ALBUM OF THE WEEK

Karp, 'Self Titled LP' 1997, K Records

To start the new year off right, this is a special icepick attack to your inner ear. Karp was a fucking bad ass band of stoned dudes in Olympia during the nineties. They ripped shit apart and lots of cats try and copy their swag these days. The drums crunch shit and the total fuzz and bass smash pulls the heat off the amplifiers and right onto your head and shit. Karp was also cool because they had a sense of humor and still stomped ass. They had a mutant style of sludged-out punishment and it ruled all alone in its strangeness. It smashes with the heaviness of the Melvins, but has the whole northwestern 'post-hardcore' vibe or whatever. The high pitched, banshee sounding vocals give it this fucked up pop sound like 'classic rock,' maybe like AC/DC or some shit, but waaaay grittier and dirtier and hurt your earsier. They smash through every track on this album, it is a full on rock and roll record, it is bad as fuck. 'Self Titled LP' is their third and final full length, and definitely their most produced album, rad because it sounds huge and great. The earlier LPs like Suplex and lots of their 7"s wreck shit also and are well worth the investigation. After Karp split in 1998, the members did some other bands such as the Whip and Big Business, tragically one of the guys died in an accident, and now Big Business has been adopted or whatever into the Melvins and they play on their records. Anyways 'Self Titled LP' is out of print but you can probably get it without too much effort, its totally worth it. And apparently there is a Karp documentary that will be released this year? That will be radical. Until next time...

and this week with,
Dorth Apocolyptus
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Bismuth
(Bi, atomic number 83) is a chemical element and poor metal. It is pretty much the coolest looking stuff ever. Its crystallized geometric form resembles labyrinths, and its metallic sheen ranges from silvery pink and yellow to blue and green. Also, Bismuth Subsalicylate is the active ingredient in Pepto-Bismol, so it helps with upset stomach and diarrhea.

Soft Focus
An online talk show aired on VBS.tv. One of the main reasons I love this program is the host, singer / "music historian" Ian Svenonius (The Nation of Ulysses, The Make-Up). His sparkling personality in combination with the musicians he chooses to interview make for really interesting conversation. Some of my favorite sessions include Genesis P. Orridge, Penney Rimbaud, Chan Marshall, Calvin Johnson, Will Oldham, and Ian McKay. I also recommend Svenonius' little pink book, The Psychic Soviet.

Kenneth Anger
A two volume dvd was recently released with Anger's short films produced from the late forties to the eighties. His style is highly experimental for his time, and his soundtracks are phenomenal.

My Bed
I have invested a lot of money in making my nest the most comfortable place possible. If I'm going to spend a quarter of my life sleeping, I want it to be koosh.

Celebration
One of my favorite bands ever, because of the dynamic pair Katrina Ford and Sean Antanaitis. This couple has been in four bands together since 2000 (Love Life, Jaks, Birdland). Celebration is their most recent project. They have two full-length albums, my personal favorite is the self-titled from 2006 on 4AD. Antanaitis plays a two-tiered, snakeskin-covered organ while also playing the bass pedalboard with his feet, and simultaneously holding an electric guitar in his lap. An electric keyboard rests atop the organ. Ford has a voice so androgynous, so intoxicating and so varying that I rank her with Nina Simone, Sam Cooke and Antony Hegarty. Their live shows are magical.

We No Fun
I already posted earlier about this vinyl-only comp featuring fifteen bands from Atlanta. Look out for the We No Fun Release Fest at the Drunken Unicorn January 29 – 31.

Jan Svankmajer
This Czech surrealist artist and filmmaker is best known for his use of stop-motion animation. I recommend his full-length features Alice and Lunacy, and also his animated shorts. He is a huge influence on the Brothers Quay and Tim Burton. And he's from my favorite place in the whole world, Prague!

This is Circumstantial Evidence
Three One G records put out a live dvd of the following bands: Moving Units, Jenny Piccolo, Get Hustle, Cattle Decapitation, Swing Kids, Love Life, Orthrelm, The Locust, and The Blood Brothers. Best described as, "raw, dirty, and full of energy."

Kickboxing
I recently started taking classes. My goal is to look like JCVD by March. I feel a montage coming on…

Dinner Parties
This holiday season I have felt like I must be transitioning into adulthood because I have been invited to like three dinner parties in the past two weeks. There's nothing better than spending time with friends and eating delicious home cooked meals while getting sloshed on three bottles of wine. Being an adult is cool.