J.J. Burnel - Euroman Cometh (Synth Rock 1979)

J.J. Burnel ‎– Euroman Cometh
1979

Fans of Suicide, Neue Deutsche Welle, Uk Post-Punk should dig this one!

Euroman Cometh is the 1979 debut solo album by The Stranglers' bassist J. J. Burnel. Musically, it was an attempt at incorporating electronic sounds into rock. Lyrically, it evolved around the idea of United States of Europe, in the Cold war context. "A Europe riddled with american values and soviet subversion is a diseased sycophantic old whore: a Europe strong, united and independent is a child of the future." states JJ Burnel in the inner sleeve.

Guest musicians were Peter Howells of The Drones (drums on tracks 3,5,6), track 9 featured Brian James of The Damned (guitar), Lew Lewis (harmonica) and Carey Fortune of Chelsea (drums). All other instruments were played by Burnel himself.

The album reached number 40 in the UK Albums Chart in April 1979. The track "Freddie Laker" was released as a single on 13 April 1979, backed with the non-album track "Ozymandias".

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Euroman

Bugskull - Phantasies and Senseitions (LoFi Portland 1994)

Bugskull - Phantasies and Senseitions

Roadcone Records - 1994

Portland, Oregon

Classic early 90s underground from the fertile NW scene of the era. Bugskull released numerous cassettes and albums throughout the 90s.  "Phantasies and Senseitions" I think of as their high point, blending their indie pop sensibilities and experimental 4-track adventures. This is the west coast underground at its best circa '94. Think Good Horsey, early Grifters, and Thinking Fellers Union Local 282. 



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Bugskull - Phantasies and Senseitions

FM SHADES is back!

Re-uploaded all the deleted links.
       Stay tuned for some new posts!

fm shades limbo

So FM SHADES has had all the DL Links suspended by mediafire.. It may be the end to the blog, I'm not sure yet... if I keep it going it will be awhile before everything is reposted.

Of course there is much debate about music blogs and I do have a problem with many of them posting new releases. FM SHADES was about opening people's eyes to a deep world of music that is unheard yet very important. Any time a artist asked me to remove a link I would comply. When I was young in the late 80s/early 90s I had great programs like CBC's "Brave New Waves" to turn me onto new sounds . Without it I would have been lost. Now in this modern digital wasteland blogs have been many folks education to the past before them. And a lot of the time those people go out and buy the records they've been turned onto.

We've all made mix tapes, tapes shows with VCR's, Burnt CD's, and played music in a public place. ALL technically copy write infringement. I look forward to the time when we look back at all this business and laugh.

Here's some words from a fan email a few years ago to summarize things,

"hey i've been following your blog for a while now but this is the first time i've commented. I've really enjoyed a lot of the albums you've posted. I'm 16, so this is like a whole new world to me and I wouldn't have access to it any other way, so I am very grateful for your efforts. My favorite albums have been definitely been Parameter, Jakob Olausson, Wicked Lady,THE INDEX!!!!, and Destroy all Monsters. You've also turned me on to Joe Meek and the Sun City Girls. Without you i never would stumbled across any of this music, and i would be less of what i am now. To be honest a lot of the stuff i've downloaded from blogs has been crap, but when you come across that song, that special song that speaks to you, the song that transcends it's humble age and obscurity, it just floors you. It's amazing how the same feelings inspired music back then, just as they do now. I really look forward to whatever you bring us in the future, and i'm very thankful for what you've done in the past.Thanks, tcf "

regards, fm shades

Eroc - 1 (Classic Krautrock Kosmische 1975)

Eroc - Eroc 1

Brain Records - 1975

One of my favorite krautrock nuggets than many folks still don't seem to know about. Drummer of Grobschnitt's solo project. While I never liked Grobschnitt very much this record is stellar and like nothing else of the era.

"Eroc (Joachim Heinz Ehrig) started his solo career in 1975 while he was currently the drummer of Grobschnitt. His self titled album can be considered as a cross between Gorbschnitt’s typical symphonic amazing music and electronic/ synthscapes dominated by numerous original sound manipulations. Despite that he was originally recognised as a drummer, here Eroc is the man behind the machines, controlling solid essays in synth experimentations and electronic collages. His first album is an absolute must in Kraut/ electronic genre, very abstract, emotional and a mix of different moods. This album is an opponent worthy of Klaus Schulze’s first realisations in space/ “kosmische” electronic music."

Highly Recommended!

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Eroc

Jandek - Your Turn to Fall (1983 Original Vinyl)

JANDEK - YOUR TURN TO FALL
Corwood 0745, LP, 1983
Original Vinyl Rip.

Absolutely my favorite Jandek Lp. In my mind the B-Side is one of the best sequences of Jandek songs. All very strong flowing outsider blues. The A-Side is quite stark and features the first instance of drums or a guest musician in the Jandek catalog. This is the original Outsider Blues. If you've never really gotten Jandek I invite you to start here.

I hate to say it but the CD reissues of the Jandek catalog fall very short in sound quality to the original Lp's. I'm guessing Corwood has someone do extreme noise reduction to the recordings which takes away a lot of the room sound and vibe. It also added some bad digital artifacts to the sound.

Ripped by your Truly, and so Highly Recommended!!!

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Jandek - Your Turn to Fall

39 Clocks - Pain It Dark (German Psycho-Beat!)

39 Clocks - Pain It Dark
No Fun Records 1981
Germany

Classic early 80s debut Lp by this Hannover, Germany duo. A dangerous combination of Velvet Underground, Suicide, and even a hint of the Young Marble Giants. The duo would utilize a variety of primitive drum machines behind their grinding riffs with hazed out vocals. This is the dark paisley underground!

Original Vinyl Rip. Highly recommended!



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39 Clocks

Thomas Leer & Robert Rental (1979 Synth Punk Ambient)

Thomas Leer & Robert Rental - "The Bridge"
1979 Industrial Records - UK

One of my favorite late 70s Lp's. Elements of Synth-Punk and moody ambient all on 1 album.

"Scottish musicians Robert Rental (born Robert Donnachie) and Thomas Leer had each released an important indie single a year before this collaboration. Leer's offering was the poppy lo-fi "Private Plane"/"International", and Rental's was the weird industrial "Paralysis"/"A.C.C.". Having relocated to England, the two mavericks were lent 8-tracks by Throbbing Gristle so they could record this album. As the liner notes point out, this was recorded in a two week span (June 18th to July 2nd) in one of their homes; interestingly, the back cover notes "all blips & unseemly noises were generated by refrigerators & other domestic appliances & are intrinsic to the music"! Both musicians take turns on guitar, synths, "synth percussion" (more on that later), bass, and other noises.

THE BRIDGE is divided into two distinct halves; the A-side features vocal work, while the B-side has four tracks of pure ambience. The vocal songs are definitely in a post-punk/synthpop mode. Leer sings lead on four tracks; the fuzzy "Connotations" and the bizarrely catchy "Monochrome Day's" are definite highlights. Rental takes the lead on "Day Breaks, Night Heals", and this creepy gem is the absolute standout. What's interesting about the percussion is that Leer and Rental didn't use a drum machine. Instead, they pounded out rhythms on synth and made tape loops of the results. While primitive, this technique lends a unique touch to these tracks. The flipside is a completely different story. Rental is credited with tapes, loops, and voice for this side, while Leer takes on synths, tapes, and voice (that's voice, not vocals). Long drones and loops, accompanied by TV sounds and those other "unseemly noises", flow effortlessly towards dark chillout bliss. The lengthy "Interferon" is the standout here, but the other three are amazing as well. Both sides add up to what is one of the best releases from Industrial Records; thank goodness Mute reissued it!

Around this time, Rental released an extremely rare demo called MENTAL DETENTIONS; this completely instrumental gem of early industrial heaven also features Leer on a few tracks and DEFINITELY deserves a reissue. Leer still has a synthpop career, and for a while was in Act; some is worth investigating, some isn't. Rental would collaborate with the Normal (Daniel Miller, Mute head honcho) on a single-sided live album (rare but worth the hunt); his last output was the excellent "Double Heart"/On Location" single on Mute, featuring DAF's Robert Görl on drums and Leer on piano (also recommended). After this, he retired from music to raise a family, sadly passing away in 2000. The fact that so little of Rental's output exists is reason enough to buy THE BRIDGE, but the music more than justifies adding it to your collection." Review by Prof. ~.a.~

Vinyl rip by your truly. Highly Recommended!


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Thomas Leer & Robert Rental

Franco Battiato - Clic (4th Lp 1974)

Franco Battiato - Clic
Italy 1974

Franco's 4th amazing Lp.

"Dedicated to a towering musical figure indeed -- none other than avant-garde giant Karlheinz Stockhausen -- Clic found Battiato working with a smaller core group than on Sulle Corde Di Aries, though both guitarist/bassist Gianni Mocchetti and drummer Gianfranco d'Adda make return appearances. Aside from backing vocals and a string quartet, everything else is Battiato's doing, with the Krautrock touches apparent in his previous work starting to surface all the more readily here. Things are generally more meditative and reflective, though certainly Battiato isn't far from his usual wry humor (thus "Propriedad Prohibida," the title of his bitterly wry take on more-leftist-than-thou Italian bands of the time like Area, though the song itself is a quietly entrancing instrumental). Such fun spirits turn up on the album on "Rien Ne Va Plus -- Andante," the string quartet gently going berserk and quirky vocal flutters interspersed with chopped-up piano and random fake audience applause. "Il Mercato Degli Dei" is as representative of the album as anything, an instrumental composed of various parts and consisting almost entirely of Battiato's various keyboard explorations arranged and overdubbed, but emphasizing calm, quiet arrangements rather than Rick Wakeman-like orgies of sound. "I Cancelli Della Memoria" makes for a great start to the album, soothing Tangerine Dream-like airs and bubbling synth bass loops mixing with everything from (apparently) Battiato's own sax work to his more expected piano parts. "Nel Cantiere di Un'Infanzia," meanwhile, finds Battiato in one of his spookier, moodier moments, the low tones of his keyboards setting an initially unsettling air, while familiar elements from the past -- cut-up radio samples and the like -- sound all the more alien and strange here. More of the same crops up at the start of the concluding "Ethika Fon Ethica," sounding like a romantic film continually dropping out of sync with itself."

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Clic

Franco Battiato - Sulle Corde Di Aries (3rd Lp 1973)

Franco Battiato - Sulle Corde Di Aries
1973 Italy

The 3rd Lp by this incredible Italian artist. One of the high points of 70s art music. This album is another of my favorites.

"Working with a smaller band and greater range of side players -- including, intriguingly enough, cellist Jane Robertson, fresh from working with Don Cherry on Relativity Suite -- Battiato aims at a somewhat more grandiose level with Sulle Corde di Aires. Consisting only of four pieces, the first of which, "Sequenze e Frequenze," is a mostly instrumental number spanning a full side, on the one hand Sulle Corde sounds like Battiato taking himself a bit more seriously. On the other, it contains enough vibrant life to be well worth a listen beyond the world of prog fandom. The combination of acoustic guitar elegance (credit Gianni Mocchetti in particular for his work) and electronic drum pulse and keyboard overdubs some four minutes into "Sequenze e Frequenze," for instance, has a Krautrock-inspired life of its own. Battiato subtly ups the ante a little bit later with an increasingly wacky and fun kalimba sequence over a rolling, stuttering synth/guitar loop that could be right out of Pink Floyd's "One of These Days," with even more keyboard drones and melodies adding to the at-once serene and playful mood. The remaining three songs offer up more in the way of general variety, touching on everyone from acid-folk tribalism to hints of neo-classical approaches, not to mention a playful pseudo-Renaissance jam via oboe and clarinet combined with Mochetti's mandolin on "Da Oriente ad Occidente." The jazz connection hinted at via Robertson's appearance on "Aria di Rivoluzione" gets a more conventional nod due to Daniele Cavallanti's work on soprano sax and Gianni Bedori's performance on regular saxophone. Both are competent players if not uniquely inspired, but Bedori's jamming on the increasingly intense "Aries" deserves a nod. Battiato himself sings only at a few points on Sulle Corde, but when he does, it continues the balanced mood between seriousness and sheer joy."

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Sulle Corde Di Aries