John Prine - Diamonds in the Rough

One of the finest moments from the late singer, released on Atlantic in 1972. There is more passion and booziness here than on his debut; many tracks speak of real pain ("whisky and pain, both taste the same..."). We can hear Prine's talent for inhabiting the lives of the downtrodden with great Christian empathy ('Billy the Bum') as well as his everyman philosophising, for example on 'The Late John Garfield Blues':

An old man sleeps with his conscience at night
Young kids sleep with their dreams
While the mentally ill sit perfectly still
And live through life's in-betweens

A1. Everybody
A2. The Torch Singer
A3. Souvenirs
A4. The Late John Garfield Blues
A5. Sour Grapes
A6. Billy The Bum
A7. The Frying Pan
B1. Yes I Guess They Oughta Name A Drink After You
B2. Take The Star Out Of The Window
B3. The Great Compromise
B4. Clocks & Spoons
B5. Rocky Mountain Time
B6. Diamonds In The Rough

flac/16-bit

George Jones Salutes Hank Williams

Released in 1960 on Mercury, this is the first of two collections of Hank Williams material from George Jones (you can find 'My Favorites of Hank Williams' below). There are more lively dance tunes here than on the later collection, with Jones singing foot tapping Williams classics such as 'Hey Good Lookin'', 'Howling at the Moon', 'Settin' the Woods on Fire' and 'Jambalaya' alongside several crooned ballads. Jones' voice is less well rounded and confident here, sounding closer to his writer in his interpretation. This is not a drawback, though, as George Jones' Hank Williams impression is still better than any number of other singers. This is the 1984 reissue LP that unfortunately (and for no obvious reason) is missing two tracks from the original that you can see listed on the cover here: 'Window Shopping' and 'Nobody's Lonesome for Me'.

A1. Cold Cold Heart
A2. Hey Good Lookin'
A3. Howlin' At The Moon
A4. There'll Be No Teardrops Tonight
A5. Half As Much
B1. Jambalaya (On The Bayou)
B2. Why Don't You Love Me
B3. Honky Tonkin'
B4. I Can't Help It
B5. Settin' The Woods On Fire

flac/16-bit

Mo・Te - Life in a Peaceful New World

Perhaps Fumiyuki Nagura best known release, this tape from 1996 is mixed from sounds taken from three self titled cassettes and remixed by American Tim Oliviera (Stimbox). Reverb drenched and atmospheric, the noise here paints a dystopian tapestry of fear and nuclear holocaust. Originally issued on Tim Oliviera's Hebi Like a Snake label in an edition of 50, and reissued as a CD in 2018 on Audio Dissection/Industrial Recollections.

A. Untitled
B. Untitled

mp3/v0

Gremlynz / Ajilvsga

Split between ambient/experimental project Gremlynz and psychedelic noise/drone duo Ajilvsga. Released on Canadian label Prairie Fire in 2010 in an edition of 85. The Gremlynz side is made up of calm but ominous drones, juxtaposing Ajilvsga's more dynamic feedback-based noise work on side B. 

A. Gremlynz - Bad Omens & Shit
B. Ajilvsga - Knee Prints Along The River Banks

mp3/320kbps

Ajilvsga - Three Heaps of Skulls

More from 2008 from Ajilvsga. Released on Philadelphia label Peasant Magik, which seems to have been inactive since 2012. Features heavy, natural sounding drone in their usual style with themes of conjuring pagan deities. Edition of 100.

A. Old God Wearing Deer Headress
B. Death God With Leg Terminating In Flower

mp3/160kbps

Ajilvsga - Last of the White Buffalo

Stunning psychedelic drone/noise from duo Brad Rose and Nathan Young. Released in 2008 at the peak of this project's run (it seems to be inactive now, sadly) on New York City-based experimental rock/folk/improv label Abandon Ship Records. The themes are deep, spiritual Americana with a focus on pagan rituals. The audio equivalent of an Alfred Jacob Miller painting. It is thick, heavy music with the perfect balance between noise and tone to create a hallowed natural sound.

A. Bloody Knife
B. Two Dead Buffalo

mp3/v0

Birth Refusal - 8621 Boyz

Birth Refusal is a collaborative project between Wolf Eyes members John Olson and Mike Connelly, active from 2003-2012. This tape was released in 2007 on American noise/experimental label Tapeworm Tapes. Features fairly sparse, slow moving noise with a lot of intricacy and detail.

A. Untitled
B. Untitled

mp3/320kbps

Robedoor - Hopeless Transformation

Heavy, psychedelic distorted drones from the experimental group. Released on California label Goaty Tapes in 2007. An interesting collage of sounds: noise creeps in through distortion as we hear repeating symbols, possibly vocal based drones, among others, working into a mesmering rhythm pattern.

A. Scaled Apparition
B. Violent Memory

mp3/256kbps

Hive Mind / Workbench - Flash Flood

Split 12" LP released on Greh Holder (Hive Mind)'s Chondritic Sound and Mike Bernstein (Workbench)'s Heavy Tapes in 2005. Looping, exploratory psych noise with some harsher parts.

A. Hive Mind - Untitled
B. Workbench - Untitled

mp3/192kbps

Haare - Psychedelic Funeral

Released in 2007 on Swedish noise/industrial label Abisko, which boasted releases from Mania, Government Alpha, Kakerlak, The Rita, Gelsomina, Jazkamer and Jarl. Appears to have been inactive since 2009. This particular release is typical of the hypnotic, mesemerising noise style of this project, with themes of paganism, psychedelia and death.

A. Psychedelic Funeral
B. Bardo Thodol

mp3/320kbps

Failing Lights - Black Swamps

Release from the Mike Connelly project on US-based cassette label Tapeworm Tapes in 2007 in an edition of 61. The sound is discrete, fuzzy, slow building distortion work.

A. Untitled
B. Untitled

mp3/320kbps

John Fahey - Days Have Gone By

Features some of John Fahey's most inspired playing and audio experimentation. On almost every song here we hear moments of music that defy the ordinary, being laid down like a true American storyteller - creating new ideas seemingly from nothing. It could be said, however, that the success of Fahey's playing lies in the general orthodoxy of his influences: "American Primitivism," a term he coined to describe his playing, is very illuminating. Fahey blends together what the average American would know well, from folk standards ('My Grandfather's Clock') to blues ('Joe Kirby Blues') to hymns ('My Shepherd Will Supply My Needs') to the national anthem of Finland ('We Would Be Building'). The building blocks of Fahey's genius are (almost) all immediately familiar, and this is perhaps how he taps into the 'myth' of America so powerfully. Here Fahey's playing begins to be enjoined with artfully placed reverb, the sounds of thunder, rain and trains; more that stuns us into a dreamlike state to be party to the intense relationship shared by the man and his guitar.

A1. Revolt Of The Dyke Brigade
A2. Impressions Of Susan
A3. Joe Kirby Blues
A4. Night Train Of Valhalla
A5. Portland Cement Factory At Monolith, CA
A6. A Raga Called Pat - Part One
B1. A Raga Called Pat - Part Two
B2. My Shepherd Will Supply My Needs
B3. My Grandfather's Clock
B4. Days Have Gone By
B5. We Would Be Building

flac/16-bit

Jack Rose - Luck in the Valley

The late guitarist plays esoteric, eastern influenced blues pieces alongside traditional accompanied blues and country dance numbers in material recorded the year of his death. Rose always wore the influence of John Fahey on his sleeve (even if he rarely gave as much credit as was often due), and this is very clear here. Rose seems relaxed and easygoing for most of this record, with the click clack footstomping accompaniment (harmonica, jew's harp, banjo, bones) driving his playing and achieving a fine balance between down-home, unpretentious old fashioned blues playing and the more esoteric experiments of Fahey et al. It is a joy to hear Rose's final jam sessions on record even if this is not the cerebral exegesis of the man's talents we can find elsewhere in his discography.

A1. Blues For Percy Danforth
A2. Lick Mountain Ramble
A3. Woodpiles On The Side Of The Road
A4. When Tailgate Drops, The Bullshit Stops
A5. Moon In The Gutter
B1. Luck In The Valley
B2. Saint Louis Blues
B3. Tree In The Valley
B4. Everybody Ought To Pray Sometimes
B5. West Coast Blues

flac/16-bit