'For Scant Applause' - Thank You!

Thank you to everybody who picked up a copy of 'For Scant Applause' and made a donation to support the work of Crisis. I sent of the total sum of £177.00 to Crisis this morning (24/12) but if any more sales come in I'll continue to donate as and when they do. You can pick up a copy here if you so fancy.

Thanks once again to everyone involved in the project; to anybody who helped spread the word of the project; to everyone who picked up a copy; and once again to all the artists who submitted works for the record. You're all excellent.

Merry Christmas!

'We've Had Complaints' - A Mix of Crow Versus Crow's DJ Set at Three Wise Monkeys, Todmorden on 14th December 2014

This is a mix made to recreate a set I played as guest DJ at Three Wise Monkeys, Todmorden on Sunday 14th December 2014. Thank you to Marcel/Maverick for the opportunity to play these tracks and the trust necessary to give me free rein over the set.

1. Sun Ra - Imagination (An Anthology Of Noise & Electronic Music / Second A-Chronology 1936-2003 / Sub Rosa, 2003)
2. Vibracathedral Orchestra - Ordinary Babies (Versatile Arab Chord Chart / VHF Records, 2000)
3. Pärson Sound - One Quiet Afternoon (In the King's Garden) (Pärson Sound / ti'llindien, Subliminal Sounds, 2001)
4. Mohammad - Sakrifis (Som Sakrifis / PAN, 2013)
5. Moon Ra - V (Moon Ra / Triangle Tapes, 2013)
6. Khalifa Ould Eide & Dimi Mint Abba - Oh Lord Bring Apartheid Crashing Down! (Moorish Music From Mauritania / World Circuit, 1990)
7. Vile Plumage - The Evidence Was Buried In Her Broken Heart (Goldenn Murderss / Burselm Crypt Recordings, 2014)
8. Unknown Artist - Kouco Solo (Africa: Drum, Chant & Instrumental Music / Nonesuch Explorer Series, 1976)
9. Papal Bull - Esther Mung, The Tenderloin (In Ceres A Pig With Human Hands And Feet Was Born / Chocolate Monk, 2013)
10. Otomo Yoshihide - Reminiscence 1 ("Prisoner": A Film By Adachi Masao / HEADZ, 2007)
11. Daniel Bachman - Funny How Plans Change (Daniel Bachman / Lancashire and Somerset, 2014)
12. Mount Eerie - The Universe is Shown (No Flashlight / P.W. Elverum and Sun Ltd. / 2005)
13. Kink Gong - Baozoo Khen (Voices / Discrepant, 2013)
14. John Cale - Summer Heat (Sun Blindness Music / Table of Elements, 2001)
15. Sunroof! - The Last Lemur (Delicate Autobahn Under Construction / VHF Records, 2004)
16. Fred Frith - Minimalism (for Tomoko Itani) (Clearing / Tzadik, 2001)
17. Arthur Russell - Soon-To-Be Innocent Fun-Let's See (World Of Echo / Upside Records, 1986)
18. RAUM - Blood Moon (Event of Your Leaving / Glass House, 2013)
19. Fly Pan Am - Et Aussi L'Éclairage De Plastique Au Centre De Tout Ces Compartiments Latéraux (Fly Pan Am / Constellation Records, 1999)
20. Ex-Easter Island Head - Mallet Guitars Two Fourth Movement (Mallet Guitars Two / Music For Moai Hava / Low Point, 2012)
21. Kogumaza - Mara (Sevens b/w Mara / Low Point, 2010)

Crow Versus Crow DJ Set at Three Wise Monkeys, Todmorden, 14-12-14 by Crow Versus Crow on Mixcloud

The Crow Versus Crow Radio Show #83

The 83rd episode of The Crow Versus Crow Radio Show.

Recorded at Crow Versus Crow Haus using a Zoom H1 recorder as a microphone. Stitched together using outdated software. Please listen to this on headphones.

If you are at all interested in the work of the artists featured in this episode, please support the artists and labels through purchasing their records and attending their shows where possible.

This episode originally aired in a far inferior mono form on 96.7 Phoenix FM (Calderdale) on Sunday 21st December 2014 between 6 and 8pm.

1. Boredoms - LIVWE!! (Excerpt) (Super Roots 9/ Thrill Jockey, 2008)
2. The Truth About Frank - Sale Of The Trinity (For Scant Applause / Crow Versus Crow, 2014)

3. The Pogues - Hell's Ditch (Hell's Ditch / Pogue Mahone Records, 1990)
4. Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band - There Ain't No Santa Claus On The Evenin' Stage (The Spotlight Kid / Reprise Records, 1972)
5. The Fall - Jingle Bell Rock (The Complete Peel Sessions 1978-2004 / Castle Music, 2005)

6. Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers - Abominable Snowman In The Market (23 Great Recordings By.. Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers / Castle Communications, 1993)
7. The Sonics - Don't Believe In Christmas (Here Are The Sonics!!! / Norton Records, 1992 (RE))

8. John Fahey - We Three Kings Of Orient Are (The New Possibility: John Fahey's Soli Christmas Album / Takoma, 1968)
9. John Fahey – Silent Night, Holy Night (The New Possibility: John Fahey's Soli Christmas Album / Takoma, 1968)
10. Mark Kozelek - Do You Hear What I Hear? (Sings Christmas Carols / Caldo Verde, 2014)

11. The Crystals - Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers (A Christmas Gift For You / Philles Records, 1963)
12. Low - Long Way Around The Sea (Christmas / Tugboat Records, 1999)
13. Ten – Meads (For Scant Applause / Crow Versus Crow, 2014)
14. Arab Strap - Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home) (Not on Label, 2005)

15. The Ronettes - I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (A Christmas Gift For You / Philles Records, 1963)
16. Posset – Mommy Kissing San (For Scant Applause / Crow Versus Crow, 2014)
17. Bridget Hayden – The Cherry Tree (For Scant Applause / Crow Versus Crow, 2014)
18. Ella Fitzgerald - What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? (Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas/ Verve Records, 1960)

19. William S. Burroughs and Kurt Cobain - The 'Priest' They Called Him (Tim/Kerr Records, 1993)
20. Scott Walker - The Day the "Conducator" Died (An Xmas Song) (Bish Bosch / 4AD, 2012)
21. April Larson - Walking In The Air (Bonefire Version) (For Scant Applause / Crow Versus Crow, 2014)
22. Broken Shoulder - Silent Night in Subnade (For Scant Applause / Crow Versus Crow, 2014)

23. Sonic Youth - Santa Doesn't Cop Out On Dope (Just Say Noel / Geffen, 1996)
24. Jandek - Bring It In A Manger (Somebody In The Snow / Corwood Industries, 1990)
25. Leadbelly - On A Christmas Day (Important Recordings: 1934-1949 / JSP Records, 2006)

26. Mogwai – Christmas Steps (Come On Die Young / Chemikal Underground, 1999)

The Crow Versus Crow Radio Show #83 - Christmas Special by Crow Versus Crow on Mixcloud

Thank You!

'For Scant Applause - A Compilation Of Christmas-ish Songs Curated by Crow Versus Crow'

Purchase 'For Scant Applause: A Compilation of Christmas-ish Songs Curated by Crow Versus Crow' from the Crow Versus Crow Bandcamp.

The idea for this project came from a search for a Christmas album that didn't rely on the same old tired (mostly) naff songs that over-saturate the festive period, to the point of vomit induction that the one-man devouring of a 7 bird roast could ever hope to match.

A question was posed via Facebook, scoping out artists who would be interested in contributing their work, to a very positive response and the project was a go'er.

Many artists involved in an extended network of the 'No Audience Underground' (Hayler, Radio Free Midwich ) have contributed to this eclectic body of original compositions, covers, reworkings and re-edits, th,at in varying degrees, reference the Christmas period... Christmas-ish Songs. This project, quite obviously, would be nothing without their work and massive 'thank you's' go out to all of the artists involved.

At this time of year, when Christmas is, in the best possible scenario, considered a time for spending quality time with and expressing the love for your family and friends, I find it impossible not to be drawn to thoughts for those who don't have the luxury of such things. Personally, I want to be a part of something that addresses the problems of homelessness - the existence of such a thing is an unfathomable, horrendous aspect of our society - and to make a direct contribution in support of the work of a charity whose vital work helps those vulnerable at this time of year, Crisis.

''Homelessness is about more than rooflessness. A home is not just a physical space, it also has a legal and social dimension. A home provides roots, identity, a sense of belonging and a place of emotional wellbeing. Homelessness is about the loss of all of these. It is an isolating and destructive experience and homeless people are some of the most vulnerable and socially excluded in our society.'

So, all proceeds from this record, after Bandcamp and PayPal fees, will go directly to Crisis - the national charity for single homeless people. More information of the work they do, and homelessness generally, can be found on their website.

Thank you for your support with this project. Have a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

Much love,

Crow Versus Crow

The Thomas Family's 'Dub Variations' Reviews

Since it's release in mid-October, very few of the review copies I sent out out have resulted in words being thrown about the internet in response to what such critics would undoubtedly have called 'Album of the Year', 'The Greatest Record of All Ti..' ...or, words to similar effect, if they had picked it up. However, the... lets for ease of identification call them the, 'more insightful' critics... the More Insightful Critics have taken the time to sit and listen to The Thomas Family's 'Dub Variations' album and have deemed it worthy of a few lines appraisal. 

Having removed my snarky tongue from out of my cheek, I'd like to extend huge thanks to Rob/Radio Free Midwich, Mark/Idwal Fisher, Raffaelo/Music Won't Save You, and the mysterious reviewer at Swirls of Noise. Thank you! It's massively encouraging to see a record I have such a strong affinity for being so well received by others.

Here are excerpts of the aforementioned reviews and links to the entire articles:

Radio Free Midwich: Tension, Balance, Possibility: The Thomas Family's 'Dub Variations'

'What we have here is a foundation document, an ur text, for this year’s most talked about sub-genre ‘extraction music‘. The album was recorded way before the term became common parlance on every street corner and was released way after. Hearing it is as mysterious and exciting as finding a previously missing explanatory introduction to the Voynich Manuscript. 

A truly essential purchase.'



Idwal Fisher: The Thomas Family and Kevin Sanders

'The way that ‘III’ moves from from random key prod into an urban ritualistic analogue nod fest provides us with the key piece here. Think Pink Floyd’s One of These Days for the Extraction generation with added exotic wildlife. ‘I’ and ‘II’ are much quieter affairs. Here we have desert dust storms, the ubiquitous hum of distant traffic, station announcements, minimalist explorations into the corners of empty factories where the light rarely reaches, bleak affairs made for near silence.'



Music Won't Save You: The Thomas Family Dub Variations (Italian)

'The result is a universe from the substantial nature of dark-ambient, resulting from the interaction of crackling field recordings and minimal sketches produced by modular synth.'


Swirls of Noise: The Thomas Family - Dub Variations

'...but words fall a bit short in actually describing it. Music wants to be, needs to be experienced. Those vague references and glimpses demand some amount of effort and attention, because otherwise the music simply passes by and might be reduced to the drone textures... While there is ambience – i.e. fragments of sounds that can be found in a city – they are reduced to a role in the background and unable to reach out to the listener. It feels as if someone would be shut in a building, engulfed in a stream of sterile sounds, while the outer world is experienced – through vague noises and impression – through some sort of window...A lot can be read from those tracks. A lot can be gained from these compositions. Listen to them.'

Copies of The Thomas Family's 'Dub Variations' are still available via the Crow Versus Crow Bandcamp