PLAYLIST

Sanhedrin "Sun Head Ring" CD [Breathing Bass]—The packaging on this looks like you turned the magnification on your dock in the preferences. Really but instead of Safari, Garage Band and Mail it's frogs, typewriters, an SG and the door knocker from that Bob James LP that used to be in the dollar bin and is now on the wall. I thought Sanhedrin's debut on PSF was kind of a nice return to rock by Haino after some stuff that was strictly for completists. I've never cottoned to the Ruins—the drummer plays way too much but if Haino's going to be the boss then maybe he can school him on some of that "ma" shit. You know, the space between things? According to the packaging this was improvised over two nights in 2007 and much of it has that sound—you know Music Transonic-like rock but more frantic. There's some totally weird off the wall action here even though Yoshida never stops playing including a weird scat jam of Haino talking cosmic baby talk with Yoshida's super annoyingly loud roto-toms that's something to file next to Haino's version of "Suzy Q." If I could have my own rotisserie rock league I would have traded Yoshida for Al Foster. I predicted a union between ZZ Top and Rick Rubin a few months ago and that happened. God, are you listening? The bass player can stay. 

Akira Ishikawa & Count Buffalo "Uganda" CD [Tiliqua]—Ever since hearing Love Live Life + 1 I have been a dedicated follower of all things Mizutani Kimio. I remember being incredulous when someone told me that his solo LP was merely OK. In retrospect he was being nice—that record totally fucking sucks. "Song for Janis"? What is up with that? I can't wait until the next era of music technology arrives so I can mix my own instrumental version of "Cheap Thrills" sans ella and with more James Gurley...speaking of remastering, remixing etc. this came out on Shadoks and was pretty disappointing. Turns out it was a quad demo type disc to test your hi-fis out on. Thankfully this version has been remastered for stereo that reveals yet another great Japanese psychsploitation album.