Best Re-Issues 2009
 

Its wierd, there has honestly been more old music that's come out this year that has blown me the fuck away, perhaps more so than new shit, here are some of the best I've heard:

Axemen-Big Cheap Motel (there is info on this all over the net, i shouldnt have to say anything other than it ruls)

Death-For th World to See (no not the death metal band that also rules, but a really great stooges-worshipping proto-punk boogie rock record made by a bunch of black guys in the 70s, one of those punk albums made before punk was a genre and still kills any of the albums made in 77)

Delirium Tremens-Pregagio de Muerte EP (great noisy thrash, not metal though, from these basque teen in the mid 80s, impossble to hear prior to this re-issue from La Vida en un Mus, will appeal to fans of punk and noise alike, especially people who love bands that play both styles unwittingly)

Groinoids-Radio Sessions EP (Mysterius Boston hardcore band who arent hardcore so much as catchy but scuzzy fast rock songs, not great musically but still sorta fascinating)

Hatewave-Sexual Healing 2 (not as good as the first re-issue, but it sure is awesome hearing this near perfect marriage of extreme meal intensity and no wave abstractions. Made of mid 90s Chicago Noise and No Wave stars, most notably Weasel Walter and Nandor Nevai)

IV Reich-S/t 2 X 7" (Passionate hardcore from some kids from Spain in the mid 80s)

The Malkas-Too Good to be True/Sorry About my Drinking 2 X LP (Tragically short lived band when singer died of a heroin overdose, and not surriingly the music is straight ahead drug-drenched boogie rock with riiculouly honest lyrics exploring the nature of addiction and self destrction. Totally free of gimmicks or sub genres, just rock n roll. Some good covers too, like Sringsteen's "Born to Run"

JT IV-Cosmic Lightning (Really inspring music made by a multi-talented artist who had just prior spent time in a mental institution and was still struggling with drugs. Music ranges from song to song, depending on the content of the lyrics. Some songs are quirky and tortured like the best of Syd Barret's solo albums, while others are distorted art-punk velvets worshippin stuff).

Tyranna-Back of Baby EP (female fronted punk band, toronoto, 78-80)

Sperm-Shh! (gotta love De Stijl. This is a NWW-list gem, never before released on vinyl, and thanks to the wonderful forementioned label, it now is. Mind melting free rock with both organic and electronic sound in that grand "anything goes" krautrock style.)

Tunnel Canary-Jihad 2 X LP (Extremely raw and noisy no wave band that wasnt from New York, but instead Vancouver. They are alarminly noisy, even in the face of the mos brutal Teenge Jesus and Red Transistor tracks, just awesome, I love this, and so does thurston and byron)

Sunny Murray-S/T (Big Chief) (Amazing album by amazing artist)

Solidarity Unit Inc.-Red, Black, and Green (Not sure how to describe this headfck of a record, but Byron and Thurston do, "a rather obscure St. Louis combo led by Charles “Bobo” Shaw, which was essentially an expanded version of the legendary BAG (Black Artists’ Group). The band this evening is Richard Martin, Oliver Lake, Floyd Leflore, Joseph Bowie, Carl Richardson, Clovis Bordeaux, Danny Trice, Baikaids Ysaeen (aka Baikida Carroll) and Kada Kayan. Here, they present a concert, dedicated to Jimi Hendrix, recorded on the day he died, and filled with some of the craziest electric guitar ever, courtesy of the late Richard Martin. The sonics have the same raw galacto-fidelity associated with Arkestral recordings of the same period, and this is a great goddamn explosion. You bet!")

John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band Live in Toronto 69 DVD (Not necesarrily a re-isse, but damn, I had never realized what a wierd band they were untill watching this. Pre-dating Punk, No Wave, garage experimetalism, etc.. Its amazing Beatles fans were able to stomach this type of stuff. Not to mention the coolest thing Eric Claption ever and ever will be involved with, save for a few choice cream cuts.)

Suetta-Olympic Stain (another re-issue reccomned to m by the Bull Tongue column, compared to the early GBV an Flaming Lips records in the sense that the band has a basic sound and totally knows how to run with it, not worried about what was going on musicaly at the time at all, and I certainly agree with it. Not to mention they are a fairly musical ad structured pop rock band but drenches thier sound in washes of feedback and wierdness, much like the best stuff of he aforementined bands).

Tommy Jay-Tommy Jay's Tales of Trauma (this mightactually be my favrite thing on this whole list. One of those rare albums that is as beautiful as it is wierd. Almost reminds me of what mid-period Scott Walker would sound like if he was broke, or maybe Lou's 'Berlin' if he was broke, very lo fi bt beautiful psychedeic pop songs and a gem and a motherfucking half).

Grey Wolves-Judgement (Hospital put this previously casette only release on cd, amazing power electronics)

Asphyx-The Rack (good death metal from 91, prmitive and brtal as all hell)

Beck - One Foot In The Grave

jim o'rourke - i'm happy and i'm singing and a 1,2,3,4..

The Beastie Boys LPs, Paul's Boutique and Check Your Head

only new re-issue of the top my head i have bought is Guru Guru - Kanguru

guru guru is amazing, ufo is such an amazing record.

Marble Sky - The Sad Return CD

The Onna 7'' reissued by Holy Mountain. I can't wait for more to come out.

Oh shit I forgot about Onna, Acid Punk don Japanese style, which means heavy on the psych and the wierd.

Holy Mountain is on a roll, between this, the latest Wooden Shjips which is just perfect, those great not boring James Ferarro releases, La Otracina, the Country Teasers full length, and not to mention last year's criminally underrated Crazy Dreams Band record. Is Blues Control's next one gonna be on Holy Mountain? Or is it gonna be on Siltbeeze, i cant remember.

Good question. I was wondering today when we'll see a new Blues Control album.

Sigh - Imaginary Sonicscape

In addition to some already mentioned, I thought this was pretty revelatory:

Red Red Meat - Bunny Gets Paid


I'm sure there's a big one I'm forgetting...

and on a similar Sub Pop Deluxe note...

NICK CAVE & BAD SEEDS-- I guess they're all gonna be reissued with fancy this' and thats. I think they're coming out in chronological order. In case you were having too happy a summer, the first four from the fucked up early years will bring you down a bit (in the most wonderful way possible). Heard they were coming out in April but haven't seen anything yet, but that might just be due to my dark, isolated corner of the world.

Oh, and the SISTER reissue of course.

the vaselines album is fucking excellent........

it paves the way for a spate of pooh sticks rereleases.....make it happen!

Many of them couldn't! There are more Yono haters than not after all.

I do have to admit to preferring her work as she strayed more and more into the conventional. A pair of totally trashed hippies shouting each others' names over and over isn't exactly my cup o' tea. Their stuff with the full band is phenomenal though.

Overhang Party 1 - Mutant Music
A long unavailable LP, originally released in an edition of 200 in the early 90s, finally made available to me! OK, so what if it was released by a label run by my bandmate? Overhang Party is my favorite rock band ever, and this was the only thing I could not have of theirs until this year.

The Red Red Meat reissue is probably my favorite to come out this year.

Enter the vaselines for me so far.

Shall check out The Red Red Meat.