year headlining Indie Week Festival in Toronto. Despite the short time they have been around, their explosive sets have grabbed the attention of a growing army of fans and music scene stalwarts. 

New song “DD” is a follow up to their first single “Atomis”, and the start of a steady stream of singles to be released in 2017. 

“Nocturnal Days”, an interview with Stuart Gray

London based singer- songwriter follows the smoke trails left by his early 70s acid folk heroes. This is dark existential acid folk at its most meditative and transcendental. Songs of death, imprisonment, mutation, and powerlessness are presented amongst lush finger picked melodies, lysergic mellotron swirls and haunted Teutonic synths.

What do you consider to be your first real exposure to music?

My parents were still listening to stuff like Pink Floyd, Hendrix, Cream, Rory Gallagher, Deep Purple when I was an infant in the 70s. One of my earliest recollections as a kid was listening to Meddle in a smoky room and the whale part in “Echoes” giving me the creeps; I still find that bit slightly terrifying. But my parents were really young so from day one I’ve been exposed to this music, which I’m really grateful for. Haven’t moved on a bit really.

Moteur! - “Moteur!” album premiere

Moteur! plays improvised psychedelic music, and was created in 2017 in Montpellier (France) by Léo Minart (guitar), Jude Mas (keyboards), and Guillaume Jankowski (drums). Moteur!’s music is improvised, recorded and overdubbed in the band’s studio, “L’espace ou le poulet”, also the main control room of their associative label Bermuda Cruise, which is releasing this first self-titled album. 

Overcoming any stylistical or temporal border, Moteur! is developing a new music freely inspired by imagination, mystical practices and sonic experimentations. Inheriting from the spirit of rock in opposition, zeuhl and krautrock, the band’s music is original and unique, based on improvisation and openness, and far away from today’s commercial standards and formatting.

Deep Space Destructors interview with Jani Pitkänen

Deep Space Destructors are psychedelic space rock band from Finland, founded in the beginning of 2011 in Oulu. They released several albums, latest being Psychedelogy. Their journey continues towards deeper space and sounds.

Honeybeat: Groovy 60s Girl-Pop

Honeybeat: Groovy 60s Girl-Pop

Compiled by Sheila Burgel (Real Gone Music 2017)

If you’re a fan of The Supremes, The Shanrgi-Las, The Ronettes, etc. there’s nothing wrong with digging on your favorite 1960s girl group artists over and over. But if you have a yearning to dig deeper into this corner of pop and soul music history, there’s plenty of lesser-named yet fully pleasurable acts to discover. Sheila Burgel, the crate-digging catalyst behind the One Kiss Can Lead to Another and Nippon Girls compilations of under-heard feminine musical gems, has now put together this collection of 19 little-known treasures done by female-fronted acts from the 60s. The compilation will more than please those lovers of girl group sounds who want more than what can be heard on oldies radio.

Elephant Stone interview

As word continues to spread around Montreal’s Elephant Stone and their captivating live performances, fans have been treated with the opportunity to enjoy this whimsical display from the comfort of their own home with their Live EP Live At The Verge out now.

The Vacant Lots - “Departure” (2015) review

The Vacant Lots - Departure (2015)

Oddly enough, The Vacant Lots have an EP entitled “Arrival” and the single entitled “Departure,” though neither of these neo-psychedelic classics finds their way onto the album Departure. The songs “Arrival” and “Departure” also do not show up on the compilation album Arrival.

From The Vault: Stereolab - “Peng!” (1992)

Asking a dear friend what he found most compelling about Stereolab, his favorite band, he replied, “They manage to aggregate all of the favorite things I find in underground and pop music, they are totally modern, yet retro in their relentless use of elements both in music, and with musical instruments.” I must say that I couldn’t agree more, so with that in mind, I’m beginning at the beginning with my first Stereolab review … Peng!.