I DIDN’T MAKE IT FOR JEFFREY MORGAN’S MEDIA BLACKOUT #237!

Jay Semko – Jay Semko (Busted Flat) :: Wherein Jay uses his emotive voice to ably express these eleven country cautionary tales of life’s up and downs. Bonus points for writing the greatest cross-border breakup song ever, the humorously hurtin’ “Before You Leave Canada.”

Freeland – Cope (Marine Parade) :: The solid song structures of Nine Inch Nails solidly anchored by the squawky bloop ’n’ blorpy synthesizer sounds of vintage Eno. If you liked the hyperkinetics of Pretty Hate Machine but hated the tepid languor of Another Day On Earth, then this one’s for you.

Paul Oakenfold – Perfecto Vegas (Thrive) :: Lisa Lashes may be the heaviest hardcore DJ in the world and Jeff Mills may be the most psychotically hypnotic, but this double dose of mellow beats shows you why Oakenfold is the tranciest tripper of them all.

The Jezabels – Dark Storm (self released) :: A good EP will quickly make its mark and leave you reeling in its wake while a lesser full length album is just trying to get traction—and this EP is better than just good. From the elegantly beguiling front cover of a water wading woman to the passionate music and literate lyrics within, it’ll have you smitten with its heartfelt emotion and strength. Wordier than Patti Smith and whoopier than Lene Lovich, this is one teaser that has me eagerly anticipating the inevitable long player.

SIZZLING PLATTER OF THE WEEK: The Flowers Of Hell – “O” (Optical Sounds) :: The essence of all criticism can be boiled down to the one line that stranded spaceman David Bowie says at the end of The Man Who Fell To Earth. Having recorded an album of literally unearthly sounds that he hopes his wife will hear in outer space when it’s played, a boozed-up Bowie is confronted by Rip Torn who says that he heard the alien-sounding record and didn’t like it. Bowie’s reply: “I didn’t make it for you.”

Well, the Flowers Of Hell made this album for me. I’m its target audience and you are too if you’re addicted to dreamy minimalist drone music as expertly exemplified by such album as: Terry Riley’s Persian Surgery Dervishes; Eno’s Discreet Music; Gavin Bryars’ The Sinking Of The Titanic; and Tony Conrad’s Outside The Dream Syndicate, to name only a few of my own personal favorites.

During its languid 45 minute length, “O” will evoke all of these albums as treated guitars, violin, trumpet, cello, double bass, drums, percussion, flute, chimes, organ, and baritone sax coalesce to sculpt a seamless sonic soundscape that will transport your mind deep into an inner realm which records rarely seek to reach these days.

And, in the best value an ambient enthusiast is going to find these days, “O” is issued on a double layer disc whose flip side DVD includes a 5.1 mix, hour long concert film, plus bonus live performances.

Now that’s what I call a sustained release.

Be seeing you!