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Farewell My Concubine (BLU)
For its 30th anniversary, the epic melodrama about the Peking Opera set against the backdrop of 50 years of 20th-century Chinese history, has been restored by Film Movement.
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Skull (LP)
Zyklon B Zombies
I couldn't believe when I saw this reissued. I'd been tantalized by over way-outta-my-price-range 7"s by this band but had never been able to even track down a sound clip online. Then Lo and Behold! Bless the reissue era. It's totally wild. Wild wild noisy and inspired and funny and scary. Hard to beat the sounds of Japan 1993
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Dream House 78'17 (LP)
La Monte Young/Marian Zazeela
Speaking of reissue blessings! This one on wax for the first time in forever. Truly a one of a kind game changer. The last 5 years or so I think has seen a massive surge in interest in minimalist/drone/ambient music. Reaching popularity levels these artists never could have dreamed of. Perhaps its an appealing respite from the bang bang chaos of seeing 30,000 10 second video clips a day etc. Perhaps its a reaction to an exhausting 7 decades of 3 min pop songs drying up. Dono. But I'm right there with it and this is as good as it gets in the form.
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Mu (LP)
Don Cherry
There's also been a surprising (and very related) surge in Don Cherry love. Everyone loves Don Cherry! Everyone loves his love and his sublime aspirations, his simplicity and elegance and radical edge. Some of the best records ever made, for real, including this one here with the mighty Ed Blackwell on drums. Trumpet Drums duos. What a world!
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Sidney Bechet Plays Sidney Bechet (LP)
Sidney Bechet
This one surprised me a little more to see pop up last month! A new era of Bechet love would be incredible to see. The best horn soloist of his era. An "in" for a lotta jazzers to an older tyme sound that would otherwise sound corny to our ears but sits at the root of everything that matters. Bechet makes you get it. Beautiful beautiful lyrical new orleans playing. Like silk.
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Perfect Days (BLU)
Wim Wenders
The great German filmmaker Wim Wenders does for Tokyo, Japan what he did for Paris, Texas. A beautiful film that finds the wonder in the mundane routines of life. The simple pleasures of an ice cold beer or listening to your favorite music-and what a soundtrack! I mean you know you're going to hear the Lou Reed classic but that's not the only song with a Reed vocal you'll hear. Koji Yakusho gives a lead performance of such simplicity its like watching a documentary. Great life-affirming stuff.
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Portal (Cassette)
Buddy Junior
Noisy emo with a hint of angst. One of my all-time favorite local bands!! Definitely recommend catching them live if haven't already (they have three guitarists!!) as well as other projects their band members are a part of, which include Jock, Christina's Trip, and Held. The track “Cave” invites you into the depression room and makes you fell less guilty about closing blackout curtains on a nice day out
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If the Ceiling Were a Kite: Vol.1 (LP)
April Magazine
Great way to get depressed. Check out one of their live shows if you ever get the chance! Disclaimer: may give you the urge to pull an Irish goodbye promptly following their set and cry all the way home. “Shirley Don’t'' destroys me every time and “If the Ceiling Were a Kite” is what I imagine dying feels like. “Pink Hair” is so beautiful it hurts
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Here in the Pitch (LP)
Jessica Pratt
I had the honor of meeting Jessica this past June when she performed at our SF location, and I can whole-heartedly say she is just as lovely as her music :) I've had the track, "The Last Year" on repeat lately!
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Fever Ray (CD)
Fever Ray
The first time I listened to Fever Ray was on the way back home from a long day of swimming in the San Lorenzo river with friends. Windows were rolled down and the warm summer breeze weaved though my still damp hair as great big redwoods blurred past us. The moment felt sacred and enchanted and Fever Ray playing in the background made it all the more magical. “When I Grow Up” will make you want to run away to somewhere green and beautiful and never look back
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The Sunset Violent (CD)
Mount Kimbie
"Dumb Guitar" and “Empty and Silent (feat. King Krule)” are my favorite tracks! King Krule and Mount Kimbie go together like a head full of thoughts and a much needed solo hike. Blast this album and take the long way home
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Rules (LP)
Alex G
Alex my love, you will always have a place in my heart <333 Alex G takes complicated, messy feelings and writes them off as seemingly simple anecdotes accompanied by noisy guitar riffs and heartbreaking piano playing. He's the boy next door and every night I go to sleep hoping one day he'll serenade me from my window. "Come Back," "Mis," and "Sandy" are some of my favorite tracks!
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Either/Or: Expanded Edition (LP)
Elliot Smith
Either/Or has always been one of my favorite Elliot Smith albums and it recently got reissued with additional songs recorded live from the 1997 Yo Yo A Go Go Festival in Olympia, WA!! “Cupids Trick” and “2:45” are some of my faves. Also, if you're a big Elliot Smith fan or just want to learn more about him, I recommend Nickolas Dylan Rossi's documentary "Heaven Adores You" (2015)
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Candy (2006) (DVD)
Neil Armfield
Starring Heath Ledger and Abbie Cornish, “Candy” is a beautiful story about love and addiction and the ways lines between the two can get blurred. One of my all-time favorite movies <3
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