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Eels (LP)
Being Dead
The second album in two years from this Texas-based band, each song still feels unique and carefully constructed. Coming in at just 40 minutes, each song is snappy and tightly produced, unsurprising considering this album shared a producer with St. Vincent and Mannequin Pussy. Their 90s rock influence is evident, the songs are part slacker-rock and part surf-feeling indie. This feels like the perfect record to have on driving with the windows down, or skating with your friends on a sunny day.
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Demon Pond (BLU)
Criterion
Masahiro Shinoda of Pale Flower and Double Suicide fame, finally gets some more love from Criterion. This film from 1979 involves a lone traveler who stumbles upon a drought-stricken village, falls for a mysterious woman and becomes embroiled in all sorts of otherworldly shenanigans. I personally love studio shot Japanese films of this type, as the sets add a whole level of artificiality that really sets them apart from other film cultures. Excellent synth score featuring "Switched on Bach" style classical pieces as well as more adventurous sounds.
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Daiei Gothic: Japanese Ghost Stories (BLU)
Radiance
Radiance, the UK boutique label, is luckily for those of us in the States, is increasingly releasing their titles across the pond. And fortunately this triple feature of 60s era Japanese ghost stories is one of those releases. A must for fans of Kwaidan!
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Hundreds of Beavers (BLU)
Cartuna via OCN
The joke may go on a bit long, but my goodness... this is one of the most creative endeavors I've seen in years, and I never really stopped laughing. Chock full of old-timey slapstick and visual puns. I can't see anyone not enjoying this. Fun for the whole family.
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The Seventh Curse (BLU)
Vinegar Syndrome
I am a sucker for a good Hong Kong black magic movie, and this is one of the crazier ones. It's really got everything from Kung Fu to xenomorph looking creatures, to demon fetuses, to Chow Yun Fat, to body horror bodily explosions. Fun!
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Smiley Face (BLU)
Dark Star Pictures via OCN
Gregg Araki of Doom Generation fame made this absolutely hilarious stoner comedy in 2007 starring the ever hilarious Anna Faris. She has the funniest facial expressions. What a comedy treasure. About time this got a blu-ray.
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Underworld Beauty (BLU)
Radiance
One of the best early Seijun Suzuki films. It has Noir vibes and Jean Pierre Melville vibes. I'd been hoping for a blu-ray of this for ages as the old DVD wasn't so hot.
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Chinese Odyssey Parts 1 & 2 (1995) (BLU)
Shout Factory
Steven Chow has now made at least 4 "Journey to the West" related movies. These are his first two with everyone's favorite Monkey King and I love them. Nowhere near as famous as Kung Fu Hustle and Shaolin Soccer, but luckily Chow is getting all sorts of his earlier films released stateside.
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The Tenant
Vinegar Syndrome
I was more than happy with the Shout Factory Blu-ray, but The Tenant is one of my favorite films and definitely my Favorite Polanski, and it never hurts to get a swanky upgrade. Chock full of creepy menace and occasional levity. Polanski, Isabelle Adjani and Shelly Winters!
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Paper Moon (BLU)
Criterion
It is absolutely insane that this wasn't on Blu-ray in America till now. One of the greatest comedies of the 70s. Ryan O'Neal and his real life daughter Tatum knock it out of the park. Plus an early Madeline Kahn role! The blu-ray (let alone the 4K that also came out) looks amazing. Lovely black and white cinematography by László Kovács.
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The Invisible Road (Original Recordings (1985-1990) (LP)
Sussan Deyhim & Richard
Sussan Deyhim is a Persian vocalist and Richard Horowitz was an avant-garde composer (though he did the soundtrack to the 1999 film Any Given Sunday for example though I've never seen nor heard it). Together they made several albums of which their 1986 Crammed Discs classic Desert Equations is a personal favorite. One of the best albums of "4th World" music sans Jon Hassell. Imagine my surprise when this comp of unreleased tracks from the same time period as that aforementioned disc. Vinyl only though.
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Night Palace (LP)
Mount Eerie
Phil Elvrum of the Microphones is back with a vengeance. His first album in ages to come close to the masterpiece that is "The Glow Pt. 2".
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Sei Note In Logica (1979) (LP)
Robert Cacciapaglia
Quite the discovery for me. I love Philip Glass and Steve Reich, and this is like a slightly busier version of those 2 composers. Chock full of wordless vocals (i think) and mallet instruments like a music for 18 musicians; but with synths and string arrangements ebbing and flowing. Lovely stuff.
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Hjirok (LP)
Hjirok
Iranian Kurdish singer Hani Mojtahedy and Mouse On Mars' Andi Toma combined a variety of sounds collected during their joint travels to Iraqi Kurdistan with processed recordings of Sufi drum rhythms and setar melodies. A forceful and dubby soundscape that blends perfectly with Hani's unconventional vocal techniques. Great stuff!
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