Dethklok - Dethalbum
Amazing death metal album that sold nearly 34,000 copies the fi rst week it was out and debuted at #21 on the Billboard chart! Check out their show on the Metalocalypse Season 1 dvd set as well for some over the top metal hilarity. They’re great in concert too, the live action version that is.

Drudkh - Estrangement
Ukrainian black metal with melancholy atmospheric flair.

Krohm - The Haunting Presence
A one man black metal band without the low-fi squeal.

Morningside - The Wind the Trees & the Shadow of the Past
Debut release from this Russian doom metal band in the vein of Agalloch, Opeth & Katatonia.

Vreid - I Krig
Norwegian black metal that adds melody to the mix.

Witchcraft -  The Alchemist
Heavy 70’s style doom done the Swedish way.

Check out the Pagan Fire Compilation.  It’s a great introduction to the Viking/Pagan/Folk Metal genre which includes a bonus video collection dvd for the price of one cd.

Make Me - It Only Hurts the First Time...
Oakland’s own post-riot grrrl Fleetwood Mac! Boasting two couples, a raucous live show, insolent, smart lyrics with driving bass, guitar, drums, AND keyboard--this band is a MUST! Check them out around town! Visit Make Me on Myspace

The Horrors - Strange House
Probably, THE most played album at the Berkeley Amoeba store in the months following its release. Amazing that one band can get an eclectic record store to agree on one album kicking ass. And for anyone who caught their show at Shutter/330 Ritch-- enough said.

Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare
The Brits do it again! Just when I thought they couldn’t top their debut...they did. I started out a hater and a rakes fan, but I must admit these boys know how to do it. “And I wonder, are they putting us under? Cause we cant take our eyes off the t-shirt and ties combination. Well see you later, innovator.”

Operation Ivy - Energy [Reissue]
THANK YOU HELLCAT/EPITAPH for making this available (and affordable) for the kids again! THANK YOU JESSE/TIM/MATT/DAVE for making this the fi rst time. Another one of the most played albums at Amoeba Berkeley and one of the most amazing records of all time. “Conditioned to self-interest with emotions locked away. If that’s what they call normal than I’d rather be insane!”

The Wire - Season 4 (DVD)
And not just because I am a teacher, but this season is incredible and almost as good as the first one-- which leads me to recommend that you just watch the whole series. Even if you already have--do it again. Quality dramas that will make you take a different look at the corners in your ‘hood and those that run them.

Simian Mobile Disco - Attack Decay Sustain Release
Every single they dropped off of this one kicked my ass. Hustler. Ouch! Ouch I say.

M.I.A. - Kala
This was the deciding factor in whether or not this woman has true talent and staying potential. The conclusion, AMAZING! M.I.A. is going to be around for a long time.

The Knife - Silent Shout (deluxe with dvd)
The album itself is completely awesome. So to package it with a dvd of all of their bugged out music vids and a live recording of a show and a live video of that concert. WOW! Now this album is AWESOME! Squared.

Modeselektor - Happy Birthday
Goosebumps, freeking goosebumps. Thats what I get when I think of how totally amazing and talented these two dudes are. And all with a big pinch of silliness. Bumpy little goose skin.

MGMT - “Electric Feel”
I haven’t even heard the rest of the album yet. But but butt I can’t get near enough of the rocking, funky 70s ish song electric feel. Damn it’s a hot slice of funky pie. I’ll have seconds and im a eat it with my hands.

Dystopia - s/t
Final release from Oakland’s doom ridden crusters

Deathspell Omega - FAS
Avant-garde black metal

Bloody Panda / Kayo Dot - Split LP
Quirky funeral doom

Born/Dead - Final Collapse
Oakland anarcho punk

Witchcraft - The Alchemist
Pentagram worship done right

Totalitar - Vi Ar Eliten
Swedish d-beat

Sole and Skyrider Band
Anticon records goodness

Extinction of Mankind - Northern Scum
Crust as fuck

Limb from Limb - Death. Famine.  Plague.
Bolt-beat from Canada

Devil Makes Three - s/t
Heartfelt bluesy folk punk

Coffiins - The Other Side of Blasphemy
Heavy sludgy death metal from Japan.

Crass - Demos LP
Pre “feeding” crass recordings plus peel sessions.

tip: Check out my band World Eater and go see Laudanum play live. (Wear earplugs)

Tear of a Black Tiger (dvd)
Saturated Thai western, most slept on this one, but it is very entertaining and pleasing to view...

Nicole Willis - Keep Reachin’ Up
Late to American audiences, but now picking up speed - - excellent soul in an old style - - lush strings, nice voice, good band...

Cornelius - Sensuous
Excellent album, made even better when you see the man perform it live, perhaps one of the most incredible live shows around today, both visually and musically...

Various Artists - Roots of Chicha: Psychedelic Cumbias From Peru
You know, psychedelic cumbias from Peru...

Max Roach - Freedom Now Suite
A necessary reissue of a controversial record, with the illustrious voice of the lovely Abbey Lincoln adding to Max Roach’s extraordinary playing...

music tip - don’t just download, shop at your local record stores and let’s keep the music industry alive, tangible, and not just digital... and don’t forget to be kind to one another.

Noisy People (DVD) By Bay Area musician / videographer Tim Perkis.
A look at Bay Area improv artists who straddle the jazz and new music scenes. It is thought provoking, entertaining and funny. Some of the artists profi led include: Damon Smith, Dan Plonsey, Gino Robair, and Laetitia Sonami. In one of the “extras” Kenneth Atchley coyly describes what they do as: “either passion or pathology.” You be the judge.

Luc Ferrari - Didascalies CD+DVD
This set includes Ferrari’s fi nal recordings and a DVD, which will only play in my computer. The DVD shows Ferrari’s compositional process as he works, shortly before his death, with musicians performing one of his rule ordered pieces from 1969- 70. The fi rst piece on the CD: Rencontres Fortuities, brings together the composers various interests: musique concrete, electronics and instrumental music. The CD and DVD are a beautiful summation to the life and work of one of the great French electro-acoustic music pioneers.

Karlheinz Stockhausen
Many customers from the world of Electronica ask me to recommend CDs from the Classical avant-garde, which feature electronics. All three Amoebas  now carry many of the Stockhausen verlag CDs.  They are expensive, but expensively produced and, I think, worth it. If you would like to have your head blown off, start with  the single disc of Hymnen, #47. If you’ve got the stamina, the wallet and a willingness to kiss this world goodbye, go for #10, the four CD version of Hymnen. If you want to start gently get #3, with the early electronic studies and the beautiful, otherworldly Gesang Der Junglinge. If you’re not put off by voices, try #49, electronic music from Freitag aus Licht. So much of what we take for granted in modern music Stockhausen did fi rst, and, I would argue, better than most of his successors. It is hard to overestimate  the importance of this composer.

Christina Kubisch - Night Flights
This 20-year-old release has finally been reissued.  It is an atmospheric mix of musique concrete, electronics and instruments, not unlike much so-called ambient music. In the intervening years we have been buried several glaciers deep in ambient music, so revisiting this pre-ambient reissue feels positively Paleolithic yet long overdue.

The Threshold Houseboy’s Choir - Form Grows Rampant
Perhaps Peter “Sleazy” Christopherson’s  greatest effort to date.  Fans of Coil will  scream with delight.  It’s as if this work  was guided by the hand of the late Jhonn  Balance, from the beyond the gates of death.

Von Thronstahl - Sacrificare
An intoxicating mixture of Martial and Neo-Folk, drawing inspiration from the Byzantine Empire and Lord Byron to the Clash.  A brilliant collection of anthems for the march of the new empire.

Death in June and Boyd Rice - Scorpion Wind
An essential re-issue of the Scorpion Wind – Heaven Sent album, of 1996.  Imagine a Neuropean Rod McKuen whispering sweet Social Darwinist rants in your ear.  Ahhh….

Spiritual Front - Armageddon Gigolo
Every generation needs at least one god- like, lounge singer, and his name is Simone “Hellvis” Salvatori.  (Sorry Bain Wolfkind.)  The Roman Empire is setting up shop in Las Vegas !

Changes – Legends
The original “Folk-Noir” Duo.  Enhanced  versions of their early works in the 60’s and 70’s, and new pieces to stir the ancient fire within the soul.

Malvina Reynolds - Sings the Truth
Berkeley’s original activist folk-singer,  Malvina Reynolds composed some of our  best-known political and children’s songs. But she was unknown until Pete Seeger started having hits with her songs like “Little Boxes” (revived for a new generation on TV’s “Weeds”). This is her 1967 Columbia debut LP, never before out on CD, which includes “Little Boxes,” “What Have They Done to the Rain” and “God Bless the Grass.” Plus live recordings from KPFA, KQED and the Bread and Roses Festival. It’s great to have backed in print this long-lost album from who always spoke truth to power, and had fun doing it.

Creole Belles - Creole Belles
It only took them a dozen years, but one of the Bay Area’s fi nest Cajun and Creole bands has issued its debut CD. Unlike most Cajun albums of the past 20 years, the Creole Belles stick to traditional instrumentation and tunes, and render them with fresh insight, lots of fi ddling and accordion. The four women are joined, as they are onstage, by Louisiana-born accordion master and singer Andrew Carriere. Instant dance party!


Steven Bernstein - Diaspora Suite
On his fourth “Diaspora” CD for Tzadik exploring Jewish roots in jazz, Berkeley-born trumpeter Steven Bernstein assembles Bay Area-reared musicians (saxophonist Peter Apfelbaum, trombonist Jeff Cressman, clarinetist Ben Goldberg,electric guitarists Nels Cline, John Schott and Will Bernard among them) to play his original compositions inspired by Bay Area jazz that he grew up on, specifi cally the early ‘70s Herbie Hancock sextet.

Igor Stravinsky - Works of Igor Stravinsky
Nothing new here except the price. Stravinsky’s complete Columbia recordings, mostly from the ‘60s, were originally issued on 22 CDs for $300. Sony has just reissued them, complete but in a smaller box, for $35 list! Everything he wrote and conducted, all the ballets, suites, symphonies, concertos, operas, choral and vocal works, oratorios, songs, chamber works (including Ebony Concerto with Benny Goodman on clarinet) is here. Plus some ‘30s piano recordings he made.

Various Artists - Nigeria Special
Available on CD and LP, the subtitle says all you need to know: “Modern Highlife, Afro-Sounds & Nigerian Blues 1970-6,”  with most of the tracks making their American debut, rarities and single B-sides by bands most of us, even African music fans, haven’t heard before. From Soundway.