Optical Atlas

Supercluster’s psychedelic new single, “I Got the Answer b/w Sunflower Clock,” is available now in a limited edition of 300 copies. The songs, from the band’s debut full-length Waves, are pressed on handsome colored vinyl with a hand-screened poster by Amanda Burke, individually numbered and signed by the artist.   Order your copy from AthensMusic.net.

My review of Waves can be read here.

James Huggins’ solo recording project James Husband has been known mainly to Elephant 6 and of Montreal obsessives who may have heard some tracks on his MySpace, or via CD-Rs passed around at shows.  Earlier this year Huggins dropped word that Polyvinyl was showing interest in releasing his music officially, and a short while later they created a space for him on the label’s website as one of their signed artists.  Now, at long last, comes the album announcement.

A Parallax I will be released October 27th, a 12-track sampling of James Husband’s decade-plus collection of recordings.  According to the press release, “the first third of the album was recorded on cassette, the next third on strictly analog and the last third in a straight digital format,” which implies a kind of chronology, or at least progression, represented in the track sequencing (below).  The influences run the gamut, from 60’s psych to the witty, playful pop he’s currently playing as a member of of Montreal–so don’t judge the album by its cover, which seems strictly early-80’s Lionel Richie. (God, my childhood spent in department stores waiting for my mother and sister to come out of the dressing room!)  Incidentally, those who find themselves newfound James Husband fans can (and should) also seek out Great Lakes, in particular their first, Zombies-esque album; Huggins sings vocals on the terrific “Virgil.”

Anyway, pre-order now to get a limited edition deluxe CD, which comes with a James Husband EP featuring 6 covers.  You can also get a double-gatefold LP with the album on 180-gram pink vinyl (with digital download code).  (Pitchfork mentions the of Montreal/James Husband split 7″ on the Happy Happy Birthday to Me Singles club as though it’s forthcoming, but it’s already been released, and the singles club is almost entirely sold out–perhaps, by the time I finish writing this sentence, completely sold out.)  Here’s the track listing with a sample MP3:

A Parallax I,
by James Husband
1 Little Thrills
2 A Grave in the Gravel
3 Greyscale
4 Elephant Alibi
5 Take the Train
6 No No Baby
7 While the Boys Went Down Under
8 Window
9 Waiting on Rayne
10 Driving Around
11 The Darkestness
12 The Great Grand Ghosts of Buena Vista GA

Polyvinyl is simultaneously repressing some classic of Montreal albums on 180-gram vinyl.  Coquelicot Asleep in the Poppies!  Aldhils Arboretum!  The Bird Who Continues to Eat the Rabbit’s Flower!  The Bedside Drama: A Petite Tragedy!  The Early Four Track Recordings!  Expect those to be released on October 27th as well, but if you want everything, you can pre-order the whole lot right now.

People in a Position to Know Records is now making available for pre-order the 2XLP edition of Modern Silence, the latest and awesomest album by Casper & the Cookies.  Limited to 500 copies, order fast to get the premium weight “audiophile red” vinyl (200 copies).  Order faster–that is, be one of the first 50–and you get a bonus 5″ single featuring 2 exclusive songs.  All vinyl orders receive a digital copy of the album featuring the (slightly different) vinyl mix of the songs.  Order it here.

Elephant 6 followers and regular readers of this website should by now be familiar with Nesey Gallons, the singer-songwriter who toured with the Elephant 6 Holiday Surprise Tour as well as The Music Tapes, Nana Grizol, and Brian Dewan, and recently contributed to Music Tapes for Clouds and Tornadoes, Circulatory System’s Signal Morning, and Julian Koster’s The Singing Saw at Christmastime.  The first full-length album by Nesey, Eyes & Eyes & Eyes Ago, was recently self-released in a limited edition, in CD-R format with homemade packaging (along with 2 other works, Somewhere We Both Walk and Two Bicycles).  Now Hurrah for Karamazov Records will be officially releasing Eyes & Eyes & Eyes Ago on September 8 in vinyl LP and digital download (the same date Signal Morning will be released by Cloud Recordings). A small CD pressing is also planned.  It’s a cliche, but the album might genuinely be called a haunting collection of songs: in the press release, Nesey says, “Walking past a graveyard is just as much of an influence on me as Rubber Soul. The idea of being surrounded by other souls, real or imagined, interacting with them and coming to terms with their loss and absence is largely what this record is about.”  An East Coast tour is also in the works.

Polyvinyl Records will be releasing a 7″ single from of Montreal, “For Our Elegant Caste,” on June 23rd.  The A-side is the track as presented on Skeletal Lamping; the B-side is the “Depressed Buttons Remix.”  Available on red and blue vinyl and in a limited run of 2000 copies, the purchase will also net you a digital download and “bonus video.”  You can pre-order here (orders ship June 12). 

There’s bad news and great news coming out of Happy Happy Birthday to Me Records.

Their ongoing singles club was scheduled to feature Circulatory System and Sound Houses (aka The New Sound of Numbers) on a split 7″.  Unfortunately Sound Houses dropped out, and the Circulatory System material is already featured on the forthcoming full-length Signal Morning, so HHBTM’s Mike Turner has announced the single will be replaced by a 7″ featuring rare early tracks from Elephant 6 Recording Company projects The Sunshine Fix and Always Red Society.  Imagine, if you will, getting an early-90’s Olivia Tremor Control single, because that’s basically what this is: Bill Doss on one side, Will Cullen Hart on the other, both recording right before they joined forces.  In other singles club news, High Water Marks has replaced Tender Forever on a split with The Love Letter Band.  Also soon to be released are splits featuring of Montreal & James Husband, The Apples in Stereo & Patience Please, and All Girl Summer Fun Band & Cars Can Be Blue.  Subscribers can expect their singles to ship round late June.  If you’re a latecomer who wants to join the club, I’d recommend heading over to HHBTM’s website and sending a message to check availability.

The Leaf Label has released a 10″ single from the upcoming A Hawk and a Hacksaw album, Délivrance. Foni Tu Argile is described by Insound as “a strictly limited edition of 500 hand-numbered 10-inch singles, cut at 78rpm, with packaging that replicates the shellac records of old.” You can order the album for $10.99 here, and have a listen to the track in the Optical Atlas Jukebox, updated earlier this week.  The full-length comes out on Leaf on May 18th.

Thanks to ggrisamore for the link.

Last month saw the release of a split 7″ featuring Andy from Denver and Higgins.  The AFD track is “Please Don’t Take My Life Away,” also featured on the upcoming album Phreak Phantasy (under Andy’s more familiar alias Marshmallow Coast).  You can pick up the 7″ for $6.00 at the Serious Business Records website.  The pressing is limited to 300.  Thanks to canyr for the tip.

Speaking of Phreak Phantasy, I got my copy this weekend and enjoyed it immensely.  It’s different by far from anything Andy Gonzales has released in the past – and not just because it’s the first album of his to feature the Elephant 6 Recording Company logo.  Think 70’s synth-driven prog with a big kick of disco.  The first 50 to preorder the album get an exclusive painting by Andy, and mine is gorgeous.  Expect a track (maybe “Please Don’t Take My Life Away”) to turn up in the Optical Atlas Jukebox this week.