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strobe session 43: Brokeback

BROKEBACK (Thrill Jockey Records) originally began as a one-person affair by Douglas McCombs to create music in a more open and less structured environment than his other bands, Tortoise, Pullman, and Eleventh Dream Day. Brokeback’s most recent reincarnation includes Chris Hansen (Head of Skulls!) Pete Croke (Tight Phantomz) and Jim Elkington (The Zinks, The Horse’s Ha).


An excerpt from Jessica Hopper’s interview with Douglas on Chicago Tribune, 12/15/2011:
“Even though I had never considered Brokeback anything other than a rock band — it’s slightly unusual music, but calling it a jazz band is ridiculous — I decided I wanted to make it more of a “rock band,” that is to say two guitars, bass and drums. All of the music I do is harmonically related. I tend to write things a certain way and the thing that changes is the people I’m playing with and the context in which the music is being presented.”



Chicago-based Brighton MA was formed by Matthew Kerstein (he named the band name as an homage to his birthplace and youth) and Sam Koentopp, after leaving Scotland Yard Gospel Choir in 2005, with Jim Tuerk, then Joe Darnaby and Jon Ozaksut joined the band. Their newest 7-track EP “Billboard Sun” EP, with production assisted by Archer Prewitt (of The Sea and Cake and formerly of The Coctails) on ‘Comfy’ and ‘V-Day’ (featuring Max Crawford on Wurlitzer), is available now on the bandcamp. Later in the year, the band will release their long-awaited full-length album, produced by Brian Deck at Engine Studios.


“The Lost Horse tape is the second tape from DISTRACTIONS that features a horse on the cover and seemingly no real title. In any event, this tape from originally released as a tour tape back in 2010 but was mysteriously lost at Cleveland’s Believeland space. Now back in full effect, ‘Lost Horse’ sheds light on a slightly even looser side of distractions, featuring a mix of songs and instrumentals.”


“Lost Horse” cassette is available via Pretty All Right Records which is a Chicago-based independent record label owned by Distractions’ front-man, Tom Owens. Also available through their bandcamp.



released 04 December 2011

Photo by Kristy Ralston



Heather Smith is a Chicago-based artist and multi-instrumentalist. In the beginning Bone & Bell started as a musical project with her baritone ukulele and voice, and now it has become a quintet, Heather recently joined forces with Ryan Farnham (drums- formerly of Catfish Haven), Rick Roberts (bass, keys) and Jason Tuller (guitar, bass).
Bone & Bell’s first 5-track EP “Loom” was recorded at home by Jason Tuller and was released September 2010. You can download the “Loom” EP for FREE through her bandcamp.


Loom by Bone & Bell

Krokodil by Bone & Bell
This an early demo for a song she’s working on.
A new album is anticipated for Spring 2012.

Narrow Sparrow – Joe Meek’s Dream
video by Ricky Portillo (of Narrow Sparrow)


Narrow Sparrow – Joe Meek’s Dream

Joe Meek‘s Dream’ is taken from the forthcoming debut 4-song EP ”Synthworks” by Chicago-based experimental electronic pop outfit Narrow Sparrow, due out on November 15th for free online through their tumblr site.  Also on  7” vinyl, December 21st, pre-order is available at HERE.


ParticleMen

I Hear A New World – They Might Be Giants w/ Robin Goldwasser
From TMBGs rarities CD Cast Your Pod to the Wind available at iTunes.
A collage slideshow video dedicated to Joe Meek. ‘I Hear A New World’ (the title song from “I Hear a New World – an Outer Space Music Fantasy,” a concept album devised and composed by Joe Meek and performed by The Blue Men in 1959) was also covered by Television Personalities, Mark Sultan.


Atlas Sound – Valley of the Saroos (Joe Meek Cover)

taken from “Orange Ohms Glow” EP (2008) by Atlas Sound (aka Bradford Cox of Deerhunter), ‘Valley of the Saroos‘ was originally appeared on Joe Meek’s “I Hear a New World.”


Scott Tuma – fishen  (via)

Scott Tuma – eloper  (via)


Both tracks are taken from Scott Tuma‘s “Not For Nobody” album which was originally released on CD by Digitalis in 2008, and now available on Art Edition LP/LP/Cassette by Immune Recordings with new artwork of Chris Koelle.

Scott Tuma is a musician from Chicago who is best known for having played guitar in the pioneering alt-country band Souled American. Since his departure from Souled American in the late 1990s Tuma has released three solo albums, performed and recorded with Chicago’s Boxhead Ensemble, and collaborated with Matt Christensen and Mike Weis, members of the band Zelienople in a project dubbed Good Stuff House.”

Scott Tuma guitar/voice @ Empty Bottle 20110303
Fred Lonberg-Holm tenor guitar
Emmett Kelly guitar
Ben Boye pump organ

The Mayfair Workshop – “Music House of TOMORROW!”
Animation – Calabash Animation, Voice Talent – Dave O’Donnell, Sound Design – Mark Greenberg (of the Coctails), Music – The Mayfair Workshop, Composers – Ethan Stoller, Dean Jones, Matt Walker, Chris Fuller, Tamar Berk, Jeremy Jacobson


THE MAYFAIR WORKSHOP is a music house located in Chicago, IL. Their composers create music, soundtracks, and scores for TV, radio, movies, games, and wherever else you hear music.
Visit The Mayfair Workshop and their Facebook page!


The Coctails- Whoopsy Daisy (from “The Early Hi-Ball Years” CD) by carrottoprecords

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