Bambara

Bambara have based themselves as one of my favorite groups in the recent years, with a dazzling Three of a Kind incredible albums. I've talked about my admiration for them at least once here before, when they started to gain some more fame with their 2006 Swarm.
Most of their releases are available through bandcamp, except two early albums, for whatever the reasons are, and this post joins in the series of posts I now title "clearing albums I will never listen to off my PC, and are recommended for groupies/curiousity only". Already done this kind of posts before so I'm repeating myself here- If you by any chance never heard these guys, these albums are not where you should be starting, not because they're bad or something, but just far from representing what this band is capable of, and doing today.

If you haven't looked it up, you probably won't have a clue how long this trio is active. Reid brothers and Brookshire are working together since 2001, when they where young teens in Athens. Their perseverance is something I truly admire, they worked hard for many years and now I believe fruits are being paid off. I also love the fact you can hear through their music the process of them growing up and gaining musical influences, style changes, maturity, evolving their sound.

Debut release (actually, they've released in 2006 an album under the name 23Jinx, never heard it though) was this self titled, released when they were only 20 I believe. By far the most different one from today's Bambara, but you can still hear some glimpses. Recorded when they were still in Georgia, this one has much more alternative rock/21st century emo post hardcore vibes to it. Not bad at all, considering the young age and all.

2008 - Bambara

1. Clouds Around Our Feet

2. Shake

3. Lullay

4. Someone's Ghost

5. In The Palace Of TVs And Chairs

6. Ferocious Beasts At Play

7. Snakes In Our Hair

8. Rattling On The Cusp

9. Morning Dye

10. Native Tongue

Next came the last EP, before moving to New York City. Making the move towards post punk, pretty bad production.

2010 - Dog Ear Days

1. Repeat After Me

2. Drag Hesitation

3. Stay Gray

4. Feed The Pigs

5. Swim With The Trees

6. Chiromancy

As said, if you wanna listen to Bambara, check Swarm-Shadow On Everything-Stray 'trilogy'. 

And give them your full support, these guys deserve it.
They had a pretty good momentum, hope that virus won't stop them.

D-Smile - Kiss

Short lived group formed by two sisters and three other guys who've been in and out a few more known groups around that time. Nothing too shabby here, very 90's, catchy grungy noise rock, if you're really in need for more of this kind, go ahead.
Probably some (not more than five) people are looking for this, so.. enjoy.

1. Come On
2. Oh Lover
3. Come On The Bird
4. Spiritual Whore
5. Peace Time
6. Vitamin See
7. Don't Leave Me
8. Streets Of N.Y.
9. Turn The Light
10. T.V Song
11. Calling To The Child

Join The Kiss Army

Friction

Just two live sets by フリクション some might have trouble finding online.

1996 - Friction Live 1980

Recorded by the classic trio at Kanagawa University (Kanagawa, Japan) on 1980.05.25.

160kbps but audio is pretty good for 1980's live recording. The better show between the two.

Re-released in 2007 under Friction Live, Pass Tour '80.

1. Time Smoke

2. Big-S

3. A-Gas

4. Cycle Dance

5. No Thrill

6. 100 Nen

7. Ikigire

8. Automatic Fru.

9. Out

10. Kagayaki

2006 - Live At "Ex Mattatoio" In Roma

Recorded by the second incarnation at "Japan Japan Festival" in Rome on 1984.08.28.

Lossless rip. This was previously released back in 1985, with shorter setlist, this release includes as far as I know the full show.

1. Intro

2. Ikigire (Out of Breath)

3. Pick Up

4. New Baby's

5. New Sensation

6. Defence

7. Easy

8. Cushion

9. Crazy Dream

God

Tos Nieuwenhuizen,
1987.09.13 (I think)

Before Kevin Martin's, God has revealed himself upon the earth in the form of a dutch power trio. I'm not gonna expand many words about this, mainly cause I'm not the biggest fan of this group, just cleaning some stuff off the computer, so thought I'll upload it here first for whoever.
Don't get me wrong, all three of them are highly technichal, talented players for sure, and the music is a bizzare mix of progressive art-y heavy thrash metal jams, something like Gore-Black Sabbath-Black Flag-someone, but I just never come to listen to any of the albums, never struck me as memorable ones. Someone will enjoy it more for sure.
First line up was responsible for first two albums (their semi-primitive debut Sweet Life is undoubtly my favorite) included Tos Nieuwenhuizen (guitar), Daan van der Elsken (drums, vocals) and Michael Cavanaugh (bass). Tos left on and the last album saw the addition of Björn Warning (guitar, vocals) and Joszja de Weerdt (guitar), with them the sound became a bit more "90's alternative" thing.

If you're looking for more God, be sure to check this '87 radio session up at Brob Tilt's tapes, it's even claimed to be better than their studio, for me it's all the same. Brob also scanned an interview with them at his Zine-World if you care.




1988 - Sweet Life (as said, their best)

1. See Smoke, Smell Fire
2. The Finger
3. Settling Down
4. Lust
5. Wimps
6. Teste Marce
7. Stomping Ground
8. Sack B.
9. So Be It!
10. The Asset of Punishment

1989 - The Shametree

1. Risk of Regrets
2. Blessed
3. Wordsworth
4. Stuck
5. Can You Take It
6. Medicine
7. What Climax
8. Brainstorm

1991 - Headrush

1. Image Down
2. Fooler Of Fools
3. You Know Me Not
4. When Time Is Present
5. Zero Sicks
6. Taste
7. Horizon The Liar
8. Drink Deep
9. Black Balled
10. Chicken Song
11. Who'll Decide
12. Child
13. Classic

Various Artists - Haifa Point

Here's a compilation of local Haifa-Krayot bands in the late 80's, I don't have much info about who and what, all are pretty anonymous, but I have a fine gut feeling that all the artists here circle pretty much the same participants. There's plenty of uncertain info coming ahead.

I think this was compiled by "Marcelino" aka "Mr. Chello" (probably Israel Dotan), who joined the latter incarnation of the more known group among these no names, called שרמוטה מעופפת בהרים (Sharmuta [Slut] Flying In The Mountains). They were somewhat a "cult" band in Israel (even though few are the people who heard them and you can count on two hands the amount of shows they did between '87-'90), playing their own version for music, which came as what one might call avant garde industrial music, known for incorporating bizarre self made instruments and for playing a gig at a mental asylum in Tirat Carmel (at least one of the members was hospitalized there during the years).

M.I. Dotan - pretty sure is just the aforementioned Israel Dotan.

Both songs presented by Katherina And Patricson, were later recorded by a band called איוב (Eyov), so I guess this is just an early incarnation of Eyov which included, surprise, former members of Sharmuta (Yuval Hillman who played bass, Mor "Matt" Romi on guitar).

Jem Boom Jem's track is also called "You Have To Look For", it was recorded in 1987, in Kiryat Motzkin.
Zohar Leshetz (aka Bionic Shultz, of Sharmuta) doing the vocals, both Doron Reubens and the aformentioned Yuval Hillman on bass, Keren Alon on guitar.

Honestly, this tape doesn't represent the most amazing music you'll hear today, it's far from being something I'd strongly recommend, but some might enjoy some tracks here, and if not, it's here for the sake of documentation. You can find here a lo-fi blend of industrial/electroncis/synths/post punk/acoustics.
Personal favorite is the D. Zonder Men's track.

Hebrew readers who might amuse themselves with Yoram Bar's bashing review over here, should also take notice for the comment by Boris "Swisa" Svirsky (founder of Sharmuta F.I.T.M.) claiming these two tracks by his band absolutely don't represent their true sound.

What's the point.. (lossless tape rip)

Many thanks once again for Rani Zager who opened up his ZazBenDoom tapes vault.

If you happen to have the sole Sharmuta official release, 1991 "Classic Hits Compilation", and willing to share, no one here will stop you, be sure of that, nor will anyone prevent you from shedding light on the other obscure artists here. Info, photos, etc.. are always more than welcome (I can contribute some more info, pics and audio regarding Sharmuta if anyone cares).