Posted in Whathaveyou on May 11th, 2015 by JJ Koczan
It was a spacey happening, rest assured, when Carlton Melton, stepping out from their San Francisco home, hit Roadburn 2014 and paired up with none other than Øresund Space Collective figurehead and roving jammer Scott “Dr. Space” Heller. Each of the two parties is plenty freaked out on its own, but the combination worked to push even deeper into the cosmos, their mission of exploration made bolder by the alliance between them.
Like just about everything that happens within the bounds of Roadburn, Carlton Melton Meets Dr. Space — the best ’50s sci-fi flick that never got made — was captured in its 90-minute entirety, and will be out through Lay Bare Recordings and Burning World soon. Not sure on the exact release date, but how do you pinpoint the birth of a galaxy anyway? It’ll be along sooner or later, and it’s available to preorder now. Set it and forget it.
To my knowledge, this was the only time these two have collaborated and I haven’t heard about any further action to come, so it’s kind of a special one-time deal that, as someone who stood in the back of the Cul de Sac and felt the wash surround me from all sides, is worth digging into. The preorder announcement follows:
Hear! hear! Lay Bare Recordings proclaims:
Pre-order: Carlton Melton meets Dr. Space, live from Roadburn 2014.
Carlton Melton is a psychedelic rock band from San Francisco who have been blazing their own trail of psychedelic rock and far out drone sounds for the past many years. This was the bands 2nd appearance at Roadburn and a special meeting with Dr. Space from the Øresund Space Collective was arranged at the Cul De Sac in Tilburg on Sunday April 13th. The band debuted 4 new songs never performed live before with or without Dr. Space (tracks 2-5). The full 90min spaced out set was mixed by Dr Space with assistance from Johan Dahlström. Enjoy the trip..
Posted in audiObelisk on August 27th, 2014 by JJ Koczan
I’m always happy to post streams from Roadburn, and I think I’ve made that clear over the last half-decade, but this batch in particular features two of my favorite performances from this year’s fest, namely Brooklyn’s Hull, who played Day One, and Boston’s Gozu, who played Day Three. The two bands are pretty far from each other sonically and aesthetically, but both are fantastic at what they do and for me represent where I come from (the New York area) and where I’m at now (the Boston area). So in addition to having enjoyed watching these guys wreck up Stage01 and the Green Room, respectively, I’m happy now to have the chance to revisit those memories. Heavy riffs and fuzzy feelings.
Also cool to hear Mansion‘s set again, which was something of a sleeper, and Carlton Melton, who were so psyched out I almost broke a vinyl-buying embargo, as well as acts I missed like E-Musikgruppe Lux Ohr, New Keepers of the Water Towers and ASG. As ever, all the sets were recorded by the venerable Marcel van de Vondervoort and his team, and they’ll be available into perpetuity so that future generations can know just how much they suck in comparison to the rock and roll we beheld.
So behold:
ASG – Live at Roadburn 2014
Carlton Melton – Live at Roadburn 2014
E-musikgruppe Lux Ohr – Live at Roadburn 2014
Gozu – Live at Roadburn 2014
Hull – Live at Roadburn 2014
Mansion – Live at Roadburn 2014
Nicklas Barker & Reine Fiske – Live at Roadburn 2014
New Keepers Of The Water Towers – Live at Roadburn 2014
Thanks as always to Walter and the Roadburn crew for permission to host the streams. To check out past streams from Roadburn 2014 click here, here and/or here, and to read the coverage from this year’s fest, click here.
Posted in Whathaveyou on February 18th, 2014 by JJ Koczan
Am I crazy, or does “Carlton Melton meets Dr. Space” not sound like an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 waiting to happen? Well, that show’s been off the air for 15 years, so while it might have a ring of black and white Cold War-era sci-fi to it, the truth is bound to be much more colorful as Scott “Dr. Space” Heller of Danish jammers Øresund Space Collective (also sometimes an Obelisk contributor) sits in with Northern Cali psych merchants Carlton Melton for a special set at the Cul de Sac in Tilburg for Roadburn 2014. Somewhat curious that it’s billed as part of Roadburn itself and not the Afterburner, but either way, it’s sure to be a trip when the two sides combine.
Check out the announcement below from the Roadburn site, through which tickets for the Afterburner are still available, and a track from Carlton Melton‘s 2013 full-length, Always Even, in case you’d like to imagine it even more spaced out:
In order to provide the Roadburn 2014 Afterburner fans with a unique psychedelic experience, different from the band’s main set on Saturday (April 12th), San Francisco’s Carlton Melton will team up for a unique space adventure with Dr. Space (Oresund Space Collective, Gas Giant) on Sunday, April 13th at Cul de Sac in Tilburg, The Netherlands.
Dr. Space has previously guested with Dragontears at Roadburn in the Midi Theatre and recently with White Hills in Sweden and Denmark. Expect a slowly building ambient space out leading into massive Hawkwind style heavy space rock jam at the end.
Roadburn Festival 2014 will run for four days from Thursday, April 10th to Sunday, April 13th 2014 at the 013 venue in Tilburg, The Netherlands.
Tickets for the traditional Afterburner event on Sunday, April 13th at the 013 venue in Tilburg, The Netherlands are still available. Get in on the actionHERE!
Posted in Features on January 6th, 2014 by JJ Koczan
Some of these, I just don’t have an excuse. Others, I have an excuse but it’s pretty lame. The basic fact of the matter is that the recently-departed 2013 brought an onslaught of gotta-hear-it-gotta-get-it records and I don’t care if it’s your full-time job and you actually get paid to do it, there’s no way you heard it all. I know I certainly didn’t.
I’m only one dude. I sit in front of this keyboard more or less all day, Monday to Friday each week, and I think the volume of output from this site and the fact that it’s just me (Hi, my name is JJ) putting it out speak for themselves. Maybe they don’t and that’s why I feel compelled to say it. Whatever.
Point is I do the best I can, but whether it’s my general and increasingly visceral disdain for digital promos or not being cool enough to be on somebody’s radar — or hell, even just the time factor, as in “there’s only so much of it” — some probably-killer stuff just slipped through the cracks. This list is me apologizing for not being everywhere at once and for having a limited record-buying budget. Again, I do the best I can.
List is alphabetical because it’s not like I can really rank them. Here goes:
1. Carcass, Surgical Steel
Man, Carcass kick ass. I know their early stuff is grind gospel, but even their last two records, 1993’s Heartworkand 1996’s Swansong, are fantastic. Why the hell wouldn’t I want to get on board with a new Carcass album? I don’t know. I guess I didn’t want to download it, like it a lot, put time into reviewing it and then go out and have to buy it like a punk. Easier not to listen, so that’s what I did. Carcass on Thee Facebooks.
2. Carlton Melton, Always Even
When Carlton Melton got added to Roadburn 2014, I took a sampling of their wares and it sounded like really interesting stuff. Synth-driven kraut-psych with a touch of West Coast spaceout gets a hearty “right on” in my book. Mostly a budget concern as to why I didn’t dig further. I could’ve YouTube’d it, but that’s no way to get to know an album if you’re actually interested in listening to music. Carlton Melton’s website.
3. Causa Sui, Euporie Tide
I was actually given this as an Xmas present after having it on my Amazon wishlist and it’s fucking fantastic. Really, really, really good. I imagine at some point I’ll probably put together a Buried Treasure post that more or less touts the virtues of Euporie Tide‘s desert tones and progressive explorations, but I didn’t get there before the end of 2013, so here it is anyway. But seriously, wow. El Paraiso Records on Thee Facebooks.
4. Deafheaven, Sunbather
There was so much hype around Deafheaven‘s Sunbather that I was just completely turned off. Not much more to it than that. I probably could’ve chased down a promo download if I’d been so inclined, but what’s the point? The whole world’s already up its ass, I’d rather spend my limited-as-hell time not adding my voice to a chorus of hyperbole. Maybe it’s really cool. Okay. Deafheaven on Bandcamp.
5. Fuzz, Fuzz
In a bizarre twist, turns out I have heard Fuzz‘s Fuzz, the self-titled heavy psych debut from indie darling Ty Segall. It’s the reason I wound up ending last week with the Witch self-titled, because I think the two albums work in a very similar fashion. Cool release either way, something like a dirtier Radio Moscow. I probably won’t review it at this point, but it’s on my shopping list for next time I happen to have two cents to my name. Ty Segall on Thee Facebooks.
6. Ghost, Infestissumam
The single most misspelled title in the Readers Poll. My feeling on Ghost at this point is as follows: “Yeah, so?” You’re a costumed pop-cult act with insanely catchy songs and a massive promotional machine behind you. So what? I wound up ambivalent about the first Ghost album and I guess when it came to this there wasn’t anything Ghost was going to deliver that I couldn’t get in a more substantive package from Uncle Acid. Ghost’s website.
7. Grayceon, Pearl and the End of Days
If there’s anything on this list that I’m actually pissed off at myself for not having heard, it’s probably Grayceon‘s Pearl and the End of Days. Technically it’s an EP and this is a list of albums, but either way, I wound up loving their 2011 full-length, All We Destroy (unabashed fawning here), so I can only consider missing the subsequent release the result of some deep-seated character flaw on my part. It came out in February! I had all year! What a jerk.
8. Mammatus, Heady Mental
Didn’t even know this one existed until Spiritual Pajamas put it out in November. Nobody told me, and I guess it had been a while since I last checked in on the Santa Cruz County space jammers to see about a follow-up to 2007’s The Coast Explodes. Still hope to hear Heady Mental at some point. The sooner the better, since it’s another band whose work I’ve legitimately enjoyed in the past. Mammatus on Thee Faceboooks.
9. Purson, The Circle and the Blue Door
No question Rise Above puts out some of the best underground heavy the world over. Not an issue that’s up for debate at this point, and they’ve found a decent niche to mine through with cult rock that seems to resonate with their audience. All well and good. I guess when it came to Purson, everything was just a little too perfect, just a little too aligned for me to be interested. Maybe I’ll stumble on it at some point and regret having passed it up initially. Purson on Thee Facebooks.
10. True Widow, Circumambulation
Circumambulation is the same story as a lot of these. I had promo mp3s and they just sat there. If I’ve got people in Japan and Australia who are willing to mail me a CD or LP out of their own pocket, I have a hard time arguing with myself as to why I should bother with others who don’t care enough about my opinion to send the work they want to have evaluated. If I’ve missed out on good music in the process, well, I’m still alive,which is more than I can say for the fucking music industry. True Widow on Bandcamp.
—
There we have it. If there’s a takeaway from all of this downer cynicism, it’s how unbearably lucky we are to live in an age where (one) I could immediately access the music on any one of these albums if I really wanted to or immediately shell out for hard copies if I had the funds. I know I really missed out on some of these, but it’s also worth pointing out just how many incredible albums are out there that I could let some of these pass and still live with myself.
This is the last of the 2013 wrap-ups, so thanks for checking it all out.
Posted in Whathaveyou on October 22nd, 2013 by JJ Koczan
Electric Moon are pretty high up on my crowded list of bands I’m really glad I got to see at this year’s Roadburn fest, and the news that they’ll be performing a live collaboration with Papir (who also play separately) as part of the 2014 Afterburner lineup only makes that more enviable in my eyes. There’s a record out the two acts have together, cleverly called The Papermoon Sessions, but it seems like live they’ll be doing improv stuff. Fodder for another live album? Yeah, probably. I’m still hoping for one of Electric Moon‘s 2013 set.
San Francisco-based Carlton Melton have also joined the Roadburn 2014 lineup, and pre-sale tickets are available now right here. More info follows, hoisted from the Roadburn website:
The Papermoon Sessions (Papir Meets Electric Moon) To Bring Improv Krautrock Jams To Roadburn 2014 Afterburner
We’re thrilled to announce that two of the most fascinating European improv / psychedelic bands, Papir (DK) and Electric Moon (DE), will bring their tranced-out psych kraut exclusively to Roadburn 2014, channelling their mysterious cosmic vibes in The Papermoon Sessions as part of the Afterburner on Sunday, April 13th at the 013 venue in Tilburg, The Netherlands.
The bands spontaneously recorded The Papermoon Sessions at Denmark’s Dragens Hule with Mogens Deenfort Pedersen on August 9th, 2012. The S/T album will be released on October 25th on Dave Schmidt‘s Sulatron records.
Led by Sula Bassana‘s (Dave Schmidt‘s) fuzzed-out, heavy guitar explorations, Electric Moon weave pure-psychedelia, dub, doom, krautrock and drone into kosmische improvisations via a myriad of intergalactic riffs, stellar effects and deep-space transmissions. The overall vibe of their epic but hypnotic freak-outs can be utterly mesmerizing or darker than the depths of the most monstrous of black holes, but all the while remaining deeply psychedelic.
Sounding vital and fresh, Papir‘s cutting-edge take on psychedelica doesn’t hark back to a bygone era, but voyages through lush valleys of atmospheric soundscapes into peaks of wah wah driven, explosive guitar solos, all propelled by jazz-inflicted motorik grooves that serve to give the louder parts more impact.
The band’s use of balance and structure, freedom and power, heaviness and laid back atmospheres comes to full fruition on their latest album, the terrific III, out on Causa Sui‘s adventurous El Paraiso label, and puts Papir squarely in the vanguard of the booming European psychedelic rock scene, along with Electric Moon.
Papir will bring their own extraordinary type of semi-improvised psychedelic rock to Roadburn Festival 2014 on Saturday, April 12th at the 013 venue.
Backed by a full band – Komet Lulu (bass), Marcus Schnitzler (The Spacelords, Electric Moon / drums), Rainer Neeff (The Pancakes, Zone Six, Krautzone / guitar) – Sula Bassana (guitar / synthesizers) will propel us through hyperspace, taking us on an utterly absorbing and surreal journey into the captivating and colorful sounds of the cosmos at Het Patronaat on Friday, April 11th (please note the date change).
Roadburn Festival 2014 will run for four days from Thursday, April 10th to Sunday, April 13th 2014 at the 013 venue in Tilburg, The Netherlands.
Roadburn Festival 2014 ticket pre-sales are in full swing! GET IN ON THE ACTIONHERE
Carlton Melton To Channel Kosmische Kraut-Age Vibes at Roadburn Festival 2014
There’s no shortage of psychedelic rock at Roadburn 2014: as part of their artist-in-residence activities, The Heads (ft. John McBain) will collaborate with fellow psychedelic travelers Carlton Melton in an exclusive one-off Roadburn performance on Sunday, April 13th at the 013 venue in Tilburg, The Netherlands.
Carlton Melton recently completely a short tour of northern Europe, electrifying audiences from Amsterdam to Oslo. We just wished they could have stayed longer, which is one reason we are so thrilled to announce that they will be playing their own set at Roadburn 2014, scheduled for Saturday April 12th (013 venue).
San Francisco’s Carlton Melton is centered around former Zen Guerrilla’s Andy Duvall (Guitar / Drums), Rich Millman (Guitar / Synths), alongside Clint Golden (Bass) and occasional 4th member, John McBain who adds flourishes to the psychic weave of their Dome recordings with echoplex and studio mastering; he has mastered all the recent Carlton Melton records.
The band recorded their psychedelic hypno-drone rock in a genuine Geodesic Dome, and have created an insane psychedelic squall utilizing alien guitar swells, freaked out tribal rhythms and strange loping pulsations. The heavy vibrations of Can and Pink Floyd suffuse Carlton Melton‘s work, and they use a bed of classic psychedelic rock as means for the guitars and organ to soar righteously through the stratosphere, before decending into trance-inducing drones which burrow deep into the earth.
Carlton Melton appeals equally to old school bong-bubblers and contemporary cosmic heads. If you prefer old SST label cassette tapes or an early Spaceman 3 or Loop cassette you recently found wedged in the back seat of your car, you need to check out Carlton Melton’s Pass it On, Photos of Photos or their most recent release, Always Even.
Roadburn Festival 2014 will run for four days from Thursday, April 10th to Sunday, April 13th 2014 at the 013 venue in Tilburg, The Netherlands.
Roadburn Festival 2014 ticket pre-sales are in full swing! GET IN ON THE ACTIONHERE
Hold onto your ears, eyes and wallet, because Italian ‘zine Vincebus Eruptumis back with Issue No. 15, the latest on their ongoing effort to expand consciousness of the worldwide heavy underground. Printed on high-quality paper stock with a thicker, glossier feel than ever before, Vincebus Eruptumearns even more respect for keeping analog in a digital world. As someone who works for a “living” in print media, I have a hard time checking out this mag every time it comes in and not being insanely jealous of editor Davide “Davidew” Pansolin and his staff’s free-ranging will to explore the depths and uncover new and awesome bands.
This time around, the focus is as ever on the European heavy sphere. The one US-based band interviewed is Carlton Melton, from California, but with Ireland’s Electric Taurus, Scotland’s The Cosmic Dead, Swedish acts Skånska Mord and Spiders, and Italy’s own Doctor Cyclops (Vincebus Eruptum is famously supportive of its native scene and rightly so), there’s a decent spread of styles and geography. Not being familiar with a few of those names — Carlton Melton, Electric Taurus — it was cool to get to know them before I got to know them, and as ever, the reviews section reads like a wishlist in the making, with records from Karma to Burn, Vibravoid and Eternal Elysium alongside recent outings from less known names like Mombu, Orrenda Acciaieria and Sendelica — the very first release on the ‘zine’s own Vincebus Eruptum Recordings.
Kudos to Davidew and company for branching out — and for very subtly informing their readership that they’ve done so — but for anyone who’d really want to dig into the European underground, Vincebus Eruptum #15 offers the “Stoned Handbook” guide to the German scene. Put together in collaboration with Stonerrock.eu, it’s a list of bands, venues, promotion outlets and labels, that might not look very in-depth on the surface, but nonetheless provides an excellent research platform from which to explore, and whether you wind up checking out Ahab or Low Gravity Circus or Zone Six as a result, you’re not going to lose out, and by just providing the list like they do, Vincebus Eruptumactually plays it pretty smart in understanding how print and online media can work together: “Here’s what you should be Googling next,” and so forth. Awesome.
I’ve made overtures of my ongoing respect for the pub before, and that continues for this latest issue, and even if you look at the quality of people taking out ads — Sulatron, Small Stone, Elektrohasch, Desertfest, Go Down, Heavy Psych Sounds — it’s a testament to the quality of Vincebus Eruptumthat they’re thriving in an age where print media is supposedly in full decline. Right on and keep up the great work. It continues to be a pleasure each time a new edition shows up.
Carlton Melton, “Space Treader” from Photos of Photos (2012)
Posted in audiObelisk on May 19th, 2011 by JJ Koczan
The third batch of audio streams from Roadburn 2011 might be the best one yet. I don’t think I’ve stopped raving about how good Ramesses (above) and Sungrazer were since I got back from the fest, and with the chance to hear some bands I missed over there — my head hangs in New Jerseyan shame for not catching The Atomic Bitchwax — it’s good to at least hear what I didn’t see. You know the drill by now — here are the links:
As always, these streams were captured live at Roadburn at the 013 Popcentrum in Tilburg, Netherlands, by Marcel van de Vondervoort and his Spacejam Recording team. Special thanks to Walter and Roadburn for letting me host the links on this site.
