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Chrome Universal: A Survey of Modern Pedal Steel

Imaginational AnthemPosted on

The eleventh installment of Tompkins Square’s routinely superb Imaginational Anthem series, Chrome Universal parts company with the 6 and 12-string territory and delves into some the ever-expanding sonic universe of pedal steel guitar. It’s a beautiful and complex instrument that’s seen a renaissance over the last few years, making its way out of the honky-tonk and charting a course toward a new light of day somewhere between earth and space . . .

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Marva Broome :: Mystifying Mama

Marva BroomePosted on

Marva Broome is one of the many gems on Pierre Barouh and the Saravah Sound, a survey of the label’s unique blend of chanson, jazz, soul, African, and Brazilian influences. It’s an embarrassment of riches comp, ranging from Baroque Jazz Trio’s raga-inflected excursions, the unraveling sax and guitar of “EDF Power,” and the sly nocturnal groove of Pierre Akendengue’s “Orema Ka-Ka-Ka.” The Art Ensemble even turns up again on Brigitte Fontaine’s sultry “Comme La Radio” and behind Alfred Panou’s recitation on “Je Suis Un Sauvage.” Mon dieu . . .

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Mess Esque :: The Aquarium Drunkard Interview

Mess Esque The AD InterviewPosted on

On their self-titled album as Mess Esque, Helen Franzmann and Mick Turner generate poignant and skeletal melodies that float in a self-contained dream pop universe. They joined us to discuss tuning their approach to each other and more . . .

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Howard Roberts :: Guilty

Howard RobertsPosted on

The cover of 1967’s Guilty declares, in bold newsprint, that Wrecking Crew Howard Roberts has been “judged guilty on 11 separate counts of being a dirty, funky, swamp bossa nova guitar player.” With Roberts’ milky smooth tone, fluttering double-stops, and effortless sweeps as evidence, no jury on earth could exonerate him . . .

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The Aquarium Drunkard Show: SIRIUS/XMU (7pm PDT, Channel 35)

SIRIUSPosted on

Join me in L.A. Via satellite, transmitting from northeast Los Angeles — the Aquarium Drunkard Show on SIRIUS/XMU, channel 35. 7pm California time, Wednesdays.

34.1090° N, 118.2334° W . . .

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Transmissions :: Medicine Singers

PodcastPosted on

This week on the show, Daryl Black Eagle Jamieson and guitarist Yonatan Gat join us to discuss their collaborative work as Medicine Singers, which pairs the powwow drum and the voices of the Eastern Medicine Singers with Yonatan’s electrified guitar and contributions from experimental composer Joe Rainey, Ikue Mori of DNA, Thor Harris of Swans, previous Transmissions guest Laraaji, and the late jamie branch. Jamieson and Gat join us to discuss their collaboration . . .

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Posted on Podcast

Link Wray’s Three Track Shack

Link WrayPosted on

...from a decade in obscurity, the king of guitar rumble himself was back. With a stripped-down sound that could have been a companion to Dylan’s Basement Tapes, Link Wray set stereo amplifiers ablaze with “Fire and Brimstone.” A ferocious bottleneck slide exposé kicks off the piece—rest assured listener, the power chording maestro of primitive rock, he remains, but with more than a few new tricks up his sleeve. Phaser-heavy chords wash over the piece as a backbeaten wallop of percussion sends the whole cacophony into a backwoods romp. Then he sings. Wray had experimented with vocals . . .

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Posted on Link Wray

Elkhorn :: Wilderness (Video)

ElkhornPosted on

On their excellent new album Distances, Elkhorn guitarists Jesse Shepherd (acoustic) and Drew Gardner (electric) lean into the rhythmic possibilities afforded by not one but two guest drummers: the Virginia-based Ian McColm and DC percussionist Nate Scheible. The result is an expansive set of tunes like "Wilderness," which floats along a determined but peaceful groove before taking a left turn into knottier territory. Shepherd joins us here to share a DIY-crafted clip for the song, an unfolding collage that suits the song beautifully . . .

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Posted on Elkhorn

Julien Gasc :: Re Eff

Julien GascPosted on

Over the past fifteen years, in addition to his solo career, Julien Gasc made brief stints in Stereolab and Hyperclean. Most notably, though, Gasc has been a core member of Aquaserge, a French outfit that walks a fine line between psychedelic grooves and avant, Henry Cow-like tangents. On his own, Gasc creates pop songs, classifiably . . .

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Lou Reed :: Words & Music, May 1965

Lou Reed The Velvet UndergroundPosted on

Listening to this phenomenal collection of Velvet Underground prehistory, it’s fairly mind-boggling how fast Lou Reed and John Cale moved in the earliest stages of their creative partnership. Less than a year after these acoustic demos were made, the pair were in the studio recording the epochal Velvet Underground & Nico — an LP whose reverberations are still being felt today . . .

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Posted on Lou Reed The Velvet Underground

Radio Free Aquarium Drunkard On Dublab :: September 2022

Radio Free Aquarium DrunkardPosted on

Radio Free Aquarium Drunkard, every third Sunday on dublab. Up first on our four-hour broadcast, Chad DePasquale’s New Happy Gathering, drifting between the seasons with folk, country, ambient & rock. Then, Jason P. Woodbury takes over with Range and Basin, with comic book free jazz, avant-western and ecstatic gospels. Then, Tyler Wilcox pops in Doom and Gloom from the Tomb, with a bunch of solo acoustic Takoma School situations—mostly new-ish stuff, but some dips into the past. Then to close, Tom Scharpling of The Best Show presents The Best Drunk Aquarium Show. Tune in Sunday, September . . .

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Dark Canyon :: S/T

Dark CanyonPosted on

Dark Canyon captures an eclectic mix of outlaw sounds that could have easily fallen out of a Sergio Leone film. The careful consideration of composition and sonic aestheticism is an omnipresent hallmark of Dark Canyon, which combines retro-infused production and filmic songwriting to create a stereophonic homage to the grainy landscapes of the wild west . . .

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Frank Zappa :: Zappa/Erie (Live)

Frank ZappaPosted on

Located roughly halfway between Cleveland and Buffalo in the country side off the 1-90, Erie, Pennsylvania isn’t exactly the first place you’d go looking for rock music. But if you're looking for Zappa? Well then, Erie has plenty for you on that front. Earlier this year, the Zappa estate released a six-CD box set of live material all recorded in the area within a three-year span: a show from May 1974, another from November 1974, and one from November 1976. All three are from Zappa’s mid-'70s prime, and two of them are . . .

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Posted on Frank Zappa

The Aquarium Drunkard Show: SIRIUS/XMU (7pm PDT, Channel 35)

SIRIUSPosted on

Funky crudités. Via satellite, transmitting from northeast Los Angeles — the Aquarium Drunkard Show on SIRIUS/XMU, channel 35. 7pm California time, Wednesdays.

34.1090° N, 118.2334° W . . .

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Posted on SIRIUS

Transmissions :: Gloria de Oliveira and Dean Hurley

Dean Hurley Gloria de Oliveira PodcastPosted on

David Lynch sound designer Dean Hurley and German-Brazilian songwriter and singer Gloria de Oliveira join us on our weekly Transmissions podcast to discuss their haunting cover of Jeff Buckley and Elizabeth Fraser’s “All Flowers in Time,” the myriad ways Lynch influenced the project, and the ever elusive nature of time and existence . . .

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Posted on Dean Hurley Gloria de Oliveira Podcast