Boris with Merzbow - "Klatter" Review (Daymare)

Boris’ sixth collaboration with Merzbow (aka Masami Akita), entitled Klatter, was released last month as a limited edition vinyl pressing (ltd to 1,000 copies) on the Japanese label Daymare Recordings. This recording dates back to 2004 and this disc was apparently planned for release in 2007 through Troubleman Unlimited (with the rumored title of “Mellow Peak”). The five track disc contains re-recordings of two tracks from Boris’ 2003 CD Akuma no Uta - “Akuma no Uta" and "Naki Kyoku” – a Jane cover (German prog/kraut-rock band) along with two previously unheard tracks. The total running time is just over 40 minutes.

This disc is almost entirely instrumental (with some hazy vocals buried in the mix on “Jane” and “Naki Kyoku”) and the overall sound of the disc is kraut/space rock with some hints of industrial “klatter” and garage rock thrown into the mix. This is the sort of music where you can sink into the (almost stoner) ambience and gentle waves of feedback. There is a loose, almost improvisational, feel to the tracks and, to give a frame of reference, bands like Can and early Pink Floyd are both valid points of comparison. The only track to break from this blissful ambience is “Klatter 1” which is an up-tempo, almost industrial track, but, even here, the sharp edges have been sanded down.

Boris is keeping exceedingly busy these days having just released New Album (2LP) through Daymare Recordings and new discs Heavy Rocks and Attention Please are both scheduled for release on April 26th through the Los Angeles-based label Sargent House.

Links:
Boris

BXI: Live Review, Photos and Video from Brooklyn Masonic Temple, 9/7/10

BXI released their debut 4-track EP last month (on Southern Lord) and Tuesday night marked the band's first concert performance. While the band played just a twenty minute, their set left me feeling fairly satisfied as the power of the collaboration between Boris and Ian Astbury was clearly in evidence.



The band started with "Teeth and Claws" from the new EP which is the most "Cult-ish" song from the new disc but the song is tempered by Wata's textured guitar leads. Following the order of the new EP, the band next went into the punky "We Are Witches". Regretfully, the band skipped over their psychedelic, swirling reinterpretations of The Cult's "Rain" (which features Wata's wispy vocals) but rather went into a hazy cover of The Doors' "The End". This came off quite well and was a perfect lead-in to the thundering, mystical ballad "Magickal Child".





The evening's challenges started though a little ways into "Magickal Child" when the power blew. After a short period of time, with Ian Astbury making cracks about Greg Anderson's hair dryer and a heckler in the audience yelling for "LA Woman", the power came back and the band finished their last song.

When I interviewed the band before the show, Ian and Atsuo mentioned that they would like to continue this collaboration. I'm looking forward to hearing both a full-length and a full set sometime in the not-too-distant future.

Links:
Boris
Southern Lord

BXI - Interview with Ian Astbury(The Cult) and Atsuo (from Boris), NYC 9-6-10

BXI is the collaboration between Boris and Ian Astbury (The Cult) and Southern Lord just released the debut recordings by this group. This finely-crafted four-song release, simply entitled BXI, was tracked and mixed in Tokyo in late April. Astbury’s iconic vocals are a perfect match for Boris' raw and emotive songwriting style.

Tomorrow night, BXI is making its first full-length performance at Brooklyn Masonic Temple as part of show with Jesse Sykes, Sunn O))) and Boris. I had the opportunity to talk with Ian Astbury and Atsuo earlier today about tomorrow night's show, the new EP, the first BXI live performance (which took place in Sydney earlier this year) and more.



Tickets for tomorrow night's show are $30 and are going quickly.

First BXI Performance - Sydney, Australia May '10


Links:
Boris
Southern Lord

Boris - Japanese Heavy Rock Hits, Vols. 1-4 Review (Southern Lord)

In the fall last year, Southern Lord announced the release of a series of vinyl 7" singles by Boris. The 'kicker' with this announcement was that if you purchased the set in advance, you received a limited edition purple vinyl pressings of the first three singles along with a bonus one-sided single that was only available to subscribers of the series. For anyone who missed out on this series, the first three singles are available on (presumably?) black vinyl from Southern Lord and iTunes.

There is nothing 'typical' about Boris' music as it varies from disc to disc and sometimes from track to track. In the case of this three 7" set, Boris seems to touch on all of the genres of their last few releases.

Japanese Heavy Rock Hits Vol. 1 starts out strong with with "8" which is a five minute+ throwback to the alt-rock pop of Dirty-era Sonic Youth. The song starts with some ambient echo-drenched power chord riffs before switching directions and kicking into some shredding guitar work, pounding drums and soaring melodic vocals. "Hey Everybody" is a driving, hard-rock take on the alt-rock formula that is one part bubblegum and one-part industrial dance.



On Japanese Heavy Rock Hits Vol. 2, Boris start things out with the c*ck rock anthem "H.M.A. (Heavy Metal Addict)" which is complete with hand-claps and the repeated chorus of H.M.A. Boris then completely shifts gears on "Black Original" which is a slinky industrial dance songs that has has a catchy groove backed by some solid guitar noodling.



Japanese Heavy Rock Hits Vol. 3 is probably the strongest single of the set and it is a return to the slow, lo-fi drone sound of Boris' early releases. The single starts with “16:47:52” which is a subtly beautiful song that features Wata on vocals backed by a minimalist piano, guitar and snare drum. It is a toss-up between "16:47:52" and "8" as to which one is the strongest cut of the Heavy Rock Hits set. "..and Hear Nothing" rounds out the single with 5+ minutes of feedback drenched, crashing monolithic drone.



The final one-sided single "Seasons" is dream-pop song in the style of early Belly. This is the first song in this set where Wata's vocals are clearly up-front in the mix. Her vocals along with an angular (almost surf) guitar gives this song a somewhat melancholy but catchy alt-pop groove.

Links:
Boris

Phantom Family Halo Release 'Monoliths & These Flowers Never Die'; Play Bowery Ballroom on Dec. 1st.

DOWNLOAD: Phantom Family Halo - "Blackouts and Runaways" (MP3)

What caught my attention with Phantom Family Halo's last release was Julian Cope's review - "I’m also right blown away by the catchy and compelling all-purpose psychedelia of THE LEGEND OF BLACK SIX by power trio The Phantom Family Halo. I say ‘all purpose’ because this stuff is useful and should be available by the vat on prescription, because it’s good for the mental health. I say power trio, but this lot are greedy motherfuckers with a hefty set of auxiliary members. The sound is totally reminiscent of that 1970 period when no fucker could control the number of overdubs, and these guys pass through every stage from The Youngbloods and Kalackakra to a kind of Amon Duul PARADIESWARTS DUUL-informed take on David Voorhaus’ White Noise project via early (very early) Chrome on their way to the proto metal of ‘Electric God In Your Galaxy’."

The band's new 2LP release, Monoliths & These Flowers Never Die, is simply a brilliant, brain-melting slab of acid rock which should strike an immediate chord with fans of Hawkwind and Spacemen 3. The band is playing Bowery Ballroom on December 1st with Russian Circles and Young Widows.

Tickets are $13 in advance and $15 DOS.



Links:
Phantom Family Halo

Boris Release First 7" from Japanese Heavy Rock Hits Series (Southern Lord)

Boris has just released the first 7" from their Japanese Heavy Rock Hits series on Southern Lord. Over the course of the next three months, three exclusive vinyl-only 7"s will be released. If you purchase the three-single package from Southern Lord (which is available only until the second 7" is released), you will receive a bonus fourth single. This bonus 7" contains an exclusive unreleased track and an etched b-side. This bonus track, "Seasons", will be included ONLY in this package and will not be available anywhere else.

"The first 7", Volume One, "8", features two newly recorded tracks. On Side A, the title track "8" continues the spacey hard-rock sound established on their classic albums Pink and Smile, building from a mono, lo-fi wall of feedback into a ripping, slab of lush vocals, crunchy guitar and thunderous drums. Things get switched up on Side B with "ねえエヴリワン/Hey Everyone", a chewy bit of power-pop bubblegum that sees the band mining a much lighter source for their sound. It's a reminder that the most daring thing this band can do is record something so straight-forward it could easily be misconstrued as "alt-pop". Dont fret its still got a dark core and is unmistakably Boris! Gorgeous tip-on, heavy-weight cardboard jacket designed by Stephen O'Malley."

Boris' only US show this year was at All Tomorrow's Party and here is some quality live footage from the show that was posted to YouTube.



Links:
Southern Lord
Boris' MySpace Profile

East Village Radio Music Festival Moved to Sunday

Due to tropical storm Hanna, the East Village Radio Music Festival has been moved to Sunday. The festival will run 1PM - 9PM at the South Street Seaport.

I'm looking forward to seeing Boris (for free) but I also want to check out Olof Arnalds, who is a new artist out of Iceland. Here is a video of Olof performing her song "Klara" for Iceland Airways podcast.



Here are the set times for both of the festival stages:

BANDS SCHEDULED FOR @ SEAPORT LOCATION
Lil' Dusty 1:30
Bunnybrains 2:30
Hex Message 3:30
Crystal Stilts 5:30
Woods 6:15
BIG A little a 7:00

BAND SCHEDULE FOR SOUTH STREET SEAPORT STAGE
4-ize 12:45
Hypnotic Brass Ensemble 1:15
Dr. Lonnie Smith 1:45
Olof Arnalds 2:30
Vivian Girls 3:00
High Places 3:45
Awesome Color 4:30
John Oliver 5:00
Devin the Dude 5:30
Flying Lotus 6:15
Mark Ronson 7:00
BORIS 7:45

Links:
Olof Arnalds' MySpace page

Boris Releases New CD, "Smile", on Southern Lord

Southern Lord just released the latest disc by Japanese noise rockers Boris. The band's new CD "Smile" has been out on the Diwphalanx label in Japan for about a month but the Southern Lord version has a number of different songs and different mixes than its Japanese counterpart. Like most Southern Lord releases, the label has released a limited edition version of this disc for mail order customers. This mail order version is limited to 3,000 copies and comes with a bonus DVD that includes videos for the songs "Statement" , My Neighbor Satan", and "Pink".

All of Boris' releases sell out quickly so get this while you can (...or pay eBay prices later).

Links:
Southern Lord Records
Boris' Website
Diwphalanx Records

Boris Releases Damaged (Ltd. Edition 10") and Plays Music Hall of Williamsburg

Japanese doom-metalers Boris return to the US for an East Coast tour and release an ultra-limited edition 10" EP.

Boris is back in town for a show at Music Hall of Williamsburg (the old NorthSix) on October 3rd. The band is playing with Damon and Naomi and Michio Kurihara and tickets are only $15.

The band has also just released a limited edition (1500 copies according to Wikipedia) 10" EP entitled Damaged. This is a split EP with Stupid Babies Go Mad where the bands cover each others songs. This is a picture disc and it comes with a bonus DVD which features live footage of both bands. The EP was released on Diwphalanx Records and is available from Conspiracy Records for 22.75 Euro (currently $31.39 US dollars).

Links:
Music Hall of Williamsburg
Boris' Website
Damon and Naomi's Website

Aaron Dilloway (Wolf Eyes) Releases Limited Edition LP

I am a big fan of the indie DIY scene and used to be a big record collector. I admire bands like Boris, Sunn O))) and Wolf Eyes for releasing limited edition vinyl LPs. In the past, all of these bands seemed to press enough copies to keep the fans happy without getting stuck with unsold inventory. eBay seemed to change this all for Sunn and Boris (I have read that 8,000 copies were pressed of the recently released LP Altar) but Wolf Eyes and its members continue to plow ahead with ultra-limited edition releases.

Aaron Dilloway has just released a new LP, Concealed, that is limited to 300 copies. The LP is available from No Fun Productions for $15 (postpaid).

It goes without saying -- get it now or pay eBay prices!

Sunn O)))/Boris - Altar 3x LP On Sale Tomorrow or Friday

The triple record version of Sunn's latest release will be available for sale later this week.

















As expected, there will be a mail order version which will likely be very limited (details on the number of copies has not been released). Given the current investment speculation in Sunn and Boris releases, I'd keep a close eye on the Southern Lord site as these LPs are going to go very quickly (and will turn up on eBay for double the retail price).

Here is what was posted to the Southern Lord blog:

This is just a quick heads up that the sunn 0)))/Boris-Altar 3xLP will be on sale via the Southern Lord site by the end of the week (feb. 15th or 16th). This very special vinyl edition features completely over the top packaging that alot of time, care, love and $ went into. We hope you will find it worth the wait! It also features a bonus (3rd) Lp featuring the 28+min. epic track: “Her Lips Were Wet With Venom/(Satanoscillatemymetallicsonatas) featuring sunn and boris with Dylan Carslon (EARTH). Mailorder customers will be receiving the baby blue version. More pressing, pricing, packaging etc.. details will be available soon. Please check the Lord site for more info!