Introducing The Flying Luttenbachers: Support Living Artists

The Flying Luttenbachers, the free-jazz/punk/noise instrumental project led by Oakland drummer Weasel Walter, has called it quits after 16 years.

Still scratching your head over that last sentence? No worries. Despite numerous albums and lineups throughout the years, the Luttenbachers have been kicking out their electrifying and, admittedly, inaccessible style of music in relative obscurity.

The Luttenbachers combine the melodic complexity of King Crimson, pounding rhythm of Black Flag and dissonance of Krzysztof Penderecki, (you still with me?), and, led by Walter’s tight percussion, fuse these otherwise unmixable styles into an explosive listening experience. Check out this insane promo video:



The Luttenbachers’ MySpace page has some excellent cuts from their later albums, including their last release, Incarceration by Abstraction. The Luttenbachers’ back catalog is available on ugEXPLODE Records.

Unfortunately, Walter’s retirement of the Luttenbachers reflects how difficult it is to cultivate an audience for such a challenging sub-genre of music.

“I guess what I was trying to prove is that nothing could stop the band. That's not a very good reason to have a band, honestly,” wrote Walter on the Luttenbachers’ website. “Perhaps if I feel like a wider audience is ready for it, we'll reappear, but until then we've done all we can do. Any more would be quixotic and futile.”

Perhaps the real lesson lies in the phrase at the top of the Luttenbachers’ MySpace page, which could serve as the epitaph for every uncompromising musical group in America :

“SUPPORT LIVING ARTISTS - DON'T TAKE GREAT MUSIC FOR GRANTED”

- Matt Squire, Senior Contributing Editor and "Purveyor of Insanely Great, Obscure Music"

We'll Take the Rain -- Crooked Rain that is

While many Pavement purist favor Slanted & Enchanted, we think Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain is the defining Pavement album. In fact, this was the defining album for all indie music in the 1990s.

Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain offers a musical bounty of songs that really don't sound like anybody else...perhaps there is a glimmer of early REM in their work. Perhaps, but it was pure Pavement. Angular guitar riffs combined with Stephen Malkmus' word-play lyrics the band was quickly dubbed a favorite by graduate students.

Here's a key track called Gold Soundz. "So drunk in the August sun..." aah that line brings us back the halcyon days of 1994. Enjoy.



Pavement

Don't Let the Darkness Eat You Up, Jose Gonzales

Straight out of Sweden -- via Argentina -- Jose Gonzales brings a welcoming element to independent music. A pure sound comprised of only his voice and a nylon string guitar. His most recent album, In Our Nature, is award-worthy.

Here's the video for "Down the Line" from that record. Enjoy.



Jose Gonzales

Super Furry Animals, Juxtaposed with You

One can't deny the power of outside influences. In fact, the staff of Sound & Vision experienced a powerful shot in the arm by the outside influence of XMU (the hipster station on XM Radio). Our intern was out on a coffee run this morning and caught this most amazing song by Super Furry Animals while driving. Hope you enjoy and happy Friday.



Super Furry Animals, Sound & Vision

Santa Maria de Feira, Devendra's Spanish Influence

One would think that Devendra Banhart’s publicist has us wrapped around his finger -- considering the praise we heap on this groundbreaking artist. Not true. Our admiration of Devendra is purely organic. See our previous post on “I Feel Just Like a Child.” Not only is Mr. Banhart a diverse musician who – much like Ween – grabs pieces of various genres and makes them his own, but his Spanish songs are truly authentic -- like something played out of a tappas bar in Madrid.

Santa Maria de Fiera is one of these tunes. This song is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. To hear the tune, check out this YouTube clip. Very clever use of a baby orangutan.



As an added bonus, here’s him playing another Spanish tune in Poland. Enjoy.



devendra banhart

Innovative Multi-Media Artist Phil Hansen

The staff of Sound & Vision would like to thank Ron Papanek for introducing us to the innovative multi-media artist, Phil Hansen. We will let his work speak for itself, but definitely check out the Jimi Hendrix portrait made out of matches – which Phil eventually sets aflame. And this image of Kim Jong-il is made from the artist’s own blood.


Here’s the link to his web site and below is the Hendrix video.



Phil Hansen

Rutger Hauer and the Mulleted C. Thomas Howell in The Hitcher

The Hitcher 1986

This is the original tale of a cross country car delivery gone way wrong. It starts when the main character a very boyish Jim Halsey, played by a mulleted, C .Thomas Howell, stops to pick up hitchhiker named John Ryder played by Steven Segall’s favorite punching bag, Rutger Hauer. This film also stars Jennifer Jason-Leigh, slightly past her peak, with an annoying redneck accent. Who can forget the shot of her boobs in Fast Time’s at Ridgemont?

This is an action packed psychological thriller that is filled with car crashes, gun play and unbelievable moments. For example, dead eye Hauer is able to shoot down a helicopter while driving in the sand. This dude is not to be messed with. He torments, what ever became of, C. Thomas Howell, sporting his hockey hair and Indiana Jones leather jacket.

It is the classic, boy meets girl, boy loses girl, (because Hauer pulled her in half), and becomes a man. This film is an “awesome” period piece; the cars are unreliable and bio-degradable. The guns are all big ass revolvers, better suited for pistol whipping than gun fights. It is like Road Warrior without all the homo-erotic S&M leather. Check out the trailer:



Be sure to add this to your Netflix que and prepare yourself to be disturbed 80s style. Also, don’t waste your time with the 2007 remake of this classic.

- Kevin Langan, Contributing Editor, Sound & Vision

Zappa for President

A visionary, musical virtuoso, Presidential candidate and First Amendment advocate, Frank Zappa was a true pioneer who was uncompromising and ahead of his time. (Check out his critically acclaimed double album, Joe’s Garage). Do you recall when Prince’s Darling Nikki caused such a stir for its sexually explicit content? Well, Mr. Zappa fought an admiral battle to keep the government from censoring musical content. Check out this great clip of Mr. Zappa on CNN Hardball from 1986. One word to describe Zappa: badass. Enjoy.



Frank Zappa