Ruby Falls- Hysteria (wav)

I never remember to update this blog, and no one reads it, so I guess it's safe to post a few songs here, right? Ruby Falls were a primarily grrrl band that straddled the lines between riot grrrl and the then burgeoning post-hardcore scene. Imagine part Pixies, part Bikini Kill, with a good helping of Fugazi because who doesn't like Fugazi? Unlike most bloggers, I'm gonna shut the fuck up and let one of my favorite 90s bands speak for themselves. Wav rip from near mint vinyl. Absolutely fucking recommended if you like Sleater-Kinney or if you're a human being who feels emotions. Link the comments.

Drag Triplets- Crushing 7" (1995) (320kb)

Today's post comes from the mid 90s world of Alt Rock, with all the trappings and connotations that includes. The artwork and black and white 7" brings you back to the era when all rock bands thought they could be the next big thing and film was still the only medium around.

Sonically, it reminds me a lot of mid 90s post hardcore along the lines of Drive Like Jehu and Capt'n Jazz, with female vocals and a more straightforward punk/grunge song structure. I'm a sucker for post-hardcore, and it's hard to find with female vocals. In those days, there was a pretty pronounced gender gap (which still exists, it's just different genres) where men formed emo/post-hardcore/post-rock bands and women formed riot grrrl bands. This record straddles between punk, riot grrrl, and post-hardcore so it seems a little disheveled. As a retrospective however, it works well.

Link in the comments.

Jeanette- In the Morning (1983)

Jeanette's first single is in many ways is a synth cross between Nico and Kate Bush's atmospheric production and approach, and the results are as interesting as both of those artists without the depth or originality. The production is actually very reminiscent of quiet Italo Disco- dark synths buried in the mix, world beats filtered through an European lens, however, it has a very distinct British feel to it, due to its indebtedness to early Industrial Records releases and Throbbing Gristle. I love it, and played it on my show, but it's not going to woo any new fans into the world of minimal synths. However, I think those who enjoy the blog and the show will dig it. Links in the comments.

Hello I'm a Truck (S/T 7")

Off kilter 90s Indie Rock, reminds me a lot of Archers of Loaf. Personally, I prefer side B. It's grungy, with time signature changes and enough interesting interweaving guitars to make more interesting than most rock of the era. I'm planning on playing it tomorrow on my radio show, calling all girls on KDVS!

D/L link in the comments, enjoy. The pic is from their self titled cd, not 7", FYI.

Destroy All Monsters- What Do I Get?

Destroy All Monsters started as an experimental rock band, but shifted into punk territory in the late 70s. The What Do I Get? is definitely on the punk side. You can tell they're gasping at stardom, bordering on heavy metal/power-pop territory at times, yet there is still a flavor from their earlier experimental work. I particularly like this single/ era of the band because it forces you to reevaluate genre-ificiation, to open up your mind and to simply enjoy the music. To that end, they succeed, though it is a little dated now and holds little value to those not already fans of the early punk era. So, I present this to you as mostly a time capsule and a curiosity for those who enjoy this era of rock music.

Link below, 320kb vinyl rip.

Valerie Stadler (Songs of Alienation)

In my musical travels I occasionally come across new music discoveries that are so quintessentially of my taste I am surprised; I wonder how I have never heard of this, after all of my searching? It is both beautiful to be reminded that my search will always reward me and that while I search and DJ for many reasons, at the end of the record I can still be reawakened to my passions by some new voice, new song, crawling inside my psyche. I am a very picky, and this doesn't happen often, but that makes it all the more sweet when it does. A few days ago, I was down in the basement at KDVS and noticed someone hadn't refiled a small stack of 7" in one of our listening rooms. Partly out of curiosity and partially because of my peeve of unfiled music, I picked the stack up to put it back in the stacks. On top was a hand drawn cover, very unassuming, almost amateur (not in the now cool hipster way) artwork. I noticed it was by someone called Valerie Stadler, so I figured I might as well give it a shot, as I give anything with female vocals a shot. To keep the story short, as soon as the needle hit the first groove, I knew I found another lost gem in the basement of KDVS.

I immediately searched for her on the absolutely prehistoric computer that lives in that room, the curiosity burning inside me like the worst heartburn. I wanted, nay, needed to understand who made this, her context, her time, her experience. I could tell she resided from San Fransisco from the label and the art (thanks to the triangle building for always being immediately identifiable). I was able to dig up she played at the Fillmore a few times in the early 90s, yet no info on discogs or any direct links to her music online. I'm still puzzled- how could someone be as popular in the local scene at the time to play at the Fillmore be completely forgotten?

That's what I live for though, to scour the depths of KDVS where no other DJs travel anymore, with no relationship to time, hoping to find these lost treasures. Musically, she's essentially Joni Mitchell if she was young in the midst of the modern indie/DIY movement. Her voice, passion, and energy are the same. I mean this as a compliment of the highest order, as she truly does deserve the comparison Her guitar playing and accompanying player/ backup vocalist (hardly noticeable until I saw the insert inside the sleeve) have the effect of having a real life delay and the added complexity and diversity of two guitars. The songs and lyrics are hauntingly simple (alienation is definitely the obvious but still creatively realized theme) but with an added intrigue only offered by an almost 'secret' companion.

Track one, "Nightmare 66", has the clearest Joni Mitchell influence, but personally tracks two "Evelyn's Tracks" and track four "Elations" are the strongest. Track two may be the strongest because she really lets her voice out of the cage (At times, it reminds me of Mia Zapata from the Gits) and has the most intricate/interesting guitar playing. However, "Elations" is the most haunting and the best use of the two player aesthetic.

I also do apologize for the lack of new material, this blog dies alot. I should keep on top of it more. Now that I have better access to rare stuff there will be more posts.

320kb rip from vinyl. Link in the comments. Enjoy!

Bagarre- Circus (1982) (320kb)

This record fits this blog's mission, but perhaps not its readers. By that, I mean, if you like and read this blog, you probably enjoy early 80s post punk and new wave with female vocals. However, many (at one point in time, myself) 'femme vox' fans have never heard of a genre called italo disco.  This is too bad, as it is essentially the disco version of New Wave, at least in Europe (obviously). Like in many punk and inspired genres (new wave and early electronic music) there was an explosion of female vocalists, and combined with disco's already existing propensity towards female vocals, this means that there is an entire genre of music with loads of female vocals and punk inspiration that most Americans have never heard of. That's just a shame to me, especially since i'm a fan of italo disco and female vocals (also obviously).

For the uninitiated, Italo Disco is essentially minimal electronics akin to the British and French electronic scenes of that era, but with a unique, pop bent- it's not an Italian version of American or British synth pop (electronic music rooted in rock based pop), although the two can overlap, it's disco (electronic music rooted in disco). The distinction makes sense once one emerges themself in the European electronic scenes of the early 80s. It just happen to originate in Italy, and that is a whole different story, for a whole different post. Continuing on...

Video: Bagarre- Lemonsweet (the most common song played in the clubs, back in the day, somewhat ironic as it's about a person who collapses in Studio 54 while on drugs).

That bring us to this post and how it has to do with this blog. Bagarre was an early Italo band that blends the line between New Wave, Post Punk, and Italo Disco, and it's quite fun, and held up very well (and that's saying a lot, in a period where a lot of music has not held up so well...). In fact, Twin Shadows did a cover of one of their songs on this album last year, called "changes" which you should also check out. The album is a mix of awesome guitar loops, with such trendy 80s sheen you can imagine it being played in any John Hughes film. The vocals are quite good for Italo Disco (they often couldn't speak English, so the vocals were often enjoyably horrible) however the singer is part English. This allows her to give the songs some actual lyrics rather than the standard meaningless disco lyrics of the era. It's got saxophones, drum machines, and lots of moaning. Some songs sound like electo disco jams, some sound like they belong on one of Calvin Johnson's infamous female vocal post punk cassettes. Anyways I hope you give it a try, even if you didn't understand a thing I just wrote about. A flac and a 320kb mp3 link are in the comments. Enjoy!

FYI: If you really enjoy the album, a bootleg repressing of the original vinyl can be found on discogs for pretty cheap for italo disco standards (about $20 US, plus shipping). They also put out a number of 12" singles and another album Epitaph in 1985.

Christina Carter- Obelisk 7"

I've been a fan of her work for a while, very haunting, minimalist experimental folk sort of stuff. Great listening for cold, dark fall weather. It's bleak but doesn't seem hopeless, it's beyond grasping or understanding but never strikes you as foreign- she has a wonderful way of mirroring the haunted soundscapes of nature with her work that comes off as honest, as unknown, just like nature itself. This type of music is meant to be felt not written about however, so I urge you to take a listen and then support her work by purchasing the 7"- the proceeds go to help musician Tom Carter after his illness on tour.

Released on Emerald Cocoon records, a great experimental label I suggest you check out.
Emerald Cocoon Records

Help Tom Carter

Recorded from Vinyl, Flac file approx. 20mb. Link in comments.

Blog is back from the dead! If links are dead...

Let me know and i'll re-up them. I cleaned up dead links, freshened everything up, and soon will post some new material tomorrow. Keep your eyes open!

who I'm in love with...nowadays!

*cough cough*
*is this thing on?*

I hate midtermz, but the one thing I do like about them is that they make me listen to music beyond what is required for my radio show (think the complete opposite of what I post on this blog, ;P). I study listening to music, so I make it my "sit on the bed with big80s headfonze in some stereotypical Johnhues fashun"   rock/folk recurd time. Thosewhoknowmeknow I LIKE the folkstuff4musicstudyingso I was getting coZEE with Alela Diane's album that came out right when I heard it (spoiler al3rt: she's the focuz of theenext POSTof this bLOG, she just keeps getting betterANDshe has givemne NO choice byt to speck favorbly4her). Of curseu can't curse on kDVs, slipping back into old listening habits! caused! somewhat?somehow of a music relapse into the world
of female vocalsYcute twee punsYriot grrrlY"snaps" of approval. But sometimes I miss being a somewhat normal DJ on KDVS, but let's keep Boris out of this. andout of of thebigblackcloud over theplane of nevada hey hey that wusz aninside JK!

Yikes, too much personal shit and weird thought patterns. Long story short, before I knew it, I was naked and cracked out, wandering the streets of midtown Sacramento hipsterironically with my old walkman listening to a shitty tape copy of an album that I just fell in love even though its kinda a ripoff and its actually not even new butstill reallyawesomeandit'sby Blockshot-CUUULso: Normally, I try and pick a cool female fronted hip band with a new record from the bay area for my "who i'm in love with" band. But hell, whaddya know, I've already been in love with the Sandwitches and Shannon and the Clams, the only bands that meet that criteria with new albums that I can recall in the aftermath of my postmiderm slushbrain. So now, I'll expand my horizons to Germany.

Blockshot is the moderNold soundsof your favorite Riot Girrrl headbanzssss:=sound wise, think Excuse 17, but not quite capturing the ferocity of Carrie Brownstein at her best. God, SO GOD GREATONY it's cerreal to begreat to be back in punk land, where being a music nerd is like a warm gluve. yikesosIheard their most recent album came out in 2008, but since ever since I heard the Pixies I haven't known where my mind is; I just heard it recentlyONKDVSINDAVISKALIFUNRIA

THUS IT IS WITH GREAT PRRLEASURRRE THAT I ANNOUNCE TO YOU THIS MPFREE
song: Yesterday, You Were Too Drunk, Today You're Not Drunk Enough
album: After the Beep
listen: here

//////\\\\\\\heyheyHEY I almustve forGETTEN that I alwayze put up a tracker2fer U to enjoy frUM my old "whu i be in luv widride now" so here goes herez a coolnewgarageypoppyrockabilly track from!...none other then SHANNON and her CLAMZ. perk up yr earzwith a new sneakypeekyboo ofs their NEW NEW album
sleep talk

Keep tuned for my review of Alela Diane's new album...

...this post was also randomly inspired by David D. Young's poetry. He usually publishes his work in KDViationS (here), although I AM SOSAD toANNOUNCE that I don't have as much crateACTIVITY as heduZ.

-ginger snap!
don't buy that Boris shit dudez

Pearly Dewdrops 12-6-10

Here's today's playlist. This will be the last "pearly dewdrops" forever, so i've decided to colalate a sort of "best of" the show, with mostly my favorite albums and bands I've featured on the show. Call in (530) 752 2777 and say hi/request something!

Playlist:
Tracy + the Plastics- The Myth of the Front

airbreakairbreakairbreaairbreakairbreakairbreakairbreak 

Pens-I Sing Just for You
Vivian Girls- Wild Eyes
Fleeting Joys- Lights Underground
Lung Leg- Disco Biscuit
Finally Punk-Penguin
airbreakairbreakairbreaairbreakairbreakairbreakairbreak 
Twin Sister- Lady Daydream
Mutating Meltdown- Fantasy
Cocteau Twins- Pearly Dewdrops Dew
Belleruche- Northern Girls
Kellarissa- Pienet Sanat
June Madrona- Roll On Columbia
airbreakairbreakairbreaairbreakairbreakairbreakairbreak 
Chelsea Wolfe- Your Name
Christina Antipa- Where Are You Going, Whoever You Are
Emily Frembgen-Why? 
Sarah June- In Your Chevrolet
Hell-Kite- Cabin
airbreakairbreakairbreaairbreakairbreakairbreakairbreak 
Nu Sensae- I'm a Body
L:ittle Lungs- Pet Cemetary
Vapid- Sex Stain
White Lung- Elf/546 Kids
airbreakairbreakairbreaairbreakairbreakairbreakairbreak 
Chin Chin- Proud Soldiers
Fuzzbox- Wait and See
Neverever- Blue Genes
Grass Widow- Shadow
airbreakairbreakairbreaairbreakairbreakairbreakairbreak 
Foot Ox- The Untrained Ear
The Corin Tucker Band- Half a World Away
The Sandwitches- Fire

Chin Chin- Sound of the Westway

The other high quality post of this expired, so I decided i'd post it up here. Swiss (they don't put out much, but what they do is awesome!) female vocalist fuzz/pop/punk/c86 type awesomeness circa the mid 1980's. Re-released on slumberland records (of course!) earlier this year. The only thing you need to know is that you need to download this and listen ASAP.

d/l here (320kb)

buy it here

Fur Cups for Teeth- fcfu

I'm back! This time I actually have music, too!

Today I have one of my favorite new releases and bands, Fur Cups For Teeth. A weird name, I know. I don't get it, so don't ask me.

Fur Cups For Teeth are from Brooklyn. Sonically, their most defining feature is their harmonies, which are very sweet and filter and intertwine through every song. It's upbeat pop with a strong guitar bite in most of the songs, but not all. Sometimes they play with a drum machine and some synths, but oddly, it retains the feel of the guitar songs. That impresses me while giving the album an interesting edge that makes it more rewarding to listen to than most indie rock albums out these days. They go from sounding like riot grrrl/pop punk bands like Partyline to a female modern day Ramones, to a few other musical lands and back.

As I sometimes gripe about those musical vegetables, this band fills my (and your) inner nerdy female indie-rock vegetable palate. Although, you're not supposed to like your vegetables, so perhaps Fur Cups For Teeth is more tantamount to a giant bacon double cheeseburger. Either way you slice it (pun intended, hehe) this band will impress you, rock you, and definitely make you want to dance. Now, only if they'll come play at KDVS' O:RMF. A boy can dream.

Here at 320kb.

Wild Flag Pictures

Yep, I finally got around to finishing all those pictures I took from when Wild Flag came through Sacramento. I'll get around to posting the Grass Widow and Eux Autres pictures later (they also played).

I'll post something music-wise tomorrow, (aka later on today) so come on back.

Wild Flag Photos here
ps. the password is catattack

Enjoy!

Wild Flag- Romance

I stumbled across a couple videos of Wild Flag. They are a new indie rock supergroup, and I mean SUPER group. It seems Carrie Brownstein is doing most of the vocal work and lead guitars. Mary Timony backs up the vocals and the guitars, and Janet Weiss rocks out on drums. You may know Carrie and Janet from their earlier work in Sleater-Kinney. It sounds like a mix of Sleater-Kinney, Helium, and the Mary Timony Band. I'm obviously not arguing.

When they come through Sacto this Wednesday, we may record them (we record most bands that come through). If we do, I'll see if I can get my greedy selfish little hands on it. If nothing else, I will be taking pictures.

Endive/Ice Nine Split 7"

I had a request for some Endive. Here's the split 7" they did with Ice 9. I'll copy their only 7" later and post it as well. Emo/post rock/indie rock with female vocals. They were from Indiana, and members are now in Majhas.

Download here (only 192, sorry)

Other 7" to come soon.

Ballad of a Ladyman: The First Mix

I was spurred by a friend to make a mixtape; instead of wasting a cd and the gas that it would take to send it to her; I'll just post it up here. Plus, then you all can hear it as well.

It's all stuff from my library, and all the bands start with "A". It's a fall mix, with lots of quiet soft sounds. There's some folk, rock, a hint of ambience, a dash of dream pop, and the always successful and popular indie pop. This gives you an idea how ridiculously big my music collection is, since I started the mix with over fifty songs to bring you these sixteen. Since everyone these days is all "try before you buy", I'll apply that motto to this. See what you're going to download before you waste that bandwidth. Most of these bands, on the "obscurity level meter", peg basement level. As in the basement level of KDVS, ha.

Anyways, this mix, titled "subversive soft sounds", contains the following bands:

Aberfeldy

Aberdeen

Aikagi

Adrian Orange and her Band

A House

Able Tasmans

Acetone

Acid House Kings

Adam and Darcie

Adamo

Aden

Ai Pheonix

Ak-Momo

Ana D

Ai Aso

Ane Brun

Listen and enjoy.

D/L here in 320kb

Cold Cold Hearts (flac)

Indie rock/ riot grrrl supergroup of sorts. This one's a request, but also for all you riot grrrls out there too. Features Allison Wolfe and Erin Smith of Bratmobile, and Katherine Brown and Nattles of the Cutthroats. They were active in the Washington D.C. indie scene, which was pretty hip in the 90's. Unfortunately, they broke up after this (their debut) album. Anyways, highly recomended for whoever likes/follows my sporatic blog postings.

D/L flac here

Sex Gang Children- Blind (flac) and Sebastiane (192)

One of my favorite original British goth bands, and the first posting on this blog to not have female vocals, but it was a request. So that makes it ok. Lots of great bass, tribal drumming and everything you know and love of original goth.

Read their synopsis on allmusic here for their complicated history.

Today I have for you their main "album", Blind, and one of their early EPs, Sebastiane. A pretty decent introduction to the band, plus, it's all I have of them, hehe.

D/L here