Sacred Bones Records — New York, NY, NYC | Zola Jesus Stridulum, Gary War, Blank Dogs, Moon Duo, Factums, 13th Chime, Cultural Decay, The Pink Noise & more

Sacred Bones Records presents:

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Amen Dunes “Murder Dull Mind”

Gary War
Amen Dunes
Coconuts
Prince Rama

Coco66
66 Greenpoint Ave
Brookyn

Doors at 9pm

Recent Releases

Mac Blackout

Don’t Let Your Love Die 7"
SBR-038

Sacred Bones presents a new solo single from ex-Functional Blackouts and current Daily Void man Mac Blackout that sounds that could have been made either in the year 1980 or 2980. “Don’t Let Your Love Die,” a driving synth driven tune that almost goes pop—albeit in a very Alexander Robotnik kind of way—sounds like it might as well have been recorded on an NES console. On the B-side “Sometimes” is a dirge like midtempo song that goes beyond the obvious comparisons to the Helios Creed/Damon Edge orbit and at times recalls Sacred Bones label-mate Gary War and even Mac’s other project, Daily Void.

Electric Bunnies

Pretty Joanna 7"
SBR-037

The Electric Bunnies have already come into their own releasing a string of singles and touring regularly. Late last year, Florida’s Dying dropped Through The Magical Door—a debut album hailed as the S.F. Sorrow of fuzzy sludge pop that topped just about everyone’s “best of” lists. Though it may be a little while longer before we get another full length, this single captures both the noisy and saccharine sweet sides of the band and should keep fans sated for now. “I Swear I’ll Never Let You Go” is a two-and-a-half-minute downer-pop gem, four harmonies and all. The A-side, “Pretty Joanna,” is virtually the opposite with a melody buried under layers of warm cascading fuzz and feedback.

The Bitters

Have a Nap Hotel EP
SBR-036

Hot on the heels of their debut Mexican Summer long-player, The Bitters, consisting of Aerin Fogel and the ever-prolific Ben Cook (Roommates, Young Governor, Fucked Up), bring us their Have a Nap Hotel EP. This Toronto-based duo have built a name for themselves forging their self-coined “cave pop” genre, which merges elements of 50s melodies and dark post-punk instrumentals with just a hint of flannel. Their debut 12-inch EP Wooden Glove, was released last spring on Captured Tracks and sold out shortly after, having been instantly well-received among tough critics and keen listeners alike. Cook’s jangly guitars stay back in the cut and let Fogel’s vocals (and the occasional fuzzy lead, saxophone, synth line, and handclap) wash over the tunes. Their collaborative work appears live with the help of drummer Jonah Falco (Fucked Up, Career Suicide) and a rotation of starry guest bassists. Though live shows have been scarce, owing to the members’ involvement with a number of other disparate projects, the band made their live debut a short time ago and found time to play the Sacred Bones label showcase at SXSW.

Amen Dunes

Murder Dull Mind EP
SBR-035

Recorded while Damon McMahon was living as an expatriate in China, Amen Dunes presents seven new stunning works of sunlit haziness. During the two years he lived abroad, he lived most of the time in an apartment on the north end of Beijing. He tracked these songs one summer in that apartment. With the exception of “Diane” and “Murder Dull Mind,” all of these songs were recorded in one take and are completely improvisational; on repeated listens though, there is a pop-ness to these songs amidst the improvisation. The title track in particular, a melodic mantra-like work could certainly function on its own as a single. Although the songs have a bit less pre-written structure than Amen Dunes’ previous work on the Locust label, they are still every bit as miraculous. The geographical influence on his work central to both writing and recording conditions is evident here as these songs are way more open, and generally more free than his debut Dia (recorded in 2006 in a Catskills cabin) was. A bit less psych freak out and a bit more dark folk vibe throughout.

Nerve City

Sleepwalker EP
SBR-034

The 6-song Sleepwalker EP by Nerve City—the one-man home recording project out of Richmond, VA—is the next installment in the Sacred Bones 12-inch EP series. Awash in the whips and twangs of a spring loaded reverb tank and faint hints of a distant drum kit, Nerve City’s hook-driven songs recall the hard-charging down-strokes of the Velvet Underground’s more driving moments or, more recently, the psychedelia of West coast kindred spirits in Sic Alps and the Gris Gris. Over the past several years, the band has cemented a rep both live and on record. First came the Catholic School demo tape and the follow-up, Hell (both via Amateur Depression), then quickly sides on Severed Hand, Kill Shaman, HoZac, and Sweet Rot.s For the most part, those releases are now completely gone.

EFFI BRIEST

Rhizomes
SBR-033

Rhizomes is the debut full length from the all-female outfit, EFFI BRIEST. The nine-song opus, Rhizomes, unleashes a propulsive beat that drives angular guitars and bone chilling vocals over dark bass, dense drones and clattering, dance-like percussion. The atmospheric psychedelia owes as much to Arthur Russell as to Amon Duul. Rhizomes includes two of the band’s UK singles on Loog Records, and seven more previously-unreleased original songs. There are brilliant videos for both singles; the cinematic “Long Shadow,” directed by Brandon LaGanke, is making its way around the internet, and showcases the six-piece during their most formidable hour. Mak Kern’s stunning animation for EFFI BRIEST’s palindrome song, “Mirror Rim,” is bound to boomerang back if you missed it the first time. Coming soon is a split with Peaches on Blast First Petite as part of the label’s ongoing 12-inch tribute series to Suicide.

The limited edition is hand numbered and housed in a letter-pressed leather sleeve, with digital download and insert.

Recent Releases

Zola Jesus

Stridulum EP
SBR-032

Since her debut LP for Sacred Bones last summer, Zola Jesus’s profile has grown exponentially. Her video for “Clay Bodies” debuted on The Fader and her likeness was plastered all over the Internet. The Spoils made dozens of year-end lists including The Wire, Pitchfork, The Fader, and Dusted, and fans and critics alike now seem rabid for new material. So without further ado, we present Stridulum, the new, far less lo-fi 6-song EP from Nika Roza Danilova. Recording her vocals for the first time with professional instruments, Nika’s voice is brought to the powerful forefront of the mix unleashing the full range of emotions that had previously only been hinted at in her previous work. It’s a siren song for the apocalypse, which manages to come across immensely nurturing at the same time. (more…)

Daily Void

The Eclipse of 1453 EP
SBR-031

The third installment in Sacred Bones’ 12-inch EP series comes from Daily Void. The Chicago band which includes 3⁄4 of the Functional Blackouts and who cut their teeth with singles for Boom Chick, HoZac, and Florida’s Dying pick up where they left off on their previous full length with a half dozen songs of disjointed, death-tinged noisy punk. Shades of Rudimentary Peni and some off the lesser celebrated acts on Crass Records course through this slab of vinyl.

Nice Face

Immer Etwas
SBR-030

Immer Etwas is the first full length release from this one man bedroom recording project turned full on 5-piece live band. Nice Face have been turning out singles, comp tracks, and cassettes at a steady clip over the past two years and change. This LP is a solid thirteen tracks of drum-machine driven blown out hook-laden punk rock that one reviewer prone to curmudgeonly ranting proclaimed “locks Blank Dogs in the pound, erases ‘Psychedelic’ from Psychedelic Horseshit, makes purses and boots out of Crocodiles, and, oh I don’t know…makes a puddle out of Wavves?” We think that is the cheesiest sentence ever written, even though it was intended as a compliment. Live, the band now counts members of Livefastdie and Imaginary Icons among its ranks. The CD version will include the two Sacred Bones singles, the HoZac single, and the song from Killer Diller Records’ Wild About Jenkem comp.

The Pink Noise

Birdland
SBR-029

This is the deluxe remastered LP edition of the previously cassette only release on Beniffer Editions. It is their third official full length, described as “a totally peaced out collection of destructo boombox symphonies.” Sounds about right to us. This French Canadian duo, who’s output has been prolific already—two full lengths, two cassettes, a single and an appearance on the “World’s Lousy Vol. 2” comp—is mining territory similar to Chrome and Suicide channeled through warm layers of fuzz and broken Casio beats.

Gary War

Reality Protest 7"
SBR-028

This is the newest single from Gary War which was originally pressed up in Italy as a split release between Sacred Bones and Holidays Records to be sold on the band’s European tour. “Reality Protest”—a swirling ball of spring reverb and psychedelia that builds to a driving pulse—is the lead off track backed by “Hollow Futures,” a dark and moody keyboard laden song similar to the material on the Horribles Parade LP. For those who failed to make it to the continent to catch the band on the road Sacred Bones is making this limited edition tour single available stateside and beyond.

Carl Simmons

Honeysuckle Tendrals
SBR-3005

Honeysuckle Tendrals is a lost recording. It resides within a canon of musical output by a singer/songwriter no one has heard of, from a place that the world has almost entirely written off. Recorded in 1999 in New Bedford, Massachusetts, Honeysuckle Tendrals was Carl Simmons’ 2nd effort at a full length recording. He released it into the world in a miniscule edition of cassette tapes on his own Unconscious Piano Productions imprint. To say it was poorly distributed is an understatement. It was handed out to friends, and perhaps sold at various open mic nights, where he would sometimes pass off his own songs as Bob Dylan tunes to an unsuspecting audience. (more…)

13th Chime

The Lost Album & Complete Discography
SBR-3003/4

Earlier this year Sacred Bones released the singles collection from 13th Chime which collected the scant few recordings released during their brief lifetime as well as a handful of heretofore unheard demos and alternate recordings. With their blend of dark driving aggression and sparse arrangements for a brief moment in time the band seemed poised to breakout of the day to day of slogging it out in clubs and onto the international radar but through a series of mishaps ended up a footnote and dissolving into obscurity. (more…)

Vermillion Sands

Miss My Gun EP
SBR-026

The second installment in the Sacred Bones 12-inch EP series comes from Treviso, Italy’s Vermillion Sands who sound like they could be the house band at the dystopian oceanside resort that features prominently in the J.G. Ballard short story collection from which the group takes their name. The Vermillion Sands’ ramshackle female fronted country tinged garage rock gives off some serious Mekons-meets-Headcoatees vibes or a femme fronted counterpart to the records Dan Melchoir has been pumping out as of late. Reverbed whips and twangs and a little mouth harp underlie some serious hooks and melodies. Look out for the debut full length out soon of Fat Possum.