Album: Techno Animal

Artist: Brotherhood of the Bomb

Released: 2001, Matador

Links: Allmusic, Amazon, Trouserpress

Brief Review: Hip-hop made by deaf metallers is one way to describe this. Monolithic beats dubbed to oblivian and guest rappers doing their thing over the top. Not quite the polyphonic feast of their previous outing but still impressive stuff.

Album: Techno Animal

Artist: Re-Entry

Released: 1995, Virgin

Links: Allmusic, Amazon, Trouserpress

Brief Review: A truly brilliant double album - huge loping looped beats collide and crash into one another in slow motion - creating a massive polyphonic sound.

Album: Tom Waits

Artist: Rain Dogs

Released: 1988, Sire

Links: Allmusic, Amazon, Trouserpress

Brief Review: My favourite (un)easy listening - great eclectic bluesy stuff. Imagine walking into a dive of a bar somewhere in the midwest in the 60's - full of smoke and drunkards with Tom singing bizarre songs in the corner. All of Toms albums are worth a listen - 'Rain Dogs' and 'Swordfishtrombone' are probably my favourites though. And for those that think he's just some arty wierdo he did actually write 'Downtown Train' which Rod Stewart massacred in a cover version.

Album: Tortoise

Artist: Millions Now Living Will Never Dies

Released: 1995, Thrill Jockey

Links: Allmusic, Amazon

Brief Review: Probably the way modern jazz should sound - taking the punk/indie DIY aesthetic and marrying it to almost classical composition.

Album: Blue Sky Void

Artist: Total

Released: 1995, Freek

Links: Allmusic, Amazon

Brief Review: Super high pitched noise squall from Mat Bower of Skullflower fame. And I wonder why I have tinnitus.

Album: Madonna

Artist: And You Will Know Us By the Trail of the Dead

Released: 1999, Merge

Links: Allmusic, Amazon

Brief Review: Kind of like if Sonic Youth kept making 'Daydream Nation' / 'Sister' over and over again - which is no bad thing. Basically if you like angular rock then this is for you (see also 'Unwound').

Album: Scarfies Soundtrack

Artist: v/a

Released: 1994, Flying Nun

Links: Allmusic

Brief Review: One of many fine Flying Nun compilations. For the soundtrack to the movie 'Scarfies' which I've never seen but is apparently 'Shallow Grave' alike. If you enjoy this you'll also enjoy 'Topless Women Talk About their Lives' (another soundtrack) and I'm 'In Love with these Times'.

Album: The Velvet Underground

Artist: The Velvet Underground

Released: 1969, Verve

Links: Allmusic, Amazon

Brief Review: Followup to the famous first album (see below). A much kinder and gentler affair than the previous one - highly recommended.

Album: The Velvet Underground & Nico

Artist: The Velvet Underground

Released: 1967, Verve

Links: Allmusic, Amazon

Brief Review: The Beatles and the Rolling Stones may have nabbed most of the 60's glory but the Velvet Underground were definitely the most inspirational. The joke goes that everyone thats heard them has been inspired to form a band (for better or worse ;-)