so it's finally come to this...
 

i seek recommendations for an upcoming trip to my neighborhood purveyor of recorded media.

here's the deal: i don't want to hear anything that could possibly be construed as indy rock, post rock, alt rock, avant rock or any other kind of rock. i'm particularly interested in hearing music performed on instruments that have names i probably can't pronounce from countries i probably can't locate on a map - music written/recorded long before any of us were born - unusual music of all stripes (except for the rocknroll one).

i look forward to your input.

-- hat

free improv.?

If you can find a record on Nonesuch called "The Pulse Of Tanam," pick it up. Vina music from India, and a fine one it is.

Also recommended:
The 4 CD box set "The Christ Tree" by the Trees Community, recently reissued in this deluxe form with 3 additional CDs worth of material by the wonderful Hand/Eye label, is a masterpiece of strange Christian folk music made by a travelling Christian dropout commune community in the early 1970s, and contains some seriously compelling and beautifully played music. This was a really far-out group for its time, and sounds very good even by contemporary standards of strangeness, yet they were also not "naive" players; they were very talented musicians. Taking influence from the middle and far east, weird chanting and beautiful folk sounds, this really is a true "lost gem." I'm not into "Jesus" music per se, but this transcends all that. It's a compelling listen, and the sincerity of its makers shines through. REALLY GOOD.

Bragod - Kaingk is the first thing that springs to mind. It's medieval Welsh poetry set to tunes made on the Crwth, a faint (medieval) descendent of the Lyre. That'll probably be a total dick to get from the States, mind you.

If you haven't got it already, I can only heartily recommend the Conet Number Stations boxset.

Anything by the Bhundu Boys fulfills your criteria. And is also better than anything else made on the guitar.

And, in spite of being a teensy-weensy bit indie, I would heartily recommend you buy anything by Datblygu, who are a Welsh band. If you can get Wyau/ Pyst/ Libertina 3CD boxset, it's a better indie album than anyone else ever made. In fact, it's three brilliant albums by one band. Can't ask for fairer than that.

Oh, and if you can find the 1940s British Jazz compilations Homemade Jam 1 & 2, they're both mighty fine.

Otherwise, I'd recommend Haco's Bugscope and the Thai Elephant Orchestra. I'll come back with more tomorrow, as I'm sure I'll think of more in time.

Thanks for the input but I'm looking more for recommendations of specific recordings. Free improv also falls in the category of music I don't really care to hear at the moment.


Yes! That's exactly the sort of thing I'm looking for.
I've already collected almost all the original Nonesuch recordings (including the Pulse of Tanam), but a fine record it is.
The Trees Community I have never heard of. Do you know if there's anything cheaper than a 4 CD set? I was actually thinking about including religous music in the 'what I'm looking for list' when I first posted this.

edit: nevermind. turns out the box set is only $30.

It's worth it too.
The box opens up in a cross shape, and there is a very nice and thick color book inside with liner notes by surviving members of the group, as well as David Tibet and label owner Timothy Renner. It's been 4 years in the making and it has been lovingly mastered from the original tapes.

I reccomend Lauryn Hill's "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill". A fantastic album
OR anything by "Beans" or Anti-pop consortium.

OOOOR 65daysofstatic - British band who are like Mogwai vs. glitchy electronica music. Their "One time for all time" is the most inventive and exciting album i heard last year.

Oh and Tom Waits uses all sorts of weird instruments doesnt he, that may be a good site to drill. Go for Bone Machine

Morton feldmon has some good classical stuff, it could be considered avant I guess, but I suggest For "Bunita marcus".

Ragas
Ravi Shankar
raga music

O True Believers
James Blackshaw
folks guitar stuff

ravi shankhar
um kaltoom is great (araic female vocalist. had very long peices like 20 minute songs that were kind of like krautrock of arab music.
fela kuti-the originator of afro beat. great mixture between jazz and african music.

Ali Akvar Khan - Morning Visions
Nikhil Banjeree - Total Absorption
Shivkumar Sharma - Call Of The Valley
Ravi Shankar - Portrait Of Genius

if you want to go the Indian route.

& The Secret Museum Of Mankind series. Amazing stuff. There are 8 volumes in the series but anyone of them will do.

get this, it's perfection

I'm no "world music" expert, but I love this:


Pandit Shiv Kuma Sharma - Sampradaya

I suggest you find used japanese folk recordings. They are fucking amazing. My girfriend found one of some sweet ass instrumentals and it s just awe-inspiring and weird.

Persona - Som, LP, 1975, Brazil

 

 

 

ONE OF THE RAREST/MOST WISHED BRAZILIAN Psych Experimental Record
FUZZ GUITAR FULL OF EXPERIMENTAL SOUNDS. INCLUDES Pic INSERT Poster--WITH INSTRUCTIONS to play the Psych/Mirror/Candle Persona Game while listening to the record.GREAT TRIP EXPERIENCE
Featuring the Members of Tutti-Frutti [Rita Lee's Personnel in the 70s] : Luis Carlini [Electric Guitar, Harmonica, Echo Play Effects], Lee Marcucci [Acoustic Guitar], Franklin Paolillo [Percussion]; Carmem Flores [ Vocals on the Track "Agua"].
If Mr Stapleton had ever come across this one he should put it in the NWW list!


__________________

Since I'm sure you're all dying to know... I went to the record store today and picked up a (different) Baden Powell CD and a Om Khalthoum CD from amongst your picks. Well done. I also ordered the Trees Community box set.

Pork - I downloaded that the first time you put a link up for it. Wonderful stuff, indeed.

Glice - Is the Thai Elephant Orchestra really that good? I remember reading a glowing review of it on the Aquarius website a long time ago, but I chalked that up to their usual hyperbole. When the novelty of elephants playing instruments has worn off is the music still worth listening to?

the music on that record (thai elephants) is pretty nice and isn't too far from some of the stuff coming out of finland at the moment. which baden powwell CD did you get?

The only CD I could find was Solitude On Guitar, so I went for that.
I rarely listen to bossa nova when I want to hear something Brazillian, but this is really nice. It's proven to be worthy accompaniment for a hot bath.