The American debut release from Lao Dan -- Live At Willimantic Records -- has made it to Old Paradise Bookstore (旧天堂书店) in Shenzhen, China. That's a world away from Willimantic, Connecticut -- where this was recorded with Paul Flaherty, Randall Colbourne and Damon Smith. The rest of the world can get their hands on this exquisite and furious compact disc (or digital version) on December 6.
Outrageous. Rabid. Explosive. #WTF? Whatever words you throw at Borbetomagus saxophonist Jim Sauter and Oneida / Man Forever drummer Kid Millions, they’ll chomp ‘em up and respond with a gargantuan roar to erase all notions of what a horn and skins can do.
The duo’s prior albums were built of tightly, clustered bursts and barbed assaults. On Safe & Sane, Sauter and Millions eschew brevity for ultra-endurance. The opening “Chrysanthemum,” clocks in at 32 minutes and continues on Side B before a final 12-minute avalanche that is “Falling Spiders.”
LP out March 3, 2019 -- a split release with Astral Spirits of Austin, TX. Preorder now!
Everyone's favorite guitar/drum duo -- Tashi Dorji & Tyler Damon -- are heading to the Big Ears festival in Knoxville, Tennessee and for a quick hit in the Carolinas. Get at it.
– Saturday, March 23rd – Tyler Damon, Tashi Dorji & Brandon Lopez w/ Paul Lytton / Brandon Lopez duo & DJ Xerox the Kidd @ Magnolia Records, Knoxville, TN
– Friday, March 22nd – Damon-Dorji Duo @ The Pilot Light, Knoxville, TN
– Thursday, March 21st – Damon-Dorji Duo @ Neptune’s Parlour, Raleigh, NC
If Ichida -- the debut collab between Eiko Ishibashi and Darin Gray -- did not make your Top Five of 2018, stop reading and go buy the LP now (via Black Truffle). It's a splendid, slowly unraveling soundscape of flute, upright bass, electronics, vocals, piano and more. It's damn fine and a perfect companion to Ishibashi's new experimental pop album The Dream My Bones Dream (Drag City). Now, these two are playing a show at Tokyo's Super Deluxe on Wednesday, Jan. 9th to bid farewell to the club (sadly, it's closing) and part of an ongoing celebration (not a birthday party) for Jim O'Rouke. Or so we've read. Wish we could be there.
Tori Kudo of Maher Shalal Hash Baz and DJ Kayo will also perform.
Photo: DG