Crib Notes

Update:  an ummastered mp3 of Ecstatic Sunshine’s “Turned On” from Yesterday’s Work has been added to this post.

The Baltimore/Atlanta/Washington D.C.-based accessibly weird and vinyl friendly label Hoss Records has unveiled its fall release schedule. First up is the third full-length from Baltimore duo Ecstatic Sunshine, titled Yesterday’s Work. According to Hoss boss Brad Hurst the album presents “an evolved version of Papich’s post-Frippertronics guitar work married to skittering Berlin-school electronics.”

In August the LP will be preceded by Ecstatic Sunshine’s “Turned On” 7-inch, which features a non-album track and a remix by Rjyan Kidwell (A.K.A. Cex).

In the meantime the first installment of of the label’s new techno 12-inch series has also arrived with the first installment coming from San Francisco’s Mi Ami. The idea behind the series is to take bands that aren’t traditionally associated with techno music and get them to make techno music.

The Mi Ami 12-inch features two side-long and somewhat conceptual electro-riffs on the deep, dark, mutant bass and slow grooves of Shackleton’s “Blood On My Hands.”

“Blood on My Hands” is used more as a reference point for the source material at the center of the record. “Towers Fall” merges the group’s signature use of polyrhythms and massive bass to create a sustained drum and synth odyssey. “Towers Fall (Cassette Mix)” presents the previous rhythmic work out as a much slower and dirtier dub-heavy dirge that pushes the song deeper and higher into the electronic ether, and any and all vocal yelps have been boiled down to a bare-bones minimum.

Also just-released is the LP edition of Food For Animals‘ critically acclaimed Belly (200 copies are on translucent gold vinyl).

Also in the works for 2009 will be a new EP and a digital full-length from Atlanta expat and Prefuse 73 cohort Ryan Rasheed’s Leb Laze. A new Food For Animals full-length will also see the light of day as well as new releases from All The Saints, Brass Castle, Ben Lawless and more.

Ecstatic Sunshine’s “Turned On” (unmastered) mp3

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It’s a big weekend for shows in Atlanta. Sadly Morrissey sold out the Variety Playhouse quickly (rightfully so). But if you weren’t one of the lucky ones who got tickets, there are still plenty of other noteworthy things going on.

On Friday night Mi Ami is playing a show over at 529. Personally, I’m not a fan of this CD by any stretch and it has been the subject of much debate between me and about a dozen other people who wholeheartedly disagree with me. I spent about a week and a half trying to figure out what it is that makes people clamor for this group, but each listen only made the singer’s absolutely unbearable vocal screeds that much more maddening. By its very nature the the heavy rhythms and deep bottom end of the music demands a physical response. Perhaps the live show will persuade me to think otherwise.

If you’re looking for something more in the vein of traditional rock and roll, Howlies are playing the CD release party for Trippin With Howlies at the Star Bar.

On Saturday night the Fourth Ward Afro-Klezmer Orchestra plays at Eyedrum. 4WAKO is a nine piece jazz orchestra playing original compositions and arrangements that combine West African influenced rhythms with Eastern European Klezmer melodies. Daniel Clay opens the show.

Selmanaires play a show at 529 on Saturday night. According to vocalist and guitar player Tommy Chung the group will be unveiling an almost entirely new set of songs. (more…)

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Sad news hit the indie rock world today when one of it’s longest running major players Touch and Go Records announced that the company was drastically reducing in size, axing its distribution arm and laying off several employees. These harsh cuts are the result of the current state of the economy making it too difficult for the label to continue operating as is.

That said, the label still exists, but to what extent, and how it will affect recent signees such as Mi Ami and Atlanta’s All the Saints remains to be seen. After owner Corey Rusk released his official statement today, he later told Pitchforkmedia.com that the label may begin releasing new music at some point in the future, but as of right now nothing is certain. In the meantime it also remains to be seen how T&G distributed labels such as Merge, Drag City and Suicide Squeeze — who recently signed the Coathangers — will be affected as well.

Here is the complete text of Corey Rusk’s statement:

“It is with great sadness that we are reporting some major changes here at Touch and Go Records. Many of you may not be aware, but for nearly 2 decades, Touch and Go has provided manufacturing and distribution services for a select yet diverse group of other important independent record labels. Titles from these other labels populate the shelves of our warehouse alongside the titles on our own two labels, Touch and Go Records, and Quarterstick Records.

“Unfortunately, as much as we love all of these labels, the current state of the economy has reached the point where we can no longer afford to continue this lesser known, yet important part of Touch and Go’s operations. Over the years, these labels have become part of our family, and it pains us to see them go. We wish them all the very best and we will be doing everything we can to help make the transition as easy as possible.

“Touch and Go will be returning to its roots and focusing solely on being an independent record label. We’ll be busy for a few months working closely with the departing labels and scaling our company to an appropriate smaller size after their departure. It is the end of a grand chapter in Touch and Go’s history, but we also know that good things can come from new beginnings.”

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