Saturday, August 29, 2009

It's taken me way, way, way too long to get these tapes organized and stocked at the Half and Half but I am really stoked to be extending Eggy's reach beyond the US border with three releases from Sydney, Australia based Near Tapes. The label is the project of Matthew Hopkins of the epic Naked On the Vague (Siltbreeze, guys), and is devoted to documenting the fringe scene of Australia. The art for these tapes is totally out-of-sight -- simple, primitive, visceral -- and matches the raw, weird energy of the music. It's really a treat to get a hold of these tapes!
Naked On the Vague - The Mickey Mouse Headache Tapes - Near Tapes 002
Naked On the Vague The Mickey Mouse Headache Tapes tapes
NAKED ON THE VAGUE - THE MICKEY MOUSE HEADACHE TAPES - NEAR TAPES 002
Spacey, shape-shifting music from these Sydney stalwarts. Less song-oriented and much less aggressive but no less engaging than their recent releases on Siltbreeze and Sacred Bones. The title is a good indicator -- playful and difficult. Good tape to listen to after work. $6
Knitted Abyss - Summer Barn - Near Tapes 005
Knitted Abyss Summer Barn tapes
KNITTED ABYSS - SUMMER BARN - NEAR TAPES 005
Duo of Lucy of Naked On the Vague and Anna of Holy Balm make a tape for each season. This one is a slow, fuzzy, droning collection of abstract jams. Difficult passages open onto really wonderful, earthy bliss-outs that you wish would go on forever. Homemade krautrock. Far-out but also simple in a way that's really nice. $6
Vincent Over the Sink - 22 Coloured Bull-Terriers - Near Tapes 006
Vincent Over the Sink 22 Coloured Bull-Terriers tapes
VINCENT OVER THE SINK - 22 COLOURED BULL-TERRIERS - NEAR TAPES 006
Vincent Over the Sink is the skewed pop project of Matthew Hopkins and Christopher Schueler. These songs drift really nicely in and out of focus, sometimes departing for long stretches on strange wanderings. Reminds me of Alastair Galbraith in it's gentle/experimental balance. My favorite song on here is about mice jumping from the oven into the sink. $6
Very LA tapes in from Not Not Fun.
Matrix Metals - Not Not Fun
MATRIX METALS - FLAMINGO BREEZE - NNF163
The sound of 1980s, late-capitalist idealism as hazy pastiche, melting into a grainy VHS sunset. Brief synthesizer and drum machine work-outs follow one after the other, all bathed in far-away reverb. Jam this one in your Walkman next time you are out rollerblading. Each tape comes with two tickets to see Matrix Metals at the Coco Bongo Club in 2086. $6
Malibou Falcon - How Is Hell Fact Met? All of Them Witches - Not Not Fun 171
MALIBOU FALCON - HOW IS HELL FACT MET? ALL OF THEM WITCHES - NNF171
This tape sounds like a cold basement deep in the pummeling gray of Portland non-summer. Fucked-up boredom drug vibes abound. Malibou Falcon was a PDX dream-team of Eva from Inca Ore and Nick Bindeman from Eternal Tapestry, Tunnels, Wraith, etc., and various others. People get weird here in the winter. $6
Abe Vigoda - Skeleton - Not Not Fun
ABE VIGODA - SKELETON - NNF146
Don't need to say much about this one. Official, fancy, cassette tape release of the acclaimed album by these L.A. area high-life punks. $6

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

BIG THINGS TOMORROW!
Brian Mumford has put together an amazing evening of art and performance going on at Holocene on Wednesday night. Dragging An Ox will play, as will Operative and Salt Orchard; Dana Dart-McLean has curated a wearable sculpture fashion procession with work by Jessica Jackson Hutchins, Storm Tharp, Alicia McDaid, Loyal Mantooth, and members of Oregon Painting Society, among others; me and Chris Johanson of Awesome Vistas (and of painting, duh) and James of Below PDX and Alex(?) of Together Tapes will have label booths and be DJing; Liz Harris of Grouper will be projecting projections; Janet Pants will be choreographing something. Wow!
Other Eggy news -- new tape will be out tomorrow for the event! It's a secret what it is! You'll have to come see! Majic Eyes is totally done, just waiting for the tapes to get back from the factory. Last little fiddling with Woolen Men tape in the next couple days and then off it goes to be dubbed.
Speaking of Woolen Men, two amazing shows on the horizon:
August 20th at Holocene with Mattress and Hammer of Hathor.
August 27th at Berbati's Pan with Meth Teeth, Magic Johnson and Kusikia.