Customer Reviews

Pimalia Presents Smatterings Volume One [Explicit]

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I'm one half of 400 Lonely Things, and I compiled this album, so it's safe to say that I'm partial to this. That being said, I think this album is more than a label sampler; it's a compilation that plays like an album and has a certain flow and cohesion that balances its unpredictability and strangeness. Some of the songs are as bizarre and adventurous as the provocative, pulpy artwork (check out the additional images) - while others are quiet and organic and content to lurk in the background. Some tracks are creepy and soundtracky in their seriousness, and others are funny, catchy, and aggressive. But all are bewildering, both in the sense of their uniqueness and in their obscurity. Usually, saying that something is new and different is rightfully met with skepticism, cynicism or disappointment - but in the case of Smatterings it can be said with a straight face. There's bound to be something you've never heard of here that you like, and plenty to baffle the uninitiated. Most of these artists have several albums available right here at Amazon, and they could all use your support. It's a free download, give it a try and write your own review.

Here's what a few others have said about Smatterings:
"A diverse roster of under noticed talent that deserves to be heard." [...]
"Truly furthering the art of music." Midnight Podcast

And since I mentioned that I'm in 400 Lonely Things - allow me to plug our recent remix of George Romero's Night of the Living Dead, called Tonight of the Living Dead. It was just endorsed by Judith O'Dea, who played "Barbara" in the movie and has been getting noticed by horror news sites like Dread Central, Fangoria, Bloody Disgusting and others...

Tonight of the Living Dead is here:
http://www.amazon.com/Tonight-of-the-Living-Dead/dp/B001N8YUE0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1242419604&sr=1-1

I absolutely love this disk. What a refreshing, unpredictable series of songs. Up-down, slow-fast, hard-soft... it's all here, but not too loopy or clubby. This is original, surprising stuff. No two artists are alike. First I was rocking around cleaning, then I was slipping away into sofa dreams, then I was laughing hysterically. What a treat. And I like the genre-free concept. Thank you PIMALIA.

First off, let me say if you don't know who Gordon Sharp, Steve Stapleton or David Tibet are, this is compilation is not for you. For fans of Nurse With Wound, Current 93, Cindytalk, Aphex Twin Boards Of Canada et al, this is what you'll be listening to in the near future. This comp is a collection of the newest and most interesting group of experimental musicians to be under one roof. From the atmospheric moods of 400 Lonely Things, the guitar-driven improv of Larry Marotta, to the darkness of SF mainstay Forms of Things Unknown - there is something for everyone searching for the outer limits of music.

If you ever purchased a record from Forced Exposure or Soleilmoon, you need to have this! This is the next wave.

not sure how I stumbled onto this but glad I did. a wide sweeping array of artists and styles that seems to bring me back repeatedly... in the regular rotation for now. I'm of the opinion that nothing is truly free but this is worth the download. From atmospheric to electronic madness a little something for everyone here... really looking forward to digging in deeper with a few of the artists (which is what comps are for I guess,) mainly Hawaiian Garbage, 400 Lonely Things, Moolah Temple Stringband and Robot Buckwheats... Robot Buckwheats?... what a bunch of freaks. Love it.

I've got 150 some odd gigs of music I have yet to listen to out of 380 or so gigs total. Beethoven to Bob Wills to Bauhaus. Surprisingly, a few tracks here caught my attention. I liked Hawaiian Garbage (sweet like mama), Moolah Temple (good songwriting), Buckwheat Robots (cool ambient effects), and The Jump Rope Posse (Weird).

Thanks For The Tunes

This is a great collection of unusual music. The Mookoid track especially - is really awesome. Very eerie...

Beautiful acoustic guitar work by Larry Marotta (track 4) -- I'd like to hear more of his silent film soundtracks.

Uncle makes wood with his teeth. None of us are pleased with this. But when Mother serves us her bone marrow soup, we feel like a family again. the dogs rub up against our legs and I feel the fury of life throbbing in my undywears. Father comes in and rubs the back of my neck with his dirty sweater that he keeps underneath his hot rod. Neither of us talk about this. Father sits down and waits until we finish the soup. Father wants his bone marrow ice cold. We stay at the dinner table, dogs a scurrying, and watch Father slurp as he stares us down. Uncle keeps facing the corner of the kitchen spitting splinters at our family portraits. This upsets Father and he puts his sweater in the oven and it burns immediately. I weep openly and I kick the dogs under the table.

Pimalia succeeds with this eclectic first sampler from its roster of artists. I've listened to this comp multiple times since its release and have neither skipped any of the tracks nor shut it off. I can't believe that Amazon is offering something this cool/esoteric as a free download (although hard copies have always been available via snail mail).

Stylistically, Smatterings Vol I is all over the map but retains a certain continuity lacking in most label compilations. The Robot Buckwheats and Moolah Temple $tringband tunes are my favorite but the Penetralia and Diarmuid MacDiarmada cuts have received heavy rotation at home and in the car.

I am already a huge fan of 400 Lonley Things, Hawaiian Garbage, Robot Buckwheats, Moolah Temple $tringband, and Forms Of Things Unknown (I believe all available from Amazon). Do yourself a favor and download Pimlia's Smatterings Vol I (for free) and check out their truly eclectic roster of artists. It's the bomb, baby, bomb. It helps you get your freak on.

I don't get it. How are ANY of these tracks "explicit"? There aren't even any lyrics.