This was given to me in a blind trade and quickly became my favorite of the batch sent. Incredibly fun and beautiful, Mechanical Servants bring a refreshing simplicity to the post-punk/new-wave genre. Consisting simply of two females, Pamela Kifer (lead vocalist) and Victoria Harper, a guitar, a bass, a synthesizer and a typerwriter. The songwriting […]
This came as a present from a friend and the physicist in me went ape-sh*t. This is a 45 themed around recordings from Sputnik, the first satelite to make it into space (launched from the former U.S.S.R. in 1957). Side one is a recording of the data being sent from Sputnik while in space. Lots […]
I really try to avoid using the word ‘haunting’ when describing music. Alas, there is nothing else I can use to describe this one-tracker campfire folk record recorded in Edmonton, Alberta by some high-school kids from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The song Poet, which features flute, guitar and piano has put me in a curious state of […]
Jeremie was a Quebecois ballet scored by Lee Gagnon. It is a known and sought-after jazz-funk album with plenty of wha-wha and breaks (nobody ever seems to mention the nice mellow folk parts on the album though). However, I’m not here to talk about this record (even though it is, in itself, kind of interesting). […]
Finally got a copy of The Dance’s debut EP on GoGo record, 1980. Musically the EP is very much an early 80s post-punk/no-wave record leaning towards disco. The shining song on the EP is definitely the funky Do Dada. The title song, Dance For Your Dinner, sounds to me like some sort of proto-underground-rap with […]
***NOTE: The Chandra EP has been reissued on my new Cantor Records imprint. It is vinyl and digital ONLY and can be purchased through Other Music or my web-site (www.cantorrecords.com). The package includes 4 unreleased tracks recorded with the Chandra Dimension as well as a 32-page booklet! *** I have to thank Waxidermy for this […]
Living Dreams is a trance-enducing private new-age album by pianist Tom Leibel from Calgary, Alberta circa 1984. The back of the album states, “all music on this album was spontaneously composed and performed by Tom Leibel. We hope this album inspires you to live your dreams in the same way Tom lives his.” The album […]
This is a really nice, mellow hippie/folk album. Information on the internet was scarce, so I’d be happy to learn more. From what I could gather, the Khalsa String Band was comprised of Sikh’s living in America and Americans won over to the Yogi craze in the 70’s. Almost everyone in the band has the […]
Definitely my favorite local mustache rare. The mustache in review is really what makes the album. He has a voice that sounds like your drunk uncle’s terrible Napoleon Bonaparte impressions at family dinner. Personally, I think the album is great, but I am very forgiving of the local (Edmonton, Alberta) albums I buy. What is […]
P.I.T.C.H. (People In The Crowd Harmonists) and S.P.I.C.E. (Spreading Peace In Crowds Everywhere) were a group of about 256 Christians from St. Albert, Alberta. From what I know, this group put out three albums, two with the same cover (Spice – Choice Selections has the same cover, pictured above) and one simply called The Magic […]
Joseph Geczy is a pianist, composer, arranger, and conductor who moved from Hungary to Canada in 1969. Apparently already accomplished in Hungary, he continued his work in Edmonton, Alberta releasing a number of singles and even opening some Commonwealth Games. Bananas was his first album (1979), and as the back states consists of “all Geczy […]
When I Met You is a live recording of an original musical written by students at Avalon Juniour High (Edmonton, Alberta). I bought it because I know some people who went to this school and knew they would get a kick out of it. The majority of the album is exactly what I expected; a […]
According to my math professor (who acted as translator), Pesnyary were a popular Belarussian pop/folk group. Upon further researching, this album, released in 1978, was an attempt to blend Belarussian folk music with the 10-years-too-late emerging pop/psych/garage scene in the USSR. While many will find it difficult to get over the singing, I think there […]
The Rhythm & Blues All-Stars were a R&B/Soul cover band from Vancouver, Canada. This album, obviously live, features nice covers of Soul Man and In The Midnight Hour, and has a great 8 minute outro. However, the real gem on this album aren’t the songs but this “Guido” character they got to do a comedic […]
“This is the kind of an album that will ‘grow on you’” states the back of the album. Indeed, the album has “that charm”. The Young Majority is a 20-something teen-outfit of Christians from British Columbia covering many popular Christian and pop songs. What makes me enjoy this album are the couple of mellow songs […]
This is a 1978 Canadian punk compilation recorded live over two days at the famous Toronto venue The Horseshoe. I don’t know too much about the history of the Horshoe, I was there once last year, but clips from the bands talking seem to indicate that it was going to be closed down and that […]
Owing to the response from my review of The Dance’s second album, Soul Force, I thought I’d post up their first album In Lust. This album is much more disco than Soul Force, however it still contains the approach to song-writing that made Soul Force so great. While Euginie sounds just as sexy, it is […]
The only interesting aspect of this record, aside from its incredibly creepy cover, is that it was produced by Doug McKenzie. Strange Brew indeed! Except the Doug McKenzie that you are thinking about is a fictional character. This album is Canadian and I’ve often wondered if this Doug McKenzie was perhaps the inspiration to the […]
I must admit I was a bit hesitant about posting this album on waxidermy. For one, it’s not necessarily an obscurity or an oddball album. As well, it’s relatively easy to find (providing one has an internet connection, which if you’re reading this you obviously do). However, aside from one song on a New York […]
I think the best way to describe this is “family orientated xian psych from Edmonton, Alberta.” The album is interesting because the 12-member group obviously has some talent but seriously lacks in direction. Almost every song has potential: great drumming, organs, multiple male and female vocals, slow jams and fast jams. However, every song either […]
Canada is a bilingual country and owing to the distances trains traveled, it was necessary to understand both English and French. This is an instructional record to help CN Rail staff understand the most basic, common-sense French and English phrases. I had hoped to hear something funny or awkward, but it really is just basic […]
Doreen bears it all on this solo journey. While there are some standard (original) folk and bluegrass songs, the real interesting parts are on the spoken-word tracks. On these songs she opens up on a personal level which at first made me feel uncomfortable, but over time became bearable owing to the poetic nature of […]
Yes! The New Colonials from North Battleford, Saskatchewan. You mean you’ve never been to North Battleford?! Well, I don’t even know where North Battleford is either and I’m Canadian. In any case, this local bar-band brings some great rock and roll to the table in what was their first and only album. There are a […]
“Why should the devil have the best tunes?”. Apparently Martin Luther was the inspiration for the “folkmass”, which was an attempt at reforming the “mass” into the modern, folky era. From this, and further descriptions on the back, I had high hopes for this album. Alas, I was fairly dissapointed. The majority of the album […]
Beautifully sparse and poetic album by this mysterious Ohio native, Marr’Del. The songs blend between spoken word poetry and singing with only the company of her guitar, harp, and sometimes the rain. Amazingly Marr’Del had no formal musical training, which really enhances the personal element of the album. There is so much more I want […]