ZHAOZE- Intoxicatingly Lost CD (Trail Records TR-017)

Zhaoze is a Chinese instrumental four piece rock band playing dreamy post rock style music. Very western inspired but with some unique twists here and there. This is their first release outside of China. The CD features 9 tracks in just over 60mins. Most are new but a few are bonus tracks from older releases. The opening song, the Worthless reminds me of the Japanese band Mono. Hoyliang plays Gugin (ancient string instrument), Xiao and dreamy keyboards, Littledream on guitar, Roy on bass and Seasean plays drums and glockenspiel. See you in the Dusk starts with a droney dreamy bowed sound and a cool lead bass line. Really nice playing and band interaction on this track. Falling Leaves is a slow track with one of the Chinese instruments taking the lead. Around 2mins the drums kick in and the energy level changes a bit and just before 4mins heaviest guitar on the whole CD kicks in and goes into Pelican like territory. 1911 3^rd Movement sounds like a traditional classical music track but it is not. It has this dream drone synth mixed way in the background and the Gugin taking the lead, I think. The Youngstar fishing for the Stars (Great title!) is another mellow floating dreamy piece until that quickly strummed post rock lead guitar like line kicks in.. not real rock lead guitar but way to overused by western bands. Lonely Shadow would Dance (another great song title!) starts off with flute (Xiao??) and then a sort of trade off between the guitar and Gugin. Beautiful track. Sleepy Child Sweet Smile has a more spacey vibe to it and some cool effects and another beautiful melodic thread and nice use of the Glockenspiel and later Xiao (flute?). Into your Dream features some really cool bass playing. The title track is last and the longest one at over 12mins and one of the best songs on the CD. If you are fan of the post rock music genre and love these sort of sweet dreamy  movie soundtrack theme type music but done in a very elegant way, please check this band out.

http://www.trailrecords.us/

SPIRTUAL BEGGARS- Thumbsucker 7” (H42 Records H42-032)

The Swedish band, Spiritual Beggars recently released a new studio album and it appears they had a bit of extra time and energy to record two cool cover songs (they do appear on the deluxe Mediabook version of the new records Sunrise to Sundown). Thumbsucker (Felix Pappalardi- Mountain) kicks things off and is more organ driven than the Mountain version. Great guitar solos as you must have if you cover Mountain! They could have jammed it out a bit more but it is a 7” record…  Stoned Woman by Alvin Lee (Ten Years After) is next for the B-side. I really love the groove on this one and nicely sang as well. Great single.. There are 450 copies on Brown (80), 150 on green and 220 on black vinyl. Quite simple artwork.. very old school..

http://www.h42records.com

http://www.spiritualbeggars.com

The Blues against Youth- Apprentice (Beast Records DEER005)

BAY is a one man Italian band by a guy named Gianni. He has made a few records I could see on Discogs.  He has a few guests on four of the tracks but all the rest he plays himself (guitars, bass drum, high hat, vocals, noises). The opening track, Keep it Goin’ is a short intro guitar piece that leads into the footstomping slide guitar blues work out called Medium size star Bound.  Nice blues guitar playing. Barbed Times has a bit more of a country twang to it and features Andrea on harp and Marquerite on backing vocals. Instead of Nothing is a super catchy track. Andrea returns on the harp for Somebody settles down.  Next up is a Hank Williams cover, Lonesome Whistle Blow, a very laid back track.  Call it Quits kicks up the energy level again with some more intense guitar playing. Boundless is an uptempo track with Yuri providing a frantic guitar solo. Wish Pile Blues is sung in a different style and has a quite happy vibe and includes a whistling section.  Got Blood in my Rhythm is another foot stomping good time blues track. The CD ends with the 7 min long title track and features some nice organ playing and a chance for some longer instrumental sections and a strange spacey instrumental at the end of the track.  I enjoyed the record quite a lot..  Check it out..

https://thebluesagainstyouth.bandcamp.com/album/apprentice-lp-cd-digital

http://beastrecords.free.fr/

From Farm to Space- An Illustrated Guide to Nasoni Records 1996- 2011 by Dr. Rainer Präger

From Farm to Space is a book about the history of the Berlin based record Label Nasoni Records. The label is a very important on in the psychedelic music scene in Europe and continues to this day to release many albums each year.  The book is printed in only 250 copies and must have cost a lot of money to print as virtually every page of the book is in colour. It also includes a 7” record with unreleased tracks by the Re-stoned and Wo Fat, two bands that had their early records released on the label.  The book is set up primarily by year but there is a nice introduction about how the label was started after Hans-Georg was inspired after visting the Texas commune of Wulfgang Zendik in 1992-93.  Released related to the Zendik Farm were the first releases.  The label played a huge role in building up artists like Vibravoid, Sula Bassana and bands that he played in, Earthling Society, La Ira De Dios, Los Natas, Causa Sui, Wo Fat, Siena Root, etc…. Many of these bands were totally unknown before Nasoni started to release their records in Europe. Every record released between 1996 and 2011 is given at least two pages in the book with details about every edition of the albums and CDs that were printed including colours of vinyl, and numbers produced. For some bands like Vibravoid, there were often many pressings. For some of the releases there are also press releases, record reviews, and other things included related to the releases..  IT is a great book and sure to be a collectors item with so few copies printed but it is not cheap at 70€ plus postage!!

http://www.nasoni-records.com

The Golden Grass and Travelin’ Jack- Lygtens Kro, CPH May 5th

I have really been looking forward to see the Golden Grass. I loved their first album and have played it so much and I just got the new one and it is also great and the songs are starting to really grow on me.  They blew me away at Roadburn 2 years ago..  Anyway, I went to Tom’s place before and we had a beer and listened to a new band called Grim Tower. It was pretty interesting stuff.  The only Golden Grass release he owns is the most rare one that was made in only 35 copies.. I recently managed to get one as well. Far out..

The show started really late. First band was supposed to play at 10 and Travelin’ Jack are a glam band and it took them an hour to get dressed so they did not start until 23:30 on this Thursday night.  Two guitars, bass, drums. The female guitar player did most of the lead guitar as well as the lead vocals. She kicked ass! This band had a great look and energy and the entire front row at the show was women! Rare to see that at a hard rock show anymore.. People were totally into their sort of more heavy rock version of Slade or something. Some nice dual harmony guitars in some songs as well.. A fun concert and very rare to see a female guitar player playing a Flying V and kicking ass with a lot of attitude and great leads…  This got people in the right mood for the Golden Grass.

Set List:  Reaper, I need Love, Thunder, Cold Blood, Black Tree, Madness, Home, Encore: Heavy Chain

The Golden Grass did not fuck around and tried to get set you as fast as possible. They have a new bass player since the last album and tour and he was awesome. Man, he laid down killer grooves and lines. Adam, the drummer and lead singer, is a monster drummer as well. His jazz training makes him a bit like Ginger Baker! Michael, the guitar player also does a lot lead vocals as well. It tight and rocking band with just great songs.. They played a good mix of new songs, old songs and two cover songs in their 45min set.. I was disappointed that they played so short but other than that they were amazing. I had such a good time but left quite soon afterwards as it was nearly 2 in the morning and I had to get up early…  Great night… Thanks to Rhona for booking all these cool bands.. 

Set List: Get it Together, Stuck on a Mountain, Livin’ ain’t Easy, Down the Line, Hot Smoke and Sassafrass (Bubble Puppy), The Pilgrim, Sugar N’ Spice. Encore: Wandering Around (Icecross)