Fire Records
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In 2004 Giant Sand had changed beyond recognition. The revolving door of band members that so invaluably contributed to a prolific and gifted past was now, literally, all over the map, and so were Giant Sand. Bassist Joey Burns and drummer John Convertino had now moved to pastures new with Calexico, in their place were a new Scandinavian backline which would enable Howe and Giant Sand to release the first original material since 2000's 'Chore of Enchantment'.Visit product page →
The reaction produced a record which at points harked back to the more rowdy and aggressive tones of Giant Sand of old, seemingly in search for the familiarity of earlier times, stretching in to new surroundings, distortion being the tool.
The songs of course are great, Gelb's often whispered and crackly in-ear vocals, pretty piano, acoustic guitar (and with peppering of that distortion) all play their part to continue the Giant Sand train moving, ...um, all over the map.
1. Classico2. NYC Of Time3. Remote4. Flying Around The Sun With Remarkable Speed5. Cracklin Water6. Rag7. Muss8. Drab9. Fool10. Les Forcats Innocents11. Napoli12. Hood (View From A Heidelberg Hotel)13. A Classico Reprise14. Anarchistic Bolshevistic Cowboy Bundle15. Ploy16. A Quiet Remote (Bonus) -
Sold outLong Stem Rant was originally released in 1989 and is the fifth reissue from Fire Records.Visit product page →
Giant Sands is a mood, says Howes of Giant Sands, as if trying to offer a low-key explanation for his dizzying array of artistic exploration that includes a back-catalogue of some 40 albums as a singer, band-leader and producer. After growing up in Pennsylvania in the 1970s, it wasnt until he moved to Tuscon, Arizona that he met his musical soul mate, the guitarist Rainer Ptaceck. The two formed Giant Sandworms and issued only a handful of recordings before the worms were put to rest: since then, Giant Sand have released 24 albums - an impressive haul when considering Howes equally prolific output under other projects including Black Ranchette and Arizona Amp & Alternator as well as his solo releases.
1. Unfinished Love2. Sandman3. Bloodstone4. Searchlight5. Smash Jazz6. Sucker In A Cage7. Patsy Does Dylan8. Its Long 'Bout Now9. Lag Craw10. Loving Cup11. Paved Road To Berlin12. Anthem13. Picture Shows14. Drum & Guitar15. Get to Leave16. Searchlight Cha Cha17. Return Of The Big Red Guitar18. Stuck Dog19. Real Gone Blue Guitar20. The Jig "Zup21. Hardly A Day (Bonus)22. It's Longer Now (Bonus)23. Hammer Toe (Bonus) -
Sold outThe Love Songs was originally released in 1988 and is the fourth reissue from Fire Records.Visit product page →
Giant Sand is a mood, says Howes of Giant Sands, as if trying to offer a low-key explanation for his dizzying array of artistic exploration that includes a back-catalogue of some 40 albums as a singer, band-leader and producer. After growing up in Pennsylvania in the 1970s, it wasnt until he moved to Tuscon, Arizona that he met his musical soul mate, the guitarist Rainer Ptaceck. The two formed Giant Sandworms and issued only a handful of recordings before the worms were put to rest: since then, Giant Sand have released 24 albums - an impressive haul when considering Howes equally prolific output under other projects including Black Ranchette and Arizona Amp & Alternator as well as his solo releases.
1. Wearing The Robes Of Bible Black2. One Man's Woman / No Man's Land3. Mad Dog A Man4. Fingernail Moon, Barracuda And Me5. Mountain Of Love Harold Dorman6. Almost The Politician's Wife7. The Doors8. Love Like A Train9. Is That All There Is?10. Clump11. Get Ready12. Murky Red Dew13. Major Glorious Ending Theme14. Hammer Toe (Bonus)15. Almost The Politician's Wife - OutTake (Bonus) -
"Purge & Slouch" was originally released in 1993 and is the ninth Giant Sand reissue in the series from Fire Records and follow up to the successful 'Center Of The Universe'.Visit product page →
After the commercial and critical success of 'Center Of The Universe', Giant Sand looked to lay down the instinctive and impulsive spark of the band onto record, "Believing in recording in "the moment of impact" to result in a "perfect harvest" where a song gets captured the first time it ever gets played, and this record marks the moment where 98.5 % of it was done like this". Howe was planning on it being his "metal machine music" album, but instead, "some real songs happened too many times in the process ... songs I have never learned".
Recorded at a house on the outskirts of Tucson, 'Ramp' features some local guest guitarists on a couple of tracks with the aim to "fully realize an album without working up any of it before arriving at the studio".
"Giant Sand is a mood," says Howe' of Giant Sand, as if trying to offer a low-key explanation for his dizzying array of artistic exploration that includes a back-catalogue of some 40 albums as a singer, band-leader and producer. After growing up in Pennsylvania in the 1970's, it wasn't until he moved to Tuscon, Arizona that he met his musical soul mate, the guitarist Rainer Ptaceck. The two formed Giant Sandworms and issued only a handful of recordings before the worms were put to rest: since then, Giant Sand have released 24 albums - an impressive haul when considering Howe's equally prolific output under other projects including Black Ranchette and Arizona Amp & Alternator as well as his solo releases.
1. Slander2. Bender3. Swamp Thing4. Santana, Castanada & You5. Blue Lit Rope6. Overture (Part 1)7. Rice Road Rumba8. Slice & Dice Blues9. High Lonesome Curl10. New Carjack City Blues11. Owed Ode12. Overture (Part 2)13. Here On The Planet14. Elevator Music15. Song For The Accountants16. Dock Of The Bay17. Tripping Moon18. Dance Of The Cicadas19. Disclaimer20. Smokey Joe's Deep Blue Pancakes21. Thin Lizzy Tribute-Personality Flaws-Last.. -
Visit product page →"Ramp" was originally released in 1991 and is the seventh Giant Sand reissue in the series from Fire Records.For 'Ramp', Giant Sand ushered in several new members to the fold, "including young bassist Joey burns, the stunning voice of 74 year old Pappy Allen, and our sweet, sweet friend Victoria Williams .. we had begun recording in Tucson and finished it back in Venice, CA at mad dog studio again .. the first track was produced by Dusty Wakeman and featured the late great Duane Jarvis".
Howe describes that the experiment with 'Ramp' was "to record an electric song live in the studio and have the pre-recorded acoustic bridge be slotted in by DAT machine while then starting up again with the electric part live at the same pace as before the DAT take was applied with its different beat. What made this tricky was the mechanical delay of the play button on the state of the art day machine...you can hear the result in "warm storm".
"Giant Sand is a mood," says Howe' of Giant Sand, as if trying to offer a low-key explanation for his dizzying array of artistic exploration that includes a back-catalogue of some 40 albums as a singer, band-leader and producer. After growing up in Pennsylvania in the 1970's, it wasn't until he moved to Tuscon, Arizona that he met his musical soul mate, the guitarist Rainer Ptaceck. The two formed Giant Sandworms and issued only a handful of recordings before the worms were put to rest: since then, Giant Sand have released 24 albums - an impressive haul when considering Howe's equally prolific output under other projects including Black Ranchette and Arizona Amp & Alternator as well as his solo releases.
1. Warm Storm2. Romance Of Falling3. Wonder4. Welcome To My World5. Anti-Shadow6. Jazzer Snipe7. Z. Z. Quicker Foot8. Neon Filler9. Seldom Matters10. Resolver11. Nowhere12. Always Horses Coming13. Patsy's Blues14. Shadow To You (Bonus) -
"Storm" was originally released in 1988 is the third reissue from Fire Records. It features the popular single 'Uneven Light Of Day' and a cover of Robbie Robertson's 'The Weight'.Visit product page →
"Giant Sands is a mood," says Howe's of Giant Sands, as if trying to offer a low-key explanation for his dizzying array of artistic exploration that includes a back-catalogue of some 40 albums as a singer, band-leader and producer. After growing up in Pennsylvania in the 1970's, it wasn't until he moved to Tuscon, Arizona that he met his musical soul mate, the guitarist Rainer Ptaceck. The two formed Giant Sandworms and issued only a handful of recordings before the worms were put to rest: since then, Giant Sand have released 24 albums - an impressive haul when considering Howe's equally prolific output under other projects including Black Ranchette and Arizona Amp & Alternator as well as his solo releases.
Howe, though, is definitely not content to rest on his laurels. Giant Sand's 2000 album Chore Of Enchantment has been declared one of the Best 1000 Records Ever Made and scooped up plaudits from NME and The Guardian amongst others, with the former insisting the record cemented his reputation as "a founding father of modern Americana". His most recent solo project, meanwhile - 2006's 'Sno Angel Like You - earned a 5 star review in Mojo and was described by Q as "showcasing an immense generosity of spirit and poetic warmth".
Rather than retrospect, then, this is a time for celebration. Howe and his band marked the 25th anniversary of the release of Valley Of Rain by hosting a very special evening of brand new collaborations and performances. They played some of their choice cuts from their back catalogue, and were joined by Kristin Hersch, guitarist and founder of the seminal art-rock band Throwing Muses. "I'll jump at any chance to be on stage with the wild and wacky, kooky and cozy Howe," says Hersch. "With Howe, I never know exactly what will happen, but it's always great to be a part of it."
1. Uneven Light Of Day2. Town Where No Town Belongs3. Back To Black And Grey4. Bigger Than That5. Right Makes Right6. Three 6ixes7. Big Rock8. The Replacement9. Storm10. Was Is A Big Word11. Town With Little Or No Pity12. The Weight13. Uneven Light of Day - Alt Take (Bonus) -
Sold outSwerve was originally released in 1990 and is the sixth reissue from Fire Records.Visit product page →
Giant Sand is a mood, says Howes of Giant Sands, as if trying to offer a low-key explanation for his dizzying array of artistic exploration that includes a back-catalogue of some 40 albums as a singer, band-leader and producer. After growing up in Pennsylvania in the 1970s, it wasnt until he moved to Tuscon, Arizona that he met his musical soul mate, the guitarist Rainer Ptaceck. The two formed Giant Sandworms and issued only a handful of recordings before the worms were put to rest: since then, Giant Sand have released 24 albums - an impressive haul when considering Howes equally prolific output under other projects including Black Ranchette and Arizona Amp & Alternator as well as his solo releases.
1. Can't Find Love2. Swerver3. Sisters And Brothers4. Swerving5. Some Kind Of6. Trickle Down System7. Dream Stay8. Former Version Of Ourselves9. Angels At Night10. Every Grain Of Sand11. Swervette12. Final Swerve13. Sisters And Brothers (Bonus)14. Former Version Of Ourselves (Bonus)15. Angels At Night (Bonus)16. Some Kind Of (Bonus) -
2010 marks the 25th anniversary of Valley Of Rain - the debut album by Giant Sand, the ever-shifting alternative rock band overseen by "the Godfather of Alt. Country" Howe Gelb. With that in mind, the band are celebrating in the only way they know how: with a flurry of great music. This year will see a special one-off show at The Barbican in London on July 22 and a new Giant Sand album, Blurry Blue Mountain, released in October.Visit product page →
Fire Records is also proud to announce the start of a Giant Sand/ Howe Gelb series of rolling reissues from September 2010, which will see the re-release of roughly 30 albums starting with the re-release of Valley Of Rain on the 6th of September and culminating in two box sets to be released next year. Each re-issue will be lovingly re-issued in red and silver limited edition digipacks.
"Giant Sand is a mood", says Howe of Giant Sand, as if trying to offer a low-key explanation for his dizzying array of artistic exploration that includes a back-catalogue of some 40 albums as a singer, band-leader and producer. After growing up in Pennsylvania in the 1970's, it wasn't until he moved to Tucson, Arizona that he met his musical soul mate, the guitarist Rainer Ptacek. The two formed Giant Sandworms and issued only a handful of recordings before the worms were put to rest: since then, Giant Sand have released 24 albums - an impressive haul when considering Howe's equally prolific output under other projects including Black Ranchette and Arizona Amp & Alternator as well as his solo releases.
Howe, though, is definitely not content to rest on his laurels. Giant Sand's 2000 album Chore Of Enchantment has been declared one of the Best 1000 Records Ever Made and scooped up plaudits from NME and The Guardian amongst others, with the former insisting the record cemented his reputation as "a founding father of modern Americana". His most recent solo project, meanwhile - 2006's "Sno Angel Like You" - earned a 5 star review in Mojo and was described by Q as "showcasing an immense generosity of spirit and poetic warmth".
Rather than retrospect, then, this is a time for celebration. Howe and his band will be marking the 25th anniversary of the release of Valley Of Rain by hosting a very special evening of brand new collaborations and performances. As they play some of their choicest cuts from their back catalogue, they'll be joined by Kristin Hersch, guitarist and founder of the seminal art-rock band Throwing Muses. "I'll jump at any chance to be on stage with the wild and wacky, kooky and cozy Howe" says Hersch."With Howe, I never know exactly what will happen, but it's always great to be a part of it."
As well as The Barbican show, Giant Sand played three other UK dates in July at Winchester, Brighton and Gateshead, before the release of the new album Blurry Blue Mountain in October. And with the re-issues and Giant Sand box set still to come from Fire Records, 2010 will certainly be a celebration to remember for Howe and all of his fans.
1. Valley Of Rain2. Tumble & Tear3. October Anywhere4. Barrio5. Death, Dying & Channel 56. Torture Of Love7. Down On Town / Love's No Answer8. Black Venitian Blind9. Curse Of A Thousand Flames10. Artists11. Man Of Want12. Valley Of Rain - Remixed Instrumental (Bonus)13. Tumble And Tear - Repaired (Bonus) -
Visit product page →The new Guided By Voices album is the best thing the band has recorded since the last album by the legendary Dayton, Ohio rockers. That's not meant facetiously: the last thing Guided By Voices recorded was the rapturously received Let's Go Eat The Factory, and Class Clown Spots A UFO ups the ante raised by that stellar effort, both in terms of recording fidelity (boring!) and songcraft (not boring!) One could argue there's more depth and variety here than on Alien Lanes, that there are better songs here than on Bee Thousand, but that's an argument no one's ever going to win, at least definitively. And this album is a win, by any (definitive) definition. Class Clown is classic GBV, starting with the head-body-head combination of "He Rises (Our Union Bellboy)," "Blue Babbleship Bay," and "Forever Until It Breaks" before finishing you off with the title track, a ridiculously catchy, melodically-complex, shot-through-with-melancholia song that serves as a kind of sadder and wiser riposte to XTC's "Making Plans For Nigel" as performed by the Hollies. If that makes any sense at all (it will when you hear it, hopefully).
And that's just the first four songs of a 21-track album clocking in at just under 40 minutes. We've yet to get to "Keep It In Motion," a propulsive, drum-machine driven pop song which features, unusually, acoustic guitars, strings, and Bob/Toby singing together in a way not heard since "14 Cheerleader Coldfront" on 1992's Propeller. Possibly. (The song was one of a few that Bob recorded and sent to Toby at his home studio in Michigan for over-dubbing.) Nor have we discussed galvanic rocker "Jon the Croc," a clear single candidate, or "Chain To The Moon," one of the saddest and (why not?) prettiest songs Pollard has ever written.
In between you get wah-wah guitar solos, a wide range of unusual recording techniques of varying fidelity (but, as referenced above, much less of the murk lurking on Let's Go Eat The Factory), and a generous helping of Alien Lanes-style snippets. In fact, the sequencing of Class Clown seems to hearken back to that landmark LP - as on AL, songs bleed into each other, fadeouts segue into fadeins, short bursts of melodic rock ("Billy Wire," "Roll of the Dice, Kick in the Head") jut against somber chamber pop ("They and Them," "Starfire"). The last song, the anthemic "No Transmission," if played at the proper volume, will in fact blow your mind (and your windows).
'Class Clown Spots A UFO' is available now. A side benefit of Pollard's for-now decision to call it quits on touring is that you get more Guided By Voices albums. It's really hard to see how that's not a great thing for everyone. Because it is a great thing for everyone. Obviously.
Side A:1. He Rises! Our Union Bellboy2. Blue Babbleships Bay3. Forever Until It Breaks4. Class Clown Spots A UFO5. Chain To The Moon6. Hang Up And Try Again7. Keep It In Motion8. Tyson's High School9. They And Them10. Fighter PilotSide B:1. Roll Of The Dice, Kick In The Head2. Billy Wire3. Worm W/ 7 Broken Hearts4. Starfire5. Jon The Croc6. Fly Baby7. All Of This Will Go8. The Opposite Continues9. Be Impeccable10. Lost In Spaces11. No Transmission -
English Little League-the fourth album from the reunited "classic" line-up of Robert Pollard, Tobin Sprout, Greg Demos, Mitch Mitchell and Kevin Fennell-hums like angry birds along the full spectrum of rock's highways and byways (especially the byways), from rock to roll and back again.Visit product page →
Pollard's rebus system of songwriting (sounds made visible, abstract concepts symbolized) strung like fairy lights from the opening song "Xeno Pariah" to the galvanic closer "With Glass In Foot," kettles along at full steam throughout, punctuated by the airier constructs of Tobin Sprout ("The Sudden Death of Epstein's Ways," with it's sweet/creepy emphatic refrain of "Jesus," is a particular standout). Deeper and less immediately accessible than last year's Class Clown Spots a UFO (for instance), but no less richly striated with layers of musical goo, this album is as much the work of a guild of master craftsmen as of a singular visionary genius.
ELL (fookin' 'ell!) travels from hieroglyphic to hieratic smoother than a pharaoh's cartouche, and if the quadratic equation that runs through the middle of the record from "Crybaby Four Star Hotel" to "Birds" doesn't solve every problem in your life then you've got actual problems.
1. Xeno Pariah
2. Know Me As Heavy
3. Island (She Talks In Rainbows)
4. Trash Can Full Of Nails
5. Send To Celeste (And The Cosmic Athletes)
6. Quiet Game
7. Noble Insect
8. Sir Garlic Breath
9. Crybaby 4-Star Hotel
10. Biographer Seahorse
11. Flunky Minnows
12. Birds
13. The Sudden Death Of Epstein's Ways
14. Reflections In A Metal Whistle
15. Taciturn Caves
16. A Burning Glass
17. W/ Glass In Foot -
Visit product page →After a fifteen year hiatus, the "classic line up" of Guided By Voices (Robert Pollard, Tobin Sprout, Mitch Mitchell, Greg Demos, and Kevin Fennell) finishes off its year-long reunion tour by releasing an album of 21 new songs, deliberately choosing to return to what bandleader Robert Pollard calls the "semi-collegial" approach of iconic GBV albums like Bee Thousand and Alien Lanes. Let's Go Eat The Factory is much more than a mere return, however: sprawling, variegated, heavy, melodic, and yet still recognizably and coherently Guided By Voices in both its literal and mythic senses.
"At first I said: no reunion, period," explains Pollard about the decision to revive Guided By Voices. "And definitely no record or re-formation. But the tour went so well; the response was really unexpected. I thought at some point that a lot of people would like to hear new GBV music. The chemistry was still there."
Choosing to eschew the recording studio, LGETF was instead manufactured in the living rooms, basements, and garages of various long-time bandmembers. Some tracks were recorded more-or-less live at Mitch Mitchell's garage, where the band would often practice back in the early- and mid-90s. These sessions comprised Mitch, Bob, and Jimmy Pollard, Bob's brother and long-time collaborator, who, though never a part of the touring ensemble, always played a crucial role on the classic-era releases. Some tracks were improvised over acoustic jam sessions at Greg Demos' house. Many were recorded at Tobin Sprout's place in Wherever, Michigan, and later lovingly fucked with in order to achieve the proper level of weirdness. Band members occasionally switched instruments (Bob plays drums; Mitch plays drums; Kevin plays drums; Jimmy Pollard plays bass; Greg plays lead guitar; Toby plays pretty much everything; etc.), and Bob gladly accepted input from other band members. Tobin Sprout wrote or co-wrote and sings on six out of the 21 songs.
The aesthetic is very much in keeping with Guided By Voices, but in some unexpected ways (more prevalent use of keyboards and samples, for one thing) the 21st century can't help but poke its nose into the resulting music. Devoted fans of Bee Thousand will not be disappointed in, for instance, the demonically tuneful "Chocolate Boy," or the relentless chug of "We Won't Apologize For The Human Race," which Tobin Sprout describes as "Peter Gabriel singing 'I Am The Walrus.'" Other standouts include "Doughnut For A Snowman," which Pollard calls "the goofiest, twinkliest song I've ever written," or "Spider Fighter," a Tobin Sprout number that was in fact the first song title conceived for the new album, and which features a piano coda that Pollard likens to "a Pete Townshend demo for Lifehouse."
Tracklisting:
1. Laundry and Lasers2. The Head3. Doughnut for a Snowman4. Spiderfighter5. Hang Mr. Kite6. God Loves Us7. The Unsinkable Fats Domino8. Who Invented the Sun9. The Big Hat and Toy Show10. Imperial Racehorsing11. How I Met My Mother12. Waves13. My Europa14. Chocolate Boy15. The Things That Never Need16. Either Nelson17. Cyclone Utilities (Remember Your Birthday)18. Old Bones19. Go Rolling Home20. The Room Taking Shape21. We Won't Apologize for the Human Race -
Sold out2xLP Single sleeve, download card included.Visit product page →
In 1974 Jad Fair, along with his brother David, co-founded the lo-fi alternative rock group Half Japanese. Over the ensuing three decades, Half Japanese released fourteen albums, and in the process, attracted a solid base of fans passionate about the band's pure, unbridled enthusiasm for rock and roll.
Half Gentlemen/Not Beasts is a collection of the Fair brothers earliest home recordings, originally released as a homemade three LP box set.
These stretch their DIY, lo-fi ethos to the limits featuring sound experiments cobbled together from guitar noise, electronics and odd effects, whilst throwing in some barely recognizable covers (such as tracks by The Temptations, Buddy Holly and Bob Dylan).
'Half Gentlemen / Not beasts' is now available as a 2xLP package.
Tracklisting:
LP 1:
Side A:
1. No Direct Line From My Brain To My Heart
2. 10th Ave. Freezeout
3. Ta Sheri Ta Ta
4. My Girlfriend Lives Like A Beatnik
5. Her Parents Come Home
6. Shhh/ Shhh/ Shhh
7. Girls Like That
8. Rrrrrrrr
9. No More Beatle Mania
Side B:
10. Tangled Up In Blue
11. Patti Smith
12. School Of Love
13. Jodi Foster
14. Shy Around Girls
15. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
16. Bogue Millionaires/ Cool Millionaires
17. Tn Tn Tn Tn Ki
LP 2:
Side C:
1. I Can't Stand It Any More
2. I Love Oriental Girls
3. Dream Date
4. Du Du Du / Du Du Du
5. Ain't Too Proud To Beg
6. Ann Arbor. Mi.
7. I'm Going To The Zoo
8. Shi Yi Yi
9. Rave On
10. I Ta Nasi Si Na Mi Eee
11. Till Victory
12. Rip My Shirt To Shreds
Side D:
13. I Don't Want To Have Mono No More
14. She Cracked
15. Bbbbbbbb/ Bbbbbbbb / Bbbbbbbb
16. Funky Broadway Medley
17. I'm Sorry
18. T/ T/ T/ T/ T/ T -
LP with pop out mask sleeve. On LP for the first time, Boo!'includes a unique sleeve with pop out mask, no strings attached.Visit product page →
They set a blueprint for subsequent indie rock, the kind that valued DIY yet didn't shy away from melody, and addressed matters of the heart without arch distance.' Pitchfork
'Half Japanese are no dictatorship - more an underground political movement, united in their love for Jad Fair's weird dismantling vision' The Wire
Fire Records will be reissuing Half Japanese's "Boo!", capturing their 1992 European barnstorming tour, just in time for Halloween.
The record features a removable mask (no strings attached!) designed by the one and only Jad Fair. Issued for the first time on vinyl, Boo!'was recorded at a pivotal time for the influential act, as they were gaining international recognition from the likes of Sonic Youth, Nirvana and Teenage Fanclub.
These recordings capture the fierce and lively performances from their shows in Switzerland, Holland and Germany, highlighting all the things that are so amazing about the band. Europe was never quite the same after these shows.
Tracklisting:
1.Open Your Eyes/Close Your Eyes (Live)
2.Big Mistake (Live)
3.One Million Kisses (Live)
4.Fire To Burn (Live)
5.Mule In The Corn (Live)
6.If He Says He Did (Live)
7.King Kong (Live)
8.Postcard From Far Away (Live)
9.I'll Change My Style (Live)
10.Cherry Pie (Live) 11.Rrrrrrrssssssssttttttttt (Live)
12.Sex At Your Parent's House (Live)
13.Secret (Live)
14.Said And Done (Live)
15.Charmed Life (Live)
16.Casper (Live)
17.Around And Around (Live)
18.Rocking Chair (Live)
19.Turn Your Life Around (Live)
20.Firecracker (Live)
21.Silver and Katherine (Live)
22.Frankenstein Must Die! (Live)
23.By And By (Live)
24.Fire In The Sky (Live) -
Still creating some of the most engaging recordings of their lives, and that's truly something to believe in.' AllMusic - ¦Visit product page →
New studio album from Michigan's greatest outsider combo. An inspiration to Kurt Cobain, post grunge deep thinkers and veterans of the 'Can't Play/Will play' fraternity.
Pop music for those outside of pop music. Songs for those still bedevilled by one liners and abrasive melodies. Thematically succinct tales of puppet people, vampires and the walking dead juxtaposed with discerning love songs and eternal affection.
'Half-Japanese are a respected institution. They've been making noise since the late '70s.' Pop Matters
'Innocent abandon is still at the heart of the band' Pitchfork.
An off-kilter classic that shouldn't sound right but ultimately does, in the best tradition of The Residents, Richman, Johnston, Brian Wilson at his most bamboozled and any number of out there talents. Uncategorizable, joyous, detuned, quizzical, alluring, childlike, charming, innocent, questioning - invincible.
Jad Fair of Half Japanese has previously collaborated with Teenage Fanclub, Moe Tucker (Velvet Underground) and Daniel Johnston.
EU tour planned for Q2 2019.
Tracklisting:
1. Swept Away
2. Love Explosion
3. The Puppet People
4. Return Of The Vampire
5. Or Ever Will
6. No More
7. All At Once
8. The Walking Dead
9. Forever In My Heart
10. What Are You Gonna Do?
11. It's Here
12. Invincible
13. No Wonder
14. It Has Me
15. Indestructible -
Sold outAn exclusive release for Record Store Day 2014. This title may be available on sale one week after the event on Monday 28th April, dependant on availability.Visit product page →
Following on from the deluxe reissue of Half Japanese's first album 'Half Gentlemen Not Beasts' for last year's Record Store Day, Fire will be continuing the series with another deluxe reissue, this will be the first of 4 volumes containing 3 vinyl LPs of the next set of Half Japanese albums. This first volume starts with 1981's 'Loud' and also includes 'Our Solar System' and 'Sing No Evil' to bring them through to 1985. All LPs are in their individual original sleeves packaged in a wide spine outer sleeve with new artwork from Jad Fair and booklet with liner notes by Jad and David. Contains a download code.
Half Japanese were formed in 1974 by brothers Jad and David Fair. Despite being lifelong music obsessives, their approach to the craft of writing and the art of performing was utterly unique. Heavily inspired by Jackson Pollock, Half Japanese were always more of an art project than a musical journey. More important than technical ability, was enthusiasm and a thirst for creation. They eschewed traditional ways of playing to explore different tunings, allowing them to coax new sounds from their instruments.
Their first release, a seven inch, EP called Calling All Girls was more of an art project than a business venture, with nine songs, a poster with inserts and a printed cover. They never really expected it to sell, but much to their surprise distributors quickly gobbled up all 500 copies, so they rushed to repress 500 more and began making plans for a second record. It was well and truly a calling card.
Fire Records continues their Half Japanese reissue campaign by bringing you the next three albums in the set, collected as Half Japanese: 1981-1985.
In recording the follow-up, entitled appropriately as Loud, the band came into their classic line-up. Consisting of Jad and David Fair, as well as two Saxophonists; John Dreyfuss and Lana Zabko, and guitarist Mark Jickling, with Rick Dreyfuss on drums. Creating a barrage of enthusiasm and manic energy around rock and roll teen anthems and free jazz skronk, the band were well on their way to carving out a unique legacy.
Our Solar System would bring further joys as they continue to focus on simple themes of love and romance and dancing with girls amongst the experimental noises sneaking out in the music, creating a soundtrack for a sock hop in an alternate universe. The album also featured covers of Buddy Holly, The Velvet Underground, Chuck Berry and Roky Erickson. Their approach to covers is explained by David Fair: "We have covered many songs but never with the idea in mind of having it sound like the original. In fact, we often took only the words and made no effort, whatsoever, to recreate the melody."
On Sing No Evil, Half Japanese truly came into their own, with their DIY roots blending with free jazz touches to create a raucous indie rock classic. Containing songs like "Firecracker Firecracker" that remain set highlights even today, the band had established a voice like no other. This would be the last record with David in the core line-up, and all of the early records bear his powerful arty and experimental streak.
Where would the future take Half Japanese with Jad at the helm? You will have to wait for Half Japanese: 1987-1989 to see.
Disc 1:
1. My Concentration, Oh No
2. 2 Hearts = 1
3. If My Father Answers, Don't Say Nothing
4. Scientific Devices
5. Gift
6. Dumb Animals
7. Popular
8. I know How It Feels. Bad
9. Perfume
10. New Brides Of Frankenstein
11. Forget You
12. Loud/Louder/Loudest
13. Spy
14. No Danger
15. Love Lasts Forever (Sometimes)
16. Nurse
17. Only Dancing
18. Bad To Your Best Friend
19. Baby Wants Music
20. High School Tonight
Disc 2:
1. Dance When I Say Dance
2. Girl Athletes
3. Because I Love You
4. Danger Danger Rachel Lang
5. E.S.P.
6. Classical Music
7. You're Gonna Miss Me
8. Little Girls Have To Be Home Early
9. Too Much Adrenalin
10. Fire To Burn
11. Rhonda
12. Electricity Respect
13. Knocked Down On The Dancefloor
14. European Son
15. There's A Girl
16. Hall Of The Mountain King/Louie Louie
17. Young Hearts Break
18. Did You Miss Me
19. Thing With A Hook
Disc 3:
1. Firecracker Firecracker
2. On the One Hand
3. Too Bad About Elizabeth
4. Dearest Darling
5. Sing No Evil
6. Double Trouble
7. Rub Every Muscle
8. Nicole Told Me
9. Tell Me I'm Wrong
10. Acupuncture
11. I Have a Secret
12. House of Voodoo
13. Ball and Chain -
Sold outThe Fire Records Half Japanese reissue series continues with the second volume, covering the three releases of Music to Strip By', Charmed Life'and The Band That Would Be King'released one a year from 1987 to 1989. Following the Record Store Day 2014 release, Volume 1: 1981-1985', the next three Half Japanese records come in their original release form, with the additional tracks that were later added to the CD releases over the years available via download code (see below for track lists).Visit product page →
The LPs are wrapped together in a heavy wide spine outer sleeve with a specially designed paper cut image by Jad Fair, who also provides more illustrations throughout the booklet, with words by David Fair. As per Volume 1', all three records are combined together in a 3CD package.
Be careful. You can't unlearn information. I think that the best that you can hope for is a bad memory, but our brains are very remarkable and it is very difficult to actually unlearn something. I came upon this realization too late to help me with visual arts. I had already been taught about proportions and perspective. It's very hard to draw someone in the background larger than their friend in the foreground. Anyone farther away would look smaller.
That is how our eyes see them and my brain knows this. I cannot turn off this knowledge and draw it the other way around. I can choose to ignore it, but that is not the same. That is a strategy for dealing with the situation, but not as freeing as simple ignorance would be. It is a nagging strategy that whispers the rules and acknowledges your participation in their breaking. Luckily, with music, I do not carry the burden of knowledge. I was not educated in its terms and rules. I am not bound by its limits. I know that I have guitar skills. I have played around with one enough to know what feels right to me. If I were to turn it upside down and attempt to play it in a left handed manner, my ability would feel awkward and diminished. I am not unskilled, I am merely untrained. For me, this is the ideal situation.
Others may prefer acquiring rules and limits. I prefer that my art be directed by my heart rather than my brain. I have played in bands for nearly 40 years. In all of that time I have only learned three chords. I have resisted acquiring more. If I continue at this rate I am at risk of knowing six chords forty years from now. Instead, I am consciously slowing down. Hopefully in four decades I will remember even less about music convention than I know today.
Forty years is a long time to wait. In the meantime, here's Half Japanese Vol 2. It might get better in the future, but Vol 2 is here already. David Fair.
Track listings :
Music to Strip By'Disc 1:
1. Stripping for Cash
2. Thick and Thin
3. Diary
4. Big Mistake
5. Hot Dog and Hot Damn
6. The Price Was Right But The Door Was Wrong
7. Blue Monday
8. U.S.Teens are Spoiled Bums
9. Point / Counterpoint
10. Sex At Your Parent's House
11. The Last Straw
12. Gator Bait
13. La Bamba
14. Colleen
15. Ouija Board Summons Satan
16. You Must Obey Me
17. Salt and Pepper
18. Ancient Life
19. Silver and Katherine
20. Money To Burn
21. Hidden Charms
22. How
23. My Sordid Past
24. Silver And Katherine
25. Dusk to Dawn
26. Everybody Knows
27. Go Go Go Go Go
28. Scratch
29. Every Hour
30. Hey
31. Mongolian Stretcher
32. Colleen
33. Salt and Pepper
34. T For Texas
35. Terminator
36. Shiek of Araby.
Disc 2 : Charmed Life':
1. Said and Done
2. Penny In The Fountain
3. Evidence
4. Vietnam
5. Roman Candles
6. Love At First Sight
7. Snake Line
8. Bright Lights, Big City
9. Face Rake
10. Later In A Magazine
11. Red Dress
12. Charmed Life
13. Day And Night
14. One Million Kisses
15. Terminator
16. I'll Change My Style
17. Charmed Life
18. Trouble In The Water
19. Miracles Happen Every Day
20. Fortunate
21. Poetic License
22. Day And Night
23. One Million Kisses
24. Madonna Nude
25. I'll Change My Style
26. George Steele
27. Real Cool Time
28. How Many More Years
29. King Kong Burgundy
30. Something New In The Ring
31. Terminator
Disc 3 : The Band That Would Be King':
1. Open Your Eyes / Close Your Eyes
2. Daytona Beach
3. Lucky Star
4. Some Things Last A Long time
5. My Most Embarrassing Moment
6. Buried Treasure
7. Open Book
8. Little Records
9. Deadly Alien Spawn
10. Postcard From Far Away
11. Ventriloquism
12. Something in the Wind
13. Bingo's Not His Name-o
14. Put Some Sugar On It
15. What More Can I Do
16. Brand New Moon
17. Another World
18. Every Word Is True
19. I Live For Love
20. Werewolf
21. Ride Ride Ride
22. Sugarcane
23. I Wish I May
24. Ashes On The Ground
25. Curse of the Doll People
26. Horsesshoes
27. BlueBirds
28. Frankenstein Meets Billy the Kid
29. My Bucket's Got A Hole In It
30. Africans Built The Pyramids
31. Better Than Before
32. Daytona
33. Back Home
34. Mule Skinner Blues
35. Sugarcane
36. Jump Up
37. Postcard From Far Away
38. Big Wheels
39. Ordeal
40. Jump Down
41. Cowboys
42. Man Without A Head -
Formed in the mid-70s, and setting the standard for post-punk ever since, Jad and David Fair and Half Japanese return with a new volume that finds us twenty years into their story. The 90s would see them under a new spotlight as Kurt Cobain used his celebrity to tell anyone that would listen about their greatness, and had the band tour with Nirvana. They would respond with three of the most wild and varied albums in their career.Visit product page →
Continuing their Fire deluxe reissues of the entire Half Japanese catalogue, Volume Three: 1990-1995 is the third of four volumes containing three LPs/CDs.This next set of Half Japanese LPs begins with 1990's explosively, noisy and chaotic (sometimes improvised) We Are They Who Ache With Amorous Love'featuring their cover of the Them garage rock classic 'Gloria' and two tracks 'Titanic" and "Hand Without a Body' that were co-written with the like-minded Daniel Johnston.
Two years later the notably more delicate and, dare we say, jangly, Fire In The Sky'(1992) arrived at a pivotal time for the group when they gained notable recognition from the likes of Sonic Youth, Nirvana, Teenage Fanclub and Yo La Tengo (whose Ira Kaplan guests on the record). This highly anticipated third installation closes the trio with 1995's Hot'which became MTVs album of the week on release, with Michael Goldbery writing 'Hot, mixes Sonic Youth-style noise, Stooges primitivism and '60s pop with excellent results. 'Lucky Ones' is a simply charming number ('A good thing just got better/ As better as better can be') reminiscent of Jonathan Richman, while 'Drum Straight' is dose of feedback drenched skonk and 'Vampire' rocks hard liken the Sonic's 'Bull In The Heather.'
Fire's colossal Half Japanese series began last year with the Record Store Day exclusive of Half Gentleman/Not Beasts', this set contains the records in their original form with extras that later appeared on CD formats available. It will also include original artwork from Jad Fair and liner notes by Half Japanese hall of famer Mark David Jickling. 'Cutting straight to the gut. Jad's phrasing matches surging sentiments, creating a counterpoint to the spot-on music. When they grind out a groove half-rhythmic/half-blank cadences, the woozy disconnect is oddly compelling' Pitchfork's Best New Reissue (Volume 2: 1987-1989).
'An impressive and well-assembled study of one of this band's more interesting periods' All Music
'This should also lay to rest any questions about the importance of Half Japanese. Without them, we wouldn't have the primitive pop of Beat Happening nor the id-bearing beauty of Daniel Johnston' Paste Magazine
Tracklisting:
We Are They Who Ache With Amorous Love:
1. Every Hour
2. Elevator Boy
3. Gloria
4. Ear
5. The Titanic
6. Our Eyes
7. Spin
8. Up And Down
9. Run
10. All Of Me
11. Hand Without A Body
12. Going Home
13. Three Rings
14. How Did You Know?
15. Then We Walk
16. Secret
17. Best
18. The House I Live In
19. Shanty Town
20. Everything is Right
Fire in the Sky:
1. UFO Expert
2. Tears Stupid Tears
3. Always
4. This Could Be The Night
5. Possum Head
6. Frosty
7. Turn Your Life Around
8. I Love A Mystery
9. 12 Houses
10. Hangar 18
11. Magic Kingdom
12. It's No Wonder
13. Fire In The Sky
14. Good Luck
15. Gates Of Glory
16. Everyone Knows
17. I Heard Her Call My Name
18. Eye of the Hurricane
Hot:
1. Drum Straight
2. True Believers
3. Well
4. Dark Night
5. Part Of My Plan
6. Vampire
7. Lucky Ones
8. Vast Continent
9. Guess Again
10. Black Fruit
11. Sleep Talk
12. Smile
13. Lucky Town -
12' 45rpm coloured vinyl EP, download card included.Visit product page →
300 limited white vinyl, 700 copies on black vinyl.
'Their ability to effortlessly write songs that are devastating in their lyrical impact yet bewitching to hear is only rivaled by a few.' Revue
'Their unique take on rock music feels familiar and lived-in, taking bits from indie-pop, post-punk, and classic rock.' Stereogum
"Gorgeous, achingly bittersweet vocals, perpetually swaying between comforting and devastating.' Gorilla Vs Bear
You can imagine John Peel's hurriedly inaccurate summation of a cold and unforgiving Swedish winter as he juxtaposes the big-jumper-like welcoming warmth of Hater. Their lush and tempered guitars are an almost Marr-approved Smiths-like foil for Caroline Landahl's beautifully accented and accentuated vocal - it's a heartwarming brew.
'We know little of their home town, Malmo,' Peel might have mused, caught up in Hater's minor chord world weariness, 'other than that Roy Hodgson had a particularly successful time there - ¦ probably long before this young four-piece were actually born. Indeed. Hater are new to the game. Last year's well-received debut album, You Tried'earned comparisons to Alvvays, The Pretenders and even Jefferson Airplane, eclectic for sure, but that's just incidental.
Their new EP distinguishes their very own super polished and intricate guitar-led dreamy pop. Featuring their first single for Fire, the wonderfully forlorn and truly lovesick Blushing'(we've all been there) and Rest'with its haunting monosyllabic guitar break, a super-clean chiming motif that seems like a closing salvo before it regains momentum and brings proceedings to a suitable climax, welcoming back Landahl for one last chorus.
The echoey eeriness of Red Blinders'could have come right out of the bubble blowing indie pop hey days of the early 80s, while Penthouse'is a chunkier c86 groove with a wind blowing through its motorik rhythm.
Tracklisting:
1. Blushing
2. Rest
3. Red Blinders
4. Penthouse
