Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Weird Sound Generations


             A recent acquisition for the Astro Al audio armada was the Weird Sound Generator.
            This is a wild synth built by hand by Spektrum Electronics.
              Spektrum Electronics
            One of the wonderful endearing things about this unit is the sense of humor. All the knobs go to 11!
            Check out the sounds it makes.

            This is a wonderful vintage style modernist instrument. Totally makes me feel like I’m making sounds for a Silver Apples/Hawkwind/Portishead tribute album.
            I am super excited to be using this instrument for the first time “live” with Spaceseed at the North American Space Ritual.

Yours in Weird Sound Generation,
Count Robot



Sunday, January 13, 2019

Count Robot’s 3 favorite albums of 2018


Here it is, the yearly list no one except my sadistic, validation-seeking, subconscious, asks for, my three favorite albums of 2018.
3. Adam Holzman: Truth Decay
This album was a pleasant surprise. I read Holzman’s description of it on his Flakebook page, which interested me enough to buy it after Steve Wilson’s gig at the Berklee Performance Center.
So glad that I made that purchase. What a wonderful diverse collection of music! Jazz, prog, sixties rock, thought provoking lyrics, fusion, and a pleasing plethora of sounds swirl through this music.
Sweeping you right along from the opening jazzy drum smack of Ectoplasm to the smooth-ish jazz cool of Are You High? This album is a delight to my ears from start to finish. Thank you Mr. Holzman.

2. Squirrel Nut Zippers: Beasts of Burgundy
Firstly, let me say, that if you told me last year, before I went to see the Squirrel Nut Zippers for the very first time, that they’re new album would be one of my favorites of 2018, I sure wouldn’t have believed you.
How wrong can I get?
This is a New Orleans bawdyhouse of musical repute that makes you want to drop your pants after you drop the bottle of booze you just emptied in one gulp. Total voodoo fever fun times.
This album also features a song that is now one of my all time favorite torch songs, Fade.
This song, like so many others on the platter, sounds as though I’ve heard it before in the best way, but it’s all original music rooted in a classic vibe. Beautifully familiar, yet an exciting stranger in the musical boudoir of my brain.
Here is that wonderful new torch song that burns in the dark night of the soul.

1. Gypsy Moths: Alright
This album is a party anywhere it is played. A flipping fantastic party with gin, bar fights, dancing, romancing and rock and fricking roll.
           There’s such energy captured in this platter of good times and sad times and drinking up a storm times, that it’s hard to not gush praise out every time the needle or laser drops on the wax or CD.
This is music made to dance with.
This is music made to party with.
This is amazing rock and roll.
The Moths get the party started just right with The Boys Are Back In Town. Yes, all the songs are cover tunes, but the Moths don’t just go through paint by number motions, it’s almost as if all these tunes were written for them to take to the dance floor and rock and roll all night.
            So how are the players? The band’s horn section is always on fire. Guitar playing is gritty and smooth at the same time. Keys are classic sounding. Drums on point. Bass is bouncing and big. Vocals? Hell yeah! Everything lands perfectly.
I seriously totally dig this album so much, that it is mentioned more than once in a trilogy of novels that I’m writing called, Song and Deth.
            Here’s the Moths, live and in flight
            
Subversively yours,
Count Robot
1/13 /19