Steve Gunn/Shawn David McMillen
End Of The City
ASR045
Co-released with DNT and a new label called Abaddon, this LP finds these two very talented musicians in their prime. Steve's side clearly displays his guitar wizardry, while remaining honest and heartfelt. After several years with GHQ, Steve has sharpened his skills, and it really shows. If you've had the pleasure of seeing him perform live, you know exactly what I mean.
Shawn's recent collaborations with Warmer Milks seep through on his side of the album. Bleaker and darker than Steve's side, Shawn tells his tale through guitar, piano, synth and tape manipulation. It's completely engrossing. With it's many crooked bends and turns, it will lead you to a sort of discomforting fulfillment that gets more intense with each listen.
LP edition of 500
$12 US / email for international rates
Steve Gunn:
Shawn McMillen
Balladry Magazine
Issue #2
At long last the second issue of Balladry has finally arrived, and we're really excited about it! Print is nearly dead, but we gathered every possible resource to make this happen and we couldn't be happier with it.
The first issue went rather quickly (still available HERE), that's why it was never posted on the site. With some minor adjustments, the second issue looks more polished and has some added content.
Featuring tons of album reviews, artwork by Shawn Reed (Raccoo-oo-oon, Wet Hair, Night People), Peter Friel (Young Tapes, Color Dream), and Mary Kidd (she did the rad cover), and interviews with Heavy Winged, Jessica Bailiff, and the awesome dudes over at Mutant Sounds, this one is sure to please.
I am pricing this as low as humanly possible jut to keep it in print. Where else can you find a high quality, full color publication to fulfill your need for underground music and art? Check out the page samples above!
28 Pages
Full Color, inside and out, magazine-quality stock
Limited to 200 copies
$6.50 US / email for international rates
Time Life
Open To Both Sides
ASR055
In this live performance, recorded in Amsterdam during a 2008 monthlong tour of Germany and Greece, the duo of Heidi Diehl (of Vanishing Voice and Nautilus) and G. Lucas Crane (of Vanishing Voice and Nonhorse) showcase their road-dogged sound visions, approaching a dream synthesis both premeditated and unhinged. This album is beautifully dark and wondrous, terribly serene and introspective. For those of you who know and love Time Life, this album will not disappoint. If you have yet to hear them, this is a great place to start
c38 edition of 150
Queen Elephantine
Kailash
ASR054
"Kailash takes its name and guiding spirit from the mythical Himalayan peak on which the Destroyer dwells in the state of perpetual meditation, in the deathless state."
Originally hailing from Hong Kong, this New York-based group is bringing something entirely new to the table. Hypnotic eastern-tinged drones create the backdrop for their dark and brooding vocals. Creating something truly unique, and definitely the first of it's kind on Abandon Ship. Keep an eye out for more from Queen Elephantine in the coming months. Their future is bright, although their sounds may not be!
c60 edition of 50
Towering Heroic Dudes
My Morning Jackoff
ASR053
We kicked things off in high gear with some FM static-influenced jamming, culminating in a junction of distorted meuhs and synth-crunch. With a short, Excepter-inspired jam in between, leading into some ethereal cosmo-noise to end the first side.
Side B is a live set recorded at our friend Math Bill's place on the magical island of Broad Channel, NY. Lo-fi skuzz-noise at it's finest.
c40 edition of 50
Vakhchav
Hunting Horns
ASR052
"Recorded mostly in 2007 when most of my dreams consisted of running into a crystalline water mass. Safe
to say, usually awoke with no scratch but with ambitions of translation. Lots of florescent drones, stirred briskly into 1 part acoustic + 1 part synth anaesthetic equaling out a hefty mess of sun dogs."
- Nickolas Mohanna
cd-r edition of 50
Patriotic Window Klings
ASR049
Ankle deep in effluent and reverb, these southern hermits keep it realer than real, (unrealer than unreal?). The Patriotic Window Klings are definitely plotting their own course through the yellow pine dust, dragging an ostentatious tail through the whole shebang, and spitting out some pretty brutal shards.
Is that the sound of a broken Casio being dragged by a 1987 mustang cougar down 2 miles of gravel road, or are my ears hallucinating? Did TS Mc Phee break a couple of his fingers,get together with Graham Lambkin, and record some blasted out soundscapes on a Vicodin jag?
If you're hip to Blues Control, Sun Araw and some of the other more hazy, dirt encrusted psych explorers currently practicing the Art – you will definitely get something out of the Klings.
cd-r edition of 50
King Crab
Moskoe-Ström
ASR048
Deep, dark, scuzzed out jams recorded through a rift in the time-space continuum. Sincerely bleak sonics that will bring you to your knees either begging for mercy or for more. A first time listener might make a comparison to Mouthus, but these guys have tapped into something truly unique. Turn it up loud.
cd-r edition of 50
Antique Brothers
Sons of Winter
ASR047
"This album was conceived in the cold unforgiving days between the end of 2006 and the start of 2007. My brother and I were together in the land we grew up in for the first time in almost a year. We improvised acoustic duets, and over the next year, built a record around them. I like to think the spirit of our Mother was present during these sessions. Our Father was present in body as well as spirit. We thank him for opening his doors and heart to us, as he has done time after time since we have both left home on our own roads."
- Cy Gengras
cd-r edition of 100
Totally Dad
Video For The Snake
ASR043
Three hell-hermits from Middleton Street extra choose to live like field mice. one yea cooks, one ha cleans, and one cuts doh paper. if they notice the night late has begun, they drop their gold duties and fold instruments into towels bang. It has all been full saved. Somebody does it better than.
CD-R edition of 100
Starving Weirdos
Absolute Freedom
ASR024
"Here it is, our first 7" and we're PSYCHED!!! These two sides represent
some of the earliest of SW material; culled from old 4 track tapes recorded
in long lost living rooms, with friends and on the fly. Two kernels given
the royal treatment, thanks to our friends at Abandon Ship! One an
ontological cry into the abyss, the other a march in dedication to those
forgotten souls who call it home." - Starving Weirdos
7" edition of 500...with pro-printed cover art and insert
Fantastic Magic
Witch Choir (Repress)
ASR033
For anyone who missed out the first time around, or those looking for a higher fidelity version of this release...
"Take a magical trip on a pegasus through a field of LSD. Flowers harmonize and dance among young wizards at the festival of the equinox.", stated a mystical nypmh as he sat perched apon a toadstool, shanai in hand. These thoughts come to mind as a neo-psychedelic journey begins through a field of emerald green grass and a multicolored sky that is Fantastic Magic. Pull up a woven floor mat and enjoy the fruits of the earth as you delve into three young wizards journey through the island forest."
- Orion Ferguson
cd-r edition of 400
Gang Wizard
Live In Paris
ASR021
"We claimed to be touring Europe with just the bare necessities. We
claimed that any amp and drum situation would work for us. Paris put
this claim to the test. The drum kit was a snare, a kick, and a street
sign. The amplification was a single blown out PA. So we ran two
guitars, three full electronics set ups and the vocals through the PA, and
just went for it. The massive amounts of signal cancellation
transformed five musicians into one single Frankenstein. The street sign
didn't work as a cymbal, so dump a dump had to do. But somehow this
became the most powerful set of the entire tour. Insistent throbbing
distortion that somehow is a rock band, except when the PA would
overheat and only vocals/drums remained. Rowdy French speaking
audience imitating whatever they thought our gibberish lyrics were.
Most told us the set was too short, but twenty minutes spent hanging off the
edge of chaos felt like ages to us. We're very proud of this
performance. This is what music sounds like when you work for it. Too
many universal rock bands are just doing it to bring themselves
pleasure. Doing it for the pleasure of the audience sometimes means
that the performer doesn't have fun at all. Which is 100% ok, since
the only thing that matters is how the audience feels."
- Brian Miller
3" CD-R edition of 100
Saints
Umbanda
ASR022
Jarringly intense noise-with-a-purpose from this Californian duo. Hold onto your butts.
"Like pulling the sun with a beast drawn plow through a lush jewel field in wet-diamond South America with Macumban's mambo bassdrum looking for a T. Rex in the moonflood. Bend down low."
C31 edition of 100
Crow Feathers
Imaginary Scores
ASR014
"Pre-dawn bedroom synthesizer and guitar compositions from a North Carolina ex-pat currently exiled to Central Michigan. Imaginary Scores never stagnates in effortless emotionalism; instead melancholy passages trace the horizon for glints of hope, seeking resolution and solace. This collection exhibits my favorite long-form recordings from the past year. While these pieces were not created with the intent to function together as a cohesive album, when paired together in this manner, I found that they illuminate an ethereal, radiant quality for which I always strive."
- Brandon Miller
2 x 3" CD-R Edition of 100
Nessmuk
Flies Free
ASR013
This 3" EP features Pennsylvania's finest: Kevin Moist and friends from some of his other projects, The Clear Spots and Evening Fires. He's transcribed a fitting description for it:
"Scenes from a mountain travelogue: Ghostly peaks glimpsed through shifting fog, followed by a climb across a rugged expanse of boulders, opening into a wide canyon bathed in sourceless light. Nineteen minutes of four-track cave drones transmitted via guitars, synths, and spirit shakers. "
- Kevin Moist
3" CD-R Edition of 100.
David Newlyn
A Nervous State of Mind
ASR011
Hailing from Durham, UK Newlyn creates an aural landscape of beauty and relaxation. Meditative and ambient sounds will put you in a remarkable mindset of well-being and contentment.
"A Nervous State Of Mind' – 9 tracks recorded over the past few months, usually on a Saturday afternoon when the house is empty. The tracks were recorded on digital 4 track, mini-disc and PC using guitar, keyboard, and various bits and pieces of software. The muffled sounds at the beginning of Just Might Fade Away were recorded on a mobile phone in a supermarket. "
- David Newlyn
C32 Edition of 100.
Nonhorse
Xol Mic
ASR007
"Xol Mic is a double burning cry for help and cleansing. I was moving out of bad trauma and into
good trauma after traveling the US and Canada and all was unmoored and wierd. I was scratching at something, and brooding over bad old tapes of long winded
effected harp and reeds and good new tapes of pure house sounds at my new diggs, where the only thing i could focus on was wandering around vaguely with a
tape recorder. The A side was recorded after a fateful exposure. My mother is a science teacher in Brooklyn where i myself went and was young, and in the thrash of moving boxes full of utter trash i stopped home.
"Xol Mic dissapeared two days ago" she said gravely when i walked in. Xol was one of my favorite of her classroom stories, as him and his brother 'Cruise Mic' had a massive intimadating mother who wore cornrows and team jerzies that matched her Timbalands and boasted of her massive wealth and propensity for violence to the other mothers at every turn. Poor Xol always looked pained and embarrassed. "we called his mothers cell and she's like, 'oh sorry yeah, we all had to go to LA to return a fur coat...i gotta go...' im worried about the kid." 'Torquque binder' was recorded that night.
The B side is for Tony Miller, who's room i moved into. The bass claranet is played by my pal Foxy Pink gloves. During the recording, a smoking brazer cracked
in half and the coals fell into my sock drawer, setting it ablaze. Foxy kept playing as i put it out with beer, and we continued for 20 more minutes in the
smoke filled room. Thanks Tony.... "
- G. Lucas Crane
C90 Edition of 300.
