□□□057 Picastro- “Become Secret” LP/Digital Download
“They mine music from the most extreme intersection of beauty and melancholy.” Pitchfork
“This is paranoid music that’s utterly original and incredibly beautiful.” Exclaim
Well, what can I add? It’s Picastro and they’re back with a stripped down collection of hymns and nocturnes about the collapse of everything you know. Listen to this album all the way through while staring at a candle and you will see your future.
□□□056 Nadja- “The Bungled and the Botched” LP/Digital
The Bungled and the Botched is Nadja’s most scorching and most achingly beautiful set yet, pushing the boundaries into ever greater washes of distortion and crystalline silences. Originally available as a limited CDR, Blocks now presents a re-edited version of The Bungled and the Botched in a deluxe vinyl edition and (with over an hour of extra material) as extended digital files via iTunes.
Itunes as of October 1st
□□□058 Brian Joseph Davis “Intro, And Other Instrumental Works” Digital Download
A free live album of electrocoustic-sound art-minimalist-hardcore-ear-ecstasy that will save the lagging marriage between your brain and auditory canal. Includes “Intro: Work for 10 Boom Boxes and Hardcore Punk loops.” On 10 boomboxes arranged in a semi circle are cassettes with 30-minute loops of intros from hardcore punk songs of the 1980s: 8 guitar parts, 1 bass part and 1 drum drop out. These are brought in and out of the mix using the volume faders on the tape players, creating something that is sometimes almost a hardcore song, sometimes beat-less and vague. Selections include various shreds and feedback hums from: Discharge, Negative Approach, Black Flag, Bad Brains, Poison Idea, Rudimentary Peni, and Raw Power.
Also includes “Piano For 17.6 Hands” as performed by The New York Miniaturist Ensemble, who perform a repertoire of works consisting of one hundred notes or less. Piano For 17.6 Hands calls for every key on a piano to be struck one hundred times for the duration of a whole note, with sustain pedal down. The first fifty times, the players must strike as hard possible, the final fifty, dynamics are up to each performer.
Available for free at the Free Music Archive here.
…You’re welcome.
□□□055 The Torrent- “Leonora Moreno” CD
The Torrent is not named after a download protocol. Mike Barry plays guitar and sings, and Cameron Groves sings, plays violin and deals with the machines. Ben Rayner of the Toronto Star said, and I quote, “[Leonora Moreno]is a sexy/nasty slab of droning electro-pop sleaze, and my new favourite thing. Imagine Beat Happening, A Place to Bury Strangers and the Neon Judgement doing lots of drugs together in a Hamburg fetish bar and you’ll get the gist of this dour gem. Acidic monotone vocals, battering drum-machine beats and a whole lotta art-house style caught in a radioactive glow of sawing violin and over-cranked guitar. “
We’re distro-ing this release to record stores. For mail order and digital, see the band’s site at: http://thetorrent.net
□□□052 HANK- “The Luck Of The Singers” LP
Four years in the making, produced by Jesse Laine and CW, with artwork by Tara Azzopardi, and featuring 14 sparkling pop gems ranging in style and subject matter, from Burt Lancaster to dead goldfish via hermetic paranoia.
Exclaim also called Hank’s music “sensual.” Sensuality AND hermetic paranoia. Why aren’t you buying this album right now?
□□□053 ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS- “Fourteenth Floor” 7 inch EP
$100’s gut-hard and honey-sweet country will break your heart then make you want to occupy a government building. First in their series of regional 7-inches. ORDER NOW
□□□051 FINAL FANTASY- “Plays to Please” 10 inch EP
On Plays to Please Owen Pallett pays tribute to the songs of Toronto’s Alex Lukashevsky and Deep Dark United.
Deep Dark United’s music can be described as…indescribable but under its waves of hazy unease lay perfectly made songs that Pallett had dreamed of giving a big band treatment to ever since he and Lukashevsky bonded on tour over their mutual love of Louis Prima and Marvin Gaye. Working with The St. Kitts Orchestra, Pallett gives the songs a huge stage to strut around on and—were it not for the mordant and contemporary wit in the lyrics—you could mistake Lukashevsky’s songs for being Tin Pan Alley standards.
Given that, why not try dropping “I Saved a Junkie Once” at your grandmother’s birthday this year?
□□□050 The Blankket – “Pegatively Nositive” CD/LP
Beats as heavy as the weight of modern life. Hardcore chants as unintelligible as the middle class masses screaming for kitsch fixes. Steve Kado’s first full length album sets the ideas of Theodor Adorno to a discofied despair that’s like Mark Stewart run through a spell check.
□□□049 FINAL FANTASY – “Spectrum, 14th Century” CD-EP/Vinyl
Last spring, Final Fantasy and members of Beirut went outdoors with instruments, microphones, and Alan Lomax’s headphones for an ethnomusicological exercise in fake field recordings that captures the culture of the fictional land of Spectrum.
If you’re expecting dulcimers, Tibetan thigh bones, and fertility prayers, you’ll be surprised by the avant pop, birdsong, and hardcore chanson contained within.
□□□048 Various – “Projected Lights” DVD
Projected Lights is a DVD of Toronto’s shadow play and projection performance scene featuring fourteen works from: Shary Boyle, the Singing Saw Shadow Show, Steph Comilang and Final Fantasy, Yuula Benivolski & Zeesy Powers, Jordan Somers feat. Sandro Perri, Exploding Motor Car and Winston Hacking, Jamie Shannon, Renee Lear and Peter Venuto.
Whether its with overhead projectors, hand manipulated film loops & video, mirror reflections or straight-up lights and shadows, the collection showcases works by artists pursuing a hands-on approach to the moving image.
□□□047 BOB WISEMAN – “The Legend”
The Legend is Bob Wiseman’s first live album and a raw document of his intimate one man show he’s taken on tour across the world, including a string of dates last year opening for Feist in Europe. Packaged in a handmade silk-screened sleeve by Punchclock Studio’s Michael Comeau, The Legend is a document of an actual, for-real, rambling man who’s as off kilter as Beefheart, but as searching as Al Green.
AVAILABLE ONLY THROUGH MAILORDER AND AT BOB’S SHOWS!
□□□046 KATIE STELMANIS – “Join Us”
10 songs of piano and midi percolations from this former member of Galaxy and current member of the Bruce Peninsula. The drama of Kate Bush. The sturm und drang of Diamanda Galas. The poptones of Lena Lovich. A mystery that can be solved by your $10!
□□□045 NIFTY – “A Sparrow! A Sparrow!”
Nifty is Matt Smith (Les Mouches) and “A Sparrow! A Sparrow!” is a collection of 7 songs in as many different genres. “Two Figures” is reminiscent of a Tom Waitsian-sonic junkyard while many of the other tracks take off from pop starts into rhythm and drone rhumbas not unlike Arthur Russell or Cluster. You want this.
□□□043 BRIAN JOSEPH DAVIS – “The Definitive Host” CD
Available
Packaged in a full colour, oversized booklet, The Definitive Host collects most of Davis’ sound and music projects, including a remix of the internet hit 10 Banned Albums Burned Then Played. Also features two completely new works: Eula ( Sony’s End User License Agreement scored for choir) and 5 Box Sets Played On Fast Forward. A glitcher’s paradise.
□□□042 THE PHONEMES – “There’s Something We’ve Been Meaning To Do
And what the Phonemes mean to do is possibly like this collection of small, textured,brittle and unforgettable performances… yet they’ve put off doing it! This CD of deceptively simple songs will have to do until they remember.
□□□041 KIDS ON TV – “Mixing Business With Pleasure” CD
Club music for bathouse punks! Hymns to breakdance hunx, the cruel caprices of fame, and gay yuppies. Features a Roxy Music cover and a vocal turn from Boy George himself!
□□□040 THE BLANKKET – “Be Your Own Boss” Mini CD
The newest CD by The Blankket features four Bruce Springsteen songs about the deleterous effect of Capital on the human ability to dream, longing for escape etc. The Blankket is Steve K. Blocks R.C. founder, member of Ninja High School and the Barcelona Pavilion and ex-member of EVERY BAND EVER!
□□□039 TRADITION – “Tradition” CD
This is the first “official” Tradition CD, although CDrs, tapes and the like have been circulating for years now. Tradition is primarily the work of James Klassen, the conscience of Toronto and ex-Belleville.
We’ve never put out a record like this I don’t think, it is possibly the most earnest and direct release we’ve ever done. Also, possibly one of the prettiest.
□□□038 FUCKED UP – “Year of the Dog” 12-inch
So, just in case you’re wondering: months ago we got an email from Fucked Up saying that they wanted to do a record with Blocks and we thought they were totally joking, that they were baiting us or something and we’d arrange to have some sort of meeting and just get taunted the whole time with stuff like “Do you know what a breakdown is?” and “Seriously, when was the last time you Bro’d down?”.
But no, they meant it.
They even help us run merch tables and stuff: totally best.
□□□037 CREEPING NOBODIES / ANAGRAM Split 12″ single
Two of Toronto’s scariest and most intense live bands got together and made a split 45rpm 12″ record, that was then elaborately hand packaged and released in a very limited edition. This is it. We’ve been telling you about The Creeping Nobodies for years, we’ve even proudly released 2 of their full-length CDs. However, maybe Anagram are something new to you. Anagram are great.
□□□036 BOB WISEMAN – “Theme and Variations”
Bob’s latest record has been a long time brewing, some part were recorded before Bob’s last recording “It’s True” (also on Blocks) was recorded. Featuring guests like James Anderson, Mary Margaret O’Hara, Sarah Harmer, Magali (Phonemes) Meagher, John Southworth, Don Kerr, Julie Penner and Chris Banks this record has a lush filled-out sound that some might have missed on Bob’s last and more intentionally sparse effort.
Bob is touring behind this release RIGHT NOW! ALL OVER THE COUNTRY! LEAVE YOUR HOMES!!!
□□□034 FINAL FANTASY – “He Poos Clouds”
The next in Owen Pallett’s continuing series of records made up of very very interesting lying.
This one is a strange conflation of the everyday and the fantastic, where the failing marriages of real-estate salesmen are dealt with through extended Dungeons and Dragons (*2nd Ed. Rules) metaphors and other day-to-day things are rendered fantastic.
□□□033 THE CREEPING NOBODIES -”Sound of Joy”
Fans of the Creeping Nobodies fantastic live show have had to wait years to have a recording that actually features all the band members they saw performing on record. The Creeping Nobodies have never been more intense, claustrophobic or challenging as they are here!
□□□032 NINJA HIGH SCHOOL – “Young Adults Against Suicide”
Fervent Dance-Rap/Positive Hardcore from Toronto’s #1 extreme house party band.
More fun than an actual barell of monkeys this is music designed to destroy epic shoegazing, corporate indie rock and other “total evils”. Will be guaranteed to not-appeal to fans of Atmosphere.
□□□030 FINAL FANTASY – “HAS A GOOD HOME” FULL-LENGTH CD
This is the OWEN PALLETT IS A GENIUS release of 2005, topping his past achievements in Les Mouches (cf OWEN PALLETT IS A GENIUS release of 2004 “You’re Worth More To Me Than 1,000 Christians”) and setting a high standard for the upcoming OPIAG 2006 (Rumoured to involve Owen’s accension to heaven on the back of a centaur shortly after recording and mixing are completed). Maxing out both his charisma and magic points to an obscene level Owen Pallett transforms from Toronto’s most amazing string arranger (Jim Guthrie, The Hidden Cameras, The Arcade Fire etc.) into the world’s most amazing solo performer, entire orchestras spiral out of his single violin and looping pedal, people everywhere are horribly entranced.
□□□029 LENIN I SHUMOV – self titled ep
Utter swarming chaos from Eugene Slonimerov and his thug-gang of art nerds and tall gentlemen. At long last you can hear and experience the dizzying multi-drummer onslaught that made LiS a hit with audiences and an enemy of Sound guys everywhere.
From stem to stern this release is proof, not only that Eugene is sometimes very talented, but also that Jeff Mc Murrich is very patient and good at his job (recording engineer).
□□□028 THE S.S. CARDIACS – “FEAR THE LOVE” FULL-LENGTH CD
Ring in the Spring with “The Lovely Music” of the S.S. Cardiacs.
□□□027 THE DISKETTES – “WEEKNIGHTS AT ISLANDVIEW BEACH” FULL-LENGTH CD
Blocks normally takes pride in being a local, Toronto kind of thing. It worked for Dischord and who are we to argue if something works for Dischord? Well, there’s always an exception (even at Dischord) and here when a band like the Diskettes is actually something that exists in the world you really really have to take notice. Basically, the Diskettes are not just the best but also the most punk band in Canada. They are punk like the Queers and the Marine Girls and Beat Happening and they are also the best people in the world. This is despite living and working in Montreal and despite originally being from (gasp !) Victoria.
□□□026 FRANK FB_A – “I PITY DA FOOL” CD-R EP AND DVD
The first CD release by Toronto’s favourite answer to Half-Japanese. Chris (19) and his brother Charlie (13, ex-12) unveil this amazing collection of home recordings and also give a glimpse into the world of wonder and magic that is the current, full-band, rock-power version of the Frank FB_A line-up with some video of live performance and a few new songs at the end. This is actually a release by ‘normal’ records, the ‘commercial’ off-shoot of Consumption Records, we’re just helping to get it spread around. THIS IS NOT REALLY A BLOCKS RECORD (but we really wish it was, we just can’t take credit for other people’s work).
□□□025 LENIN i SHUMOV – “KAKIETO GODY” CD-R
Lenin i Shumov’s first CD-R
□□□024 BLOCKS/CONSUMPTION AT CANZINE – “6 CDS IN 6 HOURS” BOXED-SET OF 6 CD-Rs
On Oct. 17, 2004 The Blocks Recording Club and Consumption records were given a room at The Gladstone Hotel in Toronto by CANZINE, a large and renowned ‘Zine Fair held annually by Broken Pencil Magazine. The decision was then made for a recording studio to be built in the room and for bands that were entirely new, so new that even the people in them had not yet met, to record one album an hour for the entire duration of the fair. Each recording was then mixed (by Leon Taheny) and released jointly by Consumption and Blocks with hand-made packaging and lots of love in less than an hour. These recordings are now all collected here in a very limited “boxed set” collection. There are only 30 of these complete sets being made available after the fact. But what of the results of this bold experiment? Well, the 6 bands that made recordings (Iceflow, JCCR Revival, Karaokill!, Organ Summit, Value Pack and PS I Love You) all proved that absolutely anyone can have access to the culture industry (if they want it) because starting a band and making a record are as easy as walking into the right room of a hotel at the right time. Beyond that, some of our advanced guidelines also worked out ok, the NO JAMMING rule was moderately effective in curbing non-song-like behaviour and the NO JERKS rule was maintained throughout the entire experience. This set compiles □□□023 and is a split release with Consumption Records.
□□□017 JON-RAE FLETCHER – “JUST A CLOSER WALK…” CD-R
This is the long-awaited, finally available, all-hymns solo recording by Toronto’s (ex-Vancouver’s) most beloved drunk country and western/rock and roll musician. Contains several big hits: Didn’t It Rain?, Down By The Riverside, Just A Closer Walk With Thee.. and many others. Perfect for Sunday mornings.
□□□016 THE CREEPING NOBODIES – “STOP MOVEMENT STOP LOSS” CD
Over two years in the making this is kind of like the Remebrance of Things Past of Toronto-based UK-influenced indie-punk. Ample doses of the Fall, the Birthday Party, Sonic Youth (UK), bound up and analyzed over a long period of time and finally put together, with a master’s touch, into a sprawling mega-record. I remember wearing a giant foam “Nobodies #1″ foam fan-hand to their shows back in the day, now if i had to wear a comically enlarged foam body part to show my admiration for their performances I’d have to worry about getting it though the door. The Creeping Nobodies are the only band that practices 3 times a week in Toronto and, unlike other bands who tried the same thing, it pays off more and more with every show. This record is a testament to meticulous hard work and good ideas. Packaging designed by SeriPop.
□□□015 THE BARCELONA PAVILION – “IT’S BECAUSE OF THE BARCELONA PAVILION” MINI-CD
The latest EP from the band that was called “the best new band in Toronto” by Now Magazine in 2003. Sure to alienate old fans and be repulsive to those who already found them too annoying or pretentious to palate this release features plenty of sinewaves and screaming. Topics discussed are: Peircean Semiotics, Charls Peirson’s USST 2003, Expressionism and its nasty side-effects, Henry Rollins and Alvin Lucier.
□□□014 DEEP DARK UNITED -”ANCIENT” CD
Deep Dark United come off as a cross between Xiu Xiu, Fine Young Cannibals at 16rpm, Frog Eyes and Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra. Full-blown experimental soul-jazz collides with messy synthesizers and are subsequently chanelled through the Wah Pedal and surreal dirty-uncle sense of humour of band leader Alex Lukashevsy. DDU are what happens when music wakes up with the happy “Why Not?” in its eyes and sets out to do everything at once. Brazenly weird AM Radio pop. Also featuring the amazing Saxophone of “jazz legend” Brodie West!
□□□013 NINJA HIGH SCHOOL – “WE WIN” CD EP
A co-release with Jennifer Lopez Knife records. This is Ninja High School’s incredible debut record. Featuring more positive hardcore disguised as ‘rap’ than anyone has ever shaken a stick at in their entire lives. Those awed by the live performances will be even further stunned by the intricate mixing and subtle production of this release.
□□□012 HANK FEAT. THE HANK COLLECTIVE – “HOW TO PROSPER IN THE COMING BAD YEARS” CD
OUT OF PRINT! The follow up to Hank’s magical and enlightening 2003 Mini-Album Ackrill/Venning ‘91 shows the collective coming up with some of the most incredible pop music ever, every single one of this cd’s 15 tracks is an out and out hit, from the tender ballads of “taffy solo” and “blonde wife and dead daughter” to dance-floor explosions like “god slick” and “stomp of sloth” Hank have pulled through with another winner with its tales of giants, rockstar marriage and ex-wrestlers injuring themselves in the Scottish Highlands wrapped up in incredible hand-made packaging from Paige Gratland.
□□□011 HANK FEAT. THE HANK COLLECTIVE – “ACKRILL/VENNING ‘91″ CD
Ackrill/Venning ‘91 is an audacious revelation of a debut LP demonstrating a profoundly passionate love of music from its creator. All the songs mine a rich vein of genres with no two sounding the same. The upfront jangle of Danes In Peril! sits proudly next to the harsh metallic racket of Harley Tat. And if He Forgot My Name is a dreamy spectral prayer from a fallen angel then Getting Fucked Over By Your Friends is the best ninety-second shoutalong about betrayal EVER that the Shangri-Las never got round to singing. The public attention this cd attracted to the Hank Collective, especially the above-mentioned dance-party hit “Danes In Peril”, has gone from mere praise to a mighty roar of approval and love. This isn’t really a Blocks release, what’s really happening here is that we’re distrbuting this cd for Weeping Truckers, the record lable that put it out way back when (last year).
□□□010 LES MOUCHES – “YOU’RE WORTH MORE TO ME THAN 1,000 CHRISTIANS CD
The magical full-length release from the band that stands head and shoulders above all others! The greatest full-length record we could ever imagine! Featuring the song-craft of Owen Pallett, and the noise-craft of Matt Smith and Rob Gordon this release manages the task of being simultaneously sweet and abrasive, complex and innocent, violent and gentle. Brian Turner, the program director of WFMU called Les Mouches “really unusual and unlike most things I hear coming through here these days…Amazing!” Anyone with ears to hear would almost certainly agree.
□□□009 BOB WISEMAN – “IT’S TRUE” CD
This is the most recent of Mr. Wiseman’s solo records, his first since something like 1995. Mr. Wiseman has unceasingly pursued music through almost any and every shape it could possibly take, from Improv through to earnest folk music, passing through any number of musical groups from Slutarded to Blue Rodeo to The Hidden Cameras. This record features an almost schizophrenic oscillation between stripped-down folk music and budget casio and omnichord insanity, but anchoring everything is Bob’s solid ear for songwriting and compelling singing.
□□□008 BLOCKS!!!TORONTO!!!COMPILATION!!!
A persuasive document of the recent Toronto-based Positive Music Explosion. (more…)
□□□007 ANIMALMONSTER – MIGHTY MAGNIFICENCE
This is the not only the rousing debut of Animalmonster, but also the record breaking longest record we’ve ever put out. A mind breaking 27 minutes of instrumental electronics that feels like YMO crossed with the Morr Music Catalogue multiplied by 200% energy. Probably the most untroubled and happy record we’ll ever put out. Guaranteed to put a giant smile on your face. Also, the first 100 copies feature incredible, totally excessive packaging. It’s not even sane, there’s hand-embroidery and glow-in-the-dark ink and stickers and sleeves and all this stuff. It is mind blowing!
□□□006 LES MOUCHES – “BLOOD ORGY!!!” EP
This will be a five-song debut ep from Les Mouches, the Toronto super-group formed from members of the Jim Guthrie Band, Picastro, Royal City, Matt Schmidt, Double Happiness, From Fiction and The Hidden Cameras. Les Mouches are often called one of Toronto’s very best live bands, their completely hysterical, panic-stricken take on ‘folk music’ has both deafened, hurt and charmed audiences not only in their native Toronto but also as far afield as Guelph. Recorded by Jeff McMurich and available in early December we would like to announce that THIS IS A KEEPER!!! A WINNER!!! and also GREAT!!!
□□□005 THE BLANKKET – SONGS OF LOVE
This is the debut release by the Blankket. 2 Songs, both covers, both about love on one business card sized cd. Contains Toronto Disco Smash-Hit “Hey Ya!” backed with “Love Goes To Building on Fire”. Packaged in a sewn air-mail envelope and strictly limited to an edition of 100 this little bastard would make a dashing addition to anyone’s holiday gift list.
□□□004 IT’S THE BARCELONA PAVILION EP
The second release by the Toronto foursome that gets called “Nice” and “Quite good” by John Peel on a regular basis. This 8cm CD has 4 big hits from the Barcelona Pavilion’s furious live sets, all recorded in lightning speed at the notorious COLD FLOORS studio. Sung half in English and half in German these new recordings are violent and nuts, but still smell and acts like a pop music animal. The 7″ version of the same songs is out on Meccico records of London, England. The first print run, with its famed ’stupid’ package built from drafting vellum, is out of print!
□□□003 THE PHONEMES
The Phonemes are a small band focused on issues of vast historical guilt, language acquisition and various animals. Based around the songwriting of Magali, perhaps best known until now for being the ex-rhythm guitarist/drummer in the incredibly famous The Hidden Cameras, the band also contains Consumption Records head- honcho Matias and Liz of Jonasson. The Phonemes’ music is gentle and clever, their singing is great too.
□□□002 MATIAS SUCKS
Is an insanely limited pressing ‘tape’ piece by one of this planet’s most incredible DIY artist/musicians. Matias is also a shiatsu therapist in-training. Each tape comes in hand-made packaging. For more of Matias’ incredible work check out his record lable Consumption Records.
SOLD OUT!!!
□□□001 THE BARCELONA PAVILION
The Barcelona Pavilion are a loud and spazzy house-party band spawned from the twin poles of intense frustration with the danceless-mono-gendered indie scene and intense academic thinking about modernism, social responsibility, cleanliness, epistemic boundedness and dancing. Alistair Fitchett of Tangents Magazine called them a cross between Devo and Huggy Bear, and we think that that looks great on a press-release. Ben turns on the computer, Maggie (also known for being in the Hidden Cameras) sings, Kat plays bass and Steve plays bass and sings. This CD has two songs, is buisness-card shaped and comes in a sleeve that was printed on this weird ink-based photocopier (no toner!). This CD is back in print and OUT ON THE PROWL!