Monday, January 30, 2023
Saturday, January 28, 2023
Wednesday, January 25, 2023
Incoming Vinyl LP New Releases @ Birdman Sound...
Roky Erickson & The Explosives
1st LP repressed by Cardinal Fuzz
Ambassador Hazy
3rd LP and new on Cardinal Fuzz 2023
What Goes Round, Comes Round Again: Ambassador Hazy "Glacial Erratics" LP (Cardinal Fuzz/Feeding Tube)
This whole thing came up today in FB memories...spooky given the timing...👽
The Inaugural Voyage of Ambassador Hazy and "Glacial Erratics" 2020 (self released). Sometime in late 2020, I got an email from Josh Schulz from the American psych rock band Traveling Circle (great band btw.). Josh's buddy Sterling DeWesse from New York State had a very ltd. self released LP and wanted to send me a copy. I sent Josh my address and forgot about it...
the original FB review...January 25th, 2021...
So Zeus is outside going off like a rocket while I'm having a smoke and my postie Chris zooms up the snowy driveway. I see through the slats in the cedar fence the telltale sign of an exciting delivery! Being a white cardboard 13 x 13 inch record mailer it can only mean one thing! Like a kid in a candy shop; despite being 60, I'm tingling (this feeling never gets tired) ! This is a record by an obscure underground band from New York state who are called Ambassador Hazy and this is the FANTASTIC debut entitled "Glacial Erratics". It immediately got "cracked" and spun and I was sold after the first track! You can check out, if inclined, the links I post in my first comments, but suffice to say, my aforementioned "tingling at 60" above has proven an accurate thermometer as usual. I get very few free LPs, and feel super honoured when I do. I would never be so presumptuous to EVER ask for "free" anything...especially records, cuz I fucking get it!
Ambassador Hazy has unleashed a small run release which embodies for me, all that is right about why one is in a band, makes music and bothers to release in physical format. I suspect based on personal experience, that upon hearing the finished session, that all involved sat around, listened and said to one another..."fuck this is great, we should release this"... that is the way it works! This album encompasses a shitload of influences and time spans and is not simply put in a box! There is a psych of now, but also psych of yore, that spans 5 decades, I hear it. I hear Sebadoh (who i never listen to anymore: o.d.'d in the 90's but still love what they tabled). I hear a variety of obscure 60's psych influences (weird Pink Floyd), but others, too many to mention and it's mixed with a lopey, lazy funkiness (Circuit Rider scuzzy biker thingy) saddled right against warped west coast pop sensibilities. All influences are brought up to the "NOW". To these old ears I guarantee, this is not an accidental album! The playfulness throughout the entire record, is arguably it's most endearing quality and coupled with a sense of an understated heaviness is super appealing as well. The pieces are short and indicate to me that $10. says Ambassador Hazy can jam out and stretch shit to endless mind bending extremes in a live setting with ease! I have to thank Josh for being a conduit here, otherwise I may never have had the privilege of experiencing this really fucking excellent record so please give it a listen!
The addendum...
There we go and as a side story; Sterling was actually here in Ottawa last August/'22 which weirdly coincided with a rare gig for The Band Whose Name Is A Symbol and joined us on stage for a few pieces (check one out in the link above) !
Lovingly and oddly coincidentally enough... Pre-Sales are LIVE this Friday January, 27th, 2023 with Ambassador Hazy - Glacial Erratics (Cardinal Fuzz / Feeding Tube Records) being re-issued to a wider audience, as well as Sterling's new and 3rd record: "The Door Between" (Cardinal Fuzz / Feeding Tube Records). RESPECT ! 💕👽
Tuesday, January 24, 2023
Sunday, January 22, 2023
Monday, January 16, 2023
Wednesday, January 11, 2023
Ottawa Record Fair 2023
Make sure to mark April 29th on your calendars! Here's why...
Ottawa has been the scene for many record fairs or conventions as far back as I can recall. I cut my teeth doing them down in Eastern Canada long before moving to Fat Cat City. My good friend and legend Gerald Dewan (Mad Platters) put on fantastic shows at various locations in the mid-late 80's and early 90's. For a period of time, great record shows happened twice a year at Chateau Laurier (organized by a good chap named Peter) and were always fun to both sell at and shop at! Peter passed the shows onto others and while they were still worth going to, some were ill-attended and poorly promoted.
Over the next 10 or so years, Birdman Sound Co-Presented the Ottawa Community Record Shows. Initially I felt these events were pretty awesome with huge turnouts and mostly stellar selections from many vendors. However, the last few years prior to the pandemic, while still getting decent turnouts the shows seemed to be increasingly infiltrated with sub-standard records on offer (in my professional opinion). In the last couple of years, people have been asking when we will see another awesome record show happen in Ottawa.
Well the time has come! Grant Young and I are busting out the inaugural Ottawa Record Fair: Presented by Birdman Sound which will take place on April 29th, 2023. First and foremost, this show is designed with an emphasis on quality not quantity; vinyl LPs both new and second hand. A number of sellers are already lined up, with a criteria for participation: this record fair will not be a sea of vinyl landfill!
Tuesday, January 10, 2023
The Vinyl LP...When Does The Hurting Stop... Bend and Flush
The constant raising of prices starting with manufacturing and an LP getting to your turntable at home has been ongoing for over a decade at breakneck speed
from my perspective. I laugh at the amount of fucking emails I get from distro eveyday, everyweek for months and months and even years now regarding this issue. In all honesty I don't look at them ever and they go straight to trash no matter what label is involved (they all are).
This whole topic is actually really fucking boring at the end of the day. There's not much you can do about it either. You either buy the LP or fucking don't, end of. Here's the gist of the newspaper article which was entitled "Blood From A Stone".
Pieced together from article in The Toronto Sun, Wednesday, Jan 4th, 2023
"Independent music stores shared the heartless news Wednesday that major record labels like Universal Music Canada and Warner Music Canada are increasing their prices for vinyl albums two days after Valentine’s Day. Prices are going to be rising by upwards of 30% . Some albums distributed by Universal are only seeing $1-$5 increases, but higher markups are also scheduled next month." The Pork Dukes - Bend And Flush
Tuesday, January 3, 2023
# 1 Re-issue of 2022: Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments "Bait and Switch"
Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments - Bait and Switch
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