John Oswald - Plunderphonic & Discosphere

If you've been following this site you probably know that I hold John Oswald in high esteem. His works in the field of sampling, which he calls plunderphonics, is astounding, fascinating and deeply educational. Oswald isn't one to merely sample a portion of a song and loop it like a stereotypical hip-hop recording (or most of Sean "Diddy" Combs' catalog, although that's another story), instead Oswald distorts, compounds and chops recordings into bits, sometimes rendering them unrecognizable. His work isn't for everyone and much of it would probably be labeled noise by those who don't appreciate the avant garde, but for those with an appreciation for the different or bizarre, Oswald's works are considered genius, and I strongly agree with that belief.

Back in July of 2009 I wrote a rather detailed account of the non-release of Oswald's best known work, both for the quality of it's content and it's infamy, the Plunderphonic CD. The CD was a collection of Oswald's reinterpretations of a wide range of music, everything from the world of American pop to classical, all chopped and edited into stunning reworkings. Plunderphonic was never meant for sale, Oswald pressed up the CDs and sent them to friends, artists, libraries and other parties with the intent of sharing his work and not making any profit whatsoever. While this would be most likely be considered acceptable in the US, Oswald lives in Canada and the CRIA sued him only to have the master tapes and all remaining copies of the CD destroyed. I'm not going to rehash all the details here, especially since the July 2009 article can be read here and goes into further detail, but the Plunderphonic CDs non-availability has made it quite the fascinating piece since and a major collector's item for anyone lucky enough to own an original copy. Most of the material from it has been reissued over time, albeit in slightly altered forms and without the original liner notes, and low-quality rips circulate frequently, but despite the net being the wonderful resource it is I don't believe anyone was openly trading any high quality copies of the album. I'm going to change that today.

Earlier this year, while on another forum where people were discussing their rare finds, someone mentioned having found an original Plunderphonic CD in a used bin for around five dollars. I politely asked that fellow if he might be able to rip it for me and he was kind enough to do it. He sent me the album as a single lossless file with a pdf containing scans of the packaging and liner notes, to which I split the file into multiple tracks with Medieval Cue Splitter, cleaned and edited that cue sheet and am presenting it to you for download as both FLACs and V0 MP3s. Unfortunately, I don't have the individual who provided me with the original files screen name so, if you're reading this, my apologies but feel free to drop me a line and I'll give you the credit you deserve.

I'm also posting another rare Oswald release, Discosphere, in FLAC and V0 MP3 formats for your listening enjoyment. Apart from altering the file tags there was nothing changed about these files and they were received from a private site that will remain nameless, although I would like to give a thank you to the individual responsible for sharing it. Discosphere, unlike Plunderphonic, is a collection of Oswald's works for performances and installations, and while it has similarities in style and production to that of Plunderphonic, it should not be considered more of the same.

Oswald is still at it, making intense art and pissing people off, and the world is all the better for it. He recently reissued his Plexure CD as prePlexure, a vinyl only release containing a new take on the original work named prePlex, and the original piece renamed PlexureConcentrate. Of course, my whole not having a job thing which translates to not having money makes it difficult to purchase such an item, but judging by the excerpt from a rough version of prePlex that Oswald has available to listen to on his site I'm sure the finished product will be stunning. That rough excerpt of prePlex can be found here, although who knows how truly rough it is compared to the finished version, and more information about purchasing the vinyl and Oswald in general can be found at his FONY label site. You can also purchase the Plunderphonics 69/96 compilation via iTunes and it is well worth the price. Much of the Plunderphonic CD and excerpts from Discosphere, Plexure and other Oswald projects are featured in the compilation, but those versions have been remastered, reedited and in general have differences from the original releases. I may eventually post a lossless rip of the 69/96 comp, if only because the second CD is nearly unplayable in most setups due to it's bizarre formatting. That's a story in and of itself, one I'm not going to get into right now. Honestly though, as great as that comp is to listen to, the listener really benefits from the exhaustively detailed interview and liner notes included with the physical packaging, none of which are included with the digital release. Maybe Negativland can help people out with that. You can also download some of Oswald's Mystery Tapes at the wonderful UbuWeb.

One more thing, please take note that you must download both rar files for the FLAC versions of Plunderphonic and Discosphere, though they won't expand together. The files aren't linked to each other so don't delete the rars until you've extracted all the files from all parts. Enjoy!


John Oswald - Plunderphonic

FLAC Part 1

FLAC Part 2

V0 MP3

01 beatles
02 dab
03 way
04 replica
05 white
06 dont
07 pretender
08 black
09 brown
10 fabulous
11
12 prelude
13 net
14 birth
15 pocket
16 mirror
17 mist
18 ten4
19 tune
20 spring
21 7th
22
23 aria
24 rainbow
25


John Oswald - Discosphere

FLAC Part 1

FLAC Part 2

V0 MP3

01 Skindling Shades
02 Amina
03 Bell Speeds
04 Field
05 Nothing
06 Short Attack
07 Angle
08 Melody
09 Shane
10 Prey
11 Touch
12 Love1
13 Fence
14 VT
15 Beat
16 Code
17 The Case Of Death

Shudder To Think - Pony Express Record

I can't remember exactly how old I was when I first heard this record, probably 15 or 16. I had a tough time during those years, as do most teenagers, and spent a lot of time on my own listening to records and reading about obscure releases that sounded interesting to me. It was the best way to deal with family, divorce, sexuality and insecurity, or at least it was for me, although it didn't solve any of my problems. That said, the loneliness of youth and not being popular is difficult for everyone, and doing something you like is a good way to establish your identity, but it certainly didn't help public opinion when directed to me, nor did it help that I didn't dabble in drugs or drinking, something everyone else in my podunk town did, and not because I was a goody two-shoes or anything, more because I hated not being in control of my faculties. So, the loneliness of my teenage years was supplemented by music like Prince Paul's Psychoanalysis, Foetus' Nail and Shudder To Think's Pony Express Record, easily one of the weirdest records to have been released on a major label in the nineties.

The easiest way to try and describe Pony Express Record is the sound of alien punk rockers channeling Freddie Mercury, seventies glam metal and avant-garde time signatures while trying to find words that sound good even though they don't understand exactly what they're saying. Another comparison would be The Monks' Black Monk Time, but only in concept. If you're not familiar with The Monks, they were American soldiers stationed in Germany that formed a rock band in their free time. They wanted to sound like The Beatles, but they had never heard their music so they made music they thought fit the descriptions they'd heard and read of The Beatles and their contemporaries. Basically, alien punk rockers channeling what they thought was hip but accidentally creating a new style of music.

The funny thing about Pony Express Record is if you compare Shudder To Think's music before and after it's release, it sounds practically nothing like anything else they ever did. Shudder To Think were members of the DC punk scene, a scene they didn't necessarily fit into from the start, but for their major label debut they did the unthinkable and took their sound even further away from their already unique style. Craig Wedren's vocals made even less sense, with his words chosen more for their sound than message, while Nathan Larson riffed on bizarre time-signatures. The whole band was intense, but Wedren and Larson were the dynamic duo as crazy freaks, creating two note songs like X-French Tee Shirt about god-knows-what and freaking people out.

I didn't like this album the first time I listened to it. It was a lot to swallow and not easy to determine where it was coming from. I bought it first in a used bin for a dollar, traded it back in, bought back the same copy for a dollar, traded it back in and did this at least three more times before I couldn't find a copy any longer. A few years passed before I purchased a digital copy and eventually I found an original US CD in mint condition that I've held onto since. I guess you don't know what you've got until it's gone, and that was the case time and time again with Pony Express Record. The album has made much more sense the older I've gotten, although I wouldn't say it's gotten easier to listen to. Like that friend you love but can't let get too close to you, I can't leave this album again, but that doesn't mean I can listen to it whenever.

If you haven't heard Pony Express Record, give it a chance. I've read a lot of things about it's mythical status but most of the time I think they're wrong. Pony Express Record is the sound of Shudder To Think trying to see how far they could go, prepared to destroy themselves in the process. It's remembered for it's brave experimentalism, but the songs, as strange as they may be, are pretty damn great. Just be prepared not to like it the first time you listen to it. It has to get under your skin before you realize how special it really is. Kind of like being a teenager in high school, it's that moment where you try to show your truest colors and a lot of people might write you off, but you do it because you want to be true to yourself. As long as you're not telling everyone that you have sexy thoughts about cadavers or something equally vulgar, someone will remember you as long as you're true to yourself. And just like that, people remember Shudder To Think positively now, something I wish they would have seen when Pony Express Record came out.


Shudder To Think - Pony Express Record

01 Hit Liquor
02 Gang Of $
03 9 Fingers On You
04 Sweet Year Old
05 Earthquakes Come Home
06 Kissi Penny
07 X-French Tee Shirt
08 No RM. 9 Kentucky
09 Chakka
10 Own Me
11 So Into You
12 Trackstar
13 Full Body Anchor


PS - I hope you made it through this ramble of a post. It's weird, I've been trying to write this one for two weeks and have felt aimless. I hope this one doesn't bore you to death. Also, I'm breaking my rule by sharing this album since it is available for purchase digitally. If you love the music and want to support the band, please purchase a download of the album at iTunes or Amazon, I know the band would appreciate it.

Diamanda Galás with John Paul Jones - The Sporting Life

So I bought Them Crooked Vultures' debut album a few days before it came out and I've been playing it regularly ever since. Really good rockin' stuff, which Rom referred to as "FREEDOM ROCK, TURN IT UP!". I don't know if I'd consider it freedom rock, but Rom has a great sense of humor and knows his shit! Anyway, the album got me thinking about Led Zep, and how John Paul Jones was the silent hero of the group. Yeah, everyone remembers Jimmy Page and Robert Plant and John Bonham, but not many people talk about Mr. Jones (real name, by the way, is John Baldwin), so I decided to look up his work, which led me to this exquisite gem.

I'm not going to tell you I know a lot about Ms. Galás, but I've encountered her music in passing over the years and always found her intriguing, but this is the first time I ever listened to one of her albums from start to finish. She sounds like Sybil gone batshit looking to fuck and kill for passion and love, even if the love part isn't as obvious. GODDAMN SHE'S INCREDIBLE! And on The Sporting Life, Mr. Jones contributes most of the music and brings a stomp very reminiscent to the Zep.

This album came out in 1994, right around the time of Page and Plant's first reunion playing live on MTV with a full orchestra for their Unledded show. I remember enjoying that a lot, but wondering where the hell Jones was. I can't remember if it was Page or Plant, but one of them commented that it was easier to split millions in half than three ways. Their loss, because Mr. John Paul Jones bring the RAWK and Ms. Diamanda Galás brings the PAIN! I'm never going to tell you this is an easy album to listen to, but damn is it good! So, grab this, eat some turkey (happy turkey day everybody!) and when your family is watching football, get in your car and crank this shit loud! Let Ms. Galás make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up in terror, all the while you can't turn away! Let Mr. Jones bring that stone-solid rock to your speakers and let his bass paralyze you! And let Pete Thomas, taking care of percussion duties, fill the void left by John Bonham with power and grace! GET THIS AND LET IT WARP YOU!!!!!


Diamanda Galás with John Paul Jones - The Sporting Life

01 Skótoseme
02 Do You Take This Man?
03 Dark End Of The Street
04 You're Mine
05 Tony
06 Devil's Rodeo
07 The Sporting Life
08 Baby's Insane
09 Last Man Down
10 Hex


PS - Please forgive my unprofessional tone and language throughout this post. It is Thanksgiving, referred by myself and my ilk as Turkey Day, and I am going to enjoy myself like I haven't gotten to for most of this year, so I'm feeling rather loose at the moment. Hopefully none of you are offended by the language. I'll return to my far more professional tone in the next post. For now though, HAPPY TURKEY DAY!!!!!

PS 2 - Click HERE and read about Ms. Galás and her works. She is definitely deserving of your attention! You can also click HERE to find more about Mr. Jones. He is deserving as well!