In-Frequencies #6: Baba-X, Woollen Kits, Rank/Xerox, Bed Wettin’ Bad Boys

As part of an ongoing irregular series, TIM SCOTT rounds up some new-ish cassette, CD-R and vinyl releases including two releases from Australian-born, San Francisco-based artist David West.

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Baba-X
Beat Tape
(EP, This Thing, 2011)

Melbourne producer Baba-X (aka Luis Cran-Lawrence) drops some chilled but confident beats that could be likened to Clams Casino but with more jazzy and house tendencies. 'Drudgery' is a bonafide old-school hip-hop jam while 'Esh Swag' has more of an experimental vibe going on. For a guy who apparently learnt on a MPC2000XL and Dr Sample 202 this is really great stuff. I could be wrong but some of the samples from 'Change' sound like they could be lifted from an X-Ecutioners record. 'Time for Love to Begin' is just plain solid. Can't wait to hear more.

[Historical embedded media is withheld pending rights review.] Immensity & Eternity by Baba X

Beautiful
Pretty Vagrant
(Demo, independent, 2011)

Named after Auckland “identity” Margaret who spent most of her days sitting on K Road abusing passersby, this demo – recorded on the night of her death – is primitive indie pop at its murkiest/skankiest. Featuring Jack Mannix of Circle Pit most of songs seem under-baked. Raw cake. The covers here are probably the strongest: Warren Zevon's 'Carmelita' (not as good as GG Allin's!) and Snappers’ 'Buddy'. A true demo.

Bed Wettin' Bad Boys
‘Nobody Else’/‘Help’
(7”, RIP Society, 2011))

Though they no longer remain Sydney’s #1 party band, the Bad Boys latest 7” has them mixing up gruff and ragged ’70s power pop mixed in with early ’80s Minneapolis flaneur. The A-side has Joe's hoarse-as-fuck vocals belting out a refrain over simple but catchy guitar and drums that break into a killer guitar solo. Though the band have now added Doug on drums this recording was done when they were still a three-piece. There is also a huge jump in the improvement in their songwriting and musicianship. (Then again, “musicianship” should probably never be used in the context of a BWBB review.) The B-side – a cover of The Apartments’ 'Help' – does a good job at capturing an unbelievable early-’80s Aussies classic.

[Historical embedded media is withheld pending rights review.] Bed Wettin' Bad Boys - Nobody Else by Bed Wettin' Bad Boys

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Cobwebbs
'We Are Not Who We Are'
(7”, Saturno Records, 2011)

Following on from a split-CDR with fellow Brisbanites Cannon, Cobwebbs delve deeper into distorted and damaged psych territory. 'We Are Not Who We Are' sounds like a more a slowed-down and reverbed Thee Oh Sees, with loose percussion and guitar that also invites comparisons to Nothing People. Released on a Spanish label that are big fans of Aussie garage (The Living Eyes, Frowning Clouds) this album takes the primitive garage concept but adds enough of their own devices to make it stand out from the stacked pack.

[Historical embedded media is withheld pending rights review.] COBWEBBS - We Are Not Who We Are by Saturno Records

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Electric Sea Spider
‘Spit Rainbow’/‘Weed Tape’
(EP, independent, 2011)

More left-field and woozy beats and glitchy hip-hop/electronica from this Melbourne producer (aka Jim Sellars), who gives away free tapes and EPs like some kind of Warp Records Robin Hood. Following up from his debut album 'Mohican Beats' these two longer tracks see Sellars continuing to mine some of the same kind of wonk as Flying Lotus and LA's Low End Theory stable. Cool record.

[Historical embedded media is withheld pending rights review.] Spit Rainbow (new EP release out) by ELECTRIC SEA SPIDER

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Michael Ozone
Perfect Systems
(LP, ESP Institute, 2011)

Ozone drops his debut on venerable NYC label ESP Institute, run by Andrew Hogge (aka Love Fingers) one of the key figures in the international eclectic dance music scene – and it's a great fit between album and label. Basically the two tracks are nuts good! The start of 'Perfect Systems sounds like the jungle. The jungle from an old Tarzan film while ‘Hetropia’ is slinky liquid beats.

[Historical embedded media is withheld pending rights review.] [ESP006A] MICHAEL OZONE - s/t (snippets) by ESP Institute

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Internal Rot
EP
(7”, 625 Thrash/Crucificados, 2011)

Grindcore is an acquired taste. There aren't many reviews of it that don't include the words “brutal” and “punishing”. Internal Rot are no exception to this rule. They deliver pulverising blasts of short sharp shocks. (OK most reviews use the word “pulverising”, too.) The three-piece featuring members from Roskopp, Super Happy Fun Slide and Agents of Abhorrence play an intense style with appropriate grindcore song titles: 'Teeth Taker' and 'Pig Teeth'. Max Kohane from Agents of Abhorrence/Pivixki leaps out from the drum kit to put a flying New Balance shoe into your face with a frantic vocal attack that has drawn comparisons with the late kings of US grind, Insect Warfare.

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Various Artists
Why Don't You Believe Me
CDR (Why Don't You Believe Me, 2011)

Andre and Alec from Why Don't You Believe Me have put together a cool little compilation/mix-tape that showcases some of the more off-kilter indie pop gems from Melbourne and beyond. Alec's side features Scraps, Angel Eyes, Emma Russack, The Garbage & The Flowers, Crabstick and The Enclosures while Andre presents Joseph Liddy & The Skeleton Horse, Marf Loth, Dragging Pianos, Quaoub, J.A. Core and Heavy Yolks. Highlights include Russack's dark timbre on 'Friends Not Lovers' and Marf Loth's 'Wipe Out', a song that I could listen to possibly 10 times in a row.

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Woollen Kits
‘Maths’
(7”, RIP Society, 2011)

The follow-up to their seriously good Teenage Love EP sees the Kits bust out two more unpolished pop gems. ‘Maths’ is perhaps their best song yet with Tom Hardisty’s deep baritone voice, simple pop structures and a loose playing style that, yes, sounds a little like Beat Happening. But it's catchy, warm and familiar, like a mug of sweet tea.

Rat Columns
(7", Smart Guy, 2011)

Two West Australians: one now residing in the Bay Area, the other sitting on the Total Control drum stool. Actually, it's more one West Australian, David West, who enlists James Vinciguerra on a couple of tracks to help him map out some of his ill-fitting pop and new/young romantic-inspired jams. These four songs originally appeared on a tape released a year ago but they are well worth the vinyl re-release by Jerry from Smart Guy. This is a departure from West's more recent musical projects: the post-punk of Rank/Xerox (see below) and the hardcore Burning Sensation. 'I Wonder' has more than a bit of Ian McCulloch about it – a forlorn vocal rises above a simple guitar line and drum machine – while ‘Darkness’ dips into colder new wave territory. It makes me think of the flickering static of an early ’80s VHS music video.

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Wunderlust
Lust Tapes
(Cassette, independent, 2011)

A collection of experimental recordings that this Melbourne band put together over the past five years. With titles such as 'God is Sex' and vocal samples from films and other places, some of it falls into the self-indulgent side of weird for the sake of being weird. But I think this is the whole point. Heavy feedback, background clatter and latter Butthole Surfers messed-upness. I'd be keen to see if this is pulled off in a live setting.

Vaginors
Nuclear Papsmear
(LP, Hardcore Victim/No Patience, 2011)

Big-time Swankys love from Lewis at No Patience and some of his no good punk friends. The Swankys, of course, were a cult Japanese hardcore band that took bratty British punk, added some hardcore, screeching vocals and put on one chaotic live show. From the band room of their Adelaide punk house, The Vaginors do a good job of capturing the spirit and manic and cartoonish fun of the Swankys. Included is 'Spending Loud Night’, a cover from another Japanese band Confuse. Another awesome release from No Patience that helps consolidate Lewis – along with Brendan from Brisbane’s Negative Guest List and Nic from Sydney’s RIP Society – as one of the best indie labels in the country.

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The Bowers
‘Lay the Marigolds’
(7”, Cobra Snake Necktie, 2011)

First single lifted off the second album (due this month) from Melbourne power-pop/rockers The Bowers. Guitarist/vocalist Phil Gionfriddo claims the new album is “sweeter than a Murray Riverina navel orange” and after hearing 'Lay the Marigolds' I'd say he's spot on. The song has more hooks than right-hand turns on William and Bourke streets at peak hour. The B-side starts out with a cover of the legendary Nerves track 'Paper Dolls' and finishes off with an acoustic bluesy Stones-like shuffle 'Jacky and Joan'. These guys sure pump out the vinyl – this is their fifth 7” – but with quality songs none of that precious acetate is ever wasted.

[Historical embedded media is withheld pending rights review.] The Bowers - Lay The Marigolds by csntrecords

Rank/Xerox
Rank/Xerox
(12”, Make a Mess, 2011)

The blurred album cover art contrasts with the tight, taught and clinical punk found on this album (the second David West project to be reviewed in this column). This is West’s testy punk outlet. The album was recorded by Eric Bauer with help from Ty Segall which seems odd as there's absolutely none of the reverb or fuzz that you associate with Segall. Instead it's cold and sharp as West implies on 'Sterile Regions': “Cold and sterile makes sense to mutate.” This a hard record to pin down and is perhaps the reason why I have been playing the shit out of it. Gang of Four, Sonic Youth, The Minutemen or even Giant Haystacks or Airfix Kits, but not. The best song that captures the face scratching agitation is 'Nausea’. 'Padek Man' has a early Minuteman feels, while 'Discipline' ups the speed, urgency and fury.

[Historical embedded media is withheld pending rights review.] Rank/Xerox - S/T LP - A3 - Nausea by ROS RECORDS

Asps
‘So Long’
(Cassingle, Nihilistic Orbs, 2011)

One of two new releases (the other a Jonny Telfafone 7”) by Melbourne’s newest, and already one of its best labels Nihilistic Orbs. (It’s run by Shaun South of Chrome Dome and Young Romantix.) Asps is Andrea Blake, South’s Chrome Dome buddy who steps/sits out solo to bring an eerie and forlorn sound using pedals and effects. While Ben Hepworth of Repairs helps out on bass, this is truly Andrea's project. She creates hypnotic and dubbed-out jams such as the title track with its delays and spacey echo.

[Historical embedded media is withheld pending rights review.] So long by NIHILISTIC ORBS

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IN-FREQUENCIES #5: Dro Carey, Mad Nanna, Circle Pit, Chaos Kids.

IN-FREQUENCIES #4: Pond, NoTV, UV Race, Johnny Casino.

IN-FREQUENCIES #3: Kirin J Callinan, Bare Grillz, Hammocks And Honey.

IN-FREQUENCIES #2: Tough Troubles, Lakes, Brainwaves.

IN-FREQUENCIES #1: Absolute Boys, Pageants, Southern Comfort, Taco Leg.