For your upcoming, insatiable, mid-week evening of debaucherous enlightenment, look no further than Larry’s in Venice, CA, tomorrow evening. Not mentioned on the enigmatic flyer to the left is 3-year veteran, and Venice Open Mic Night originator / evening entertainer / Soviet Monica philanthropist, Isaac Irvin. The living myth (and connoisseur of German motor engineering) celebrates 3 years of open mic history, and the city of Los Angeles is invited. Also slated for your skirt-grabbing, live art pleasure is famed West Los Angeles painter / entrepreneur, Al Torres. So, let’s face it. Thursday be damned, and for damned good reason. See y’all at Larry’s tomorrow night!
Tag Archives: wax
Simply BS
Time for the ol’ car CD swap out. This happens every three or so months and, let me tell you, going from a 160gb iPod to a single-disc stereo take a bit of getting used to. Presented here is 1997’s vinyl-only self-titled BS 2000 (custom made… only two in existence) and the follow-up, 2000’s Simply Mortified. These were the only “studio” releases by the Beastie Boys side project BS 2000, and we’re about to rediscover them for about the fifth time.
Phobos
I’ve been waiting for 8 months to showcase an amazing analysis of Monolith of Phobos, the spectacular debut release from The Claypool Lennon Delirium (Les Claypool and Sean Lennon… no joke), and this post is (clearly) not said analysis. I’ll have to circle back when 1) I have more time and 2) well, there is no 2). If you haven’t already, and I’m sure you have, CHECK. OUT. THE. CLAYPOOL. LENNON. DELIRIUM.
Unhuman
Nothing, I repeat NOTHING works better for passing the time on 6+ hour road trip than MOTOR. She’ll make you want to drive 30 miles over the legal limit, but she’ll make sure you get there on time. #drugbeat
Plastic Stacks
When I purged my 600+ compact disc collection (I shudder to think of maintaining that now), I kept a handful (a rather LARGE handful) of essentials, that, upon just recently, I’d forgotten completely about. Some of the survivors are obvious heroes, but others…
The Third Dimension
Don’t take my word for it (no, please don’t. I’m still wrapping my head around this “astonishing new achievement in stereo recording.”) Ladies and gentlemen, taken straight from the inner sleeve of Enoch Light and the Light Brigade’s 1964 classic, Dimension – 3 – .
Remember when you first discovered stereo recording? Remember the excitement of finding that a single groove on a record could actually carry two separate channels of sound? Remember the revelation that the solid mass of sound which was what you were accustomed to in phonographic reproduction could actually have directional values? And that this sense of direction could also provide a sense of perspective and depth? What a tremendous change this made in the pleasures and excitement that could be provided by a phonograph! Suddenly you were in a completely different world of sound! Remember? You can experience that same sense of discovery again.
Dimension – 3 – is one of the most unusual records that has ever been made. On it you hear for the first time the perfection and an extra dimension in stereo reproduction that engineers have been striving for ever since stereophonic recording was introduced.
Dimension – 3 – the amazing new recording technique revealed on this disc, makes it possible to achieve triple presence in sound reproduction! This means that you actually hear sound coming from three sources – even though you are only using the customary two speakers!
(Truncated… for more on the mysterious and marvelous Dimension – 3 – sound, check your local record retailer, or visit us again at The Prudent Groove.)
The Egg
I don’t know much (if anything) about Main Source, this month’s selection via Vinyl Me, Please, but I’m intrigued by the egg-like vinyl pattern. Originally released in 1991, Breaking Atoms appears to be Main Source’s debut album. When exploring new acts, I prefer (as I assume many, if not all of you do) to start at the beginning. Eagerly anticipating unscrambling this salty spin, for sure.
Electric Eclectics
By far the best late 60s Moog record I’ve ever heard, Dick Hyman’s 1969 insta-classic Moog – The Electric Eclectics of Dick Hyman offers two parts satisfying melody, equal parts goofball, and a twist of the unexpected. I imagine the Moog to be like the zither for those who aren’t keen on the distinct sound, but for those in the mood (the Moog mood?) for a cheerful listening adventure, The Electric Eclectics of Dick Hyman are just a needle drop away.
Quiet Village
We expanded the Martin Denny collection this weekend, tripled it actually, with the help of his 1959 album, Quiet Village – The Exotic Sounds of Martin Denny. Passed up Volume III of Exotica (stupidly), but managed to secure another 1959 classic of Mr. Denny’s, Afro-Desia. I don’t know what the hell was going on in the late 50s, early 60s, but things are getting out of control in a hurry!
Hotel Room Essentials
When staying out of town for a hot second, we didn’t forget to bring our room essentials. Though the neighbors may not be happy, it’s 3rd floor Space Age Pop with an ocean view and in-room fireplace at this makeshift lounge. Don’t forget to tip your bartender.
Can We Be Digitized?
Now the (very) proud owner of The Dismemberment Plan’s first 7″, Can We Be Mature?, we couldn’t help but to put everything (read: the world) on hold and digitize it as soon as humanly possible. This is a digitizing “action shot” so, there you go.
Event 2
The possibility of a Dr. Octagon show next month has gotten me 1) a little excited and 2) in the mood for Dan the Automator. Presented here is The Instrumentals version of Deltron 3030’s 2013 sophomore effort, Event 2, but, you know, like I said, the instrumental version of it. Be it Wanna Buy a Monkey?, his work on the video game 2K7, Lovage, or Handsome Boy Modeling School, one can very seldom (read: never) go wrong with a little Dan the Automator.
The Dr. is In
Very strongly considering what would, just a few short years ago, have been a no-brainer. Shows during the week these days… am I right?!
Volume 3
1959-1961 were very busy years for Command Records, and its owner / originator and record producer Enoch Light. Releasing all four volumes of Persuasive Percussion within this time, as well as Volumes 1 – 3 of Provocative Percussion (Volume 4 came out in 1962), the label, and mastermind Mr. Light, damn-near defined the Space Age Pop sound, while offered amazing, minimalist album covers in the process. If you’ve ever wanted to fill your bachelor pad with the persuasive and provocative sounds of Space Age Pop, we strongly recommend either (both) of these collections.
Get Your MOTOR Runnin’
Man, I wish MOTOR would put out some new music. Maybe they have, and I’ve been under my umbrella of Space Age Pop for too long. Unlikely. MOTOR is definitely one of those bands you need to seek out in order to stay above the line of awareness. They’re not social media darlings, and they certainly don’t pop up on KCRW (they’re more likely to pop up on KXLU, though I’ve never heard them there). Anyway, man I wish MOTOR would put out some new music.
Tacocidal
Found this at the Cha Cha Lounge in Silver Lake and felt inclined to snap a photo.
All I want is some hot sauce, and she wouldn’t give it to me
All I wanted was hot sauce, just some hot sauce, and she wouldn’t give it to me
Just some hot sauce
What’s New in January from VMP
Last month’s VMP (Vinyl Me, Please) insert looks, well, it looks exactly like the picture on the left. Nothing too exciting on display, but what’s missing, and what could have been a full page ad was the (now out of print) debut reissue by The Avalanches, Since I Left You. Can’t WAIT for that one to show up.
That Time Vinyl Me, Please Made Right
So, quick story. I’m a member of Vinyl Me, Please, and outstanding record-a-month club that you should most certainly check out if you aren’t already a member. Well, last month’s double LP was Panda Bear’s Person Pitch, and instead of getting disc 1 and disc 2, what one would assume, I got 2x disc 1s. It actually took me a song to realize when I put the 2nd record on the platter. Anyway, I took a photo of my bastardized album, send it to Vinyl Me, Please, and in less than a week I received a brand new, fully functional double LP of Person Pitch, this time with correct discs. Vinyl Me, Please made right, and I’d like people to know that.
So the photo. The photo is the art print that came with Panda Bear’s Person Pitch (one comes with every month’s release, as does a pairing cocktail catered to that month’s specific album… it’s pretty damn cool). I’m not sure if there is a name of the print, but it’s original artwork by Mi Ju. Give respect where respect is due, kids.
Decca’d
Another day, another Decca disc-sert… just made that up. Simple, yet elegant arrow design, drawing a varying path from Hawaiian Music, through Deluxe Albums, Vocal, Classical & Semi-Classical, Latin, Movie, and Dance, ending up at a new world of sound… on Decca Records. Nicely done, early 60’s design individual. Nicely done, indeed.
RIAA’s Tech Data
Cleaned house (and my desktop) to discover this post-ready (Photoshopped) RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) Technical Data explanation guide. Circa: 1960-ish, the technical readout to this battle station, er, hi-fi record is sure to massage all your audiophile (nerdy) needs.
The Prudent Groove 