Home taping is reinventing music.

While this album does have it's cult status amongst many people, I'm not sure if the beardy shoegaze squad fully accepted this into their ranks. The reason that it's here today should seem obvious. They need not only accept it but realize that this may very well be the greatest shoegaze act since My Bloody Valentine. True experimental sounds and a die hard lo-fi mentality make Flying Saucer Attacks debut self titled album one of the crown jewels of the genre. Most of these songs where recorded on a home stereo system by core members David Pearce and Rachel Brook. The layers of feedback only help to push the melodic drive of the songs. A cover of Suede's "The Drowners" is top notch too. Not an easy band to cover and they seem to easily create a lasting version that is entirely their own. Easily the best bedroom psych-shoegaze album of the 90's. Get abducted.http://www.mediafire.com/?spd71yvfmxci8

Black Car.

Here's another band that was completely overlooked during their brief existence. Maryland's Black Tambourine where around for about three years before throwing the towel in. They released two singles the first being "By Tomorrow" and the second "Throw Aggi Off The Bridge". A couple of comp tracks and then poof! Gone. It's a good thing Mike Schulman (who was also a member of the band) started Slumberland Records and has released the complete recordings. Makes things a whole lot easier instead of tracking down these ultra rare and now highly coveted pieces black plastic.http://www.mediafire.com/?dkluwl86236wo

Wild youthful days.

So noticed the All Natural Lemon Lime flavor link was not working properly and fixed it. Sorry for the trouble there. Onto today's offering which sits nicely against A.N.L.L.F. The Swirlies second album from 1995 shows a great band creating shoegaze songs that are heavy on the sonic level but also playful to the listeners ear. A nice cohesive album that is by far their best. http://www.mediafire.com/?vvu89tn3k3v88

Ah flavor.

We are aware that the last post is missing a song. Hard at work to try and fix this asap. The missing song is "Sweetart". Anyone that can provide any help with that particular song wins something. I have had zero luck finding it thus far. To continue the shoegaze theme though here is All Natural Lemon Lime Flavor's second full length "Turning Into Small". This was a major secret weapon record for me as I knew tons of people obsessed with My Bloody Valentine. I would casually pop this on and watch their brain slowly explode with excitement. Sort has a nice balance of the shoegaze with a little hint of 50 Foot Hose type experiment drone psych. Either way a great record that has definitely been way overlooked.http://www.mediafire.com/?zjk01jjczszsd

Hard Candy.

Going to run with a theme for a bit here. The theme is underrated shoegaze records. First up is Astrobrite's stunning ep "Candy" from 2001. As the title implies the songs have a candy theme running. Astrobrite's sound is akin to finding an old Icee Machine in your friends basement. It still works too. But as you put your head under the slightly rusted silver spout and crank the lever to the left it dispenses volcanic lava directly to your head. Thank god it was cherry flavored lava.http://www.mediafire.com/?yajzy12vhbb62

Assorted news.

Wanted to post some assorted news that concerns the blog and future activities. 2010 is not yet over but we already have our hungry eyes on 2011. First off I have just gotten the confirmation for New Years Eve here in San Diego at the Whistle Stop. I have joined forces once again with Dimitri to provide an excellent and cheap party for the people down here. We are still putting the details together but you can expect an epic high energy party for New Years. This is also the first New Years event I have played in four years so I'm excited. All the specifics and a flyer should be appearing here by the end of next week. We have also started to compile our best of 2010 list. Have to say to that I am amazed at the number of stunning releases that are still coming out this late in December. If there is something you think we would like or may have missed please leave a comment and tells us about it. In January I am finally going to be doing my little studio overhaul as well and should be able to start the podcasts. Really hoping to turn this into a pretty regular thing and have a good variety of guests contribute to it. This should also mean that some of my mixes will start to appear here. Most have been on cassettes and don't sound that swell uploaded on a computer. Radiant Darkness is also hoping to launch a boutique-esque webstore for releases that we love and are hard to get. Again this is all pending on certain things but hoping to have a variety of things available around Spring. Finally our monthly party should be launching in January at the Whistle Stop and will be going full steam from then there on. Working on booking very special guests and bands to keep it interesting too. So yeah, quite a bit going on and much to get busy with. Duty now for the future.

Stone Roller.

Dust off those moon boots and get your helmet on cause it's time for another space adventure. This time we are floating in our tin can with Arpadys. Arpadys where a team of French studio musicians turned producers who where involved in too many good projects to list here. Kind of like a French version of Toto. Only way cooler. And more spacey. Yeah I guess not so much like Toto. I love Georgie Porgie.
http://www.mediafire.com/?k1gjhfr1u7ta6

Enter the mirror.

Besides having the best band name ever which apparently is a combination of Japanese and French that sums up to mean "Fucked up and Naked", Les Rallizes Denudes live album from 1977 is ear shredding beauty at it's finest. Building the songs around simple bass and drum repetitions allow the guitars to open up a full scale attack. The focus is on building the songs and not just simple abstraction. Recently a few albums got the vinyl reissue treatment. I can only hope this gets the same attention that those studio albums got although I would be scared to see the retail price of it. This is a double cd which means the vinyl may have to be a triple if not a box of four lps. Sometimes though you just have to jump in head first. Even if it does carry the risk of ending up fucked up and naked.
http://www.mediafire.com/?4aqy2944karn1

Garden of Elks.

Ah December. The month where everyone starts to loose utter shit over a pagan holiday turned material shopping extravaganza. I choose to deal with it by immersing myself in a mire of sounds that are cavernous and easy to get lost in. The A-number One record for this is from Swedish psych outfit Algarnas Tradgard. Roughly translating to "Garden of the Elks", Algarnas Tradgard sculpt a druggie sound that never seems to pussyfoot away from the listener. Instead of wandering into self absorbed heady territory, the album floats in a colorful wave of semi-consciousness and blinding white day dreams. Kind of funny too how this album seems more kraut rock than even the Germans could produce. This is a desert island record for me. Always reminds me of December. A private opium den for me to get lost for a month in.
http://www.mediafire.com/?fe8crerh3k8qr

Surf farm.

Soundtrack to one of the first big surf films ever. The music is not your typical beachy sunshine pop though. A bit more introspective and deep than most beach blanket Jan & Dean affairs. This would still sound very contemporary if it was used tomorrow. All the way through quite a good journey. Fun fact about this one too it has Daryl Dragon who is Captain of Captain and Tenille fame. There are also many Beach Boys connections down the line but it's too geeky and I don't feel like turning this into a Mojo piece o.k.?http://www.mediafire.com/?fm90664esonlb

I wish I could speak your language.

More brilliant and some what obscure post punk from Belgium. The Names 1982 album "Swimming" is very much akin to the early works of Section 25, Joy Division, and the other Factory bands of the era. The Names themselves released a single on Factory records in 1980 which consisted of the songs "Night shift" b/w "I wish I could speak your language". The songwriting ability displayed on "Swimming" is above the generic brand of post punk records out there. The Names illustrate the delicate balance of beautiful melodies amid an ashen surface of decay. This download also includes the bands singles so your getting every essential piece of the puzzle here.http://www.mediafire.com/?7dqfm0355y2xd

Bummer Cinema.

The late 90's and early 00's was sort of the last great period of underground hip hop. What is being produces currently requires too much alcohol and flat lining of the brain to even listen to. One such album from the aforementioned period that was on heavy rotation was Cage's album from 2002 "Movies for the Blind". While cage may look more akin to being involved in a band like Radio 4, his lyrical gab is sharp and full of the psychological turmoil of... well, someone seriously fucked. He was apparently in a mental institution for sometime after a collapse in which he decided to stay longer so that he was able to fuel the lyrically content that makes up this album. Pretty bold move but this album does feel like a deeply personal confession of stark thoughts that would rule a sick mind. The samples and music within are perfect in providing a stark and horrid landscape to Cage's psychotic diary of words. Extra points as well for the "They Live" reference of the cover art. http://www.mediafire.com/?gas2cnbcw9qe6

S is for sleep.

Peter "Sleeze" Christopherson departed the world last night peacefully in his sleep. Christopherson played in the band Throbbing Gristle and the ever evolving Coil. He always continued to push boundaries of music and the overall spectrum of sound to heights that seemed reserved for the angels and demons of nether worlds alike. This is in memory to the constant vibrational channel that he evoked. Here is also a collection of Coil material from very early cassette releases that still puzzles me to this day. Go Destroy Angels Sleeze.
http://www.mediafire.com/?gz71ljf4c223d

Dirty Theme.

It's hard to imagine modern dance music without the existence of Klein & M.B.O. The Italian and American duo produced minimal italo proto-house music that pretty much influenced every major Chicago House Dj. These dj's would proclaim their life changed after hearing tracks like "Dirty Talk" and "The M.B.O. Theme" on the now famous WMBX radio show. I know I'm not breaking any major ground by posting this here but if you don't have this on your computer or just simply need the reminder to put this on then either way do it. Still sounds fresh in 2010.
http://www.mediafire.com/?7caatpm8dm1oa

Two becomes three.

Erkin Koray is said to be Turkey's first musician to incorporate an electric guitar with traditional Turkish music and embraced Western Culture by covering Elvis early in his career. Erkin Koray had already released two albums before he had released "2" in 1976 which leaves us with the question why this is called "2"? I don't really care after listening to it as my jaw is on the fucking ground every time I finish listening to it. Needless to say I am in no position to start prodding for details on the title. While this marks a clear departure from his more fuzz and psych oriented affairs, it does not disappoint due to Koray's amazing ability to arrange the songs with true quality that is limited to the greatest of greats. The percussion arrangements alone on this record are good enough all by themselves but add Koray on the guitar and you have yourself masterpiece. Enjoy one of Turky's greatest artists of all time.http://www.mediafire.com/?f9w94a9hb0en0