September 5, 2002

Yo La Tengo - declare (nuclear) War
Coming in November, Matador will be releasing a new 12"/CD single from Yo La Tengo; several versions of Sun Ra's "Nuclear War". That is, assuming we aren't engaged in a nuclear war between now and then, in which case the knowledge that this single will not be included on Yo La Tengo's forthcoming album won't be much consolation.

Mark Eitzel - making new friends
Mark Eitzel is very excited about his new power trio (tentative name: "American Monobrow") which features not only thrashed out punk rock versions of AMC classics such as 'Western Sky' and 'Jesus' Hands', but also some of his raw new heavier material featuring 'Patriots Heart', a song that poses a very important question: "Why indeed are not gay male strippers also heros in the War On Terrorism?!?!?" See more info on his fun new web site:

Interpol - US tour begins and that's the least of it
Let's review this week's highlights,shall we?

"Turn On The Bright Lights" is out now on CD and LP and more than a few of you seem to agree with us that this is the debut album of 2002.

Videos for "PDA" and "NYC" will available soon for viewing from this site and other locations.

A CD single and 7" of "Obstacle 1" backed with recordings from the band's recent KCRW sessions will be released by Matador in the UK this October. Imports will be available through Matador direct stores and via the Matador Store on the website.

Nationwide U.S.dates are just starting; UK dates to follow in October.

Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - hitting the road (and the road hits back)
We cannot urge you strongly enough to attend the forthcoming JSBX shows (with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Liars) because if you don't, not only will you miss out on the season's hottest rock'n'roll event, but we'll never speak to you again. We're cutting you off. For good. No more bulk e-mails or free DVDs or late-night phone calls. "Plastic Fang" + free bonus DVD is out soon and we're getting a little tired of being so nice about things.

Dead Meadow - on board
Matador Records is pleased to announce the signing of the Washington DC trio Dead Meadow to a worldwide deal. The band, made up of Jason Simon (guitar/vocals), Steven Kille (bass), and Stephen McCarty (drums), create heavy distorted psychedelia and electric sludge blues with expansive instrumental passages. They're pretty devastating by any standards we can think of. Dead Meadow have released two albums for Joe Lally's Tolotta label and have toured throughout this year with Guided by Voices, Super Furry Animals, The Brian Jonestown Massacre and The Warlocks; they've recorded a John Peel Session as well.

Dead Meadow just completed their most recent block of US touring and will tour Europe late this autumn before recording their new album, due in early 2003.

Mary Timony's "The Golden Dove" nominated for suspicious award
Mary Timony has been nominated to the Long List portion of "The Shortlist Music Prize" by Kim Gordon. We're told that The Shortlist Music Prize is awarded directly by the creative community to ground- breaking and emerging artists. It was conceived in 2001, and the first year's award went to Icelandic band Sigur Ros among heavy competition from a diverse group of 10 Shortlist Finalists including PJ Harvey, Ryan Adams, Talib Kweli and Gorrillaz.

OK. But before you get all excited about this keep in mind that the drummer of U2 is one of the judges. Like, who cares? Don't get us wrong,we're thrilled that Mary is nominated (GBV and Belle & Sebastian,too) but who decides who or what constitutes the creative community?

You can read more about this award at shortlistofmusic.com and decide for yourself if the opinions of the guys from the Strokes are any more important than your own.

A reader writes :
"good grief man; nearly had a coronary when i saw this on the newspage: 'None of this ever would've happened if Richard Dawson was still alive.'"

"A quick check round the block and back indicates that Mr. Richard Dawson is very much alive (least that's what they say). That is not, however,the case with his unfortunate successor, RAY COMBS, who kicked itself-inflicted style back in the early/mid 90s."

regards Jim."

Thank you Jim, and please accept our apologies for this glaring error. We'd also like to apologize to the family and friends of Richard Dawson for any discomfort our insensitive and inaccurate remarks might have caused.

Listening (and grandstanding) Choices of various Matador Persons

Dave Martin
Listen up!

1) Half Life - All Our Yesterdays - Amazing compilation of Pgh's greatest's long out of print 7", their comp track and live cassette from their most crucial (and forgotten) era. Some serious revisionist history is in order.

2) Bellini - Snowing Sun - Well, it is finally out. I have had this on my listening lists for well over a year and it really available now, and there is an extensive US tour in the works. Damon from Don Caballero, Speaking Canaries Agostino and Giovanna from Uzeda and Matt Taylor from Texas have made this ultra complex and ultra dense and totally unlike any other record out now.

3) Modey Lemon - Live & Live on WFMU CDR - Their record is my favorite record of the year so far and live they are 200% insanity. Sweat, spit, shit breaking. All the good stuff. They are going on an extensive US tour very soon. Don't miss 'em.

4) Reigning Sound - Time Bomb High School - 2nd record and it is even better than the first. An absolute gem of a record and "Straight Shooter" is such a good song I think I've listened to over 100 times in the past two weeks.

5) Cheater Slicks - Yer Last Record - I can't think of another band that personifies the nowhere American vibe better than the Cheater Slicks. It's not the next big thing, it's the never been-never will be thing. It is real. Very real, and it just keeps getting better. Kinda like an audio equivalent of the old Jack Black (not that one goofy.) book You Can't Win.

6) Black Sabbath - Sabotaged LP box set - Unbelievable live show from Philly in 1975. A handful of these tracks (5 or 6) are on the new DBL CD, but the whole show is off the hook. A must have item.

7) The Hunches - Yes. No. Shut It! - Over the top hate, scuzz from Portand. This doesn't come out for a bit, but there is a great 7" out now.

8) The Styrenes - It's Still Artastic - On one had it's kind of a pain in the ass for any one who might have the original CD, but it still has a bunch of stuff that wasn't on that CD that you need!

9) Mudhoney - Since We've Become Translucent - If you haven't heard: I Love Mudhoney!

10) The Lurkers - Greatest Hits - When I heard about our deal with the Beggars Group I thought to myself that this was the first CD that I needed from them. I got it, if you don't then you need it.


Ben Goldberg
Eyvind Kang - Live Low To The Earth In The Iron Age (Abduction) - New droney record from great SF violinist. Other players on the record might be Sun City Girls people, and they add pretty, folksy interludes to the pieces.

Dead C - New Electric Music (Language Recordings Three) While I've never head a Dead C record I haven't liked, this one is up there with Harsh '70s Reality and The White House. Nice, intense, angry feedback noise.

Peter Gabriel - Rabbit Proof Fence - While not as good as Passion, still an engaging soundtrack, with all the needed big drums and people singing odes to the sun.

Kinski Uncut - I just started this, which is supposedly the autobiography to squash all others, but it's sure to be a favorite.

Che Ryback
Book.
Arthur Herman's "How the Scots Invented the Modern World: The True Story of how Western Europe's Poorest Nation Created Our World and Everything in It"

Music.
Black Sabbath bootleg " sabotaged"
Jerry Reed "The essential Jerry Reed"
Othar Turner & the Afrosippi Allstars "s/t"
Mekon featuring Roxanne ShantÈ "what's going on" 12" (Junior Cartier remix)

Random.
Structured Texas hold'em
Sobriety

Bad.
Sin Tax in NYC
Any televised programming dedicated to bringing you "cutting edge" music
That Fucking annoying as fucking hell fucking New York fucking Times fucking shit tv fucking commercial.

Comments.
The handlebar moustache is coming back.
Up is the new gravity.
Sean Connery is still number 007
2500 left-handed people worldwide die every year due to right-handed products.

Patrick Amory
Los Iberos -- Hiding Behind My Smile 7" (Columbia Spain 7")
Leo Kottke -- Dreams and all that stuff (Capitol LP)
Tubby Hayes -- Introducing Tubbs (Epic 180gm LP)
Jon Lucien -- I Am Now (RCA LP)
Doves -- The Last Broadcast (Heavenly dbl LP)
Nico -- Chelsea Girl (Verve LP)
Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich -- If music be the food of love... (Fontana LP)
Barry Booth -- Diversions! (Pye LP)
Ray Noble & His Orchestra -- Sings With Al Bowlly (HMV LP)
Black Sabbath -- Sabotaged: Live Philadelphia 1975 (3 LP box set, no label)

Mike Holdsworth
scion - arrange and process basic channel tracks
various - rock on - greatest hits from the observer label
dennis brown - the promised land
neko case - blacklisted
omme kolsoum - la diva
neil young - decade

Jesper Eklow
george baker selection - little green bag (colossus) 45
gay and terry woods - backwoods (boot) cd
saints - i'm stranded demos cdr
nv groep 65 (grey past) 10"
v/a - australian rock 71-72 (havoc) LP
planxty - planxty (polydor) LP


Gerard Cosloy
Mark Grace - Mike Fetters Impersonation, 2 September, mopping up vs. LA
Jason Lowenstein - Sixs And Sevens (Sub Pop)
Ill Ease - Greatest Tits 10" (Too Pure)
Various Artists - Kompakt Total 4(Kompakt)
Signer - Low Light Dreams (Carpark)
The Saints - Wild About You (1976-1978) (Raven)
Rosy Parlane - Getxo (Sigma)
Paul Flaherty /Greg Kelley /Chris Corsano - Sannyasi (Wet Paint)