Franco Battiato - Clic LP [UK VERSION] (1974)

A big name in synth and avant-garde, Franco Battiato is a veteran in numerous forms of expression. He is perhaps best known for his first LP, Fetus, a cornerstone release for prog and synth-based music. Tonight, I share with you his fourth album, Clic, a mostly instrumental album touching on a variety of textures, sounds, themes, moods and interestingly an about face in songwriting. Franco's early work is often aligned with progressive-related genres, however this album branches out noticeably. Perhaps taking cues from Brian Eno (for what it's worth, Here Come the Warm Jets was released the same year) and other ambient artists active at the time, Franco uses a plethora of synths and drones to create tranquil atmospheres reminiscent of, well, 70s synth in general. He is not without his psych influence either, touching on psych-out themes throughout the only predominately vocalized track "No U Turn," which among its peculiar bursts of oddity features various operatic voices including his own crooning throughout the track. Apart from that, the album is overtly ambient in theme. Fans of current synth artists are sure to notice similarities here.

It should be duly noted that this is ripped from the UK version, that is the 1974 Island Records pressing. The original, Italian pressing it a great deal different from this one.

Franco Battiato - Clic LP MediaFire

The Knit Separates - Maybe In Time I Could Change & The Memory Relaxer 7"

The Knit Separates were a band from San Francisco that, oddly enough, included a member of Social Unrest. (Incidentally, I just passed up an opportunity to pick up that band's SU-2000 LP yesterday...) While Social Unrest played pretty standard 80's hardcore in Berkeley, the Knit Separates go in a completely different direction. These two 7"s are great and, I daresay, abstract examples of the "lo-fi" sound that was reigning during the early-to-mid 90's.

On a side note, I use the term lo-fi with slight reluctance, as it's a word that I have superficial problems with. What could be called lo-fi back when and what is called lo-fi now are two different things. In my opinion, it is something that is now applied aesthetically, and as a means of projecting a band's image. And besides that, it's a rather stupid term. With that said, let's move on.

These records are very interesting to me, although there is nothing complex nor particularly profound about these recordings. However, it's their unrefined, minimal qualities that make them as beautiful and genuine as bands like Un. Both bands have a similar, simplistic sound that relies mostly on twangy strummed guitar and a vaguely distracted vocalist. The remarkable difference them is that this band presents itself as quite humble. I gather that this was a group of musicians from different backgrounds, although similar scenery, who perhaps settled down and wrote down the melodies that had been festering inside them in the background for years. Maybe, maybe. This band is a bit of a mystery and it was difficult to pull up anything personal about them.

In any case, both records are worth a shot for anyone interested in recent outsider music with pop tendencies. The first, Maybe In Time I Could Change, from 1997, is overtly sad, short, straightforward and a little poppy at times. The second, The Memory Relaxer, from the same year, is a lot quieter, toned down and elongated. The band released their music exclusively on 3 Acre Floor Records.

By the way, I highly recommend the new Pregnant LP to be on your upcoming playlist.

The Knit Separates - Maybe In Time I Could Change 7" MediaFire
The Knit Separates - The Memory Relaxer 7" MediaFire
The Knit Separates - Biography

White Stains - White Stains EP

Deviating quite a bit from the theme of my last few posts with this obscurity. I came upon this EP in a local thrift store, wedged in between a couple gospel records that are probably still there. An old friend was mine was considering buying it, but he decided to let me since he was broke at the time. I was immediately intrigued by the artwork, so of course I snagged it for a couple bucks. Anyway, I have him to thank for this entry.

Getting it home, giving it a spin, I took in the eerie darkwave-esque tunes of San Francisco's White Stains, a five piece who apparently only put out this EP. Creepy vibes, downright strange imagery, even a few (you guessed it) pop tendencies in some spots, especially dead on in the Glockenspiel bits. The lyrics are a little reminiscent of fellow San Francisco natives Switchblade Symphony (there's a reference I never thought I'd make again), although this record is less brooding. Lots of references to God and theology. A very intriguing and enjoyable record.

I'm glad that I am blogging about this now rather than back then, because when I attempted to dig up information about this band, I believe that I got this band mixed up with a later Swedish band of the same name. This band is made up of three women and two men (which is contrary to another person's comment that this was an all-girl band), while the other darkwave band seems to revolve around two Swedish men, not to mention this particular record was recorded in San Francisco in 1983 while the latter White Stains were active beginning in 1987. Both bands, incidentally, have a similar sound, so I wouldn't be surprised if they somehow ended up being the same band... but signs point to no. Any further information about this band or release would be appreciated. It was Round Black Records #1, evidently the first and last release according to Discogs. Members, as they are credited on the back, were Contessa Kathleena D'Onofrio (guitar and vocals), Contessa Susana Volkana (vocals and tapshoes), Contessa Suzanna Ramsini (piano, Glockenspiel and vocals), Wally Sound (guitar and bass), and David P. Silva (drums). Awesome artwork on the front and back.

White Stains - White Stains EP Mediafire

The Fertile Crescent - Lips Wide Moths Pour Out

Yesterday, I decided I would start up this blog again. I didn't have a very big following here, and I think that was part of why I decided to stop posting. Now, however, I am going in with renewed vigor. If nobody ever sees this, at least it's a nice archive of memories for myself.

Now that that's out of the way... This is The Fertile Crescent's "Lips Wide Moths Pour Out" CD-R, a strictly experimental, 34-minute piece consisting of a variety of Indian instruments. What was apparently an electronica band in a past life became a pseudo-folk/psychedelia group, a conversion I'm having trouble piecing together. In any case, I wouldn't be uploading this if I didn't enjoy it thoroughly. The piece consists of six movements, notated in the song's title, all with its own unique and chilled vibe. There were 50 of these made on a label called featherspines (evidently not capitalized.) I picked this up after catching their set in the summer of 2008. I believe I picked up pretty much every bit of music they had to help them on their way across the west. I remember them being very weirded-out by my friends and I, but maybe they were just high. Who knows.

The Fertile Crescent - Lips Wide Moths Pour Out Mediafire