Monday, May 28, 2007

Withdrawn Records care package/triple threat

Got three releases from Withdrawn records today. Mammoth Hunter, Randy Colbourne, and Mirror to Mirror/Revivor. All in some sort unique/non traditional packaging. Highly limited so you better act fast.
The Withdrawn Records/Randall Colbourne relationships spans many years and records so before you start blabbing about Corsano this or free-wave that stop and recognize that this guy was making (insert Forced Exposure skronk hyperbole here) free music back when "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was blowing your mind in junior high. Anyway Randy moves from drums only to all instruments here. 12 tracks recorded in a cellar 2001-2003. Not unexpected based on his previous catalog of work and fear not he is still playing the drums. "Mr.Ra" has an awesome Godzilla'ish effect in it. Brother RM has some killer noise and effects and kind of reminds me of that scene in Patton when he flashes back to his past life in the Roman Empire. This is a great record. It is greater when you realize that one dude played it all. Can you improvise with yourself?

Mammoth Hunter
drop 5 tracks of guitar and drum damage recorded live on 11/19/2006. This is LiveII which reminds me of the classic High Rise album title High Rise II(Read. I mean literally the title. Do not expect some Blue Cheer blown out shit. Same rule would apply if I said Led Zeppelin II-don't expect some over the top Brit Blues Rock-you follow me?). You might think you are in for some trippy meandering shit as the first track starts off, but give it a minute and it builds up to some intense yet restrained rock. Kind of like the quiet kid in the back of the class that will stab someone before senior year. A little Unwound perhaps maybe a touch of Bitch Magnet. Heavy but with a dark melancholy sort of vibe, that is not spoiled by some stupid singer. Nice. This is my favorite out of the bunch, but I am closer to a classic rock jughead than a free music or experimental music aficionado so that should be no surprise.

Last up is Mouth to Mouth/Revivor split 3" CDR. You know I thought the regular 5" CDR scene was getting too commercial so it is nice to see a new medium keeping it underground.... This is some experimental electronic shit. Not my cup of tea. Fairly dynamic for this style of music. Cover is rad. Over before you are bored which is a plus.
Withdrawn Records is like the Baskins and Robbins of oddball CT and Central Mass outsider rock and noise, so no matter what your flavor, they have what you want.

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