BACK ISSUES INDEX
(this section moves in and out of tenses and perspectives freely)
choose from KLAPS issue number or scroll down
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<BACK TO KELP MAIN PAGE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
or KLAPS selector:
~1~2~3~4~5~6~7~8~9~10~11~12~13~14~15~16~17~18~19~20~21~22~23~24~25~26~27~28~29~30~
#28 "IN RETURN OF GHOST COUNTRY"
You have just returned from Japan on tour with your favorite band ever--Maher Shalal Hash Baz, you even got to play drums with them. What you thought before about music and creativity is completely dessimated. Everything that comes out of speakers just seems magical -- sound seems magical. This is a dangerous place, uncharted possibilities are the only option.
"ALWAYS"
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<BACK TO KELP MAIN PAGE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
or KLAPS selector:
~1~2~3~4~5~6~7~8~9~10~11~12~13~14~15~16~17~18~19~20~21~22~23~24~25~26~27~28~29~30~
#27 "Good Lovin' County"
Karl Blau live on tour in California backed by luminescent band Clyde Petersen(Your Heart Breaks) on drums, Eli Moore(Lake) on bass and Steve Moore(Stebmo, EARTH, Sunn0)))))) on wurlitzer and trombone. This is from a few special shows: Sacramento at the Fool's Foundation and at a houseshow in Nevada City with one live track from Osaka, Japan.
"Two Becomes One" live from Nevada City with Clyde, Eli, and Steve
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<BACK TO KELP MAIN PAGE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
or KLAPS selector:
~1~2~3~4~5~6~7~8~9~10~11~12~13~14~15~16~17~18~19~20~21~22~23~24~25~26~27~28~29~30~
#26 "DANCE POSITIVE"
I wrote this as the one sheet for Dance Positive as it was released by Marriage Records(btw, the LP and CD are available from this site):
"Many people are aware of Bret Lunsford, the guitarist from cult-followed Beat Happening, perhaps more or less know of him from the band D+ with members Phil Elverum and Karl Blau. According to Karl Blau there is not enough talk of Lunsford's songwriting. Here Blau takes the words to 8 songs released previously on various D+ recordings and 1 song only Karl and Phil and maybe Bret's family have lyrical access to("Sky"), runs them through dance beats and echo machines metamorphising the style completely to give Lunsford's words new positions. And though the lyrics are the same, Blau often embellishes the vocal melodies, sometimes completely changing them. "Dance POSITIVE" is light-hearted, at times silly but always thoughtful, an accomplice to aid our human spirit through(let's face it) these dark, troubled times.
Blau handpicked talented NW artists to portray Lunsford's songs: Steve Moore of Sunn0)))), EARTH and Laura Veirs' Saltbreakers plays trombone and synths on the first half of the recordings, also drummer James McAlister of Sufjan Stevens and Ester Drang plays the fattest beat you've ever heard on Megadose. Many others: Clyde Petersen(Your Heart Breaks), Nate Ashley, Dave Matthies(Gift Machine), Tony Presley(Real Live Tigers), Lily Maring(Yes, Please), Curtis Knapp(Watery Graves), Adam Forkner(((VRSNN))) and Karl's brother Eddy Blau plays the catchy trumpet line on "Heatherwood." Harkening to a previous release from Blau's obscure Kelp! monthly label "Dubble Dooty Booty" where Blau samples beats and then layers various tambres to achieve a ghetto-blaster fullness with movement "Dance POSITIVE"'s uniqueness is more in line with the Sun City Girls' pan asian releases than Justin Timberlake, but its design may inspire movement nonetheless."
People, I took some serious liberties with his songs. Here to illustrate it is two versions of "Kill the Messenger."
D+'s version from Deception Pass
my version from Dance Positive.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<BACK TO KELP MAIN PAGE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
or KLAPS selector:
~1~2~3~4~5~6~7~8~9~10~11~12~13~14~15~16~17~18~19~20~21~22~23~24~25~26~27~28~29~30~
#25 "FREE THE BIRD"
This is the third Kelp! sponsored WHAT-THE-HECKFEST 2006 sampler. The other Heckfests are issues 10 and 19.
artist/track
DISK I.
1. International Falls/inhabitants 2. Johanna Kunin/we're in the air 3. Tiger Saw/it's been raining 4. WOELV/le deserteur 5. D+/pandora balks 6. Yukon/marriage 7. Run, Chico, Run/slowhive 8. Mouseheart Factor/long division 9. Y.A.C.H.T./slow post 'em 10. Velella Velella/alex boom selector 11. Al Larsen/wind in the trees 12. Viking Moses/lover, lover, lover 13. 1985/five 14. The Poison Dart/song for loft beds 15. Gift Machine/so long medussa
DISK II.
1. The Blow/the sky opened wide like the tide(Lucky Dragons New Age Power Mix) 2. Ruth Allison/there is a road 3. Nate Ashley/water goes round 4. LAKE/follow praise 5. Angelo & Orchidee D'Hawai/weird colors 6. The Oregon Donor/commit to rapture 7. To Spite Mike/sorry 8. Flint/interference 9. Chris Sand/poem for kildeer mt. 10. Your Heart Breaks/if there is love here 11. Mt. Eerie/cooking 12. Karl Blau/the black horse, ghost 13. Amigo/without stones 14. Bryan Elliot Band/to forget 15. Spoonshine/sail, baby, sail
(ordering for this will be available soon)
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<BACK TO KELP MAIN PAGE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
or KLAPS selector:
~1~2~3~4~5~6~7~8~9~10~11~12~13~14~15~16~17~18~19~20~21~22~23~24~25~26~27~28~29~30~
24. LAKE - boy/girl Beatles from Olympia, WA.
"LAKE" self-titled
LAKE from Olympia, WA.Some folks say they musta been a former chain gang that did hard time harmonizin' as they hammered away. Others say that Arthur Russell had children who were raised in Brazil before he died. Recorded by Karl Blau at the Department of Safety in Anacortes, this self-titled.CD was recorded mostly live and captures the spontaneity and subtleties that make LAKE such an amazing live band. Many vocal takes feature all LAKE voices gathered around the microphone.
Here is "Helicopter" written and sung by Ashley Eriksson
There are equal parts leadership to all members and not one shy of mastering their own musicality. They are: Andrew Dorsett and Micah Davis of Live Active Cultures; Eli Moore--Palisaides, Flowers for Algernon; Adam Oelsner--Kickball; Linsday Schief and Ashley Eriksson both solo artists as well..
I first heard a glimpse of LAKE seeing a show at the Department of Safety that featured Eli Moore and friends, must've been 2005 Fall. He brought his cohorts from Olympia and showcased his songs along with Ashley's. I had been a fan of Eli Moore especially after hearing a recording of his song "Consuming Fire." After acquiring a hand made CD of Ashley's solo stuff that I must've listened to a gazillion times I wondered what the heck was going on in Olympia? Then in January 2006 Your Heart Breaks recorded at Dub Narcotic in Olympia and the LAKE crew was instrumental in creating the sound that is now two records done at that session--"New Ocean Waves"(Plan-It-X, MASA)and "Sailor System"(Don't Stop Believin').
Eli Moore is a musical contributor on the Kelp! CD Trunkal Howl(#23). AlsoEli played bass in my band 'Good Lovin' County'(Kelp 27).
I don't know if this is for sale anywhere right now, but you should ask them about it from their website which is HERE
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<BACK TO KELP MAIN PAGE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
or KLAPS selector:
~1~2~3~4~5~6~7~8~9~10~11~12~13~14~15~16~17~18~19~20~21~22~23~24~25~26~27~28~29~30~
23. Trunkal Howl - Blau's Stereoearrings instrumental music.
"Trunkal Howl" by Stereoearrings
Kelp! 23 started out as a concept album concerning a car crash represented by music/sound and then resolving into song-prayers for peace and awareness of life as a gift. It was supposed to be an instrumental work, positive and uplifting. In the attempt to convey these feelings something else happened. One cannot prefabricate artistic statements without fate having its say. What happened is a series of sound poems, the first of which lyrics vaguely states "turn around and face an only child" so you can get a sense that this is about interaction. Trunkal Howl does not however linger in any place peaceful. Though cherubs do enter the soundscape from time to time steering the course of the listener into more serene places, and birds seem to cover and peck at the accident scene until its devoured.
.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<BACK TO KELP MAIN PAGE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
or KLAPS selector:
~1~2~3~4~5~6~7~8~9~10~11~12~13~14~15~16~17~18~19~20~21~22~23~24~25~26~27~28~29~30~
22. Bread-n-Grease - early 4-track recordings of Blau.
"Bread-n-Grease"
I was in Olympia's Dub Narcotic Studio last month recording the band Your Heart Breaks. I had just woken up from a night of train dreams and was aimlessly wandering around the studio, snooping a bit I guess because I had found a file of pictures of K artists mostly taken at Mike Levine's studio in NYC, I was looking at a photos of the Silent Lambs Project when I noticed out of the corner of my eye a large black book on a nearby shelf and recognized it straight-away. It was a journal of mine from 6 years ago lost at a recording adventure in Olympia. It was filled with rants, designs for a muschroomshaped dwelling, lyrics to "Bread-N-Grease" and pictures like this one:
Written and recorded on Quatro-Synco 4-track in 1999 in Anacortes, "Bread-n-Grease" was my last Knw-Yr-Own tape release(about 50 copies spread). The CD begins quite straightforward songy songs, then begins to unravel(the tape) with experiments in drum layering unbeknownst to the drummer, mini operas, loops ad infinit. Though this CD highlites the lack of focus I had as a recording artist, it also showcases the unashamed child-creative force that I(knock, knock) refuse to let go.
here is "Too Thirsty to Drink Water"
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<BACK TO KELP MAIN PAGE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
or KLAPS selector:
~1~2~3~4~5~6~7~8~9~10~11~12~13~14~15~16~17~18~19~20~21~22~23~24~25~26~27~28~29~30~
21. Sigh Lens - Johanna Kunin/ Garrett Devoe split.
"Sigh Lens"
Johanna Kunin & Garrett Devoe(Pure Horsehair)
Since this particular Kelp is post print, here are the songs for your enjoyment. Please do buy the Johanna part of the album from Johanna, I think she calls it "Sigh Lens" but it's without the Garrett Devoe songs. And go and buy some PURE HORSEHAIR music. Live the life of fulfillment you've always wanted.
Here's "Sigh Lens" in order-- it's a GD sandwich with JK bread (and Kelp relish).
JOHANNA KUNIN
1. Blueberry
3. Fireflies
4. Olos
5. Phantom
GARRETT DEVOE
6. Drop Out
7. Night Owl
10. Light (EEG)
11. The Hottest Days of Summer
12. (These Days Must Be) Gravy
JOHANNA KUNIN
13. Bowline
15. Phantom Returns
16. Soul Secrets
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<BACK TO KELP MAIN PAGE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
or KLAPS selector:
~1~2~3~4~5~6~7~8~9~10~11~12~13~14~15~16~17~18~19~20~21~22~23~24~25~26~27~28~29~30~
20. Let It All Out - Arizona's original lo-fi hip hop closet sensation.
"Let It All Out"
Virtually unknown legendary lyricist, recording artist Kevin Atwood springs life-changing ballads eternal. He records under the moniker Coamhim(pronounced 'Kwahm-heem')with a style like no other. Rough grooves like driving a small power boat into high seas, but all the while some rainbow sea serpent has your eyes transfixed. But these are not sea chanties. This is suburban testimonial hip-hop.
This song is called "Chasing Shadows"
available soon...
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<BACK TO KELP MAIN PAGE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
or KLAPS selector:
~1~2~3~4~5~6~7~8~9~10~11~12~13~14~15~16~17~18~19~20~21~22~23~24~25~26~27~28~29~30~
19. Flotsam & Jetsam - What-the-Heckfest comp 2005.
"Flotsam-n-Jetsam"
What-the-Heckfest's fifth year of grunge swap meet and flea market bands. This is a double CD compilation spanning from Calvin Johnson's dub country ballad to Fanny Alger's salmon slam dance. This is a lot of music; yet the songs are neatly arranged, reads like an Aesop fable.
listen here to a couple tracks produced for the comp by Karl Blau
Calvin Johnson's song "Empty Cot In the Bunkhouse"
&
here is Woelv's "Reconcilé"
(available soon to download)
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<BACK TO KELP MAIN PAGE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
or KLAPS selector:
~1~2~3~4~5~6~7~8~9~10~11~12~13~14~15~16~17~18~19~20~21~22~23~24~25~26~27~28~29~30~
18. Bear and Chai - Your Heart Breaks, Steve Moore Agency and field recording of morning birds.
"Beer & Chai"
YOUR HEART BREAKS AND STEVE MOORE AGENCY SPLIT RECORD
Teaming with 4-track producer Karl Blau, Seattle's shining songstress Serene Peterson gets you diving and dining the dumpsters of her fresh mind. Then Kelp! invites you to a contrasting evening in Ballard with the wailing wonder wurlitzer of the Steve Moore Agency. Closing the record is a field recording of Chai chatter fading slowly into Sharpe Park, Fidalgo Island morning birds singing happily in a light drizzle.
With first tracks "Bad Company" and "The Rats" you may find it difficult to not keep restarting the record, but when you finally relax you'll be greatly rewarded as Your Heart Breaks takes you by the hand on pirate/pyro sea adventures, to Manhattan and along for a lovey Peterson/Blau duet. Listen to this duet: (mp3 of "Will We Ever")
Steve Moore of Mount Analog, Sycopainted Taint, a Laura Veirs Tortured Soul, and regular Kelp! contributor has been dropping jaws with his musical prowess in live performances all over the world. This is a chance finally Steve Moore in a main course fabulous fingers on wurlitzer a la mode Don McGreevy(the Stares) on drums and Karl Blau on electric bass. With Steve Moore working on(and rumoured to be quite close to) his first solo album release recorded at Flora Studio, this stimulating sampling of his live set is sure to whet the appetite.
Listen to Serene Peterson of YourHeart Breaks now sing "The Rats"
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<BACK TO KELP MAIN PAGE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
or KLAPS selector:
~1~2~3~4~5~6~7~8~9~10~11~12~13~14~15~16~17~18~19~20~21~22~23~24~25~26~27~28~29~30~
17. "Sing Together/Lonely Under the Covers"
by Nate Ashley and Karl Blau
After 11 years of singing one another's songs this may not be the most unpredictable release, but uniquely here Nate has recorded Karl Blau songs and Karl covers songs of Nate Ashley. Both delve deeply into the catalogues to rebirth songs some 10 years old or more, also fresh songs like Nate rerecords "Crashing Waves" from recent Blau Kelpness.
There's always been a contrast with these artists, here is no exception: Ashley has done up Blau songs with multitrack bliss and Blau has stripped Nate Ashley tracks down to a voice with piano accompaniment.
A co-written duet entitled "Loneliness" splits the disk which features Ashley's robust instrumentation and both artists' singing. other treats include a duet of "Starrust" sung by Dave Matthies of the Gift Machine with Karl Blau, and check Nate's sweet melodica performances.
here is Nate Ashley's version of "Sing Together"
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<BACK TO KELP MAIN PAGE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
or KLAPS selector:
~1~2~3~4~5~6~7~8~9~10~11~12~13~14~15~16~17~18~19~20~21~22~23~24~25~26~27~28~29~30~
- pop rock devotional album for the morning by Karl Blau feat. Phil Elverum.
"AM"Karl Blau spends early mornings in magnetic tape prayer just for you and also because it feels so goood! These songs are quite reminiscent production-wise of "Clothes Your I's" Blau's full length of 2000 but switch the subject matter to opening your eyes so very early. Literally written , recorded and all just for you Dawn...
Originally conceived when Blau made some dates with cohort Phil Elverum to sip coffee and see what happened in sounds. Looking out the window they built a story about Night finally walking home to bed and lovely Day passing and how they only cross paths.
AM has been rereleased on Chicago's label Whistler Records. It's been remastered and reordered even resonged a little bit..
listen and read along veleicht:
No one can tell me what is missing in my life
But I think it's partly the feeling of kinship between everyone
And partly the warming sun
And I know I'll feel the sun again
is that enough for me?
I've been wandering in the shadows
Lost in some parking lot
Feeling shapes of side mirrors
Hearing cars peel out
How do you tell when the day is done?
And what can you do with blind eyes?
Hear the bird song
follow in your mind
Hear the bird song
Follow in your mind
Listen for the part that's missing
Call out your line
No one can tell me what's missing in my life
But I think it's partly the warming sun, partly the feeling...
Hear the bird song call in your mind
Hear the bird song calling in your mind
Hear the bird song
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<BACK TO KELP MAIN PAGE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
or KLAPS selector:
~1~2~3~4~5~6~7~8~9~10~11~12~13~14~15~16~17~18~19~20~21~22~23~24~25~26~27~28~29~30~
#15 "IF I KNEW ZEN WHAT I KNOW NOW"
- ecclectic mix of eccentric Karl Blau 4-track songs.
Featuring the spoken-in-rhythm track "Call Me(on my self-own)" this record is a collection of would-be pop songs: that is would-be if they were sung in English. There's a song in Hebrew, and a few in made-up languages and even some deutsch gesprechen--also English and several instrumentals.This album has many cohorts including Jacob Navarro, Bilk Ook(Spoonshine), Eddy Blau(Edyfiction), Nick LaRue(Familia Wanderstaff), Dave Matthies(The Gift Machine)and more.
All in all a cornucopia of styles and the kicker could be an Israeli folk dance song transformed into English. Is that all Blau? I'm afraid.
Here is also the song "International Call" from If I Knew Zen What I Know Now
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<BACK TO KELP MAIN PAGE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
or KLAPS selector:
~1~2~3~4~5~6~7~8~9~10~11~12~13~14~15~16~17~18~19~20~21~22~23~24~25~26~27~28~29~30~
#14 "STEREOEARRINGS"
- self-titled instrumental music of Karl Blau.
Karl Blau records as if a Mike Oldfield album blindfolded. Two tracks about 16 minutes long each unpredictably wind and turn, unfolding in strange, musical lands. Wurlitzer's tangle with melodicas and haunting choir sings. Is it safe by your mono?
here's a snippet of the first track entitled "I Am Asking You , Please"
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<BACK TO KELP MAIN PAGE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
or KLAPS selector:
~1~2~3~4~5~6~7~8~9~10~11~12~13~14~15~16~17~18~19~20~21~22~23~24~25~26~27~28~29~30~
- would become "Beneath Waves" as release by K records.
In "Sea, Saw" Karl Blau approaches again the collection of songs four-tracked from "Dark, Magic Sea" by getting a band of familiar players together and recording mostly live supersizing the sound to sweet, fat tape at Vibe Control Studios located at the Department of Safety. Players include Laura Veirs, Steve Moore, Johanna Kunin, Dave Matthies, Eddy Blau, Alex Mahan, Alex Blau, and Nate Ashley.
"Sea, Saw" has been remixed and redesigned to be released(CD and 12") as "Beneath Waves" on K records available at local stores as of January 24th 2006 and through www.krecs.com now.
Here's "Dragon Song"
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<BACK TO KELP MAIN PAGE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
or KLAPS selector:
~1~2~3~4~5~6~7~8~9~10~11~12~13~14~15~16~17~18~19~20~21~22~23~24~25~26~27~28~29~30~
#12 "WELSH PHANTOMS AND OTHER GHOSTS OF WESTERN EUROPE"
- tour diary avant-garde.
Handheld banshees, magnetic particle phantoms swirling together. Mental field recordings ontop of one-another joining on a plane over the British Isles. Tour diary gone haywire.
Really good though. Probably the most Kelp! yet...
"Some Strange Place"
"Underneath the Willow"
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<BACK TO KELP MAIN PAGE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
or KLAPS selector:
~1~2~3~4~5~6~7~8~9~10~11~12~13~14~15~16~17~18~19~20~21~22~23~24~25~26~27~28~29~30~
#11 "IT WAS HOT, WE STAYED IN THE WATER"
- Karl Blau's version of the entire Microphones record.
"It Was Hot, We Stayed In the Water
and other seaside selections"
Prompted by the acquisition of Phil Elvrum's written out score of "It Was Hot, We Stayed In the Water," this version doesn't try to steer back to the shore by any means. That said, an element of the poppiness of the original Microphones record decided to stay.
Karl Blau does much of the music and singing and is joined by Eddy Blau, Nate Ashley, Alexa DiSalvo, Phil himself singing with the Boomstand Singers choir in the first track "the Pull."
Featuring the freshest Adrian Orange of Thanksgiving singing the epic "The Glow."
and other seaside selections: Abe Original makes and records actual kelp xylophones onsight.
Here is "The Blow" written by Phil Elvrum, recorded by Karl Blau. I did this record on 4-track, so it was quite portable. I remember the evening, everyone was lounging around the DoS, it seemed like a hooka den of sorts. I found Adrian Orange half asleep and leaning against the couch, so I gave him the sheet with the lyrics, and he read them, still sleeping sort of.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<BACK TO KELP MAIN PAGE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
or KLAPS selector:
~1~2~3~4~5~6~7~8~9~10~11~12~13~14~15~16~17~18~19~20~21~22~23~24~25~26~27~28~29~30~
#10 "TRUST IN SIRENS"
- What-the-Heckfest compilation 2004.
"Trust In Sirens"This is the fourth annual accompaniment to Anacortes' What-the Heck Fest. Though the sonic area this Knw-Yr-Own compilation covers is wide, the fabric is colorful and the thread is heartfeltedness, makes for a warm quilt. here's the list of artists and their songs:
1. Mount Eerie "surrender" 2.The Poison Dart "I Will Bend My Will" 3. the Blow "Snowball" 4. Dame Dulce "Fake Beards and Bumblebees" 5. Thanksgiving "Eidolons" 6. Burl "She'll Never Know" 7. Frank Barcott "Broken World" 8.Darrin Matthies "Civil Air Patrol" 9. Per Se "Adelaide" 10. Gift Machine "Poison Fruit" 11.Eddy Blau "Bone of Contention" 13. Woelv "Les Beluga" 14. Homestyle "Hide the Bottle" 15. Amigo "Ule is a Nihilist" 16. WHYSP "Julia Dream" 17. Nate Ashley "Crying Game" 18. Laura Veirs(w/Karl Blau)"Through December" 19. The Weeds "Picnic" 20. Karl Blau "Into the Nada" 21. Fanny Algier "Steelhead" 22.Dennis Driscoll "Know Your Own"
May this be available soon.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<BACK TO KELP MAIN PAGE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
or KLAPS selector:
~1~2~3~4~5~6~7~8~9~10~11~12~13~14~15~16~17~18~19~20~21~22~23~24~25~26~27~28~29~30~
#9 "DUBBLE DOOTY BOOTY"
- Karl Blau studio EP plus live solo live show from Cafe De La Danse, Paris.
"Dubble Dooty Booty" --Won Weak Wreckards' Mary Alley loaned her production talent to Karl Blau's R&B attempt at Quatro-Synco Studio. Nate Ashley also gave some beats up and tinkled the Hammond to help this Kelp! to some dancey moments. "Dubble Dooty Booty" second half features a live set of Karl Blau solo at Cafe De La Danse, Paris.
Here's "the Doggs" from Quatro-Synco studio when in Nate and Alexa's basement.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<BACK TO KELP MAIN PAGE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
or KLAPS selector:
~1~2~3~4~5~6~7~8~9~10~11~12~13~14~15~16~17~18~19~20~21~22~23~24~25~26~27~28~29~30~
#8 "LORE OF EARS"
- Laura Veirs live in Europe on tour with Karl Blau accompaniast.
"Lore of Ears" The voices of Laura Veirs and Tortured Soul Karl Blau have to be heard together. "Lore of Ears" features the salty poetic songs of Laura Veirs in beautiful, intimate live performances from Veirs and Blau on a one month tour all over Europe. Intermingled field recordings bring you along for the trip.
Here is a live version of "Snow Camping" from her Carbon Glacier album.
I'll probably post all these songs because its necessarily gonna be for sale here again.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<BACK TO KELP MAIN PAGE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
or KLAPS selector:
~1~2~3~4~5~6~7~8~9~10~11~12~13~14~15~16~17~18~19~20~21~22~23~24~25~26~27~28~29~30~
#7 "REMEMBER TOMORROW"
- sampled ethnic music from around the world pieced together to form songs.
"Remember Tomorrow"
"While recording this issue I felt a strange sensation when I realized I wasn't doing much to create IT. Putting these samples together I didn'tchange unnaturally the pitches, once I had the timing synched up they just matched. Is there a relationship between the vibrations of the pitches(key of song?) and the tempos? Like do certain keys of melody feel better sung and executed at certain tempos?
The concept of sampling aboriginal recordings from LPs and then creating new music from these loops caused me to dive deep into my International record section. I called some friends to contribute and proceeded to put on and get into record after record for sense of where to begin. Then creating a nest of record player, ensoniq sampler, and 4-track I began layering african drums, then gregorian chants and then andean singing and so on."
--Karl Blau, Kelp! producer
Take a listen to "The Village is Talking"
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<BACK TO KELP MAIN PAGE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
or KLAPS selector:
~1~2~3~4~5~6~7~8~9~10~11~12~13~14~15~16~17~18~19~20~21~22~23~24~25~26~27~28~29~30~
#6 "DEEP SANDWICH"
- Karl Blau sings live with band, as does Phil Elverum, Alex Mahan and a special mini set of P:ano all at the Department of Safety, Anacortes.
"Deep Sandwich" D.O.S. Blue Moon Band and P:ano
A simple Recipe:
The bread-- Department of Safety multigrain baked on Friday the 13th full moon style two different occasions both "suddenly realized" bands. top slice including Steve Moore, Alex Mahan, Julian MacDonough, some poetry read by Flint Jamison and Karl Blau singing blues in the basement jailcells. Underslice D.O.S. band features Blau singing more; also Phil Elverum orchestrating two drumsets, trombone/sax, celeste and a wonderful finale of Alex Mahan(Poison Dart) and orchestra(including Meagan Macdonald and Jay Arner(also from Poison Dart), Phil Elverum, Steve Moore(of Tortured Souls), Julian MacDonough, Karl Blau).
The meat - -P:ano from Vancouver, B.C. performing live from the Department of Safety songs from their released splendid "Brigadoon" album. More recently, P:ano has reformed to become No Kids and they are still amazing, no, even more so.
possibly this will be available again soon.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<BACK TO KELP MAIN PAGE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
or KLAPS selector:
~1~2~3~4~5~6~7~8~9~10~11~12~13~14~15~16~17~18~19~20~21~22~23~24~25~26~27~28~29~30~
#5 "PURPLE HEART"
mon on love-- Familia Wanderstaff: Blau brothers Karl and Eddy with drummer Nick LaRue; the ocean breeze of Amigo; vampire lover Nate Ashley; and a groovy instrumental track of Gift Machine.
T his album stands for the heart is both red and blue, Familia Wanderstaff, Nate Ashley, Amigo and The Gift Machine launch their own Cupidic arrows with bubble gum and suction cup tips. Eddy Blau's reeling pop sticks to the doors of your ventricles with brother Karl and Nick LaRue in Familia Wanderstaff's tracks. The lovely voice of Brian Malloy in Amigo here collaborates with Dave Matthies(the Gift Machine) and Karl Blau in three breathy tunes. The heart of Nate Ashley, known for devilish romance, actually bursts in his first of three songs, then in the 2nd he paints a portrait of his love with the bloody heart ink and in the third, he projects back before the vision of love to a time when he was waiting for that very moment.
here's a pop wonder from Eddy Blau called "Sundog"
and also Eddy's title track "Purple Heart" which is a true story about a friend of our's uncle upon his return from his service in Vietnam.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<BACK TO KELP MAIN PAGE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
or KLAPS selector:
~1~2~3~4~5~6~7~8~9~10~11~12~13~14~15~16~17~18~19~20~21~22~23~24~25~26~27~28~29~30~
- instrumental winter themed music by Karl Blau
"Dunkel Blau"Conceptually, Dunkel Blau describes in sound the vibrations, for example, of the stillness of bare alder trees, the active imaginations of roots undereverywhere and the inevitable storms. Heavily imitating Adam Forkner's state of being, but in dark dolphin tones, also Mount Analog/Popol Vuh feelings.
This song happens when Winter recalls sunny skies and birds and bugs. Here is Fantasy II: Summer.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<BACK TO KELP MAIN PAGE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
or KLAPS selector:
~1~2~3~4~5~6~7~8~9~10~11~12~13~14~15~16~17~18~19~20~21~22~23~24~25~26~27~28~29~30~
3. TURNING TUTU, TURNING LEAVES
- tour diary: Karl Blau on tour with Gift Machine meeting up with many others.
"Turning Tutu, Turning Leaves"-a mousesized recorder joins the Gift Machine and Karl Blau on a fall tour playing house concerts and rock venues and city parks across the U.S. and back to their little islands. On this compilation: Della Drive, Nate Ashley, Seawhores, Mt. Eerie, ((VVRSSNN)), the Dirty Projectors, Birdie, The Gift Machine, Dennis Driscoll, Donald Unger, Wax and Wane, Icy Stars, Kate Magnus, Old Time Relijun, Y.A.C.H.T., Karl Blau, and Landing. All this mixed with trains, crickets, and banter.
Here's the song by Old Time Relijun "Total Eclipse" from a show we played with them in Syracuse, NY.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<BACK TO KELP MAIN PAGE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
or KLAPS selector:
~1~2~3~4~5~6~7~8~9~10~11~12~13~14~15~16~17~18~19~20~21~22~23~24~25~26~27~28~29~30~
--Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite made into reggae music by Karl Blau.
The popular classic is reborn under a Jamaican sky. In studies of his work, Karl Blau realized Peter Illich Tchaikovsky was in fact the original rastaman vibration and just took his vision to a sunnier, hazier place.
The story of the new nutcracker implied musically is about a little girl finds the toy washed up on the shore one sunny day. And as she stares into its eyes, the doll comes to life; they are then greeted by Ananse the spider-crab and the three go adventuring under water and have lots of soup and tea.
Here is the Dance of the Sugar Plum Faerie
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<BACK TO KELP MAIN PAGE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
or KLAPS selector:
~1~2~3~4~5~6~7~8~9~10~11~12~13~14~15~16~17~18~19~20~21~22~23~24~25~26~27~28~29~30~
- 4-track full length of songs that would be re-recorded to become "Sea/Saw" and "Beneath Waves."
14 songs 4-tracked by Kelp))! producer Karl Blau. With Mt. Eerie's Phil Elvrum, Chris "Sandman" Sand, and including the poem "Old War Dreams" written by Walt Whitman sung to floor tom and love flute.
As per usual Karl Blau doesn't stand on any one sound. "Dark, Magic Sea" explores a wide range of styles and instruments. Lyrically introverted yet pretty, instrumentally dark mostly but light-hearted. Please listen to a couple examples here:
"My Johnny"
"Dark, Magic Sea"
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<BACK TO KELP MAIN PAGE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
or KLAPS selector:
~1~2~3~4~5~6~7~8~9~10~11~12~13~14~15~16~17~18~19~20~21~22~23~24~25~26~27~28~29~30~
