The Year Of Rebel Birds - Ack Ack Ack!

There once was a dude called Oli, who decided that living a normal, safe life wasn't for him. So he gave everything up - during the global financial crisis - and started an independent record store. Good move... Actually, it's worked out pretty well. Ack! Ack! Ack! Records in Middlesborough is a helluva solid store, with a beautifully selective yet diverse range of gear. If you're in that neck of the woods, definitely go there and blow your dough!


But he didn't want to stop there, having started his own label. Ack!Ack!Ack!'s first release is this 12" split for The Rebel (AKA Ben Wallers from Country Teasers alongside Sophie Politowicz) and newbies on the block Year Of Birds. The Rebel's side is called Pre-Pub, offering five slices of incredibly warped pop that mirrors Dan Melchior in sound and in content - which is basically saying it sounds like stripped back Country Teasers on crack... 'Pubgrub' even has pokies/tabletop video game music at the beginning, whilst most tracks use electronics in such an archaic way that it feels like you are in a carpeted bar from the early 80s - albeit with robotic, sex-crazed druggies with Casios being the barflies of choice... Then Oli's own project Year Of Birds attack with their abrasive and frenetic Blocker For Coinslot EP. Man, I really liked this. Think The Intelligence/A-Frames style blitzkrieg garage punk, but with a balance of dingy rust and debonair panache. Each song is bite size, and there isn't enough time to digest these bitter pills before the end is in sight. Then the drugs kick in, and you'll want to flood your senses with these tunes all over again...

You can grab this 12" here. Since this, Oli has put out a split cassette between Year Of Birds and Girl Sweat (get it here) and a compilation tape that includes Brisbane's own deconstructionists Sky Needle amongst many others. Expect some pretty rad things from Ack!Ack!Ack! in the near future...

The Rebel - Ball Breakers On Parade

Year Of Birds - Jab At The Brow
Year Of Birds - Our Ink
Year Of Birds - Great Plunges

Video Vacuum - Dan Melchior, Rhyton, Jason Urick, Sennen

Who needs a break? I can hear your shouts from here! I do too, although people may not guess it - my increasingly accurate physical resemblance to an elegant hobo is raising eyebrows and rashes both. So here are some choice cuts from Thrill Jockey, who look to have us covered once more in 2012...

But before we get there, if you remember, I really enjoyed Dan Melchior's Assemblage Blues record last year. The man is nothing if not prolific, and he has some good stuff coming out soon. This vid has been available for a little while, but its a fair summation of how Melchior does his shtick (it's also on a 7" put out by SDZ Records). Love him or hate him, he is true to his idiosyncrasies... (NB - I love him).

Dan Melchior "Red Nylon Valance" from max dembo on Vimeo.

Here is one band I had never heard of until TR sent me this clip. Rhyton are aiming to liquify your bones inside you so you become quivering bags of mush. Their bass played is from Psychic Ills for Chrissakes! Their self-titled debut sounds pretty killer, by the way - grab it here. And while I'm at it, here is a track you can have on top of the vid - happy Friday yo!

Rhyton - Shank Raids

Rhyton - Stone Colored from Thrill Jockey Records on Vimeo.

Jason Urick has melded dub and drone into a delectable tapestry on his latest, I Love You. Here he has pared the static noise to create something otherworldly, something akin to High Wolf in some respects, which is always welcomed, but there is something...warm about this record that is great. Anyway, here is the clip. Bliss out folks...

Jason Urick - Ageless Isms from Thrill Jockey Records on Vimeo.

To finish off today, let's veer out of the Thrill Jockey stables, but not too far. Sennen sound like they would fit right at home, so I'm placing them in the meadow adjacent. The UK band are releasing their Vultures 7" in March, which will be on heavenly white vinyl - pre-order here. Their upcoming album Lost Harmony looks to be a sweaty palms kinda release - I'm itching for it already.



NOW GET BACK TO WORK!!