The Shirts: Live At Paradise 1979

As a follow-up for their Live feat. Annie Golden album Brooklyn's power pop meets New Wave band The Shirts look back at their first act again with another rambunctious in concert release. Live At Paradise 1979. The show was recorded for a radio broadcast by local station WBCN at Boston's Paradise Rock Club on August 27, 1979, shortly after their second album Street Light Shine. The tapes were digitized by Wout de Kruif (Dutch Tape Transfers) and demixed/remastered by retired sound engineer Prof Stoned.

It was a weird time for the band. Lead singer Annie Golden had a part in the movie adaptation of Hair and was under pressure to leave the band and become a full-time actress. She turned it down, but in hindsight this period was the high mark of the band's popularity in the States. In 1980 their label would fuck things up promoting the next album, Inner Sleeve, and the band folded soon afterwards.

Atsuko Chiba: Torn

Montréal based experimental post-rockers Atsuko Chiba made a video for Torn, a track from their self-titled album: "The six tracks are mood pieces about subjects that are close to their heart, with subtle rhythmical shifts, vocals buried in the mix, and a prominent role for the bass to keep it altogether."

Live dates:

• 05/30 Quebec, QC @ L'Arquemuse
• 06/20 Saint-Casimir @ La Commission B
• 07/05 Montréal @ MTELUS Festival International de Jazz de Montréal

» Atsuko Chiba on Facebook

HCTF review of Atsuko Chiba

Zela Margossian Quintet: Remedy

The Zela Margossian Quintet are at crossroads on their Remedy album. Should they for easy-on-the-ears jazz or dig a little deeper and head for the backroads where something more interesting might happen? The latter approach is in full bloom on Waves Unveiled on which pianist and composer Zela Margossian uses her knowledge Armenian folk to construct a track that allows sax player Stuart Vandegraaf to cut loose. In Flight soars and sighs, and while the band always is in control, each member gets a place in the spotlight, with Jacques Emery's short but sweet double bass stealing the show. The fast Repetance features a cool conversation between piano, sax and percussion, before slowing down to a late night vibe.

By contrast tracks like Clarity and Kintsugi are playing it safe. They are not bad as such, but fail to make a lasting impression. The short time money is in the mainstream - it always will be - but the chances of having any longevity increase dramatically when the safety nets are taken away.

Words about music (835): Rick Wright

It's a mistake thinking that drugs supplied Pink Floyd with the inspiration. The ones who took drugs were the ones who came to see the shows.

Rick Wright

Custard Flux: show @ Underground Lounge in Chicago

Detroit based psychedelic rock band Custard Flux are playing at the Underground Lounge in Chicago on August 15. Expect lots of songs from their latest album Enter Xenon: "Curvey is always up for a challenge, for himself, his band mates and his listeners. Why take the easy route as the unchartered waters are beckoning? Yes, there is some Pink Floyd in there, some Porcupine Tree, but followers of the underground can pick his band out of any line-up within seconds. The kaleidoscopic twirling sound on the twin guitars, the smart use of progressive psych-rock go-to instrument the Mellotron, plus the subtle interaction of the bass and drums, all work together for a sonic experience that is dreamy, uplifting, and captivating."

» custardflux.bandcamp.com

HCTF review of Enter Xenon