RECENTLY...FEB 2023

Here we go with a plethora of sounds from near and far, recent and from years past that have been blowing up the spot here at the 5th Ave Cat Sanctuary here in (currently balmy, relatively speaking) Saskatoon SK.

JAIRUS SHARIF/ WATER AND TOOLS

2022 Telephone Explosion Records LP

Unmoored and leaning into forever far out sounds from Calgary and released on the venerable Telephone Explosion label outta Toronto. Jairus weaves organs, guitars, horns, sounds, whatever he has at hand  it seems, into widescreen tapestries of blare and reverie that can recall Pharaoh Sanders in a top down jeep, a darkened sky threatening rain, quiet moments of bliss and dense soundtrack music of the highest order. Assisted by label-mate and Badge Epoque Enemble chief head Max Turnbull on some of these jams, this collection of recordings are a stone cold wonder and deffo this LP is one of the best to come out of our little vast corner of existence in quite some time. The near 12 minute opener Humility expands very nicely, currents of melody bumping up against each other in an organic and unhurried way. 9-5 Silver has some Blade Runner-esque gas exhalations, orbits of a solar giant, organ dives into large pools of liquid sand, beauty, this track.

 Earth III's concrete bleeps and blops cascade over splashed drums and converge alien dreams into conscious daytime traffic. Title track Water And Tools is one of my favorites, like early Tortoise perhaps, but with a nice epic slanted chatter. Evoking the spirit of early seventies post/jazz/fusion is a hard fucking thing to do, and he does so with ease and confidence here and all over this album. A true head, obviously, who has digested a lot of adventurous sounds and has sketched out this fantastic collection of tracks. A wonderful album. Support and dig if you like out-there, truly creative folks doing top shit.

https://jairussharif.bandcamp.com/album/water-tools

PETE ROCK/ RETURN OF THE SP1200 VOL 2

Tru Soul Records 2022

Anytime Pete drops a new collection of instrumental jams (not even mentioning his extensive discography of production efforts for a multitude of MC's over the years), I for one sit up and take notice. Pete's breezy and intensely psychedelic beat workouts are an essential ingredient around this place, for sure. From 1992's Mecca And The Soul Brother (with CL Smooth), he has maintained a signature sound, often duplicated and bitten by more than a few producers over the yeras, but, as they say, never bettered. Smoked and aged like fine wine, this record fits snugly with his other instrumental comps, like the Petestrumental series of records (Pt 4 out now too) and Vol 1 of these SP1200 joints. Need to centre yourself? Step up to the ruler, he will treat you right.

AMON DUUL 2/ VIVE LA TRANCE

United Artists 1973

An album by the German group that seems to get very short shrift by nearly everyone (yeah, I get it, its not Phallus Dei, but it still rules).

Maybe it's because I'm currently on a Roxy Music tip as of late, but this one makes a lot of sense when you listen to both groups in their 1973-75 incarnations. Both had a very fun and smart take on "pop music" that was happening at that time, super subversive and done for the heads as well. AD definitely were on a bit more of a harder political edge lyric-wise (to be expected, given their previous work) and this LP is a total monster for me. Perhaps a bit more structured and bucolic than the earlier albums but they lost none of the bite and sense of play here (after this one it starts to get a bit more dicey as far as I'm concerned, but hey, the way it goes).

So get lost in this fucking insane track, Mozambique. An commentary on European colonialism in Africa lyrically, set to a  jam out that will light your curtains on fire.

 Mozambique - Amon Düül II (1973) - YouTube

ASTRUD GILBERTO/ NOW

Perception Records 1972

Wow! Just a wonderful batch of songs, produced by Astrud and arranged by Eumir Deodato and featuring Ron Carter, Billy Cobham and Airto Moreira amongst many others on the instruments. One can hear the influence on Stereolab all over this one, it should go without saying. 

"Easy Listening" records rarely sound this good and well crafted and the bossa/jazz vibes sound like a soft summer afternoon. Some of the lyrical content is a bit, uh, dated and of its time, shall we say. But hopefully it doesn't overwhelm the listener of today. Have a listen to the track Take It Easy My Brother Charlie below and enjoy. Spring is coming soon.

Take It Easy My Brother Charlie - Astrud Gilberto - YouTube

LOOP/ FADE OUT

Reactor 1988 (2008 Remaster)

Robert Hampson and crew produced this blazing storm of Stoogian feedback and repetitive glory in 1988, enjoying quite a bit of success on the UK indie scene for this statement of intent along with their notoriously loud live shows.

Along with Spacemen 3 (with whom they feuded in the UK press at the time for allegedly ripping the Spacemen off, bit of truth there but I think they have their own wing of the drone/ space rock complex entirely), Loop ushered in a minimalism into rock at the time, eschewing orthodoxy for investigations into volume and simple riffs. Again like SP3, the Velvets and Stooges are major touchstones, along with interest in durational music like Terry Riley/ Elaine Radigue and also the 60's garage bands. It's easy after all the passage of time since the release of this album in 88 to forget how reductionist/ maximal this music is. It's actually a bit opaque and forbidding on first listens, but reveals itself on repeated airings to be full of light and shade. Also, it just plain rocks, which is no bad thing in and of itself! Not to go on, just turn it up and go. Like the Bruce McCulloch record store character in Kids In The Hall says, when talking about The Doors, "go steal a car and drive west...". Or something to that effect.

THANK YOU CHAD MUNSON FOR TRADING ME THIS ALBUM.

https://loopbandofficial.bandcamp.com/album/fade-out-remastered