Forged from the falling out of NYC math-noise monoliths Laddio Bolocko (an erstwhile alchemy of Panicsville/Dazzling Killmen itself), as the newly christened The Psychic Paramount, guitarist Drew St. Ivany and bass player Ben Armstrong have totally won the breakup. Their relationship, though, hasn’t exactly been a fertile one. The stellar Gamelan Into the Mink Supernatural came out on No Quarter way back in the summer of ‘05. Before that even, all their union with late-to-the-church drummer Jeff Conaway had yielded was an odds & sods comp and a few live sets from either side of the Pyrenees. Thus, it was with cautious hands and bated breath that we dropped the needle on their newest, II, earlier this month. And as our own Mason Jones was quick to pronounce, “I’ll be surprised if I hear a rock album this year that packs as strong a punch as II.” Looking at some of St. Ivany’s picks here, however, and the next Psychic Paramount record might just surprise us all. Extra punch points for the MacLise shout-out, Drew.
1. Black Sabbath - Sabotage
An easy one that kicks right in with "Hole in the Sky.” The ultimate Sabbath party record.
2. Gunter Schickert - Samtvogel
Possibly the best echo guitar record ever made; either this one or A.R. & Machines - Die Grüne Reise.
3. Nurse With Wound - Merzbild Schwet
Listening to this is a perfect way to get in the mood for just about anything.
4. Institut für Psycho-Hygiene / Rudolf Eb.er - Lieder Zur Anal.ytischen Selbsverkrüppelung
The title pretty much says it all.
5. Kim Duk Soo - Samulnori 2xCD
Samulnori is Korean farmer percussion music which apparently dates back to 300 A.D. Traditionally comprised of four musicians on specific types of gongs and drums, Kim Duk Soo expanded this form for a larger ensemble and that’s what you’ll hear on these amazing discs.
6. Chrome - Half Machine Lip Moves
Back in high school, Ben’s Ford LTD had a piece-of-shit car stereo. I think he was punching it out of frustration and this album got stuck in the cassette deck. We literally tripped on it for weeks. When he finally got the cassette out, the Surfers’ Locust Abortion Technician became firmly implanted.
7. The Aesthetics - My Right to Riches
A cool band from New Zealand. Sort of like Chrome but more punk garage.
8. Angus MacLise - Astral Collapse
Ritual music from the elusive and complicated first drummer of the Velvets. This beatnik can teach you how to do it.
9. The OKeh Laughing Record
This record is so magical, it can turn a man into a baby.
10. Flipper - “Sex Bomb” b/w “Brainwash”
Punk storytelling classic.