"Land Pirate Lullabies" isn't necessarily a country record, or a blues record, or a folk record... Plain and simple, it is a CHICAGO record. Christopher (Andrew) Stelloh, a veteran of hardcore punk bands from the Washington DC metro area, didn't really know a damn thing about any of the afforementioned sounds before abandoning the District for the midwest in 2005. Since 1957, Chicago has been home to the Old Town School of Folk Music. As far back as the 1940's, the pickers and strummers of the Mississippi delta began migrating to Chicago to make the blues electric. Most recently, 'insurgent' country acts like those found on the Chicago imprint, Bloodshot, have spat at the bubblegum-laden shine of Nashville and have put acoustic guitars back in the hands of outlaws. A town so rich with musical diversity is bound to get under your skin, no matter where you come from (or how much you love Fugazi).

Written and recorded over the course of nine months, "Land Pirate Lullabies" is overloaded with Christopher and his cohorts (most of whom are transplant Chicagoans as well) churning out old-timey, folk, country and blues inflected pop tunes. Tracks such as "When The Pumps Run Dry" and "Dead Men" showcase the talents of Chicago locals The Jai-Alai Savant and The Armor Class, just to name a few. Maggie Kubley adds a touch of polish with her vocals on "Dolcezza" and Christopher's version of The Throwing Muses gem "Not Too Soon" - making a stark contrast to his voice, which owes as much to nicotine as it does to artists like Tom Waits and Nick Cave. The District's own Harry Dixon (aka Harry Hotter of The Ruling Class and producer of the duo Oblique Brown) turned "Two Wheels and Righteous", a scathing critique of bicycle activism (cleverly disguised as the blues), into his own brand of dubbed-out drums 'n drone. "Land Pirate Lullabies" is a country record for punk kids. It is a blues album for styled hipsters. It is folk music for laptop-heads. There is something universally appealing that shines through the layers of acoustic guitar, accordion, harmonica and trombone. Fact is, these are damn good songs - no matter where you come from.

EPRO011
$12

Format: CD

The second record from Stamen & Pistils is a diagonal step into new sonic terrain. On 2005’s End of The Sweet Parade, the band built a soundscape that was largely reliant upon density for texture, with lyrical themes focused on the follies of youth, as well as passionate reactions to love and loss. But now, the band’s follow-up, Towns, sees them stripping that sonic and lyrical method down to the barest elements. The sound is refined, yet gritty, while maintaining a sparse, but textured, space throughout. Their expanded lineup now includes drummer/percussionist John Masters, whose contributions add to the organic presence in the music’s dialogue between man and machine.

At times, Towns approaches a dark, broken, Southern Gothic aesthetic, but without explicitly pursuing that specific sound. This is reflected more in the moods and lyrical content, albeit in a non-traditional form. This new sound is comprised of beat-up, vintage reedy wind instruments, keys, guitars, and vocals, all recorded and played through futuristic tools. The record time-travels through inhabited spaces — both actual and imagined — exploring an emotional relationship between the metropolis and the more private realms of rural expanses in a unique fashion.

Hailing from Washington D.C., Stamen & Pistils have built a sound atypical of what is commonly expected from this city. Acoustic based folk-pop, filled out with programmed beats and synths form a sort of controlled chaos. Influenced as much by the future as by anachronism, Stamen & Pistils aim to create something new and sincerely their own: a highly textured sonic pallet of fuzzy deconstructed pop.

EPRO010
$12

Format: CD

Person is the D.I.Y. pop brainchild of guitarist Miguel Lacsamana of Stamen & Pistils (Echelon Productions) and Metropolitan (Crank Automotive). The band aims for a similar territory of danceable indie rock -- such as the Notwist, LCD Soundsystem, and the Postal Service -- but with a more soulful approach, reaching the likes of the Neptunes, Timbaland, and beyond to create a glitchy, electro/hip-hop backdrop.

The Person full-length, “Entitled,” is a comment on the fallibility of humanity, its duality illustrated through a set of songs playing off of one another in an ostensibly contradictory fashion. Both denouncing and succumbing to the insatiable desires of the sensory overload within a hyperreal environment. Person struggles, but finally concedes, and tells of reluctantly surrendering to the ideals of today’s consumer-driven culture in the beautifully honest “Business Class.”

Enter Spank Rock. Typically wielding a case full of block rocking party beats, Spank Rock opts for a slightly more austere take on their method. Alex XXXChange chooses to add a subtle punctuation, which subconsciously gets asses moving. His production perfectly complements the understated beauty of this track, and brings it from the bedroom to the dancefloor. Taking us home is a roaring remix of “Pharisee Pride” by Outputmessage. On previous releases through Melodic, Ghostly International, and Echelon Productions, this young prodigy gained critical acclaim for the refined pop sensibility of his production. This time around, Outputmessage warns innocent bystanders that if they don’t want to dance, they really need to get out of the way.

EPRO009
$9
Format: 12"

Person is the D.I.Y. pop brainchild of guitarist Miguel Lacsamana of Stamen & Pistils (Echelon Productions) and Metropolitan (Crank Automotive). The band aims for a similar territory of danceable indie rock -- such as the Notwist, LCD Soundsystem, and the Postal Service -- but with a more soulful approach, reaching the likes of the Neptunes, Timbaland, and beyond to create a glitchy, electro/hip-hop backdrop.

The Person full-length, Entitled, is a comment on the fallibility of humanity, and many of the songs play off of one another in an ostensibly contradictory fashion. It follows a protagonist who is in search of truth, but fumbles along the way. Entitled starts off with an almost cautionary sci-fi epic tale, The Fall of Perception, produced by Outputmessage (Ghostly International/Melodic/ Echelon Productions). Throughout the album, Person denounces, then succumbs, to the insatiable desires of the sensory overload within this hyperreal environment. Valid Concerns, an indie rock/IDM club jam, voices thoughts of what he should do to find that special someone, even if just for one night. You Aint Hot, featuring Young Rae (Echelon Productions), is a scathing criticism of today's pop world, achieved by successfully imitating the tried and tired formula of today's pop charters. Motives takes a Phariseean approach to the one-night stand: by giving in, yet placing the blame on the other person. Who Do You Want Me to Be? explores how we all adjust our personalities to satiate what we desire. Neither Forgiving Nor Forgetting is an angry banger calling out the shortcomings of a former lover and by doing so, calling out his own. Although there are critical lyrics, Person concedes that he still surrenders to the ideals of todays consumer-driven culture in the album closer, Business Class.

EPRO007
$12

Format: CD

"End of the Sweet Parade", the debut release from Washington DC's Stamen & Pistils, is a collection of songs that aim to illustrate some of the follies of youth. The observation of uncertainty in ones self and others, and the result of perhaps putting too much of an emphasis on ones expecations of others.

But now we've reached the end. The songs tell excerpts of stories that speak of the time passed, and that contained with each instant. The company of friends, the embrace of lovers, rivalries engaged, a cathartic peak, and humbled hopes. The real focus of attention here is the sincerity in lyricism, self-effacing and at once honest.

Mixed by improvised electronic noise artist and sound designer Derek Morton of the Mikroknytes, and mastered by Alan Douches (Animal Collective, Def Jux, Her Space Holiday), the band present here an unconventional pop record. From the dense RIL-esque opener "Hand Painted Characters," through the futuristic aggression crest of "Boys Vs. Girls," to the innocent calm-after-the-storm sparseness of "Friction," Stamen & Pistils strike a balance between folksy acoustic stylings and left of center electronic sounds.

EPCD005
$8

Format: CD

Feller Quentin's 2nd full length (following the self-released "Cat in a Tree With a Bird In Its Teeth") and his first for Echelon Productions, sees a much more solid set of songs and an expanded innovation from the previous effort. The clever tales float around a cast of characters that include insects and animals, baseball legends and nuns with their forbidden brides.

Once again, Feller Quentin, plays one man band here as he juggles duties on guitar, mandolin, banjo, cello, drums, beats, and of course vocals. The songs range from the Lee Hazelwood-esque slow-burners to the more uptempo rompers. Fans of Little Wings, Moldy Peaches, and Beck will certainly find something they quite enjoy.

A unique voice for any genre, Cohen's folk tales are an old-timey quilt wrapped around you and your friends whilst sitting around a campfire, listening to your ipod playlist as broadcast through the FM transmitter plugged into your '84 Volvo station wagon.

EPCD004
$12

Format: CD

IATWTC/Paper Lions:
split 12" EP

I am the World Trade Center (IATWTC) and the Paper Lions team up for an exclusive vinyl split 12" EP released jointly by Echelon Productions and Doubling Cube Records. IATWTC kicks off the A side with "No Expectations", a track pulled from their upcoming full length, and which signals to their maturing as a band, though still rooted in the beat-and-hook pop electronica of their previous efforts. Following are a pair of covers, a sublime Minority Report remix of the IATWTC’s rendition of the Stone Roses’ "Shoot You Down", and an interpretation of Human League’s "Don’t You Want Me", which has long been a favorite at their shows and now finally appears on record.

On the flip side, with production by Josh McKay of the critically acclaimed band Macha, the Paper Lions burst out with their set of tunes, the explosive "Mission Statement", "Line-Up", and "Every Time", which features IATWTC’s Amy Dykes on lead vocals and hearkens back to the days of early Blondie.

The results of the recordings with Josh McKay were astonishing and a huge step forward for the band. These songs envelop the listener with urgency and tension, much like the first time you placed a Rough Trade Records release on your turntable.

EP12001/DCR003
$7

Format: 12"

Delivering a stand out performance on last year's Ghostly International Idol Tryouts compilation, and a Dabrye remix on 12" under his belt, this artist is certainly one to pay attention to. As Outputmessage, 20-year-old Bernard Farley blends a hip-hop sensibility with an ambient flare, blending flittering beats and pulsating synthesizers to create 36 minutes of bliss. The songs range from the fanciful to the contemplative, and move from one to the other with the effortless grace of raindrops streaking down a car window. Some bubble with playful imagination while others simmer slowly.

"Farley's first output for Echelon is a marvellous listen, crossing many experimental borders... This is high-quality engrossing stuff throughout" —Urb Magazine

"Outputmessage doesn't give you melody as much as ephemeral scents to breathe in and appreciate, which is refreshing."—Outburn Magazine

epcd003
$8

Format: CD

With his EP From Utopianism to Hedonism, Esca shared some of his social observations and filtered them through a mildly-psychedelic kaleidoscope. Now with these songs, the point of observation is turned around, and the listener is brought closer into Radel’s soul as “Echoing Badu” explores the realm of lament over missed opportunities, lingering emotions, glowing innocence, and of holding onto a hope that in the next lifetime things will be different—the details will be right, thoughts will be expressed, and beauty will develop in the most natural fashion.

The music has hints of early 1980s nostalgia, but rather than the party rocking beats or the electro vibe one might expect these days with any mention of the 1980s, the electric piano riffs and fretless bass licks are more suggestive of something far more intimate—a fuzzy memory, or maybe a fading photograph.The b-side of this record contains a perfectly complimentary tune in “My Favorite Theme”, which pauses upon a single moment. It is a reflection upon some inspiration gained, and the recognition of one’s muse. The mellow, hypnotic drone of this song pulls you into that very instant, and keeps you there as thoughts run in real time while physical surroundings remain frozen in place.

ep7002
$4

Format: 7"

Dead Artists: "Vital Media"
b/w "Adopt the Formula"

Debut single for this collective and the first vinyl offering on Echelon Productions. "Vital Media" is a straight forward and easy banger. Taking the direct approach, Blake9 exercises his strength on the SP1200 and produces a track that is right to the point, as Radel Esca contemplates a world where the waking life seems almost indistinguishable from a dream.

"Adopt the Formula" flips the mood somewhat, as a backdrop of flutes and subtle keys set a scene a bit more serene. The subaquatic, almost ethereal vibe on this one is sure to please.

ep7001
$4

Format: 7"

Back in Stock, we've come across a handful of boxes of this rare disc. Get one before they are gone forever.

Hip hop went out dancing all night, slept around with various other types, and this is what she sounds like as she lay in bed smoking a cigarette. Certainly the logical progression from the Future Contemporaries EP. The beats are sedated, melodies laced with undefineable sounds, sonically taking the ideas from the last effort the next step further. Quite enjoyable from start to finish, this disc is best listned to during the smallest hours of the morning while burning lavender oils and in a deep thought—becuase it sounds as though that might have been how it was recorded.

Applauded by cats such as Egon of Stones Throw Records and Count Bass-D, this is a rare and raw account of left-field hip hop.

written and produced by radel esca

epcd002
$5

Format: CD-r

DCR001
$8

format: CD

LDOM:
The First 7 Billion Miles

"Exquisite" **** (four stars) – All Music Guide

DCR002
$8

format: CD

Nine Fifteen:
Deluxe Laminated 12"

Nine:Fifteen (a duo consisting of MC Comel_15 and DJ/Producer Blake9) are back with their second 12-inch release on Candle Wax Records, “Deluxe Laminated”. Another undeniably raw, full-flavored hip hop single from the label quickly establishing itself amongst the indie-elite, the three track single sees Blake9 laying down some gritty bangers from his trusty SP1200 while Comel_15 provides clever wordplay and a dose of reality with a buttery flow.

Cover art by Raul Zahir.

CWR12002
$6.50

Format: 12"

San Francicso's Vinyl Monkey's represent on this one. Features cuts by Blake9 (Dead Aritsts). Sleepers sleep The A-side, "The Doo Bad Hustle" features Blake9 on the zigga zigga over an RjD2 type track filed with crisp drums and a funky ass bassline. The flip side, "Concrete Cavalier" is an experimental that stretches the boundaries of hip hop.

CWR7001
$4

format: 7"

Nine Fifteen: Spilt Milk EP

Blake9 (Dead Aritsts) and Comel_15 of Time Machine fame team up on this one for one of the most exciting hip hop releases this year.

"...they've composed a stellar single and packaged it with two sturdy B-sides. "Spilt Milk" rides a jungle boogie trumpet squeal and a shuffling four note bass figure and refuses to let your ears wander until it's over. Comel's amiable delivery and natural flow keep the verses fresh, but the focus is clearly on the half-sung, half-spoken hook, and that's a good thing, because it's a winner."

Cover art by Raul Zahir.

CWR12001
$6.50

Format: 12"