Panicsmile : Ten Songs Ten Cities

Odd and very good off-kilter post-punk, Panicsmile's sound tends to evolve from album to album (and has moved in a somewhat more accessible direction of late), but this one finds them somewhere between the controlled chaos of Ruins and the precise chill of Gaji (whose former bassist is a member). Ten Songs covers a fairly wide range, from static-shot jerky rhythms and shouts to smoother, melodic fare, with more of the vocals on this than on other efforts provided by the their female drummer (who has, incidentally, released an album with Tatsuya Yoshida of the aforementioned Ruins).

Panicsmile have been active in one form or since 1992; this is the third of their six full-lengths and was released in 2001. Fans of Ruins, Boredoms, Korean Buddhist God and such-like need apply-- though Panicsmile isn't as out and out heavy as any of those three.


TEN SONGS TEN CITIES

Inoren Ero Ni : s/t

Catchy, moody post-punk/rock from Basque country in Spain. Claiming inspiration from Fugazi, GVSB, and Captain Beefheart, this band contains members of the Basque hardcore band BAP(who I'll post soon). They are label-mates of the below-posted Lisabö and they're a bit like a more hook and tune-oriented version of that band. This s/t was released in 2004, and I believe they have a new album out now (which I can't find any way to purchase--help?). Anyway, I only ran across this recently, but am quite liking it--have a listen:


Inoren Ero Ni

Gaji : 9pmatgfm

I believe I said I had upped all the Gaji I had, which was a filthy lie. I had not in fact put up their last-and what I think is their best--release, the recorded-live-without-an-audience 9pmatgfm.

The longer, less numerous songs (two of which are extended re-recordings of previous　stuff) distill and emphasize the best of their sound; case in point being the ominous bass-line, marching drums, jangling, wandering guitar and flattened, punchy rhythmic shouts of the second track, Sun Exhausted. Good stuff which I would encourage people to give a decent listen to, as the sound can take a while to click.


9PMATGFM

Gaji : Blowpipe (remaster)

Gaji's debut album, Blowpipe was originally released in '95, though this is a '99 re-release. I don't have much to say about Gaji that I haven't before. Good angular, moody post-punk, rhythm-driven, melancholic and punchy. The songs on this effort are shorter and perhaps more conventional than those on later releases.


BLOWPIPE

Gaji: ten to ten past ten

This was Gaji's next to last release. Everything I said below applies to this one too, except that quality-wise this is ripped from cd by yours truly.



A really good band who are worth taking a little while to get into.


ten to ten past ten @320

Gaji : Focus/Fluid/Daub

Gaji were a Japanese post-punk unit active from the mid-nineties to early aughts, and possibly familiar to readers of this blog from their appearances on many of the comps I've posted.

A female-fronted three-piece, four member band, they played an interesting sort of bass & drum driven mathy music, with nicely understated guitars and vocals which are for the most part rhythmic & monotonal (it took me a few songs to get into the singing style, but in the end it's relative lack of inflection and variety works really well as a rhythmic element). Shades of Fugazi, Shellac, and Lisabo to name a few.

Rather good stuff. Simultaneously melancholic and energetic, with hooky bass lines and plosive drums, and well worth checking out in my humble-though of course correct-opinion.

(not the best rip, I'll have some better quality Gaji after some packages arrive)


FOCUS/FLUID/DAUB